Announcement

May Updates and goodbye my friend, Les Armstrong.

Welcome everyone back to this Mays blog from Lujon Rael

I wanted to say a few words about the passing of one of my friends. His name was Robert Leslie Armstrong (known as Les to us) and he served our country bravely during World War 2 in the 73 Squadron RAF as a ground crews man in both France and West Africa. By the time of his retirement Les had attained the rank of Squadron Leader.

I first met Les when he used to attend a photographic club I ran in London some years ago and we had kept in touch ever since. He was always a friendly and likeable man who had time for you, but I possibly felt he did not suffer fools gladly. A point being when one hapless club member, (who shall remain unnamed) thrust a copy of a Spiderman comic book into the eighty year old war veterans hands (!) And then was jovially told told ’There, go and read that.’ The young man got short shrift from the Squadron Leader then sent on his away with a flea in his ear for his troubles Les was a popular, respected and valued member of the photographic club … as well as being my friend.

Born 26th January, 1920 , he quietly passed away on 14th May, 2021, aged 101. Les will be missed by his family and all those that cared and loved him.

Till we meet again Les x

I must apologies for the bit of a lateness with this months update, as my angina has been causing me some serious problems. I simply did not have the strength in me to update this blog until today. There was to be a male model shoot on location this month, but sadly it has been postponed due to the models work schedule clashing. It might have been just as well as I was not feeling up to it anyway.

Thank you to all involved with this months images to Amy for her help and input and to Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours.

See you next month x

April Updates

Thank you for coming back to the Lujon Rael monthly blog, the April 2021 edition.

Its been a bit of a busy month with the COVID restrictions being lifted ever so slightly and I have managed to get in two model shoots I have also been digging through the vaults to find any old stuff that might be worth looking at in the 'Projects' section of the site. I came across some random landscape images I had done ages ago, mostly on print film and eventually scanned onto digital. I have also found some old architectural pictures from the vaults that I have used. On the subject of architecture, I have renamed the 'X00 Multiplies' gallery to a new more user friendly title of 'Architectural Metaphor.' People were having a problem pronouncing the first title, this new title has more of a ring to it I think.

With regards the two fashion shoots, I was fortunate enough to have great weather and luck to work with two amazing new models Shay Holden and Moyolistic. One on location in Nottingham and the other at the Boardroom Studio in Derby. Check out the results. I haven't got much planned for May besides a fashion shoot with a male model and drummer named Karl who I am looking forward to working with. Fingers crossed for the weather and good health.

I still have been unable to make up my mind with regards to my retirement, made all that harder with the contact I had with my dearest old friend and excellent model Monalisa Moyo after so long. We plan to do an 'Albert Watson' high fashion inspired shoot in the July time in a hotel penthouse if we can. So something to aim and look forward to..

T hats it for this months round up, I hope you enjoy the work below.


March Updates

Welcome back to the March blog update and all it has to offer.

I would just like to say a fond thank you to my friend and work partner of many years Tyler Dyce. As we speak she is very heavy with child and so is taking it easy. This is obviously a life changing event for her and I sadly doubt that we will see her again infront of the camera. Which is a shame as it is like the end of an era for me. Yet still all my love goes out to her and her new family for the future.

This then has sharpend things in my mind as I no longer have a muse that I can bounce ideas off, so what shall I do? I have said before that I am physically finding it hard to get around and even stand up too long. My heart doesn’t beat as it should and I get tired easily. So I am giving serious thought to retirering from doing fashion shoots and only now do flowers and still life images. I have four shoots left to do - Covid permitting - but aftert that nothing booked in. I have had thirty one years at this and for the most part enjoyed it all. Its been a great ride.. But now might be a time to stop.

We shall see…. Watch this space as they say.

Look out for the new project gallery called ‘X00 Multiplies’ and a thanks to everyone who has supported me this month. From my dear wife Amy to Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours.

To Tyler … I have been and always shall be your friend. I owe you so much. Good luck, no ill will and ‘Luv Ya’ still x

February Updates

Welcome back to the blog and its the end of February already. My how the time flies by when your doing bugger all ? Since a type of way out of this Covid-19 imprisonment is coming to an end I can start to plan a way back for more new shoots starting in about the middle of April I hope. If it goes ahead, we shall be proud to show you all a new model who goes by the sweet name of ‘Moyondafoluwa’ A very pretty melanin beauty, and someone I am very much looking forward to working with.

Anyway before then please enjoy this months offerings of work from the home studio and a look back (not in anger!).

Thanks x

January Updates

Welcome back to the new years gallery kick off and sadly no model shoots to show you. It does also look likey that there won’t be a proper studio shoot until maybe April or May the way this Covid-19 situation is going. I know I don’t need to be reminded of it, as we are all suffering, but I just wish I could do something in a studio away from my four walls.

But like I said, we are all suffering one way or another.

Anyway, I managed to do some digital art this month after a break and do some more stuff for fine art and projects. There is also the flower work that I am so grateful to still be able to do with help from Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers to Yours. Not to mention, and not forgetting, my wife Amy who always helps me with the pictures.

One more thing to look out for is a review from Lens Culture of my efforts I submitted to one of their awards for Fantasy Art. Its not a bad review, worth a look … it’s at the bottom of this months flowers and quite a lengthy read.

Well thats it for now. Enjoy the blog and catch you next month.

LENS CULTURE 'Fantasy Art' Competition critique / review

At the end of 2020 I entered nine images into a Lens Culture ‘Fantasy Art’ competition. While I did not win, they did however give me a good review of my work.

Have a read.

Reviewer Portfolio Feedback

Greetings, Lujon Rael, and thank you for sharing this beautiful work with us.

Without being similar, your fantasy art images reminded me of the classic work of William Mortensen, an early 20th-century photographer whose work characterized as a mixture of stylized portraiture with fantasy narratives, and cinematic style. Mortensen was inspired particularly by horror films that lead him to create a body of work of demons, witches, and other mythical entities.

Like in Mortensen's work, your images demonstrate a mixture of many elements, both traditional and contemporary. Elements of fashion or glamor photography blend with the traditional horror iconography but without getting entrapped into a repetition of overused themes and approaches. Cinema and Literature also seem to offer you inspiration as you create your fantasy world.

Some of the pictures obviously investigate the same theme, showing off your focus and dedication to an idea, as well as your willingness to explore it further. Pictures 1, 3, and 8 are a good example of a study on a particular theme through variations. The title Jinn informs the viewer as to what kind of entity you examine. Technically all three images are well-made so the criteria as to which one is the best picture are obviously subjective. In my opinion, picture 1 seems to be one step ahead. Eye contact is the critical element for my decision. Whereas in pictures 3 and 8 the creature appears mostly as a spectacle, in picture 1 she is challenging the viewer to look at her, and by extension to communicate with her. But also narratively the picture appears to be denser. The red color, a direct reference to blood, optimizes the grotesque element, making the image more effective.

Images 4, 6, and 7 could belong to the same framework, as each of them appears to explore the mythical and the trivial at the same time. Ordinary house objects obtain meaning through correlation with the human body. These objects turning into body parts, illustrating paradoxical creatures that look simultaneously familiar and alien. I find that you should continue working on this idea, but seeing the work as a long term project and not as an occasion to make some singles more. If you find my idea interesting, make sure that the pictures that will be parts of this series will have a tight general aesthetics, that makes them be visually cohesive. Among the three you have here, picture 7 appeals to my artistic sensibilities a little bit more than the other two do. It is perhaps the soft contrast that somehow controls the grotesque element from too emphatic.

Pictures 2 and 9 change the perspective you approach the subject. This time it is a detail that defines the whole and not the opposite as in the rest of the work. Picture 2 is technically beautiful but I feel that you have tried to quickly bargain with the subject. The snake-tongue human is a pretty stereotypical fantasy scheme. I would prefer to see something that attempts to take that scheme to the next level. Opposingly, picture 9 is more interesting. The act of decorating your body with jewelry obtains new meaning through the correlation with vampire iconography. This picture could also show you a path to follow, a theme to explore. Think about it.

As for image 5, again, you have tried to blend the iconic with the contemporary, and to some extent, you have done a very good job. Perhaps it would be better to avoid titles that explain the concept of the picture, especially when you are using icons everybody understands. I mean that the image obviously explores the iconic figure of Madonna, making the title sound tautological. Do not forget that titles and captions should extend the language of the image.

To conclude, in one way or another, your pictures manifest an inherent curiosity for human behavior and attitude. The combination of mythical with contemporary gestures is a really interesting and promising theme. I recommend you keep on exploring it and I would like to see how it is going to evolve. For the moment, I wish you the best of luck in the contest.


Take care.

December Updates

Well what a year this has turned out to be. I am sure you have no need of me telling you … we are all suffering. But still you must do what you can or face going mad. Being optimistic I am trying to look on the bright side of things and hoping next year is going to be better. So raise a glass for 2021 and a fart to 2020 !!!

I hope you all have a great Christmas and better New Year also. Thanks to everyone who helped.

BTW I did not win that compertion … oh well, bummer !!!

November Updates

Well as we said before the Covid-19 lockdown went ahead and we have all just come out of the other end confused and in different tier areas. Such fun !

Anyway, good thing was that despite what I said my friends at the Brambles Florist and Flowers for yours did not close and I managed to get some really great flowers from them. Brilliant shop and staff. But sadly there is no fashion / model shoot for this month - nor should there be until mid February, 2021. This is part due to Covid but also Christmas and the fact that everyones skint in January. So enjoy this month’s offering and see you in December.

October Updates

October is the start of what I call the silly season leading all the way up to new years eve and the big belly flop that comes after it on January 2nd. Our government has put us all into a Covid-19 lockdown again, so there will be no photoshoots in November or flower shoots either I would imagine.

Bummer !!

On a more happy note the Lens Culture, Black and White Photography Awards that I entered has now closed, but before they did they sent out this advert below to get more people to enter and kindly used my picture in the top left hand corner. Does this mean anything? Proberbly not, but it does tell me someone, somewhere in summertime likes it enough to use it in an advert. Which is something positive I suppose.

I would just like to take this chance to say a fond farewell to Sir Sean Connery who’s films were a big influence on me as a child and young person growing up.

Please enjoy this months updates..

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September updates and Lens Culture competition entry.

Thank you for coming back and welcome to this September’s bumper harvest.

I would like to draw your attention to a competiton I entered from Lens Culture. Its the Black & White Photography Awards 2020. I put in seven pictures, not expecting a single one to get a second look, but to my suprise they have liked one of them that they are featuring on their sight and you are able to support.

This is the picture

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Its a nerdy picture i took of male model Lee Henshaw with his collar buttoned up. Notice also his collar on the viewers right hand side, is on his jacket.

He is not wearing a tie.

Anyway if you follow the link here it will take you to the page. scroll down until you get to the ‘Competition Gallery’ and use the toggle on the right of the picture to look at all the pictures. Mine is close to the bottom. Please star it as favourite …. please !!!

Thank you for your support and enjoy this months blog.

August Shoots and our day out in Derby

I thought that along with my new makeup artist Ka’Vour Beauty, I would try out a new studio. So booked myself in for a four hour shoot at The Boardroom Studio in Derby. It was a great place and we all got something good out of it. So thanks to Phil at the studio (veiw it here), for all his assistance and use of his pad. This month we were graced by two models, Monalisa Moyo who we have not seen in a while. Also as an extra Tanya Model for your enjoyment. Have a look over the pictures and check out the brilliant makeup artist Shadrine at Ka’Vour Beauty. (Check out her facebook page here).

It's July and we are back in action ... and back in Hospital

Covid-19 is far from over, but the powers that be seem to think its okay to go out a bit … so I did.

It was good to be doing something for a change, although it was hard work. Still kicking off the month we had a visit by Divya Ram, an Indian Beauty Queen on a location shoot along with a new makeup artist Ka’Vour Beauty. Later in the month we kick started to flowers shoots off again after a visit to Brambles Florist. You can see all the results here on this site and blog

Unfortunately it also came along with a trip to the hospital because I now have ‘Unstable Angina.’ to add to the list of medical problems. It hurt and I sweated buckets. It has made life a bit harder, but the show goes on and it won’t stop me.

Not today anyway ….

So thanks to all in our brilliant NHS and to the love and support of my wife Amy.

Flowers To Yours (F To Y)

I would love to bring your attention to a brilliant Eco friendly option in Flower delivery called Flowers To Yours. Everything in the process of the growth, preparation and delivery to the composting is eco friendly and does not contain plastics in anyway. On top of this every delivery comes with a free package of bee and butterfly friendly seeds for you to grow in your gardens. Its unique … you get a bigger delivery so more for your money and its good for our world. In short its worth giving them a go.

Visit their website here at www.flowerstoyours.com

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Welcome To June Covid-19 Special

Its looking like the dreaded Covid-19 is waning … or at least thats the reason our beloved leaders are giving reason to open up again. Only time will tell if this is a wise move, but its nice to be able to go out and feel the air on your skin again. I have been busy creating new projects and lots of photography. I might add I could not have done any of it without the help of my lovely wife Amy. Thank you x Remember to come back next month to see a fresh new model shoot.

BANNED from Purpleport

There is a website called Purpleport it is a site where photographers, models, make-up artist and studios can show their images and arrange shoots. For the most part its an okay site, but I have found myself banned from it.

So Why?

Well in my spare time I create images I called digital art. Its correct term is 'Compositing.' Its where you take elements from several pictures and make something new out of it. This technique is quite normal and all legal To this end I, like a lot of other people, buy the images through a subscription to Adobe Stock Images rather than steal them from Google. For example this is how I created the woman dancing with a tiger picture this month. I could go down to my local woods and wait around until a Tiger comes my way, or go to a Zoo, or fly to India and photograph one there in the wild. … or I could cut out all the fuss and simply buy one from Adobe Stock Images for a few dollars. Each image comes with a licence so I am allowed to use it. Which as I am disabled is the easiest option. This is where the powers that be in Purpleport don't like it. They claim I stole the original images and claim them as my own. - An infringement of copyright act – which is all untrue. Sadly they are so inflexible as to not even give me the chance to explain. They just BANNED me. So I shall have my say here on my blog.

Never mind, I did not get a great deal out of the site anyway, but managed to work with a few great models over the three years of being there. So for that I am thankful. Purpleport should bare in mind that like many other model / photographer sites they could well be there but for a season. I have been around long enough to see them come and go. They start, the grow, they have their day in the Sun, they fade and then they die (Remember Purestorm and Web Models anyone?). Someone else will eventually come along with a newer site and a fresh look effectively to challenge Purplports near monopoly away

Only time will tell.

Welcome To April Covid-19 Special

As we all know we are living in a strange world at present where everything has been put on hold. No flowers, no models, no photoshoots as I would normally do. But I did manage to do a few random things in my velvet prison.

Enjoy this months meagre offerings folks?

Welcome to the March blog updates ... and a sad farewell to Mrs Kana. x

What a differenc a month makes. I am talking about Covid 19 or Coronavirus as its called, but before that I would like to make a mention about someone we have lost. One of my dear friends and regular model Monalisa Moyo lost her mother to cancer a few weeks ago. Her mother, Mrs Midress Kana was a sweet woman and Monalisa’s best friend in life. I would see her on the occasions when she would bring Monalisa and her son Brian to the shoots. In truth I never knew her as well as perhaps I should have done. I should really have taken the time to get to know her and have no excuses. Yet I knew her well enogh to know she was ‘good people.’ Mrs Midress Kana was in her mid forties and originated in what was once Rhodesia, now todays Zimbabwe.

God be with you and those you loved, now and forever Mrs Kana.

So the world has been swept with the angel of death, known as Covid 19 the Coronavirus. It has effected everybody and everything. Life has been put on hold with no clear idea when it will return. So with this in mind I have had to cancel April and May’s model shoots. A real pain in the neck but there is nothing else to do. I have some flower images I could edit from my collection of shoots I have put away for a rainy day, but they won’’t last long. We will have to see what happens and soon as the world is better, carry on. Take care of yourselves and hope to see you all in April.