Strike a pose

Just because you don't have a professional photographer at hand doesn't mean you can't take a great photo. The photo above was taken with my inbuilt web cam on my MacBook. Often the key to a good photo is to knowledge.

1) find out if you have a good side
2) With the wonders of modern digital photos you can keep snapping till you find what you like
3) Use the different settings in your photo programs or on your camera to see what works for you. All I did for this shot was to turn a color photo into sepia and fade out the edges.
4) Experiment - you never know till you try
5) Have fun with photos

A bit of work

I just had to post this great image caught by AK of me at fashion week. Yes, I'm on the phone working in between fashion shows in Melbourne. See no rest for the wicked LOL!

Thanks AK for this great shot!

Some of the images so far

So I have the first batch of photos from the weekend. All photos here are by Allan King Photography.

Some images were just using what was around, so simple location shots. Which were interesting as you never know what your going to get. As well as learning the most important lesson that you may not get what you think out of the camera but its amazing what you can do with a post editing program. For instance all that was done to the shot above was soften the background.

Then we tried to recreate, in sorts, some images. Above is the image of Amanda Plamer that we tired, and the result below.Then there was the attempt at the vogue image.
I still have issues seeing some images of myself, but it was well worth the effort to get some of these images. Again a big thank you to Allan for these shots!

Oh my what a weekend

AK working on post production from day 1

Well what a long and wonderful weekend! I've spent the last two days out in the freezing cold of Ballarat being part of a photo workshop as a model. I had actually forgotten how long those days can be. As a model we start first and finish last so saturday was a start at 8am and we wrapped up about 9pm, then of course a BBQ and catch up followed. Then sunday with 8am start and wrap-up about 6pm. Which did mean I was up at 6am to start my own hair and makeup before heading to the location to help with other models hair and makeup. At least I got to practice my skills on a few different skin types to help increase my skills.

Firstly a big thanks to the great host's Peter and Rose. Next a thanks goes to the models like Ms SugarPlumFairy and Ms Midnight for great laughs as well as being able to use my makeup skills on you gals. As well as a thanks to the other models (sorry I've forgotten a lot of names) Ms Jess, Ms Sandra, Ms Taya, Rouge, Ms K. And of course thanks to the photographers for coming, sharing your visions and working with us.

Me and Ms Midnight playing with all the blankets on set

So overall after some very long days, its time to come back to Melbourne and hit fashion week. No rest for the wicked hey! I will post some images once I get them all cleaned up from the photographers so you can see some of what we got up to.

But for now I'm off to bed and dream of what fashion week may hold!

Inner Pinup

Well its late on a friday night and no I'm not hitting the town. In fact I'm sitting with my hair in curlers trying to get some extra bounce for tomorrow's photo shoot.

Over the next two weeks I will find myself in a 1950's dreamland as I pose for photos in all my retro gear. First off its at the Burlesque Bar and next weekend Ballarat, so this little gal is preparing for a lot of hairspray, false lashes and pouting red lips. As soon as I get some images I will post and show you all.However the issue I'm having now is what to take with me. Its a bit hard to pack your entire wardrobe, just in case, so I've chosen a few key pieces and fingers crossed they will work. So I'm off to rest and wake up as a little pinup doll tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

My One and Only

On another afternoon filled with tea and cake I managed to watch My One and Only starring Renee Zellweger. Its a great little story and so easy to get lost in the fashion. Oh the fashion! Every outfit is stunning and yes I did have a bit of wardrobe envy.

So whats the story....
The beautiful but mercurial Ann Devereaux (Renée Zellweger) has just left her philandering husband Dan Devereaux (Kevin Bacon), a society bandleader, and taken to the road with her teenage sons, George (Logan Lerman) and Robbie (Mark Rendall), in search of a wealthy replacement mate. Although it's 1953, Ann is certain that her girlish charms will serve her as well as they did two decades earlier. But time has marched on since Ann's courting days, and it seems that the losers and playboys outnumber the eligible and willing bachelors. Ann never gives up hope, but a series of new schools for the boys, ever more humble lodgings and romantic misadventures start to take the gloss off their trip. Yet Ann is indefatigable, her pride matched by the flighty enthusiasm of her older son Robbie, a flamboyant boy who believes he is meant for a life on the stage, and the cynical wit of George, an observant aspiring writer. As the miles roll by, their journey veers from eccentric, to hair rising, to poignant, to comic. From her impulsive choices to the downright bizarre characters they meet on the road, Ann steers her sons on a narrow highway between excitement and panic. But ultimately, George discovers the determination, dignity and love underneath his mothers narcissistic exterior. And Ann makes a different future for herself and her sons than any of them had imagined.

Smoke and Mirrors

Ok so in all honesty the world of modeling isn’t that glamorous hence this is what I looked like at breakfast before my photoshoot last weekend. Just for the record I hadn’t had much sleep the last two nights before this as well as a very late and long plane flight; however with the wonders of makeup and hair dressers all would be fixed.

As with any good make-over here is a bit of a photo-montage from very tired travelling pinup to vamp waiting for her outfits to arrive. The first part of the day was spent doing my hair which involved a lot of time curling little strands to get a nice bouncy curl. And as my hair doesn’t really hold a curl a large amount of hairspray and setting sprays were used, as this style had to last from midday (when we finally finished it) all the way through to the wee hours of the next morning as we were all going out on the town afterwards. Its always a rather nice bonus when you can get your hair done for ‘work’ and play.

Next the make up, and boy do I mean make up. Due the rather harsh lighting which does a) wash you out and b) make the makeup melt there had to be a rather large amount applied. We actually tried 3 different lots of colors for eyes and in the end decided for a smoky grey and brown combination with just a touch of silver. This transformation was a funny one as you can see from the photo before without the eye and lip color’s I was looking very pale.

So with eye color done the addition of false eyelashes began, and then the gluing of 5 individual diamonds on each set to add some glamour. So by the end of this process I did start to feel a little bit like a disco ball as I was also wearing sparkling body lotion to help add some ‘healthy glow’ all over in the shots. Thankfully the photos are less disco ball then I expected.

Final result…not bad for 3 hours work. Why all this you may ask? I won’t spoil the surprise but I was asked to do a photo shoot for one of my favorite designers and their new release of stock, so of course I said yes. Watch this space and hopefully I can put some photos up for you all.

Also a big thanks to Ms Cass, Lu, Evil Mark, Kitty and co, Good Mark and my long time friend DM Michael for a great weekend and catch up. I’ll see you all in 5 weeks for swimsuits and more photos.

Doll house Photography

Ok so in the last few months/years I’ve amassed quite a wardrobe of retro items including lingerie, dresses, skirts, hat’s and even aprons….but what to do with them all. Yes I wear them out most days but I fancy doing something different. That was when it was suggested I visit the website of Helen McClean . Wow is all I’ll say.

Helen offers Pinup photo shoots where you get to play dress-ups, have your hair and make up done, then get to pose like a pinup for some amazing shots. So after looking amazing you also get a nice collection of photos. Now for anyone wanting to do this but don’t think you have the wardrobe Helen also offers her collection to you to try on and find your style. And guess which dress she has in her collection (as if I needed anymore of an excuse to book a session)

Yes that’s right the dress I’ve been hunting for from Bettie Page clothing. So I’m going to book in and I will post the results when I get them.

So grab a fork because a little cheesecake is coming your way.