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Model Maryna Sedin 3rd Photoshoot

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Its always good when awsome supermodel Maryna Sedin drops by the studio for a shoot. She is so natural. Point the camera and off she goes making magic.

So this shoot I would try to have made on the day a paper dress. Not something made out of old newspaper, but rather out of the paper that bunches of flowers come wrapped in. I put this idea to Chris at https://flowerstoyours.com/eco-friendly-flowers and https://www.bramblesflowers.com/ and see if it could be done. He provided me with two rolls of paper, one plain and the other with pink dots on it. And it worked. Maryna wore a simple grey dress underneath as the paper was wrapped around her by Shadrine and Amy pinning it up at the back … and it looked great.!

We also created an all red effect with a red hijab, long red coat, shoes (red of course) and leggings to create an androginous look.. Through in a big red beach ball and red umbrella and you get the idea. Maryna also came with her own clothes that were checkerd black and white. So with some half / half balck and white makeup another look was created on the spot. Thanks then to everyone involved with the shoot. To Chris at https://flowerstoyours.com/eco-friendly-flowers and https://www.bramblesflowers.com/ to Shadrine at https://www.facebook.com/Kavourbeauty/ for her hair and makeup. To Phil Lynam at https://www.theboardroom.studio/ to Amy for her asssistance and of course the lovely Maryna Sedin whithout whom it all would not have been possible.

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?

Munira Model on her second shoot with us

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We were more than happy to get back in the studio the amazing Indian beauty Munira for a second shoot. In this shoot she was asked to wear a pair of the ballet boots. These boots are great to photograph as they add style and lift to the model, but impossible to walk in. Why anyone would want to wear them out for a night is beyond me ? But they do look great.

Munira is such a great model to work with. She is always both punctual and polite and throws herself into the project. I am planning on getting her back for a third shoot in August and to do the Christmas slot with Mercybongo. Thanks then to all there at the shoot, to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom in Derby. A thanks also to Amy for her help and food.

There are also some behind the scenes shots from this shoot featuring Munira, Shadrine and Amy.


Model Marie Jean Saxton Shoot

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It is always good to work with Marie Jean Saxton when she rides into town. She has such a great face and knows how to pose that I just let her get on with it. I did some more blurred images this shoot. Some with a Batman mask on for effect. It was a quick two hour affair shoot so not as abundant in images as the normal four hours would produce, but then its quality rather than quantity that we are after here.

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

Model Gallery Lee Henshaw at the Art Gallery

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Male model and studio owner Lee Henshaw asked me to do a shoot for him recently. So I agreed and scratched my head a bit thinking of interesting places to go. After some deliberation I called a local Art Gallery with huge ca vinous walls and ceiling if we could shoot in their place. Thankfully they said yes and the shoot went ahead. I think we got some decent stuff. There was no up close portraits you would find from a studio setting, but we made use of the minimalist surroundings in the gallery and outside the building as well. I hope you enjoy the images?

Model Gallery for Lydia Clifford's Second Shoot

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Here was a shoot date with Zoe Birtwhistle in mind, sadly she was not ready with her hats that she was to model in so we have had to postpone till a later date. But not all was lost. The amazing Lydia Clifford stepped in to take the strain and so we did our four hour session with her. We have worked with Lydia before so I knew I could trust her. Her work ethic is a good one as is her time keeping and shear knowledge of her job. True to form she was brilliant and here are the results. One of the costumes was an orange pair of trousers with an orange t-shirt with the words 'RIOT' across her chest. She is also holding a bull horn as well for effect. Another look is based on an old picture I saw in a Hollywood magazine of actress and dancer Ann Margret wearing a black roll neck jumper and black tights. It was a fashion look that I thought was hood and have wanted to shoot in that style for a long time. Finally doing it with Lydia.

So thank you then to our model Lydia Clifford. Our makeup artist Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and my dear wife Amy for all their hard work.

Mercybongo – Third Shoot with Carl Tilson

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This is Mercybongo's second shoot this year with us and there are still two more to come before the year is out. However, this shoot was based on the video of 'Shock the monkey,' by Peter Gabriel complete with tribal makeup and match suits for both her and her partner Carl. The idea was to make both models look androgynous in white clothing and white background. I have actually used the alternative blue versions here as I think they look better. Thanks then to Mercybongo and Carl for their input and assistance. To Shadrine, at Kavour Beauty for here great makeup. To Phil Lynam at the boardroom studio for his help and of course Amy for being there.

Still Life Update

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In the closing days of April we did a great shoot with the amazing Mercybongo who we last shot in December. She is so keen we had to get her back. She cut some tulips from her garden on the day and brought them along for the shoot. They were so joyous and bright that I had to take their pictures when we got home. So as a bonus I have captured them as a Still life set as well as the standard flowers update. Mercybongos pictures are still being edited as we speak, so should be available in Mays update.


Elle Jones model in the style of Norma Jean Baker shoot

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During our last visit to see my parents I managed to watch a film on Netflix called 'Blondie.' I had previously heard some music from it and had downloaded it, so was curious to see the movie. It is a bio pic of the life of Norma Jean Baker (aka Marilyn Monroe). While not the greatest film I had ever seen it was not that bad either. This is despite the film getting a critical panning and a Golden Turkey award for its troubles. It did however contain some very sexually graphic and disturbing scenes that were both pertracted and uncomfortable to watch. Especially that is when your Mum is in the same room watching it with you !!! But it did show Norma Jean Baker as a very troubled and lonely woman bereft of a father figure in her life and early death. Very human with all our complications and far from the sex symbol and icon she has become today. So in the end it is quite a moving film in many ways. Norma Jean certainly did not deserve the abuse and treatment she got at the hands of the men in her life, Hollywood or the press. Sad.

Anyway, film critique aside, it did get me thinking of doing a shoot along the lines of some of her most iconic looks and pictures. And to this end I needed a model to pull this off … Enter fashion model Elle Jones.

Elle Jones and I had been contacting each other regarding doing something together in the studio for a long time. Since way before COVID came along, so I thought she would be perfect for the job. And she was. While not a blond like Marilyn, these images are not so much a carbon copy but rather a 'In the style of ….' look. Elle was brilliant and slayed the job completely. Shadrine at Kavour Beauty provided the hair and makeup and Phil Lynam provided the studio and lighting. Amy was as always my assistant. So I would like to give a big thank you to all there and for making these Elle Jones in the style of Norma Jean Baker pictures worth a second glance

Project – 'Lujon Fressonique' Update

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I had intended to do some more of these styled images at the December shoot with model Mercybongo, but never got around to it. So its back on the flowers again for this time and a new cream background, rather than the old sandpaper I photographed it against in previous sessions.


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.


Marie Jean Saxton Second Fashion Shoot

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had planned to work with this months model a second time and the shoot was going ahead earlier this year – but then she got pregnant. Thankfully she is back now, and looking in great shape for this fashion shoot taken at The Boardroom Studio in Derby. Its always a joy and privileged to work with creatives like Marie and Shadrine my makeup artist. It makes all the difference to the shoot. So I hope the pictures speak for themselves. Thanks to Marie Jean Saxton for modelling. To Shadrine at Ka'Vour Beauty for all her hair and makeup work and to Phil Lynam at the brilliant Boardroom Studio for his valuable help and advice.