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Model Mercybongo Photoshoot

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Can you believe it this is Mercybongos seventh shoot with us at the studio and this month we have a bit of an Audrey Hepburn and Janet Jackson feel to it. Taken at, and with thanks to the brilliant https://www.theboardroom.studio/ This shoot features Mercybongo in a different style than we have previously done. The model wears what I call her Naomi Campbell long straight wig with black trousers and a pair of fishnet tights with the feet cut off over her top half and bra. This is an old trick I picked up decades ago and it creates a very edgy and strong (Janet Jackson) look. Its also cheap as you can get a simple pair of fishnets from Primark for about four quid. Mercy is also wearing a long black dress with white collar. Her hair is up with a tiara in it and some fancy pants lighting behind her. This I hope gives a classic Audrey Hepburn 'Breakfast at Tiffanys' look. There is also a third more spanish inspired look that is light, bright and orange / yellow..Thanks then to Shadrine at https://www.facebook.com/Kavourbeauty/ for her hair and makeup. To Phil Lynam at https://www.theboardroom.studio/ and a nod to my lovely wife Amy for her help.

I hope you enjoy them?

Model Mercybongo Sixth Shoot, 1920's Vibe

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ts Mercy time again.!!!!

This lovely model is now on her sixth shoot with us, with still more to come

She is a great model and so enjoyable to be around. Permanently positive and happy she makes working with her so easy. So on this shoot we have a bit of a 1920s 'flapper' look going on/ Black and golden dress on a yellow background to highlight the gold. Mercy looks the part. We also have some sporty type pictures with a hula-hoop. Those images have a Leni Riefenstahl feel to them I am not saying I agree with her politics (far from it), or the unpleasant company she kept. Rather her strong images of statuesque German Olympic sports personnel/ She was and still is, a controversial photographer, but she was good at what work she produced. That said it was not my intention to produce that kind of image, rather it just happened and turned out that way.

We also created some dreamy effect pictures using a Vaseline smeared UV filter on the lens and Mercy wrapped in a white mesh material.. I am happy with the results we obtained, even with the more tongue in cheek 'Cowgirl' styled pictures, just for the fun of it. So thank you Mercybongo for being a true star. Thanks also to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and to Carl and Amy for their help on the day

We shall see you again soon Mercy x

Mercybongo, Together Again & Vogue Scandinavia Shoot

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This here is Decembers studio shoot and again we are back with Mercybongo, who always looks and puts in 100 % to any job she does. Here we were creating an editorial style look in a red dress and black Vogue Scandinavia bag. The bag was padded out inside with rolls of toilet paper to give it some body, at no expense spared ! We also made a one of image based on a segment of the Janet Jackson video 'Together Again' where she is sitting under a tree in Africa, cuddling another double of herself. It pretty much worked and can be seen in the Digital Art section above. So thanks then to all there that shoot. To Mercybongo, to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. To Phil Lynam at the Boardroom Studio and to both Amy and Carl for their help.

Monalisa Moyo – On Location #2 Shoot

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It was lovely to see and work with my old friend and longest serving model Monalisa Moyo again. These images were taken on location again on what was her 30th Birthday (I first worked with Monalisa when she was nineteen!!) We have not seen Monalisa since she kick started the year for me with a January shoot in my grotty bathroom if you can all remember? So here she is on the suspension bridge and against the pink wall. I would like to tell you they were taken in an exotic country, but the reality is they were in somewhere not quite so glamorous and around the corner from me. Still they turned out nice and Monalisa looked great in her kaftan and blue dress.

Mercybongo – Second Shoot

I think we have a star here. We invited Mercybongo back for a second themed shoot with us that were actually taken on the last day of April. So too late for last months update. She was great surrounded in maxi dresses and fake flowers. All plastic fantastic!) I had wanted originally to use real flowers but to purchase that many that was needed would have cost hundreds of pounds as well a transport issue and against the clock as they die away.

On this set I must make mention of the sumptuous set that was especially made by Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio, just for this shoot. It was so good and fitted the theme exactly using sheets, rugs and other props like cloth mannequin and empty picture frames. A mention also to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty for all her wonderful makeup and direction when putting the flowers in place. A thank you also to Amy and Carl for their assistance on the day swell.

Mercybongo will be back again in July for her third shoot coming soon .

Mercybongo – Second Shoot – Specials

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Just a handful of special 'one off' pictures featuring Mercybongo model

taken last month at The Boardroom Studio in Derby.

Iyisha Rose - First Shoot

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This month I was / had planned to do an improve shoot with Marie Jean Saxton at the Boardroom Studio in Derby. Sadly she was not all with it and gave her apologies that she could not make it on the day. A professional model (take note Kay Carter!) we had enough time to find a replacement model. It was only a two hour shoot with no makeup artist. Just the model, Amy and myself. With the valuable help from studio owner Phil Lynam he saved the day and pushed the lovely Iyisha Rose our way. She was brilliant. Such a great natural woman who looked great in front of the camera. The theme of the shoot was really to test out a few looks with different lens filters so most if not all the pictures are blurred. By design rather than an accident. The filters used were a UV filter smeared in vasoline. Another filter used was a Tiffen Black Pro Mist ¼ and a Lensbaby Velvet 28 Lens, all to good effect. Also in the galley are some oddly coloured images that were taken using an old digital camera, chipped to do only Infared shots. The results are odd. This might be best used on landscape.

I would love to work again with this great model and give her the full works, the four hour shoot special complete with Shadrine the makeup artist. So watch this space and thank you to all involved in this shoot.

Nicolie Campbell Tribal Shoot Specials

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Here are just a few extra special to wet your appetite from our shoot with boxer Nicolie Campbell on the Tribal set.

Nicolie Campbell Tribal Shoot

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This was all the brain child of my friend, athlete and champion boxer Nicolie Campbell. He asked if we could manage to do a tribal shoot. So I thought about it, asked what Shadrine thought (she literally jumped at me with excitement!) and so put the wheels in motion. The makeup was all done by Shadrine with great skill and the spear was a genuine African spear from Ebay. I think it went well and love the results. What do you think? So thanks then to Nicolie, to Shadrine. To Phil at the studio and Amy for her help on the day.

Monalisa First Shoot of 2023 'Fashion 30

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There was not supposed to be a photo shoot this January as I needed a rest, but I got itchy fingers. No that does not mean I went out shoplifting, rather I called up my old fried Monalisa Moyo to see if she was up to an impromptu shoot at my house. And she was thankfully.

These pictures were taken in my sparse bathroom which is safe to say is not the parlay Ritz, but with some powdered milk in the bath water and on a cold day outside, we got the task done in one take. Thanks then to lovely fashion model, my friend, Monalisa Moyo for her time.


Digital Art Update

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Just a few digital art special I made from six of the images featuring Mercybongo at our recent shoot. They are a mixture of flowers and model, I do mean to get back to doing a bit more digital art as I had been doing when Covid came along, but its getting inspired to do it. Maybe in the new year?

Mercybongo First Shoot (but not the last!)

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I finished of the year in the studio with a truly great model who is reasonably local to me and happy to have weird ideas run past her for shoots. Mercybongo is a lovely African lady who put herself to out of the way the day before the shoot and have her hair specially braided at Shadrines Beauty Salon This help enormously as on the day Shadrine could weave small pieces of rope into her hair.

Mercy was a pleasure to work with and we already have plans lined up for more shoots in the new year so I can not wait. The big rope was supplied by Phil Lynam at the excellent Boardroom Studio, so a big shout to him. As well as a thank you to both Mercy and at Kavour Beauty.