Naiad & Idyll

Evening!

Hello to everyone who's stumbled across this blog recently after the recent double re-publication of my '10 Things You Might Not Know about Nude Models' piece, over on DIY Photography and on Model Mayhem. I've been quite amazed by the level of positive response it's had from both photographers and models, and have had lots of messages since asking for interviews and translation rights all over the intersphere... I'll be honest, I'm a bit behind on messages as I've just been overwhelmed, but will get to them all as soon as I can!

*

Slightly relatedly, I am planning some gentle world domination for the second half of this year, and, prompted by a suggestion made in one of the comments below this recent facebook update...

... I have started dropping pins in a google map, based on where I need to go in order to position myself in front of the lenses of those various members of my photographer/artist bucket list. I think some hefty inter-continental travel is in order, judging by the scattered placement. It's good to get a clear visual of a possible itinerary. I have started to become increasingly independent from the 'usual suspect' portfolio sites over the last few months, as much as I value them, and I like the idea of maintaining a massive, global picturesque vision of possibility against the backdrop of a world map.

*

I have some news: I'm creating a brand new website/blog for my writing (poetry and fiction), which I generally do under a different name (stray modelling articles such as the recent '10 Things' one aside!). It's nerve-wracking and very exciting, and I'll be revealing it to you here very soon - just as soon as it's ready for public consumption. I really hope you'll all like it and your support would mean a lot to me.

*

And, finally for this belated blogtastic update, I have some brand new images to show you from the watery waves of a Cornish shoot. These images were shot by the truly lovely, and rather excellent, Imagesse, who is always a pleasure to model for as I know his mind is always racing with narratives as much as mine; a fact proven, unexpectedly, by the arrival in my inbox of a little story as well as the accompanying images.

"...so there I was, meandering along a forest trail beside a lazy river, my path lit by shafts of autumn sunlight breaking through the canopy. Gradually, the moving water developed a sense of urgency and soon my stroll was accompanied by the sound of tumbling rapids. Rounding a bend into a deep gorge, I stopped to bask in the peace and wonder of this place. Several minutes past when I thought I heard a voice above the sound of the falls.  There it was again, a soft female voice, singing a clear song.  Now puzzled, I turned towards the source of the sound. As I raised myself above my rocky seat, I was presented with a vision, the like of which I had never seen.  There before me, on a mossy perch beside the white water, sat a beautiful woman.  Clothed in nothing but her own skin, she seemed unaware of my presence yet at one with the river.  Spellbound, I watched her hands play with the swirls and eddies of the dark, peaty liquid.  Unable to move, unable to breathe, I realised this vision was a naiad; a rare and benign female nymph who belonged to this fresh water idyll. For those dreamlike moments, time stood still, until my reverie was disturbed by the crack of a branch snapping nearby. That distraction made me turn my head for but a few seconds, but when I turned back, that beautiful creature was gone.  All that remained was the trees, the rocks and the river.  The endlessly moving, river......"  

Blue Skies and Dagmar Falls

Some new images for you by the absolutely excellent Cam Attree, RAWards Australia Photographer of the Year, excellent host, provider of excellent comedy films and bringer of mango sorbet.

These are from a tiny 5 minute thing we did near Byron Bay, after another shoot he worked on (during which I mostly sunbathed). Kinda missing that blue sky at the moment!

Later, I shot with Cam again at the beautiful Dagmar Falls:

.... Where I was joined by the beautiful Ivory Flame (my good friend and wonderful listening ear), for some of my absolutely favourite shots ever taken of us together:

And in colour:

Thank you Cam!

Monbachtal

Another blog post in quick succession, but I'm keen to show off some images from another session in Germany, working with the excellent Steven Billups in the Baden-Wurttemberg area.

These were all taken on film, so we took relatively few compared to the average photoshoot (digital shoots can results in hundreds and hundreds of images), and there are so many that came out beautifully, we think. I love the tones and shapes and textures in these, and the water's caught really well (not always the easiest thing, capturing moving water). There's always such a sense of uncertainty with film - it's not like digital where you can look at the back of the camera for reassurance - you have to trust you're doing the best job you can (both the photographer and model), so maybe there's something extra valuable about the feeling of getting it right!

Congratulations to Steven for selling quite a few prints recently of a shot we did last year, too!