Mad Hats and Mooooo's....

November for me is a month of madness with birthdays literally around every corner. My bank card shivers in my purse & I avoid checking my bank balance between now and pretty much February next year. Its the safest option and avoids an embarrassing and rather dramatic breakdown.

In a slightly 'fashion plus I have nothing else to talk about' post I went to a mad hatters tea party last night and am proud of the efforts made by all, in particular the birthday gal herself who decided (clearly while consuming high percentage alcohol and at a early morning hour) to make a rather imposing hat made from a beer box and other random mag cuttings. It seemed to have a theme per side which included a Tea bar, a Post Box and some kind of mouse hole. Needless to say it didn't actually stay on her head long as it turned out her head is a lot smaller than we all originally thought but it made an excellent centre piece for the table.

Getting back to the work front I have just done 10x £50 vouchers for location portrait shoots which are going to St Marys Primary school in Burghfield. They are going to go into the raffle so if you are there, grab yourself one and get some money off a shoot. I am donating 10% of any pictures sales back to the school which makes me feel a bit gooey inside because its a nice thing to do and the school is the nicest ever! It is so tiny and reminds me of that lady that lived in a shoe with all her kids. No i'm not talking something you saw on JKyle last week but there was an old lady who lived in a shoe. That story. Anyway its a delightful little school and I am proud to be situated in such close proximity.

Foto tip Friday to come: Skin and a collection of CS3 tips!

Leather strapped decisions...

My biggest conundrum today is....which boots to get?!

Black go with everything or Brown also go with everything? It is a tough one!

Well I needed something to keep me motivated while making calls to various South East Venues about Christmas Events and so forth. Its only 7 weeks away or something and I needed to get on it in terms of getting some seasonal work. I should have been 'on it' about 2 months ago, again, bad planning. If I am still here next year...I promise I will think ahead more!!

My planning will look like this:

Jan - July

Get over the sherry hangover and say a happy new year to all your clients.

Continue to build on my events guide for 2010.

Call, call and call business's to promote my services - concentrate on advertising and PR agencies

Decide on an actual marketing budget and plan for it - help needed for this I think

Work work and work

Market Market and Market

Network Network Network

Events Events Events

Research Research and more research

Assist - I have decided 8 weeks are being dedicated to assisting.

Aug

Xmas Events! There it is....start in August!

Get to London Fashion Week

Sep - Dec

Hopefully actually work!

I better actually write a plan like this, you know, running a business and all that. There is a lot I would like to achieve next year. Hmmmm, Christmas project for sure. My next two years in business, planning and execution. Scary.

Horses need not apply....

I would really like to take some interesting portraits of some interesting people. Maybe odd people, or actually odd is probably the wrong word but different. So people with hobbies that involve bondage and jelly, or girls that like pretending their boys with pieces of fruit. A guy that is married to his tractor or a couple who live with their horse.

Inspiration probably from the iconic Portfolio publication, my friend gave me issue 42 so quite an oldie but man a goody. Never though portraiture was really my thing and although its not my strength, in a way isn't fashion portraiture just of the identity you are giving someone rather than the identity that maybe they themselves own? I have always thought about the actual model. So if they weren't there in your studio or on your location dressed in clothes you gave them to wear and looking like you or the art director wanted them to; what would they be doing or what would they look like. Ordinary people I am sure. Portraits of models with no make up maybe. Nothing unique or exciting in that. Maybe I could find out a secret about them, something that they did outside of modeling. A thought anyway.

Apply if your interested in being snapped, whenever, wherever and however. Horses need not apply.

What a lot of toddle........

Well its Sunday and I feel like I am ready for the weekend but hey, it is nice to be all busy and buzzy. I did a fashion beauty shoot for FASHIZblack magazine on Friday and the hair and make up artist were amazing, the model was also excellent and had an amazing athletic figure. I was the problem. Not as happy with the images as I would have like to be, maybe as I was so happy with the last lot but I got a couple of images I am kind of happy with. Editing them now so we will see. Hard to edit images your not happy with though.

I missed the fashion show which I really wanted to attend due to a fire or something on the M25 so that was a disappointment but had a far better time than expected yesterday evening at the Feast of Dorset that I photographed for friends that own Seamless Tents. Amazing tents (of course!) and music etc and we ate a legendary fish dinner (www.thefishclub.com) which went down a treat after the photography. Numm Nummm.

Right I'm off, nothing of real content to say and need to get these images edited plus would like to spend some time vegging out in front of the TV in my PJ's, eating crisps and Chocolate raisins.

x

Pass me that straight jacket......

What does it take to organize a fashion shoot?

Let me tell you - insanity!

I do not know what other photographers or make up artists or anyone creative does to increase their portfolio in terms of testing and how they go about arranging shoots but it seems like a never ending process with so may ins and outs. There is just so much to arrange.

Models, MUAs, Hair stylist, wardrobe stylist, designer, accessories, shoes, props, location, food and of course logistics and getting everyone there. It doesn't sound like a lot but think about it just for a moment, all those little things....yea....lots to do.

I have almost everything ready now. Gazebo to store the clothes in (we are outside so need protection for le wonderful designers garments), clothes rail, floor covering, chairs for models etc to sit on while make up happening; generator for lights but also for any electrical hair equipment. I have lunch arranged - thank you Waitrose catering, I have the models, make up artist and assistant arriving at the same station at the same time. The stylist I am picking up afterwards. Oh, I have to get there first with all of this stuff (plus camera equipment and lights etc) to set up so my lovely mum has offered to stand watchmen. Bless, love mums.

Anyway, is this how others do it?! I suppose in the paid world there is a shoot director / organizer but so far so good I think. I am more excited about the food than anything! Oh and the chair that I am making 'distressed' tomorrow - paint and sandpaper I feel is the answer to that one.

Watch this space, I may be panicking Monday night!

it felt like a kiss......

Seriously need to pick up on this blogging thing but all good cos have been busy. So it was the awesome Fat Talent Sunday and even though I had to leave early there were some great acts. Performers just keep improving and my arms and legs saw more goose pimples than ever before. A few that got my interest in particular were the following people.....check them out if you have some time, it'll be worth it.

Jeremy St John

Sarah L Palmer

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Photographed Summer Swing last night at Kew Gardens....what an amazing setting! The Botanical Gardens looked totally stunning and the light show and fireworks were second to none. Really hope that I get to photograph there again sometime and having not even downloaded the pics from the camera yet, I am excited about seeing how they came out. Previews to come after the weekend of course! Keep your eyes peeled.

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This weekend See's me in Cheshire visiting the man and as great as that is I have something even more amazing to get excited about - the Punchdrunk performance. If you have not heard of these YOU ARE MISSING OUT!! Their performances are truly awesome and are not bog standard theatre productions with sweaty toffs sitting in velour seats. This is on your feet for 120 Min's, walking and exploring 5 stories of dark building where the acting takes place around you by small groups of actors, all doing different parts of the play. You are given a mask when you go in so you don't recognize the other guests (so you cant stick to your mate all night!) and you are thrown into a mind f*** of wonder! The smells, the atmosphere, the noises, the actors....it is all astonishing. 2007 saw Masque of the Red Death and my friend being dragged into a small room by a lady, something odd being whispered in his ear then a bucket of water being thrown over him! I experienced climbing through a small fireplace to find a small girl on the other side crying (an actor fear not!) and myself on a mission to find as many small bugs as possible from the clues given. Check it out here if you want to learn more and keep in touch about when their next performance may be.

So other plans at the moment apart from bringing you more pics is to launch the new look website in the next 2 weeks, collaborate with Chocolate Blonde on a seriously fun filled fashion shoot watched by rather a few people - nothing like pressure! Ha ha, she laughs uncomfortably. Following that another catwalk opportunity and also some pics for a charity. I like to stay busy so remember, you want corporate, PR or portrait images get in touch. All you Fat Talent performers or models - you even get a discount!!

"F*** I can't do it....oooo, ok. Wohooo"

I did it! I abseiled 120ft down the side of an office block in Reading in aid of The British Red Cross.

A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored me.

I managed to make just over £240 so was really pleased and will shortly be posting the free pic! Not that it will be at all glamourous, once you start getting somewhere on the abseil you tend to become a bit of a pendulum and I completely lost all footing, my feet would not stay to the wall, I was totally in the wrong position and ended up flailing my legs around and just dropping to the bottom!!

It was so good though, very exhilarating and the Red Cross team did an amazing job at organizing it all and getting everyone motivated with free sweets and lovely name badges!

Keep your eyes peeled for the pic!

Feeling a little tense are we?!

So, Britian's Got Talent has infected all TV's across the land, screaming and shouting its collection of skilled and skill-less acts (come on you know some of them just really shouldn't be there!); Mr Cowell striking his traditional high waisted pose & upsetting small children as he goes - speaking the only snippet of truth the program or its judges will ever see.  Amanda wearing yet another short sparkly dress & Piers just wishing he was the Cowell & looking longingly at that flat head chop that is going on there.  

I however sit here longingly waiting for the top I have seen in the ASOS catalogue to appear online for purchase, hoping that my credit card may stretch that far.  Looking forward to the weekend as the man comes down for a couple of days and we get to spend time on a friends boat eating olives and pretending were posh folk.  Then kicking myself cos were staying at my rentals in the postage stamp room next to everything & can't have our first ever round of 'make up' nooky.  Too much info?  Lets face it, thats what you come here in the hope of,some  hardcore goss.  I left last time with a useful tip, now I leave this time with a red face & a 'wish i hadn't posted that' comment.  Honesty, it pays.  Well sometimes.  

So lots of waiting but also lots of working, I have an event coming up in June where I get to photograph the lovely Katherine Jenkins again.  I am still getting really positive feedback from the pics I did of Queeny and to top it all of I have another Fat Talent Live coming up the first Sunday of June....always an event full of friends that are more like family & talent that is heading somewhere very high and very quickly.  My new assistant is amazing - look out for some pics from the events posted here, on the facebook group and of course the Fat Blog.  Oh, and if you need anymore odd moaning sesh's from me (can you tell I am in that mood?!) then head over there.  I get to grips with the infamous comment every photographer has heard....."As your there anyway can you just get a pic of Uncle Jack.  Oh and don't forget Aunt Maud and the kids."  There is no just.  Anyway, the blog is being fast updated these days with some excellent content so can recommend a read.

To end on something at least a little useful, if you haven't checked out the strobist.com site that I wrote about in my last post I can highly recommend taking a look.  It really is worth spending some time there if you want to know a little more about using flash / speedlite's.

Over and out. x