'Good Times' Model fashion shoot with Monalisa Moyo

This shoot actually happened at the very close of September, but was too late to feature on last months blog update. So here it is, the 'Good Times' Fashion shoot with Monalisa Moyo at the St. James Hotel Nottingham.

It was a great shoot, one I had longed to do that went ahead in the grandest of location and not without a little drama. It was a tale of mis communication and time keeping, but hey everyone turned up and we got the job done in style. Hair and makeup was provided by Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and she did brilliantly helping the lovely Monolisa Moyo look even more stunning. So thanks to both Shadrine and Monalisa for the great day and a thanks also to Amy for assisting me and keeping me company in the plush surroundings.

I hope you enjoy the results?

October Flowers Update

Another great month for flowers, provided by Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist. Its that time of the year for gladioli flowers, so I had a couple to see which one came out the best. They can be awkward to capture sometimes because of their size, but if you concentrate on one flower over and above a series of flowers it can look good.

So thanks then to Chris and Wendy for their much needed help and support along with a shout out to Amy for her input on the day.

September Updates

Another month has rolled around and time to update the blog.

On the whole its been a quiet month with not much happening until this last week and it all kicked off. As mentioned in the August update I had planned to do two shoots this month, both I am happy to say went ahead eventually. I say that because the final shoot was a drama to behold and touch and go until the hour of shooting. But at the end of the day everyone turned up (if late) and we finally got the job done. I am in the process of editing those last pictures so they will not be available until next months blog update in October. But I do have the Nicolie Campbell pictures to show and they are a real treat. A genuinely nice man with a handsome look and lots of abs on show. But then what would expect from a boxer and athlete.

I woul just like to make mention of thanks to a few model I met through the drama of this week. So a shout out to Natasha Lawer, Elle Jones, Simone Stocks and Betty Malone All the ladies have been more than helpful to me this month and I shall not forget their kindness.

A thanks also to Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist Shadrine at Kavour Beauty for her MUA skills and Monalisa for being Monalisa !! .

And of course, not forgetting my dear wife Amy for always being there.

Project – 'Architectural Metaphor' Update

Amy and I took a day trip so she could visit the Chinese Supermarket. So while there we took advantage of the local architecture, snapping away and seeing if we could get anything worth showing. It was a bit hit or miss, but I think we got some good photos in general. My particular favourites being of the side view of the Theatre Royal. It has an Art Deco feel and look about it.


September Digital Art

Only three this month and a few on the boxing theme featuring Nicolie Campbell

Model fashion shoot: Nicolie Campbell (Pretty Boy Assassin) Boxer and Athlete

He is up for a big fight on October 2nd, so I was lucky to get this shoot in before hand.

I have worked with Nicolie many times before and he really is a pleasure to photograph. Known in the ring as PBA or Pretty Boy Assassin, we all went to The Boardroom studio in Derby for the shoot and got the best pictures yet. Nicolire looked great and was on top form that day. So it only leaves me to thank those in attendance including studio owner, Phil Lynam, who's help was invaluable. And special mention to my wife Amy for her help on set as well.

A huge thanks to Nicolie and here's wishing him all the best of luck for this coming Saturday's big fight. As you said in the car home, 'He's coming from all the way from Manchester, but I don't care where he is from … I am going to kick his ass !!!'

Thats the spirt.

September Flower Updates

Due to the two fashion shoots I had this month, I had to photograph the flowers a good week before I normally would have. Thankfully Chris at Flowers To Yours was very understanding and allowed me to have a few of his finest a couple of weeks ago. The emphasis this month is more on shape and form rather than straight forward flowers. So slightly different, but still worth a look. Thanks then to Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist for their brilliant help. And a thank you also to Amy for assisting me photograph them.

August Updates and an unashamed plug

Hello and welcome back to my blog this rainy August.

It has been a quiet month with again no model shoots, but I have been planning for two shoots in the same week at the end of September. The models then will be athlete and champion boxer Nicolie Campbell and then fashion model Monalsia Moyo. I have all the props ready, but have a small oily problem with one of the bits for Nicolies shoot. I intend to shoot him wearing chain-mail and managed to get some great gear from India. Unfortunately it has come smothered in axel oil and quite unusable. I purchased a grey backup but it is not as good as the oily black one. I was advised to wash it several times in hot soapy water, which I shall do … if not I am snookered !

I hope to bring you the pictures next month.

Now I don't normally highlight other photographers work on my blog, but I would like to draw your attention to a book soon to be released by a friend of mine. Amazing wildlife and native peoples photographer Scott Davis from California, is someone I friended on Instagram (#scottydavispics) and follow his work avidly, To me he is like the film maker David Lean of photography with his images and we often comment on each others work. Scott also takes extraordinary pictures of indigenous people from all over the world, from Brazil to Mongolia and the narrative on their portraits tells such a powerful narrative. Check them out on his Instagram or why not visit his website www.scottdavisimages.com

Anyway, he has a book coming out called 'The Science of hope: Eye to eye with our worlds wildlife' which he co-authored with Wiebke Finkler Ph.D. I am always impressed with his knowledge of his subjects, only bettered by Sir David Attenborough in that field.

The book is in the shops and online in the United Kingdom from 21st September. 2021


9781925820645.jpg

Visit these sellers for your pre-order copy:

Amazon UK

Ebay

WH Smith

Wordery

A great read

I put my money where my mouth is and have already pre-ordered my copy.

Thanks this month to Amy for all her support and to Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. A special mention to Karen Ma … my biggest fan in the whole wide world !!!!

August Digital Art

Some old and some new this month, with a publishing of some very old alternative pictures I took of a fancy gerbera. I gave them a Mediterranean feel about them, but can not for the life of me remember how I created it. There is also three tattooed ladies pictures. I have added the tattoos in Photoshop for effect.

Project - 'Architectural Metaphor' Update

Just a few images this month that I nearly did not bring you.

Let me explain, I took the liberty of photographing my local general hospital, because it has an interesting design. Little did I know that you have to have permission to do that until some man mountain range ape of a security guard informed me rudely and with thuggish glee. So I tossed him a few lines of well placed expletives back, just for his troubles. It then fell to him and three of his thug mates to escort us both to the front of the hospital . From there the gang of four stood loitering around giving my wife and I the stinky eye stare as we waited to catch a taxi home. They obviously had nothing better to do with their time than to harass a disabled man innocently taking a few shots of NHS property? Apparently not, so it would seem.

Maybe they thought Amy and I were a major criminal threat, planning the down fall civilisation … or the Health Service at any rate, using only my walking stick and digital camera? . Who knows. Still, the results I did manage to get I am reasonably happy with, so please enjoy them.

The Garden Updates

While rooting around on some old hard drives I came across so more ancient flower pictures. So I tarted them up and put them on the website. Have a look. I am not sure if there is any more out there, but If I come across them I shall post them up.

August Flower Updates

Its the August flower updates time, with a great collection provided by my friends Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. So a big warm thanks to them. Look out for the alternative image of a single clematis petal in purple that is a favourite of mine. And talking of purple I have thrown in a couple of extra pictures of Lavender taken around the corner from my house. Just a little extra so to speak. Thanks also to Amy for here help and assistance.

July Updates

Welcome back to July's blog updates.

There has not really been much happening this month except sitting in my front room with the fan on. I am not very good in sweltering hot weather, give me an Indian Summer any day ! So I have not been out very much, or moved far this month.

I mentioned last month that I have no shoots booked until the end of September when I then have two with Monalisa Moyo and boxer Nicolie Campbell which I am both looking forward too. So it is a bit of a bare month for model pictures I am sorry to say.

But I have managed to take the months scheduled flower images in the home studio, kindly provided by my friends Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist. I have also been digging up ancient images I have of flowers taken in a variety of gardens up and down the Country from London to Scotland and renovated the images for you to enjoy.

So now that I have some time down this coming August before the next flower shoot, I am taking the time to send of my digital camera off for a well overdue service with Nikon. These things never move fast, so I am feeling like my hands have been removed for the while. I shall have to take up knitting instead.

Enjoy this months offerings.

Still Life / Fine Art Gallery - Update

I feel a bit of a cheat this month with the fine art pictures as they were actually taken a good seventeen years ago when I purchased the overpriced flowers from a now defunct flower shop in the city called Zinc. I was just experimenting taking fine art pictures, and after all this time I have finally found what to do with them and give them a home. I have made them look as thought they are made of latex, with the super saturated reds. Please enjoy.

The Garden Updates

Here is a mix of flower images I took in situ across the British Isles from my bathroom window to Kew Gardens, to my wifes hanging baskets and So much more. Most of these were taken on old Fuji and Kodak Transparency (Slide) films, long before digital came along and when I was just taken the pictures as and when I had the chance. Some some of the quality is not always 100% (Like the cowslip for example), but they are still worth a look.

July Flower Updates

Now last but by no means least I am proud to present this months flowers taken in our home studio with the help of Chris and Wendy and Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist. Amy and I took the pictures last Saturday when it was not so hot outside and the light was perfect. I still managed to sweat like a pig, before having a hair cut and bath to follow. But the end results speak for themselves and unlike the above images, these are fresh off the camera. So a huge thank you to Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist and to Amy.

That is about it for this month. I hope you enjoyed this months blog and be sure to come back next month for more. X

June Updates and welcome the arrival of baby girl, Ayzhuh.

Welcome back to June updated blog and galleries.

Now normally I have to bring you all sad news of those who have departed, but not this month.

My dear friend, muse and sidekick Tyler Dyce proudly announced the arrival of her little girl Ayzhuh with a message to me and a few attached photographs.

So a huge load of love goes out to both Tyler and her little boss, Ayzhuh. I hope everything is as good as you hope it to be and that she grows up to be as lovely as her mother. God bless x

So now that we all have a bit more flexibility to go out and visit places after the lockdowns, Amy and I decided it was a good idea to show our faces at my parent’s home. We had not seen them in eighteen months (much the same as a lot of people) so it was lovely to share time with them, and we both enjoyed it immensely, despite the rain. While we were down there we also got to photograph a few things, like my Father’s garden and Sywell Aerodrome. All of which I have shared on this website and blog this month. But most of all it was just nice to see my parents again, alive and kicking after all this time.

I managed to fit in a fashion shoot with the awesome Marie Jean Saxton model, in a 1970's inspired shoot complete with flared trousers and orange tights. Looking forward now to my shoot with Monalisa Moyo in a luxury hotel in July and seeing just what we can create. After that I have nothing planned in …. no shoots at all ….. I would like to do one more with Marie Jean Saxton, but after that I don't know what the future holds. I am still on the fence regards retirement, and can not really say a great deal more on the subject.

So that's it for this month. Thank you to all for their help this month and wishing Tyler and her daughter Ayzhuh all the best for the future.

As one light fades, still another begins ….

Model Fashion Shoot introducing Marie Jean Saxton

Collected here are the results from a shoot long planned and in the making with fashion model Marie Jean Saxton. And what an amazing model she is. You could not take a bum picture of her, she is the master of her craft and great to work with. The original idea was to shine 1970's advertisement pictures on her, but sadly that did not pan out. I could have added them in Photoshop, but again it did not look right and confused the picture. On top of which, come the day of the shoot. my angina starts playing up and doing all sorts of strange things to my heart and breathing. Yet we all got it done and on time. … well just about. So here they are, a 1970's inspired shoot with thanks to Marie, to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty for her hair and makeup. Plus a shout out to Phil at The Boardroom Studio, Derby.