Still Life / Fine Art Gallery – Update

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A bit of a mixed bag of goodies this month. So let me start with the black and white pictures. These images were actually taken a very long time ago when I was experimenting with light and long exposures. The originals were in colour, but I felt they were a bit too bright and at the time I did not know how to get around the problem in Photoshop. So I left them … Only to find them again earlier this month and have a look gain. I cooled the brightness down and turned them black and white. Problem solved.

The second set of pictures feature a collection of nine shots of a yellow spotted vase I purchased from a charity shop for a few pennies, and liked the look of it. The spots on the vase are painted daisies and as there are no daisies this time of the year, I purchase some from Etsy.

They are fake and made of paper, but look the part and were very dainty. Great thing is I can put them away in the box and use again another day..

I hope you all enjoy this months Still Life gallery?

Tasha Lawer Model Shoot

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A couple of months ago I made contact with a brilliant Derby model, Natasha Lawer who was going to stand in for Monalisa Moyo if she could not make our last shoot in the St. James Hotel. Well in the end she did not have to, but I appreciated her support and promised her a shoot of her own at The Boardroom Studio in Derby. I am pleased to be able to show you the pictures from the shoot and was amazed at this versatile model. Easy to get along and work with, her body moves were amazing and put to full use. So she was awesome and I would like her to do another shoot with me next year if she can. Thanks to Natasha for her poses, to Phil Lynam for his help at the studio and to Amy for making me some props to go in the models hair.

November Flower Updates

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Penultimate flower show of the year with another great palette of colour from our friends at the Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. Its not full on Christmas feel to it, but the red berries are seasonal with the Alternative version in purple my favourite of the shoot. Thanks then to Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours for all their help. With a special mention to my wife, Amy for her assistance. See you all next month

October Updates and Happy Wedding Day to Shadrine ...

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Welcome back to the Lujon Rael Portfolio blog update for October, I do hope you are all well and Covid free.

Before I begin I would like to wish my friend and work colleague Shadrine and her partner Mario, a happy Wedding Day this month from both Amy and I. I hope you are both blessed to have as many happy, loving years together as I have had spent with my wife. People often decry marriage, but I can say in all honesty its the best thing that ever happened to me My wife saved me ... and mostly from myself.

So technically speaking there has not been a fashion photoshoot this calendar month, but we have the results for last months shoot with amazing Monalisa Moyo in the hotel. An eventful shoot, we got the job done and we let out a sigh of relief on its completion before taking to this very comfortable, air conditioned luxury bedroom. I am pleased with the results and honoured to be working with such creatives as Monalisa, Shadrine and Amy.

I had a fall this month. I have had falls before, mostly on carpeted floor but this one was on hard concrete. The fall ripped my knees up a bit, but more than that it shook me up. For a good few days I felt shaky on my feet and found it hard to walk. More than I normally do. It all happened so fast. I got out of a taxi after visiting the florist and my legs went from under me. I tumbled like a bag of potatoes to the floor. But what do you do? You have to pick yourself up and dust yourself down and carry on. I know my weight does not help me. I know the nerve damage and muscle waistage to my right leg affects me also …. but bollocks to all that. I refuse to make excuses, or to feel sorry for myself and will survive … for another day at least !

Enough of that, please enjoy this months blog updates with thanks to all the generous people involved in its creation.

I would also like to put in a special thank you to my father for taking me to see a great concert in Nottingham by Ex Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. I loved every minute of it Dad. x

Project – 'Noir et blanc' Update

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There has not been an update for this project for a while, so I thought to grab a few snaps of the Penthouse Suite we booked for the 'Good Times' Fashion Shoot at the splendid St. James Hotel in Nottingham. Chairs, lampshade, mirrors and cups of tea make this update with a backdrop of some expensive wallpaper. I should have also shot the bedroom as that was great, but by that time I was too tired.

Maybe next time ?


'Good Times' Model fashion shoot with Monalisa Moyo

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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


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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.