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| March 1st 2010 - Winter Arrives |
Posted 2/28/2010 10:57 PM PST |
What a better way to start the month than with a blog. And the month kicks off with a Sweetlick gig at the Artichoke and a shoot on Sunday with my awesome team Michael and Amy with guest hair by Corrine, who I haven't worked with in ages.
I've put in my application for MLFF and am waiting to hear back from them and I'm about to start photoshopping the shots I did on Fridays shot with DJ Ajax Lush.
There are 2 more shoots for this month and then it will be Easter. I can't already believe it's March! So much seems to have happened.
Last month, February, turned out to be busy. I went to Cronulla to shoot a small show for designer Vieusseux. I had the opportunity to do some classes for Style Academy but I was fully booked and I also needed to have a few rest days as I was feeling burnt out. I did a shoot with DJ Ajax Lush, an old friend, on Friday and we had great fun pulling apart the workshop and working together. If my laptop would go quicker I would up load a shot but alas I'm stuck back in 2006 with this thing :S
Above is a shot I took at the Vieussex show. Love sparklers.
xx
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| 2000000000000010 |
Posted 2/9/2010 3:01 PM PST |
My first Blog for the year and it's on February! Where has the time gone??
While everyone else was enjoying the summer holidays, out shooting and expressing themselves, I was working hard trying to earn the moneys and killed myself doing 30 days straight :S
In this day and age it can be hard being a working photographer and to also bring home the bacon, they both don't go hand in hand anymore. I noticed the local wedding photographer has had to start selling random surf memorabilia and signs so I'm guessing he's also finding it tough also.
I knew it was going to be hard that's why I chose to keep my trade and work it part time to earn money so then I can do whatever I want with my photography.
School holidays, especially the summer ones, are my busiest time of the year and it offered me the chance to make enough to buy a new camera! But my days were hijacked with repairing. So now it's been ages since I last did a shoot and I'm itching and chomping and everything else to get back into it.
My time though during the summer holidays wasn't completely photographyless. I shot the new Toni and Guy salon in Mona Vale and have been asked by another Toni and Guy to shoot with them, I've been planning my fashion shows for the year, contacted magazines and taught a weeks worth of photography classes for Style Academy (which were a success!). Everything I have planned is pretty much from here on in to the new year. So hear I come!
I'm going to take it easy with shooting model portfolios for a while and concentrate more again on fashion work. I bought some new lights which have only been used once in a month and I'm dying to get out in the workshop and have a muck around. I'm also planning on buying a Nikon D700 or D3 (if my budget can stretch that far) sometime before all the big runway work begins. I'm a little sad in having to leave Pentax but they did not deliver anything new or better with the K7 and I'm not going to buy one of those.
I was also toying with the idea of getting my own studio but I think it might be a lot later down the track.
It has not yet gone 9am and I can't motivate myself to go back to the trade work I must do today. The things we do for money, I hate it.
The photos above are of the last model portoflio shoot I did back in December 09, Jalena from platform. I teamed her shots up with the ones I took of Elise a few months before as I think they work really well together.
Will be back more often, blogging, as I'm no longer crazy busy................................I'm just crazy now :P
xx
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| test |
Posted 2/6/2010 11:34 AM PST |
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| Handsome Kid Modeling School |
Posted 12/20/2009 7:16 PM PST |
As some of you may know I teach the modeling component for agency Style Academy and the classes they run for wanna be models.
It's something I really enjoy, it's always a bit of fun having these aspiring models (both male and female) come in not knowing how to pull a basic pose and by the end of the lesson to have them feeling confident, striking a hot pose and even working with props. I get to put all the information I have swimming around in my head into practice and even better onto a list (I love a good list). I'm looking forward to taking sometime over the Christmas/New Year break to refine my lessons to make them even better and more fun for everyone.
The year is at an end and I'm gearing up for next years shoots, listing my goals and where I want to be in 12 months time, personal projects, publishing work and more. I'm hoping to double what I did this year and to push the boundaries. I didn't do as many personal shoots as I would have liked this year and I'm hoping to finally pull my ideas out of my head and put them on photographic paper. As well as buy a whole lot of new equipment, camera and studio. Actually I'm hoping by July 2010 have my own warehouse/studio space so I can grow the business and have it in a more convenient location. It will take some time but I'm sure I'll find something for the right price, right location and size.
I hosted my first work Christmas party last night and took James, Julie and Stephanie out to dinner at the Artichoke in Manly. I wish I could have included more people I worked with this year but I don't think the restaurant would have held that many people. Next year I'll have a big bash and invite you all :)
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Fantastic New Year. A BIG thank you to everyone I worked with this year, thank you for your time and effort and for helping create beautiful art work with me, especially:
Julie Zhu
Stephanie Siame
Michale Haldar
Ichiroo
Suzi Rose
Amy O'Gorman
Tanya and the team @ Handcut
Fiona Vougdis
Models - Claudia Pickering, Stephanie Naumoska, Zoe Wightman, Denise Korhonen
Roxy 2 Foxy
Sofia Rodie and Tenny Boyajian
The team @ Jasmine Hall
Gilbert Rossi
Platform Models
The FACE Fashion crew
Style Academy
Elicit Vibe and V Tribe
All the models and make-up artists I worked with from Model Mayhem (you know who you are)
And last but not least to my wonderful husband and soul mate James who's love and support I cannot do without.
See you in the new year!
xx
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| Review of 09 feelin fine |
Posted 12/1/2009 7:48 PM PST |
With my ankle heeling nicely (yes pun intended) and the Suzi Rose lookbook under my belt, I'm feeling good.
I have 2 test shoots coming up (fingers crossed someone can do hair :S) and then it's Christmas and the end of the year! My how times flies when you're having fun.
I can't believe everything that's happened this year, let's take it from the top:
January - Shoot my first lookbook for Joyti Peart, a fantastic jewellery designer. She had this fun little sheep broach, so cute. I shot for the first time with Reggae band V Tribe which was loads of fun. I got to shoot twice with my one of my favourite models, Stephanie Naumoska, doing a beach bikini shoot and then an over the top fashion shoot, and I got the chance to work with mode Alicia White and Roxy from Roxy2Foxy make-up artistry a few times. I did a hot shoot with male model felix but had computer troubles and lost all the photos. I wish I could get them back :(
February - February started with a phone call from Sonya, the organiser for Fashion Palette, a 2 day fashion conference which was held in May. With the increase of work I had to hire someone to help me out and was overjoyed when Julie came on board. She's the best against the rest.
March - Saw me take to the skies and head to London for 10 days. It was an amazing opportunity and I feel I got some great shots from the trip. While I was over there I managed to fix up 2 shoots, one with a male and female model and another with a male model. We shot on Friday the 13th on memory card number 13. I got home to discover that the card died in transit, of course before I had the chance to get the shots off and I lost another shoot. But don't worry folks, it's not happened since. I shot Laura and Ben on the same weekend but didn't get a chance to do any more :(
April - Started with a bang and a fashion show from clothing store Handcut, our first and only for this year. It's always great working Tanya, she has so much spirit and really knows how to put on a good show. I used Handcut's clothing and did a shoot in Centennial park a few days later, in the freezing cold. I got in contact with the guys and girls from Face Fashion and started shooting for them on the weekends at their castings. Did an awesome shoot with Platform model Christine and I finally got to meet the multi tasking make-up artist/photographer Anita Curtin and my fav H&MU artist Stephanie Siame. Then things got crazy and did The Stuff That Rocks party, a live band gig shoot and the four seasons beauty shoot all in one week. As well as being told that in 4 days your going to cover RAFW for Fashionising.com! It was crazy :S
March - Was one of the best months. Starting it with fashion week and catching up with old high school bff Candice from St Augustine Academy. I met so many people and I think this was the turning point, I knew I wanted not only to be a fashion photographer but that I want to be involved in the fashion industry in any way, shape or form. It was THE craziest week and I had to get Julie in to not only help shoot but also photoshop. I then did Fashion Palette that weekend so come Sunday I couldn't talk I was so brain dead. And it was only the beginning! I did the Face Fashion runway show and I did my first modeling class for Style Academy. Phew, what a month!
June - Saw one of the most productive months as I got to shoot a catalogue for clothing, jewellery and bedding company Jasmin Hall. It was 5 full days of shooting including 3 days worth of product shots, 1 day at a furniture show room and 1 day spent at a million dollar "weekender" doing a fashion shoot with one of my fav models of the year Dia. It was a great experience and I loved every minute of it. June also saw me start some more live band photography with awesome covers band Elicit Vibe, a 5 piece family outfit who rock. I also got to work with Emma Neilson and we did a kick ass shoot of a villian and hero on my friend Cameron and a small catalogue shoot for Smoke and Wiskey.
July - Was a cold month and I seemed to spend most of it outside shooting fashion. I started with doing a Clark Kent inspired shoot with male model Andrea, a gorgeous Angel shoot with designer Bernadette Sassine and Platform model Nikki and more Elicit Vibe live photos. Also I got to work with Sydney band Aplonea and we did 4 different looks. What a fun group of guys, it was great testing each other on our musical knowledge. I attended Bondi Fashion Fest with Julie and Ichiroo and I had the opportunity to do 2 shoots with designer Fiona Voudgis. She is such a lovely person and a great creator, plus she also introduced me to Rhiane Schorder an amazing hair stylist. Plus Julie made me some awesome new business cards, she truly is the best.
August - I had my first every work experience girl come for the week which was loads of fun. I worked with Julie from Platform who was fantastic to work with as well as more Elicit Vibe live band photography. I was contacted by noted stylist Amy O'Gorman and we did a shoot involving 6 models at a pub in Pyrmont. It was a crazy day but so much fun, I love working with Amy. I shot RSFF for mylookbook.com and also got my shots up on fahsionising.com and BLK1.com. I was snuck into the exclusive Myer show which was amazing and I some how managed to come home with a black toe, strange :S I attended the Joolz Jewellery launch in Double Bay and met 2 beautiful models Saba and Sam. I also had the chance to work again with model Zo from platfrom, one of my favs for the year.
September - Started with shooting the Welcome Back Miss Oz party and then scoring a job with mineral make-up manufactures Nude by Nature. It was interesting working with the team and so relaxed. I got the chance to work with one of the most unique models around, Laura Dawes who's an albino. She has the most amazing look and I'm so glad I got to add her to my port. I met with Michael Haldar who I met at the Joolz party and we did a shoot with Joolz and Viveins model Sam Doughty which was stunning.
October - Had me lying in the middle of King St in Newtown taking shots of the new Terra Plana store, owned by Tanya of Handcut fame. It was a great day, I always love working with Tanya. I shot the Suzi Rose launch fashion show, shot a test shoot with Scene model Hannah and Platform model Elise, as well as got some awesome comp cards made and did an amazing shoot with Joolz model Saba and Scene model Jessica with Michael Haldar doing make-up.
Novemeber - Was a little quiet with the coming of Christmas and I shot the TAFE end of year parade as well as the grand opening of Fashion Weekend and had the shots featured on all through Decembers issue of mylookbook.com, fahsionising.com and BLK1.com. But with my ankle being sliced open I had to cancel any work I had due to the fact I coudln't walk. But I did manage to squeeze in a lookbook shoot for designer Suzi Rose. We shot it on a roof top Manly and even though I'm now burnt it was all for the good of fashion.
December - Has only just started but I do have 2 test shoots booked and I'm hoping they wont fall through. I'll keep you posted :P
So that's the year that was. It was an amazing year. I never thought I'd shoot as much runway as I did but I loved every minute of it. next year is only going to be bigger and better, it'll be 2010 and it'll be time to shine. |
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| A gig, a wine bottle and some stitches |
Posted 11/22/2009 4:01 PM PST |
I was in Manly on Friday night playing a gig with my band Sweetlick when a wine bottle was dropped from a balcony and smashed right behind me and seriously cut up my leg! With a trip to the medical centre, a tetanus shot and my first ever stitches later I was feeling better. But I was extremely bummed that I had to cancel not only the White Ribbon Fashion Show, which I was going to shoot, but also a paid job teaching a modeling class for Style Academy. Not happy Jan. And now it looks like I might have to reschedule tomorrows shoot as I'm still finding it difficult to walk and be on my feet for more than 30mins!!
On a brighter side of things I finally finished the Saba, Fee and Jessica shoot and will post some shots on my website sometime today. |
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| Run-A-Way |
Posted 11/17/2009 12:23 AM PST |
I'm so happy to see that my runway shots from RSFF are still being useful for on-line mag editor Krista at mylookbook.com . I contacted her yesterday about using some of my Fashion Weekend shots in their next months issue of My Look Book and I was glad she loved the photos and is going to use them. She like them so much that I received a cute little gift pack in the mail today!! How sweet, no-one else who I've shot for has done anything like, except for fashionising.com. So keep your eyes peeled as more of my shots are going to be popping up around the place.
I think I've finally found my niche market in photography: runway. I really do like it, it's fun and there seems to be a usual crowd that go to almost every fashion show.
I'm desperately trying to finish a shoot I did now 3 weeks ago. I seem to be moving at a snails pace. Man the photography/fashion scene moves fast!! I can't move that fast until I've at least had a bottle of V. A bottle or 2......
For a week that was going to be all about my day job (don't ask) it's now all about photography. I"m teaching another class for Style Academy on the weekend which is always good. The I've got to find something to occupy my time till the White Ribbon fashion show which is on later that night, also in the city. I was thinking of doing a midday shoot but I don't have the time or patience to organise a shoot now, especially as I have 2 next week :S
The shot above is one featured in My Look Book |
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| 2 weeks and 2 shows |
Posted 11/12/2009 5:14 PM PST |
I spent last Saturday with my friends Anna Wintour and Valentino. I saw both docos on the same day, who ever said you can have to much fashion TV?
I love fashion/model docos. I still have on video the documentary by David Baily Models: Close Up which I taped off the ABC back in the 90's (yes showing my age). I watched that 3 part series every weekend while I made pancakes. I dreamed of one day being involved in the industry and traveling the world, going to runway shows and drinking non stop champagne. Funny, the reality.
This month is covered in fashion shows and model tests. I haven't done a fashion shoot in a month but I'm not phased by it as I've been doing more tests and trying different techniques and lighting. I think this month and next will start everything up again and I'll be back to my usual tricks.
So far this month I've attended the Tafe end of year fashion show where Julie (my p.i.c) and I caught who's hot and who's not. Those students had some awesome designs, I wish I do more than just sew up the crotch of my partners work pants :S Even thought I'll be later than the other photographers but I'll send them all a few shots from the show, hopefully I wont be too late.
I was glad to see 3 of my models at the tafe show, Zoe, Hannah and Bianca. They all strutted their stuff, esp Zo who's walk was strong. I love Renny from Platforms strut, I love her attitude and presence on the runway, she is hot hot hot. Maybe we should do a test........
Last night I went to the Royal Hall of Industries for the Grand Opening of Fashion Weekend. They are having runway shows all weekend but lucky for me they are showing the same ones everyday so I caught it all last night before anyone else. I was surprised to find I was the only one out of "the usual crowd" there. I was a bit bummed as I was hoping to run into some of the other photographers and say hey. I like the other runway photographers, I feel like I've got a little community of friends who I only see at events or runway shows. Julie couldn't make it as she is shooting Santa photos til the end of the year, also I was shooting for BLK1.com and they didn't allow assistants to go along.
I'm dreading doing my test shoot for the Suzi Rose lookbook. I'll have to be up at sunrise, yuck. but we'll get some awesome shots and I'm really looking forward to it. I love it when I connect with another person in the industry, it always makes for perfect photos.
I've attached a shot I got from last nights swimwear show.
I'd better get back to photoshoping
xx
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| No Rest For The Wicked |
Posted 11/3/2009 5:02 AM PST |
Alex and James are recording tonight, gave me a good chance to catch up and do some photoshopping. Sometimes I can photoshop till the cows come home but tonight I found it a bit of a struggle. Maybe it had something to do with the fact the model really wasn't that great and we didn't get any "wow" shots. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact my body is melting as I write this. It's sooo hot :S
We're in the middle of recording our first album which is really exciting. We've been together now for 4 years: 2 of it was a prep and writing, 1 years worth of gigging and then an 18 month break. But we are back and with vengeance!! We've got some new tunes, some in really interesting times and keys which is what we're all about.
I am a musician by trade. I studied flute for 12 years as well as piano, singing and I am a wicked walkin bass player and can whale out to PJ Harvey on the guitar. I went to AIM and was taught flute by Danielle Eden. I've played with a few different orchestras in Sydney and taught for many years. At the end of uni I discovered full time work (and fruity loops) and I began my descent into the world of technology, recording and looping began. I played bass for 3 years in the band, having to throw years worth of sight reading, embouchure training and study out the window. I had to relearn music but the "rock" way. I became a jazz bass player (as our band is a jazz influenced drum n'bass troop) and was also the singer and song writer in Sweetlick. I recently gave up master bass position to Alex who has been one of the best things to happen to this band. So hence, we are recording an album.
I finished the models test shots. I'm hoping the agency will like them :S
I'm still in love which ANTM (Americas Next Top Model). I think Tyra Banks is hell funny, why can't our hosts be as approachable as her? I still think Yoanna is one of the best models to come from that show, she has a great face. Although I would have liked Shandi to come second, you can't get everything you want. Just like any episode of OZ Net Top Model season 5, I know who wins but I still want to see it!!!!
I'm liking the OZ models at the moment, some real great talent coming out. Julie is in love with Gemma Ward. I like Hannah Glasby and Sonya Kukainis atm. I know. Two platinum blondes. But what can I say, I'm a sucker for a blonde at the moment.
outtie. xx
(above photo is Yoanna)
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| After the Sick |
Posted 11/2/2009 12:27 AM PST |
Last week started out great. I did a shoot with Michael and Rhiane and 3 models including my new fav Saba, The African Queen. It was a great day and we got 3 different looks on Saba, a Any Winehouse on a one girl and an awesome high fashion 80's glam look on the last. I was so happy with the photos. The shot above is of Scene model Jessica, she was smokin and has the most amazing bone structure.
But it all went down hill pretty much as soon as everyone left and I was then sick for the rest of the week. Although I did get some good True Blood s2 into me which helped (I wish Eric would bite me) I was out of action and found it hard to muscle the energy to do any kind of work.
I'm finally on the mend and I'm now on the prowl for the next shoot.
I have a meeting with local designer Suzi Rose tomorrow which should be fun. I think we get along pretty well and her idea for her lookbook is awesome and I'm really looking forward to working with her.
I need to start doing loads more when it comes to lookbooks and working with designers, but I'm not going to bend over backwards and then give them the shirt off my back. I can't afford to spend time doing things for free these days, everything has a price and even though I'm cheap when it comes to my services it's all those other photographers out there doing everything for free or for contra which is really hurting the business of photography. Soon no-one will get paid at all and we'll all be starving artists if things keep going this way. I was once told by someone that even the big photographers dont get paid and that's worse cos then there's no hope in ever becoming a top paying photographer.
Anyway enough of my ranting.
I have the TAFE student show on Wednesday night and Julie (my P.I.C) and I are attending. It's always good fun going along to shows with Julie. Plus the opportunity to network and do the whole met and great thing is always a plus and I'm hoping to come out of there with at least one gig. I'll be posting the shots up on fashionising.com as well as some selected shots here on my website.
I'm also shooting the opening night to the Fashion Weekend next week for BLK1.com. It should also be a great event and again the chance to network will really come in handy.
I know I'm probably going to get a bad rap for being a shameless self promoter but in this business it's not what you know but who you know.
I'm not sure if all of this blog is going to show up :S I'd better double check that I haven't written too much about nothing.
xx |
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