Fantasy Land

Here's a collection of amazing digital art I've been sent over the last couple of months. So pretty!

By Photographer: Pete Davies, Digital Artist: Andreea

Both by Photographer: Pete Davies, Digital Artist: Luke Gallagher

Both by Photographer & Digital Artist Mol Smith

By Photographer & Digital Artist: Mark Bate @ FeticheArt

Photos from Wales

I thought I'd share some images I got back from the 3 shoots I did in Aberystwyth in February. It was a fair bit of travelling; almost 5 hours on the train each way, but it didn't seem too bad with my portable dvd player and a good book to keep me entertained.

Here is a shot by Mike Durrant aka 'Legend' on net-model. The sidelighting really showed the shine of fabric, and I love the bronze colour against my skin, it reminds me of Venus emerging from a clam shell.

This one is by freelance photographer Keith Morris. More of his work can be found here... http://www.artswebwales.com/ffkm/

And here are some by Hugh Alison... we did a quick blitz for about half an hour of location work in the woods by his house. I kept my coat on whilst he got the exposure right and then whipped everything off to do a quick 30 frames or so by this tree, it was only a few days after that huge lot of snow we got so it was pretty freezing! I think this one is my favourite...

Then we did some commerical stock images in the studio...

And at my request, some pictures with one of the families many pets - the beautifully cute chihuahua Chip. I thought chihuahuas were often just annoying little things for rich teenage girls, but this one was such a sweet family dog, so soft and loving, I think the only thing he asked of life was to be warm. I want one! He seemed quite content snuggled up to a naked lady :)

Dangerous Liasons

In February I had an exciting shoot with Shaun Hodge and his wife Amanda, where I got to wear an amazing French 18th Century style dress by costume maker Giovanni Gobbi. The poses required were exaggerated and glamourous, full of seductive body language and haughty attitude, a la Glenn Close in Dangerous Liasons.
The detail of the outfit was incredible, the one I wore was from around 1770, and the corset part had to be stitched on so tight. The frame undernealth was huge, giving me giant swaying hips, so I could only go through doors sideways :) Here is the full outfit...

























And with make-up by Jess Heath...














Giovanni has worked in opera, film and ballet, cutting and tailoring costumes for over 12 years, after intensive research into the history of the original patterns from costume museums in Venice, Paris, Munich and London.
He says 'Thanks to this, I have learnt about the evolution of costume from the character, to design, to pattern cutting and tailoring, decoration, dyeing and costume painting. I draw and make both embossed jewels in copper and weaved threads of brass."
And hopefully I'll be going over to Italy to model many more of his amazing collection in September.

Enchanting Location

I was working at a wonderful location recently - National Trust Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire. I was with photographer Stephen Amor, exploring the gardens full of beautiful backdrops. There were amazing temples, monuments, woodland, a huge lake, Hansel & Gretal style cottage and my favourite part - The River God's Cave - an atmospheric mermaid's grotto. I'd love to go back there for a day out as there was so much to explore.

Spotlight on ~ Iveta

When I first saw this the other day all I could think was 'Oh My God'.
Such a stunning shot!!!
Model: Iveta Niklova
Photographer: Christian Hough

Window Light

A new portrait taken by Pete Davies, who runs a photographic business based in Marlborough, Wiltshire http://www.exposure.uk.com/

Alien Angel

This is my new favourite picture taken by Steve Robertson at his studio in Keighley. The amazing adornments are by accessories designer Finch, make-up by Natalie Tobi.


Steve captured the detail of this collection with such gorgeous lighting, and the albino-like make-up by Natalie Tobi added to the strange & ethereal look. I have admired Finch's work for ages and was ecstatic to hear we'd be working together. When he emailed me pictures of the collection he wanted to shoot I was bowled over - fascinating amoured pieces that strapped to the body, gleaming with silver jewels and horn-shaped structures, twisted and beautiful. Right up my street.
They reminded me of the Skeksis - strange creatures, part-bird, part-dragon, from fantasy film 'The Dark Crystal', made in 1982. They dress in elaborate costumes and jewellery, concealing their twisted, boney bodies underneath.

Finch say that his designs were influenced by Victorian mourning jewellery.
"My the idea behind this collection was to produce accessories that were to be worn when someone has died. Usually the jewellery associated with death is black and I wanted to steer away from this, producing work that was protective in some way and to show loss but in a manner that wasn't in any way fashionable of a particular time. This range shows enlarged bee-sting and rose thorn shapes held in armour-like sections which are worn defending the face, chest and arms and areas that are vunerable. Pearls and glass beads were used to soften harder edges and lining the pieces with cream fakefur gave more comfort against the straps and buckles which are used to hold the pieces to the body. Still a heavy collection both physically and emotionally I wanted to potray loss visually so to be recognised and the wearer ultimately left alone. Loss is blank, a nothingness without colour, and cannot be seen only felt thus the large horns and spiked silhoettes."

Sacred Place

She dreams of standing on an empty beach, looking out to the vast ocean. Descending into soothing depths, the empathetic water washes over, the coolness under hair, in ears and meeting fingertips; enveloped in one quick breath, into an underworld, where all is quiet.

Floating ghostly soft, suspended
In silver watery nebula,
A weightless mind shimmering on the edge of dreams.

Somewhere a glass sphere falls,
She lifts her head,
Eyes blinking at blurred orbs of light,
Tears merge with ebb and flow,
And rising, an exalted angel

Image by Ed Freeman