Queen Vashti (AKA 'Why wear normal clothes when you can wear Aladdin trousers?')

The link to this video was sent to me a couple of days ago. It's a recording of a dance performance I took part in a few weeks ago at a theatre in Oxford. My improvised solo is last, but watch it all the way through! Sadly, the quality doesn't allow for some of the more intricate movements (smaller shimmies layered over other movements, etc) to be particularly visible, but you get the general gist of the prancing.

The track is called 'Vashti' and is a bit of a feminist feast - Queen Vashti features in the book of Esther in the Bible and is most noted for her refusal to appear at the King's banquet (other interpretations say she refused to dance for the drunken king's entertainment there), choosing instead to host her own party for the women on the same day. She was subsequently banished, and lost her status as queen (she was succeeded by Esther, who was presumably more obedient).

Out-And-About Glamour

The word 'glamour' has become such a walking-on-eggshells word. My new website, which I promise is on its way (I have had some concerned emails questioning the fact that my website is down, which is hugely flattering - always nice to know it's being looked at) will include a gallery (one of 12) called 'Glamoureuse' - a nod to glamour and also away from it, in the sense that everyone who sees my work will know that I don't do 'page 3'-style stuff - it's just not my thing. I find it boring (I bet the 'page three' brigade would find my style interminably dull, so no hard feelings I'm sure) and I doubt I'd pull it off anyway without a quick fake tan, etc. Anyway, glamour is cool. I like glamour. I like the version of glamour that's in my head. (My head involves glamour which is probably a little bit 70s; soft, pretty, sensual and elegant.)

Par exemple, here are some images I meant to blog a while ago, from the most recent Yerbury Boudoir Academy seminar I modelled for (copyright Faye Yerbury):

 

 

By Jean-Marc Gargentiel (a photographer attending the course):

Also, while I'm here, here's some bridal stuff we did the same day:

By Faye Yerbury:

And by Trevor Yerbury:

Lady of the manor (AKA 'Rich bitch')

Check out my retro 'Ab Fab' hair do, courtesy of Jennifer, photographer Tony Ornstien's wife. These were taken as candids, mid-movement, as I frolicked and strode around the manor gardens in Oxfordshire...

 

 

And a headshot indoors:

Front cover - Practical Photoshop

I'm currently on the front cover of the very first issue of 'Practical Photoshop', a new magazine full of tips and know-how for the more digitally-inclined photographer. It looks like it's a brilliant magazine, so I'm proud to be on/in it. Below is the cover, plus some of the (many) pages I'm shown on. It's out now - go get it (if you want it)!

I think I've been neglecting the more 'commercial' side of my modelling over the last year or so. I have got some absolutely brilliant artistic/figure nude projects coming up between now and the end of the year which I'm really excited about, and I'm proud of my artistic portfolio and how far I've come since I started 2.5 years ago, but I'd like to redress the balance between my 'art' and 'commercial' modelling too. I suppose the best way to do that is to show more images of me in a commercial setting, so people know that I can do it just as comfortably as the artistic stuff. It's fun to give a big grin to the camera and be light and happy for lifestyle shots and to have these two very different prongs to my modelling... spike. :-)

Luxury

There is something so luxurious about this set I did during my second shoot with Keith Cooper. I love the decadence and contrasts of the red and gold fabrics against my skin.

Click to enlarge a photo...

Sorry there are so many (but hey, I do describe this blog as the place to see more images from sets) - took me ages to limit it down to these favourites. I'd quite like to upload them all to my website (currently being made over completely!) and/or portfolio but have to choose just one... Whaddya reckon?

Some low key stuff we also did:

 

A Vintage Bridal Series

My 1970s Victorian-style wedding dress has had quite a few airings over the last few weeks! I often model for BIPP and SWPP's fashion, bridal and portrait workshops, and thought I'd throw this dress into the mix one day rather than wearing one of my modern wedding dresses, just to get a different style for the photographers attending (it's also nice and warm to wear, due to the material and sleeves, which is always a bonus!). For that particular BIPP workshop, the excellent wedding photographer Kevin Wilson was teaching. He was enamoured by the dress and asked me to model in it for a series of G F Smith 'Inspire' events around the country. He also asked me for another model who could do the fashion workshops (led by Mark Lawrence) simultaneously during these days, so I recommended my friend Ivory Flame for the job, knowing she would do it well and repaying some of the jobs she's gotten me by way of recommendation in the past.

I've now worked with Kevin four times, in Aylesbury, Birmingham, Duxford and Maidstone, with the final event in Leeds next week (I'm shooting with Mark for that one though; Holly and I are swapping roles for a final twist!).

Here are some of the images he's taken of me over these events. I made sure to vary my hair very slightly for each event. I think his use of tones and compositions are absolutely beautiful, helped here by some rather stunning locations (Holly and I were surprised on one particular day to find we'd be modelling in front of war-time aircraft. I'm particularly wistful in these; the narrative being that my husband is lost to war. It was easy to get in the mood; the Air Museum in Duxford has a sound system playing sirens and bombs.. a very surreal and eerie place in which to work!). Click to enlarge as always...

Birmingham:

Duxford Air Museum:

Maidstone:

I was also sent a few from some of the photographers attending. By Joe Gilbert:

And by Steve James: