Models with Ideas

Here are some new images from the wonderful person and host Michael Cordiez. I meant to show these ages ago but my 'to be blogged' folder is a little chaotic at the moment!!! Having spoken for a while, it was so nice to meet him in person and shoot together. We shot in various locations and had a great time mixing things up (the house we shot in was amazing. I had to take photos of it for my future-house-inspiration scrap-book). I love the soft subtleties of tones in the grassy ones in particular.

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New Year's Resolutions: I've got ideas!

You'll be disappointed/relieved to know that my resolutions this year are slightly less numerous and detailed than last years (that was a bumper blog post!).

- Learn Spanish (it was a toss up between this and French, which I already know enough of to chat to locals, but am not yet fluent in. I was surprised at how much Spanish I picked up during 2 months of travels around Central America - often I was in places by myself where no one spoke English. Total immersion is definitely the best way to learn a language; it's so much quicker than an evening class. South America is high up on the 'where will I go next?' list, and I'm often in Spain, so really should have decided to learn Spanish sooner. I'm gonna get hold of an A-level Spanish guide to get the vocab and grammar most efficiently, then somehow win the lottery and go to South America for a few months.... (or just go... I met the most inspiring woman ever in a hostel in San Jose, Costa Rica. The usual questions you always ask hostel guests are What's your name? Where are you from? How long are you travelling for? She answered the last question with 'About 15 years.' She is 46 years old and had left the States two years ago to drive down through Central America with her stuff and two dogs in the car. She stays in one city/region for 4-6 months at a time, making a living by teaching English in local schools as she goes. She has no qualifications, just experience and enthuasiasm. She plans to continue south through South America and then (when her elderly dogs have died - this is how matter of fact and thought-through her plans are) she will fly across to Europe and onwards to Asia and across the globe. I mentioned how much I loved India in a conversation at one point and she said 'Oh, I'll be there in 7 years.' She literally has a 15-year-plan, having been initially inspired by an 86-year old women she met once who'd casually mentioned that she'd been to every single country in the world. She thought how amazing, and actually not impossible, it would be for her to do the same. I asked her if she didn't ever feel lonely or crave a home 'base' or somewhere to settle, and she said that the only reason she would change her plans is if she met someone and fell in love along the way. Coolest woman ever.

- Play the piano on Mondays (this is when I have the house to myself, so can make a racket in confidence. Also, I secretly know that if I play the piano once a week it will become something I crave doing more often, like I used to, and I'll hopefully I'll want to play every day and get as good as I used to be.). The diligent blog readers among you will note that I have FAILED to treat myself to piano lessons in 2011. How rubbish of me. Oh well, I'll try this instead.

- Have less stuff. De-clutter regularly and revel in my lack of stuff. Buy less new stuff. (Become a wonderfully liberated hippie living outside of consumerist chains.)

- Stop flirting with the idea of being vegan and actually give it a go. (I've been vegetarian since I was 8 - yes I have reasons, no my family and friends weren't/aren't vegetarian, yes I was a stubborn child; my reasons are compassionate/environmental/economical/socio-political/aesthetic; see some here - and know that veganism is more consistent with my beliefs. I never buy leather and am already weaned off cow's milk, having filled my fridge last week with soya, rice, oat, vanilla and almond milk to try instead. So far rice and almond (delicious) are winning. Oat milk is weird, FYI. I'm not sure I'll want to stop eating eggs though, or if I'll be a very strict vegan; I think it will be more a case of reducing the amount of dairy I eat, and sourcing it well where I can.

- Finish my second novel. Never again go away for 2.5 months without my laptop. Cajole my writing friends into that official 'writing feedback group' we so fervently imagine ourselves doing and frequently intend to organise.

- Learn more about the technical side of photography. (My new camera arrives soon.) Take photographs of the little moments and things. Take some self portraits.

- Read less non-fiction. 2011 has been a non-fiction reading year, for some reason. It just kinda happened. I love it, but will be getting back heavily into fiction in 2012.

...   A few more, but that'll do for here!

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Finally, the reaction I've had (in various internet places) to the images in my last post got me thinking. I wrote this in a forum earlier today:

'I consider myself a creative model and often work often on the more artistic side of things, across a whole range of genres. I love offering my own input during a shoot, posing myself within a lighting set up and 'expressing' myself with my movement and dance background. People who've worked with me will know that I also frequently offer my thoughts and suggestions during a shoot where a photographer shows me the shots on the back of the camera (I don't have much technical knowledge, but I'm very self-critical/ambitious and always strive to improve things from my side where I see that I can).

However, I'm wondering what people think about how involved a model should be with ideas BEFORE a shoot, during pre-shoot communication. I'm often booked by photographers with no specific plan for the shoot. E.g. 'we'll do art nude' or 'portraits' - vague, broad goals. Please don't get me wrong, I love these kinds of shoots very much, especially where simplicity of an image/portrait/nude is valued over over-complication, and am very grateful for all my bookings of this type, but in light of this shoot (http://ellarosestory.blogspot.com/2011/12/gypsys-jewels.html) being so incredibly well received, I'm wondering if I should offer specific ideas to a photographer more often, offering a list of looks/sets/styling I'd like to do.

I have a ton of ideas I wish people would try with me, that would be fun challenges which I think could be really successful and eye catching. A lot of my ideas are for the studio, which would be perfect for the next two wintery months. As photographers, would you be interested in a model approaching you (yes, for a paid shoot; I do TF very rarely, wonderful as it is - I realise this might pee people off) with a specific idea? Could it be a positive thing that would give that model value in your eyes, knowing you can contact her and ask if she has any specific ideas to contribute that might transform the shoot completely, especially if you shoot her in a way that no other photographer has before? I like the idea of challenging myself more as well as challenging the people I work with. ...Or am I barking up the wrong tree and getting too big for my boots?'

So far, I'm pleased to say, the reaction has been a resounding 'yes, pre-shoot ideas would be very welcome'. Good to know. :)