November Blog update, still no sight but who cares … Christmas is soon here !

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Straight off let me apologies for again dishing up a short blog. Simple fact is that due to my diminished eye capacity its been a bit slow. Its getting seen to, but the Hospital is being a bit coy about if it will return? But look on the bright side …. I could be in Jail as the lyrics go to a Prefab Sprout track called 'Spinning Belinda' And besides I still have another eye so nothing stopping me just using that as I have been doing.

This month we said hello again to the lovely Mercybongo for her ninth shoot with me and Shadrine. We all went to The Boardroom Studio in Derby for its ambience and charm as we like to do. And I think we got some good stuff done that day. Oh and by the way, I am publishing a book of all the highlights I have done with Shadrine (not quite every picture), but one from each shoot. book is a vanity project and its called FIELD WORK

I hope you enjoy this months short blog and hope to show a bit more next month. I will see you all again in Mariah Carey season also known as Christmas. So be safe and enjoy the show

x

October Updates and I lost a whole bunch of stiff as well as my eyesight in one eye

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Its going to be a short blog this month as I had a bit of a month off. There was to be a shoot at the start of October, but due to circumstances beyond my control I had to move it to the 11th of November. On top of which I have lost some images I created for the digital art folder? Where they have gone I don't know, although I have a sneaky suspicion that I might have deleted them by mistake. Oh well. ….. And to add insult to injury to my left eyes is out of use because some blood vessels have exploded in them and covered my vision. I have been to my local A&E as well as spoke with my GP. They have done an emergency referral to Clinic 8 to have them do something about it. I am still waiting for them to contact me and now writing this blog is a little bit difficult. So maybe its a good thing its a quick one.

Just before I go I would like to say a warm thank you to my parents for traveling to see us both and take me to the Steve Hackett concert. Luv Ya x

Enjoy the blog and see you next month I hope x

September Updates and the Cops are after me for stalking (a building) !!!

Welcome back to my little corner of (Pentonville Prison) the web.

The seasons have changed from Summer to Autumn and the bad weather it can bring before Winter.There was a very short but welcome Indian Summer, which was nice while it lasted, but gone now. realised that I only have two shoots left this year and so should give good thought to what I am going to do next year in 2025? I know its cliche to say, but where has all the year gone?

So what is all this about the Police being after me. In truth that statement is a bit exaggerated as nothing came of it in the end. Sunday at the start of September Amy and I with James our taxi driver went out to do a bit of landscape and architecture photography. It was a but drizzly out but that did not stop us visiting a Roman hill and another smaller mound near B&Q for the landscape part. After which we drove the short distance to the Amazon Depot, because I like its design. More toi t I like all the lines that are in the design of the structure. So we stopped in front of it and then a short drive to the side of the building. There were CCTV cameras there which was no surprise and a mentioned at the time that we might get reported for taking these snaps. Sure enough we did. After James dropped us off at home he called back saying that Amazon had contacted the Taxi company and informed them that they would call the police. Apparently I had been stalking the building? Quite how you go about stalking a building I don't know and everyone I mention this fact to is also baffled by it. There was no need to panic over it as we had not committed any crime and last thing I can remember is that its not illegal to photograph a building. So I called the Police myself and gave them my details, address phone number and explanation for the call. Asking them if they want to come around and see me that would be great. Four weeks later now and I am still waiting for them. I would like to think that somewhere a more common sensed view prevailed and they realised that if I were a criminal 'casing the joint' as they say, I would hardly turn up midday on a Sunday in a taxi .. that would be pretty stupid and almost as idiotic as saying that I was stalking the building in the first place.

We got to work with a new model this month at the studio. Eva Mengling Pu travelled up to see us and the team set to work making it a memorable day with so great pictures. There was going to be a shoot in October, and none in November, but that has had to be changed around due to circumstanced in Shadrine’s family. No problem we are all go for the 11th of November instead.Thats it for the round up of this month so thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. X

PS. OMG ...I have just heard a loud knock at my front door ? …. It could be the Police !!!!

August Updates, Amys Birthday. Muniras return and a welcome getaway to a (not so) sunny Northamptonshire

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

We got away from the same four walls we surround ourselves with. I would do it more often if I was fully mobile. So we had our escape to the wilds of Northamptonshire to visit my Mum and Dad. It was so good to see them and spend time with them again, chewing the fat and visiting places. The weather was not as warm as it sometimes is and looked a bit threatening at times, but it did not rain until we were on the journey home.

August was the fifty seventh birthday of my long suffering wife Amy, although I am sure she told me she was twenty one again? So happy birthday sweetypie x Hope we have many more birthdays to share with each other to come.

Has anybody heard of how its possible to stalk a building? …. No, me neither …. but we went out the other day to do some photography and that accusation was levelled at me. I will tell you all more next month as it happened in September and the pictures for display at the end of the months blog. Watch this space.

Look out for awsome model and beauty Munira in this months fashion piece. Certainly worth a look. There is a shoot coming up on September 11th at the studio in Derby with a new model to me. A Chinese model called Eva from Bristol. Its planned to do some high fashion shots in black and white as well as using Art Deco as an inspiration. I am looking forward to it as its always good to work with someone new. So that's about it for a brief round up of things. I touch more on the trip to Northampton over the course of this months blog so please read on and enjoy.

Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. x

NB. The wound has healed up nicely.

July Updates,

Welcome back to my piece of the web for July 2024, I wish you well and pray that you enjoy this months offerings.

Its only been a matter of two weeks or so since I last updated this blog, but this month I am on cue with everything. Trouble is that not really very much has happened in the intervening weeks.

I have however been working on new ideas for shoots coming up for the second half of the year. Leading the way will be a shoot idea called 'Amongst Butterflies' featuring Munira Model in August. It will be a beauty shoot with lots of creativity and makeup. Mercybongo will also be back with what I will call the 'Gold Shoot.’ We also have a new model that I have not worked with before to be announced for the September fashion shoot. So watch this space, things are cooking as they say.

My wound is scabbing over nicely, the EVRI man has not been at my door since his last fake chirpiness self popped up. And America looks like its having amnesia and forgetting about the last time they let the anti Christ loose on the world. So for all our American cousins with bad memories, look over this great video and song from Barbara Streisand called 'Don't Lie To Me.'

Its not too late people …...

… And on that all it leaves me to say is please enjoy this months blog.

June Updates, Two enjoyable model fashion shoots, a gamy back leg and an equally gamy EVRI delivery man.

Apologies for the slight lateness in this last months blog. I somehow got myself locked out of the Squarespace dashboard area that controls the website. We are all sorted now so here we are, better late than never I suppose ?

I have a tale of woe for you and a gruesome picture of the back of my right neck. It looks like an axe wound, but it is in fact a blister that burst open on my leg. It was a huge one and I get them because of my diabetes. Anyway, it burst and splatted all over the bed sheets leaving a sticky mess. Thankfully Amy was on hand to treat it and she has done a very good job too.. At one point I had to go to my local A&E because I ruptured the scab that was nicely growing on it. It suddenly turned green and black and gave off a very ripe smell of decay. They cleaned me up and put me on antibiotics which did the trick. Now my local GP nurse wanted me to come in and have it seen to at least three times a week but I said no as doing the quick maths it was going to cost me over £100 +in taxi fares alone for the month. I argued that Amy was doing a good enough job and so should continue …. so that's what we have done and its healing up nicely now. No more puss and a foul smell any more …..

…. And talking of puss and bad smells it leads me onto the little wing ding I had this last month with a deliver from EVRI (previously called Hermes) So there is this delivery man who is also the wrong side of fifty as am I, that regularly knocks on my door to drop off parcels I have had a previous run in with this man before when he complained to me that we had been away when he had banged on our door three days on the trot to deliver a parcel at new year time. He pulled a sour face that only someone who used to chew tobacco as a kid would do. So I apologised and said I will happily send him a postcard next time we are away ! So up to modern day and to cut a story short, I needed to replace a chair my fat bum broke in the studio the week before and I purchased two from Ebay. They were set to be delivered on the Saturday ready for me to take them down to Derby on a Wednesday. They did not show up, so on the Monday I cancelled the order. Then would you believe it, on the Thursday they turned up with happy chops himself at my front door. I politely informed him that I had cancelled them to which he flew into a strop and stamped his feet saying why the f**k did I order it in the first place and I was wasting his time? So that was it … I was pissed that he would swear at a customer like that, but hay-ho, I can give as good as I get and so did by telling him were he could go and calling him a miserable (a private part of the female anatomy and a word that rhymes with the name Jeremy Hunt) ! I then went and complained about him on a message I left on EVRIs telephone line. I doubt anything was done about it but smiley turned up again two days later with his face hidden by his cap and was as nice as pie. I said nothing. He also came the following day when Amy answered the door and he even slimly called her 'love' … ahhhh how sweet of him! Although I think I preferred the puss sack when he was just a miserable C......!

At least then you knew where you stood with him.

So this month I must apologies for not having any extras to show you in Digital art, projects or still life. Its because I have had to replace my old and tired PC with a new one and that was time consuming and stressful, although I did get a helping hand from my friend Mark (I hope your reading this) and to whom I am hugely in debited for his advice. Cheers buddy, We do however have some great flowers to show you and two huge galleries of model fashion pictures starring Mercybongo and Maryna Sedin.

Please enjoy x

May (and Aprils) Updates, So what happened to the April blog ???

A very warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

So what happened to Aprils blog spot? Put simply my computer went up the shit creak without a paddle..After many years of service it got old, ill and It forced my hand and instead of throwing good money at it, it was best just to buy a new one. So that is what I did/

With a great help from my good friend Mark, I purchased a PC with Amazon all for a good price. Trouble was when it arrived it was fitted with Windows 10 rather than Windows 11 as advertised. It also said that it could not be upgraded to Windows 11 as it did not reach the spec. So I sent it back and got a replacement. This all took time and it crept across the month stopping me from doing last months blog. But we are up and running now with a thanks to Mark for guidance.Health wise took me on a visit to my local A&E department with sore that has been festering on the back of my right leg. I get blisters that erupt due to my blood sugars and when they pop they often are a magnate for infection. This nasty one looked on the mend when it was treated and scabbed over, but somehow the scab broke and the wound was left open to the elements again. Needless to say it went green and smelled ripe. It still does, so the Doctors have put me on antibiotics. There is always the fear that they might have to amputate my leg at the worst if I get Poisson blood, but it has not come to that yet so enough with the mellow dramatics.

I have also been diagnosed with Narcolepsy because I keep falling to sleep everywhere I go and drop off sometimes in the middle of a conversation. I already have sleep apnea, so this does not worry me or surprise me too much. I no longer drive, so it won’t affect me that much. Apart from that I am all fine. God is in heaven and all is well with the world as they say.

It is our thirty sixth wedding anniversary on June 4th. So Amy and I might throw caution to the wind this year and live wild like …. call out for a pizza or kebab this year ? Its tough at the top you know ! But joking aside, I would wish to thank Amy for putting up with me all these years and quite literally kept me alive all these years. Love you.

So enjoy the blog and come back at the end of June for the next update.

X

March Updates, Three shoots in the bag this month and would it have been so hard to have shown a little bit more respect when it was needed?

A very warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

It has been a busy month this last month with not one, but three photo shoots and a cremation thrown it in the mix as well.

We finally got to do our shoot with singer Alexis Victoria Hall that was originally planned for January. That shoot was postponed because of both Amy and I being down with the flu. So I am glad it happened because it was a shoot twenty years in the making. It was that long ago and more that Alexis first contacted me for a shoot. For whatever reason we never got around to it, so made up for it with this short but sweet shoot. It was a month when Mercybongo came back for her sixth shoot and the promise of more shoots to come later in the year. I also got to go on location with male model Lee Henshaw at a local (ish) Art Gallery. What a brilliant place to shoot. We even had good weather, so did some stuff outside the gallery. And to top it all off it was also fun !

On a more down beat note I attended the cremation of Patricia my friend whose daughter I used to work with many moons ago. It was a decent send off for her, if a little chaotic and unorganised. I felt a deep sorrow, not just for the passing of Patricia but of what I thought was the rudeness of some of the mourners. At lesst three times some peoples mobile phones went of, with no urgency to turn them off. Sadly there were others who turned up late and were still filling through the doors right up until the end of the service. I know its wrong to compare cremations and maybe it is just me, but it would have been nice if everyone showed a bit more respect and for starters turned off their cell phones. But it must be said, that at the end of the day Patricia did get a good turn out of people to pay their respects. And I suppose that is really all that mattered,

This April will be a bit quieter with only one photo shoot planned featuring the lovely Indian model Munira come back for her second shoot with us. We are going to do some edgy fashion shots with fluffy pick jackets, pencil skirts, ballet boots and toilet roll middles.

We do not have anything else planned, so a bit of an easy month compared to March. Hope to see you all again next month and enjoy the offerings we have for you here today.

X

February Updates, welcome to all the new stuff and a sad farewell to a friend, remembering Patricia Nyajeka

A warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

Apologies for the lateness of writing this blog, I should have done it yesterday but had been in the studio in Derby working with singer Alexis Victoria Hall so by the time we got back home, both Amy and I were exhausted. This month just gone has been a busy one with shoots and family stuff to do like the funeral of my beloved Aunt Jane in Northampton. My uncle and cousins and greater family gave Aunt Jane a good send off. It was not a morbid affair as some funerals can be and I learned a lot about my aunt that I did not know before. There was a tear jerker moment when the song 'The way we were' by Barbara Streisand played over the ceremony. And when the curtains closed around the coffin, all I could think to say was 'Goodbye Aunt Jane … and thank you x.

Hats when it hits you that you will never see her again.

Aunt Jane in our memories.

February also witness the cruel hand of fate fall on another friend of mine, Patricia Nyajeka.

Patricia was the mother of a lovely model I used to work with on many projects called Lorna Nyajeka. I got to know Pat as we called her, through Lorna, whom she was very proud of. She was born in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe in Africa, She was a good women and was only one month younger than me. She asked me once to design a flyer to publicize a class reunion in a hall of all of her friends from home which I was glad to do. I even got to photograph the event and meet the good people there. It was a very friendly event, full of warm African hospitality in an English country house. Good memories. Life does not seem fair sometimes, its very arbitrary and often cruet

so then you have to take the bad times to hold dear the good times. But its never easy in reality. My thoughts are with her family and those she loved.

A few weeks ago we got to work again with the flaming redhead Lydia Clifford at the Boardroom Studio in Derby and dot some great stuff. Sadly the second model Zoe Birtwhistle could not make the shoot which was a shame. Maybe again at some future date? So a huge thank you to all there. Lydia, Shadrine from Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam and of course Amy.

This March has already started on a good foot with a shoot yesterday featuring awesome singer Alexis Victoria Hall in Derby and will be followed by two more shoots, one with the lovely Mercybongo and a third with male model Lee Henshaw on location. So keeping us busy.

So I would like to say a big thank you to my parents for putting us both up for the night, as well as their company at the funeral.

See you all in March for another update and I hope, plenty to view.

Do take care of yourselves and enjoy this months blog x.

January 2024 Updates, welcome to the new year, a dose of the flu and a sad farewell to my beloved Aunt Jane and good, good friend Mick Skivington.

Welcome back to my little piece on the web

It was my birthday yesterday (21 again!) and a pleasure to be writing this blog again after what seems like a very long month. Sadly this new year has seen the passing of two people in my life who I always thought would be around. My Aunt Jane passed away from cancer earlier this month leaving my Uncle, my cousins and their extended families. She was a lovely woman. She always was polite and I never heard her say a bad word against anyone, except supporters of Peterborough United. She was a huge fan and very involved with Northampton Town football club (The cobblers) and took it very seriously. This often served as a niggling point with another Uncle of mine, who did not share her enthusiasm for the cobblers.

Aunt Jane never forgot birthdays and was always good at getting me and my siblings presents at Christmas and birthdays. Aunt Jane was always welcoming when we went to her house, always making us feel relaxed . I know she will be badly missed by my Uncle Ralph and cousins, not to mention her many grand children and wider family. Her death came as a surprise to me as I was not aware of her condition, so all the more sadder. Until her passing I could never visualise a time when she would not be in my family life – she was always there. A constant.

She was a good Aunt and I still find it hard to think that she is no longer with us. I will miss her.

This month also brought the passing of a good friend of mine, Mick Skivington.

I have known Mick for many years, so much so that I have forgotten just how we first met. He was a brilliant wedding photographer and new his stuff about cameras. Initially he was Newark based until moving closer to Nottingham to be closer with his partner Sue. .

A great and well repected Wedding photogrpaher, Mick knew his trade. He was not a perfect man (none of us are) he was a man with foibles, but he was a fun person to know and above all he was my friend. Mick taught me darkroom printing of pictures in black and white, which was quite brilliant to see the photos come out of the stop baths. He was a skilled plasterer and the only man I know that could plaster a wall while wearing a three piece suit! Mick had at one time also worked as a stand up comedian, and always had a quick line in funny comments when needed. I can visualising him saying one of his pet lines when finishing a story. 'Bloody nightmare.' he would often say as a full stop. I liked Mick and will miss him greatly, but not as much as his partner and friend Sue. Like my Aunt, I always thought Mick would be here forever and i prefer to remember him how he was before his stroke. So thoughts are with Sue and rest in peace my old friend … see you again someday x

There was to be a shoot this month with the lovely Singer / Model Alexis Victoria Hall at the Boardroom Studio, but had to be arranged until the 1st March as I was very heavy with the cold at that point. On arriving back from time away with my parents, someone very kindly donated their flu to me. I intern donated my piece to Amy. We have both suffered with it, Amy taking work off for a few days during the worst of it. We are both better now after fighting it for the whole of January, but it has left me deaf in my left ear and with bruised muscles on my chest (coughing fits) as well as blood clots in the same area. Apart from that we are both fine and dandy!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for putting up with us both over the new year period, as its always nice to get away and see them. Thank you Mum and Dad x

We have a studio shoot this month (February) with two models, Zoe Birtwhistle and Lydia Clifford at the studio. So am looking forward to that, as well as anything else we might find to take pictures of. Amy now takes out the small Ricoh GR camera with her when she goes into town to shop. She has taken some great street photography images, which have been put up on the www.streetsofyourtown.co.uk website/ Also added to that website are some more images from our recent visit to Mum and Dad’s of both the journey home and from a dilapidated row of shops in ruin. All of which are below.

That is about it for this years stater. I do hope your all well and I look forward to seeing you all again at the end of February/

Take care x

December Updates and it is Christmas Again !

Seasons greetings and welcome back to my little rant … sorry blog …. on the web

Is it just me getting older or is time moving faster? It does not seem long ago when it was last years Christmas period. So not only is it Jesus birthday but it is also the time when Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé come out to play again alongside some golden oldies from Slade and Roy Wood of Wizard. Its all a bit much for me and try my best to ignore it. But when you hear one of those tunes its like an ear worm and it plays over and over again in your head. Very annoying when you are trying to get some shut eye. As a seasonal treat the other day I ate a 'Snickers' Chocolate bar and was hugely disappointed. I can remember when they used to be called 'Marathon' bars. They were huge, so big that you could beat a man to death with one and needed to dislocate your jaw like an anaconda to eat it. Now its this small pathetic little thing that is twice the price it used to be. Or is it that I am looking back through rose tinted glasses? Never mind, nothing lasts forever … except B.O..

Its been quite a busy year this year with plenty of shoots and still more to come in 2024. I am already booked up till May. Looking ahead we will be working with Zoe Birtwhistle again in February and saying hello to a model who first contacted me twenty years ago. From Manchester the amazing singer and celeb Alexis Victoria Hall. After all this time, we are finally going to be working with each other. I just pray the weather is decent and it is not snowing?

The street photography website is coming on with even my wife Amy taking the camera out on her own and doing some great shots. So much so that I have had to add her name to the website as a contribute. To remind you all again the site is called 'Streets Of Your Town' (See it here).

That s about it for now, so here is wishing you all a great Christmas and even greater New Year. Thank then to all of the people who have collaborated on my work this last year. I could not have done it without you (for sure !). To many to mention, but you know who you are. Thank you.

Enjoy this months blog.

November Updates and two shoots in two studios in two Cities and my final say on Parcel Farce

Welcome back to my little piece of the internet, the Lujon Rael Portfolio site. Your all welcome x

Its been a busy month this month culminating with a three model shoot in two studios, in two cities.

Firstly we were at The Boardroom Studio in Derby to photograph the extraordinary Izzy Holiday model. A model full of tattoos she was not like the other models I work with. I normally have a preference for non – tattooed models, but Izzy fitted the job description to a tee. Sadly I have not finished editing them, so I shall have to share them with you at a layer date.

What we do have however is two sets from two models I shot with the team at the Zavod Studio in Sheffield. Zavod is owned by my friend a lovely model we have worked with before called Xenia. She is Russian (like Izzy Holiday) and has some strong opinions on the ongoing war in the Ukraine. Its safe to say she is not Vladimir Putins best buddy !! Anyway, Shadrine from Kavour Beauty did all the hair and makeup fro all three models, and we went for a very sophisticated look for both models at Zavod. The second model as a brilliant rising talent named Holly Whaling from Leeds. She reminded me of the young Jane Seymour actress, when she was in 'Live and let die' James Bond movie. Both models were oozing class and sophistication, which I do like in pictures. So please enjoy the the team and I created.

So that brings us to the ongoing disagreement with Parcel Farce as I like to call them. They paid £50 for my loss of the camera in their care. Yes they wiggled out of their customer responsibility and showed themselves to be a thoroughly bad player all round. And that is where I have left it. I was going to go after them and get my pound of flesh like Shylock, but that way leads to frustration and illness. I am reminded of the old Jamaican proverb … when you go after vengeance, be sure to dig two graves. I am also aware of the other adage, Dont waste your time flogging a dead horse? I have lost that camera. I will never see it or use it again. I am never going to get the money owed to me for its loss. But I will not get myself ill over it. Life really is too short for that. I have let it go. My only satisfaction is to let everyone know who is going to post a parcel, not to use the services of Parcel Farce from the Royal Mail..

Anyway enough of that BS here are this months photo offerings from the team I hope you all enjoy them and come back for more next month with a year ending shoot featuring the amazing Mercybongo.

Enjoy ...

October Updates, and adventures with Parcel Farce as well as a brand new website to look at !

Welcome back to this months updated blog for October.

The season has defiantly changed, not that we had much of a Summer in the first place, but it is obviously autumnal now. So what has been going on this October? Well medically speaking I have been quite good this last month with only a few off days. Although I did have my thumb nail fall off. I had caught it in a Taxi door I was exiting a while back and bruised it. It did not hurt, just throbbed. But this month the whole thing just gave up and dropped off. Oh well, I never liked that nail anyway I keep telling myself.

I have been engaged with an ongoing battle with Parcel Farce this last month, trying to point out that I no longer have proof (from 2010) that I purchased the camera went missing. I attempted to point out that when I took out the extra insurance on the camera for its safe delivery, they never asked me if I could prove ownership. They only asked what is in the box and its cost. I then learn that the insurance the post office counters sold me was not in fact insurance, but instead a 'compensation scheme.' This is all semantics I pointed out as that is different from the policy I was told and sold by the Post Office. So on that grounds they offered to pay me a whopping ten pounds more for my troubles. So the amount went up from forty pounds (camera + P&P = $450.00) to a staggering fifty pounds! Well their generosity knows no bounds and I am left feeling completely shafted by them. They sent a cheque to my door even though I rejected the pittance they offered me – just to prove a point that their customer care was not worth the paper it was written on and that the great British public should watch out as they are being misled and lied to by Parcel Farce and its agents.

But on a more positive note, I have a brand new website for you all to see. Its called ‘Streets of your town' (www.streetsofyourtown.co.uk) and it features the street photography I have been doing for a while. There is a blog with the site, but it will only get updated when something new is added or I have an observation to tell you all about. Certainly not religiously at the end of every month as this blog is. Most of the images were taken locally to me and its still a work in progress. It also gets me out of the house more and getting some fresh air for a change. I thought about starting a new project page for it here on this website, but decided that to give the subject its own web space was better, as this website is almost full to capacity. Please go and have a look, I hope you enjoy it.

So more shoots coming up in November with two happening on the same day and in two different cities. I shall tell you more when they happen, and after it has wore me down for the week. A thank you then this month to the usual suspects. To Amy for her help. To Chris and the staff at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. To model Marie Jean Saxton and studio owner Phil Lynam. A special thanks also to James from ACEABC taxi firm for getting us safely to the shoots every month. .

Keep smiling and enjoy the rest of this Halloween blog. Thanks x

September Updates and a special mention to 'Parcel-farce'

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

September was a placid month again, I had wanted to go to the City and capture some architecture pictures as well as street photography. But every time it came to the weekend it was either bad weather, or we had something else to do. Maybe this October we can get down there and photograph something of interest? We did however manage to do a three model shoot at the Boardroom Studio, featuring the makeup of Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and the loveliness of Mercybongo, Munira Model and Yoo Yoo. And it was great fun with some good results … in-fact too many for publication.

Cast your mind back a few months ago when I sent a parcel containing a Camera to Romania so it could be chipped to do Infrared photography with it. The camera that was stolen somewhere on its journey back to me and I only got an empty box back for my troubles? Well we filled in a claims form that was given to us over the counter at the local post office and mailed it to the shipping company's address. After a month or so I contacted the shipping company to see how it was claim was progressing The shipping company I shall simply refer to as 'Parcel - Farce,' told me that it was with the claims department and that I should wait for them to contact me. So it was to my surprise when I contacted them again a week ago to say I have not heard a sound from them, that they tell me they never received it in the first place. So someone in Parcel - Farce lied or is lying to me I wish I could say I am surprised, but I am not. When you look at other people dealings with Parcel - Farce, its easy to come to the conclusion that they are as useful as a tampon in a swimming pool. In fairness when you read about any shipping company on liner its like reading a horror story, with very few printing the times they have done a great job. Such is the way things go, but I for one will try to avoid using Parcel - Farce any more. And fingers crossed for the smooth journey through the department concerned of my resubmitted claim. I shall keep you all informed.

I am in the studio again tomorrow, so should have something new to show you all at the end of October. Until then take care of yourselves and enjoy this months blog.

x

Augusts Updates and 'Well he would say that, wouldn't he? '

Welcome back to my blog and little piece of the web that is mine. Good to have you back and hope you enjoy this months offerings?

It was going to be a quite month as opposed to July, with no model shoots at all Yet back in July I was contacted about shooting with a new model Lydia Clifford and I just jumped at the opportunity. We also squeezed another new shoot in with favourite Monalisa Moyo, back again in-front of the lens. So aside from them its been an peaceful, uneventful month. I would like to add a thank you to all those who like and watch my blog. With a special mention to my father who wrote a really lovely email to me saying how he enjoyed the pictures. I do not often get a lot of comments and often met with indifference because I think people have an expectation of a certain quality of work so don't mention when they get it. I put images up on Instagram and the such which sometimes go on to get two likes- WORLDWIDE!! Now I am not fishing for compliments, applause or feeling sorry for myself, but it is always good to get feedback (good or bad). So at least you know where your going wrong or getting something right? Now I know what you might be thinking, so his father said something encouraging to him and to use the Mandy Rice - Davies quote 'Well he would say that, wouldn't he? ' But it took me back a bit in a pleasant way and it felt good. Feedback, suggestion, requests and even constructive criticism, is better than silent indifference people. Nuff said ….…...

September is shaping up to be a busy month with a three model shoot at the Boardroom Studio in Derby, organised Shadrine my makeup artist at Kavour Beauty. Get well Shadrine, we need you fit and active on the day.

Please enjoy this months blog

x

So please enjoy this months blog

July Updates, what turned out to be a very busy month and a lesson never to send parcels to Romania !

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

There were two shoots this month and a shoot taken on the last day of June (so technically for all sakes and purposes this month) Blessed with four great models to work with Mercybongo and Carl Tilson. Maryna Sedin and Marie Jean Saxton, they have kept me busy snapping and editing.

We also managed to travel to my parents home and see them which is always good. Not just to get away from our house, but to spend quality time with them is worth the journey. I managed to do one of the shoots on location in my Fathers lush garden as well as them taking us to Rushden Lakes for some magazine shopping and photo taking around the buildings. It was fun,Amy and I loved it, So thank you greatly to Mum and Dad x

Now here is a word of caution …. if your thinking of sending anything to another country (in this case Romania) you might want to think again about it. I sent an old camera to a man in Romania who could chip the camera so as to make it take Infrared images only. I know I already have a camera that does that, but I wanted a higher spec and it made use of my trusted old Nikon D3. So I sent it via the post office carrier (I shall not mention their name here!) at the princely sum of £50.00 only for the empty box coming back to me a few weeks later! Apparently it got as far as Bucharest and customs did not like it and sent it back, but between there and my front door some thieving turd helped themselves to it. Returning the empty box like trying to rub my nose in it! The Royal Mail recommended I call the Romania Customs and ask what happened to the camera? but that is as futile an effort as a one legged man in an arse kicking contest! Taking the piss obviously, I think they just said that to get rid of me. It worked. Although I have put a claim in, I have still not heard anything from the carriage company, and don't hold out much hope. Oh well, I guess some things just were not meant to be and I shall not do that again. Lesson learned.

Hope you enjoy this bumper month of pictures to make up for last months lacklustre offering.

x

June Updates and a sorry case of Old Mother Hubbard syndrome

It has been a very quiet month this June and I feel like Old Mother Hubbard going to her empty cupboard. There has been no model shoot or visits to the studio (I took a break!!). Although I am actually going to be doing a shoot on location on the 30th June, so too late to go into this months blog. Never mind. Julys blog will be a bumper harvest, so hold out till then.

Earlier this month I sent an old camera I had sitting around Romania to have it chipped so it can do Infrared shots and a 24mega pixels. I had my doubts about it but sent it through Parcel Force. Cost me £50. It came back to me, (or at least the box came back to me!) a few weeks later minus the camera. According to the tracking it got to Bucharest and was refused at Custom & Excises. So then between there and my front door, someone helped themselves to the parcels content. I have put in a claim for its cost and postage, but I shall learn a lesson. Never send parcels through Parcel Force and never to Romania. Thieving arseholes !!! The worst bit is that I had a gut feeling this would happen. Like a sixth sense. Should have listened to it. Never mind.

I hope you enjoy this months very short blog and come back for much more next month.

May Updates, stuck fingers and a small spring cleaning for the site

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

I am having issue with my fingers especially on my right side of the body getting stuck in an awkward position every morning. I had it so bad recently that I had to talk with the Doctors about it (yes I did manage to talk with one !). Its the onset of creeping arthritis I have in my hands and knees. It does not hurt, its more of an inconvenience trying to snap them back into place or massage them. Holding knives and forks is a problem now as does using a camera. Still it could be worse and I be in terrible pain some people have with arthritis. The joys of getting old I suppose.

So I have had a spring clean on the site and moved a few things around. Notice please the Beauty Shots and fashion/ mode gallery's are now amalgamated under one title. Notice also that there are now two projects folders. The projects folder is for ongoing work that I am still doing where as the Projects Extra folder is for stuff I feel I cannot do any more with. I had to do this as the project file on its own with everything in it was proving difficult to open and show its content.

There was no model shoot this month. Instead we have a gallery of pictures from a shoot with the lovely fashion model Mercybongo taken at The Boardroom Studio on the very last day of April. All hair and makeup was done by Kavour beauty, who did an excellent job as always. And check out the backdrop to the shoot especially made for this project. Awesome – best I have ever seen !!!

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Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. x

April Updates and a dirty rotten, lowlife scoundrel

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

It has been an eventful month this month with a model not bothering to turn up for the shoot. I don't wish to waste too much print time on this person as I hate scammers and fraudsters in general. The model in question I had the great misfortune of crossing paths with is Kay Carter from Manchester. She contacted me through Instagram and I had deep miss giving about this model long before the shoot, but gave her the benefit of the doubt. After all I had paid her a deposit (one she has to this day not refunded!) and everything seemed legit. So come the day she never turned up putting The studio out my makeup artist as well as myself. So my senses were correct all along. I smelled a rat and had to take it on the chin. It is my opinion that this model )who is on IG as @thatmoel_kay and PP as #Cataleya) is a practised liar and a fraudster. Keep her downwind at all times and better still give her the finger !

With the best will in the world these things happen. It was not the first time I have had a 'No Show' and I am sure it will not be the last, its just a shame when it happens. On top of which, and more than money is the time wasted by all the other people involved bringing these shoots together, Apologies to Phil Lynam and Shadrine at Kavour Beauty.

On a more positive note I got to work with Mercybongo again on a shoot a few days ago (results still in editing stage) as well as lovely new model to me Iyisha Rose. So this month has not been a complete write off. As always respect to the Boardroom Studio and Kavour Beauty for all their wonderful help. Hope you enjoy the blog this month. Lots to see …..

March Updates, its happy birthday Dad. Also a warm thank you and a sweet sayonara for the passing away of Mr. Sakamoto.

Welcome back to the Lujon Rael Portfolio blog for this month, and its been quite a busy month with another two shoots in the studio under my belt. But more of that in a bit. This month also sees my father turn twenty one again (?), or so he likes to tell us. We know he is really about a hundred and three, but we won’t let him in on the fact that we know. Joking aside, its wishing you a happy birthday and glad you like your 'Pooping Puppies' Jigsaw (it is a thousand piece jigsaw featuring one hundred and one dogs of all breeds having a shit ! I kid you not See Here).I knew that would be just up his street and preferably down wind so he cant smell the doggy does. Happy birthday Dad, love you.

On a sadder note, I caught the BBC News 24 coverage of the passing of one of my favourite musicians and influencers. The celebrated Japanese pianist and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. He had been battling cancer for sometime, but it finally claimed his life. His music has been an inspiration to me for decades, ever since I purchased a copy of the Yellow Magic Orchestra first vinyl LP in Northamptons ‘Our Price’ record store.. To this day his music often appears in my slideshows, right here on this blog. Ryuichi Sakamoto acted in as well as scored the music to,films including 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence' and 'The Last Emperor.' He also created beautiful musical scores for many other films, 'Wuthering Heights,' 'The Sheltering Sky' and more recently 'The Revenant,’ to name but a few. I was privileged to see him on tour once at the Hammersmith Odeon (Eventim Apollo its now called I think?) in London, which was a thrill and the art work and front covers of his records I have tried to emulate in my photography. Here below are two such images, pastiches on 'The Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto' and 'Sweet Revenge' front covers. I hope I did them justice?

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So its thank you and a sweet sayonara to Mr Sakamoto, you left us with the beautiful sound track of your life.

So yes we managed to fill two commitments in this month with shoots down at The Boardroom Studio. Firstly with Boxer and athlete Nicolie Campbell then a second shoot with two Asian models, Supple Suki and Yoo Yoo. Both were great shoots and went well, but I owe a huge thanks to those who assist me. To Shadrine at Kavour Beauty, my makeup artist who pulled out all the stops for these two sessions. She was brilliant, just look at her work on ll three models starting with Nicole Campbells tribal look. Spot on. Thank you also to Phil Lynam at the Boardroom Studio for his invaluable input and lighting suggestions on the day. And a big thank you also to my wife Amy for being there to assist me and make all the food.

More shoots coming this month in April with a new model to me, Kay Carter and the second coming of Miss Mercybongo…. Bring hem on !

Enjoy this months blog x