I have a conceptual shoot in mind for the New Year, a real fantasy idea based loosely on the works of some of the fantasy artist’s books I collect and drool over. If you have read my interview in NinebyZero Magazine below, you may remember me talking about how I love films with a strong female lead. I can’t say too much at this point as it would give the game away. Amy Finnimore , one of my favourite models I have worked previously with will be the leading lady featured in this shoot. I have worked with Amy a few times now; one of the times was on one of my concept ideas called “Chastity”
where I made the costume and headdress. The story behind Chastity was a girl who was trapped in an old ruin searching for the key that would free her from the life’s constraints and find love, (symbolic statement was the chastity belt and padlock she wore, life’s constraints a play on words meaning to change her life for the better). Cruelly tormented by the many keys that lay around her costume, heavy headdress and above her head. The images were shot by Andrew Farrington www.andrewf.com in a secret location in Lancashire!This year I have been dabbling on and off with photography. It all started when I met a bride who I was doing a wedding trial for, mentioned that she hadn’t had time to source a photographer for the day and it was a matter of a few days before the actual wedding! A moment of madness and sympathy took over and the words just flew out of my mouth “Would you like me to shoot your wedding?” She was delighted and said yes,
I have no training in photography at all, just an enthusiastic crazy person with a Nikon D80 and a bunch of lenses. When I returned home, I announced the news to my partner Steve and said “Help! Teach me what you know about the technical side of photography”. Over the next 3 days I practiced like crazy! The morning of the Wedding day my mind went blank, it seemed I’d forgotten everything I had been shown, fear set in and I was feeling sick to my stomach. After the hours drive via the scariest steep roads known to mankind, I arrived trembling at my brides home to do her hair and makeup, then I was taken by family members to the old mill where the ceremony was about to take place. Before the bride entered the room, the registrar announced “Could everyone refrain from taking any shots while the service was in progress” My first thought was, “Oh bugger..eerrrm”.. but after a pregnant pause, she uttered (as if it were an after thought) “Oh, only the designated photographer can take pictures” (Urrg, that would be me then, I thought to myself, and blushed from the impending mind crumbling doom that I had to try and pull off) Long story short (I’ll save the longer version for my book ;) ), it all worked out to be fine, I did panic a little at the start and changed lenses in a panic a few times… See the shots below! 
The 2nd wedding shot is of my friend and jewellery designer, Carly Petitt Taylor, which leads me into the rest of my photography encounter!.. I also met Carly on a visit to her home for a wedding trial, we got on straight away and found out we had a lot in common, so much so that the trial took 4 hours!
She told me all about her career leading up to the present time and how she was a tutor teaching at a University in Manchester. It was nice to talk about jewellery as I also had a stint at making and selling jewellery, but was only self taught and no were near the level of expertise of Carly’s pieces! I mentioned to her that it could be a good idea if we collaborated on a project in the near future. The first shoot we did was for one
of her students, also called Carly (Carly Townsend), Miss Townsend was in her final year at Uni and needed some shots taken of her work, they arranged another student to model the work and come to our home for the shoot. Steve originally had planned to take the shots and I would do the hair and makeup, but Steve had been suffering with sciatica that week but still said he would be fine to do the shots! 1 hour before the model was ready to have her pics taken, Steve said, I’m really not going to be able to do it, he was in so much pain her could hardly crack a smile, There was no other option than for me to take over! Steve set up the lighting and set our camera ready to go! For the next few hours, I worked my way directing the model and talking my way through expressions and feelings to draw out emotion and feel,
I was exhausted by the end of it, but satisfied! The 2nd Jewellery shoot was of Carly P-T’s work but this time for a fashion editorial in one of Manchesters magazines, www.chimpmagazine.co.uk shot by the lovely Shirlaine Forrest www.shirlainephotos.co.uk The magazine is aimed at showcasing talent in the Manchester area and they wanted to try jewellery this time, perfect, I had to put Carly up for this, the concept was to be done underwater, so Shirlaine teamed up with Orca Divers and Manchester Aquatics Centre – Here’s the behind the scenes video from the shoot shot by Jo, see end of the video for credits.( I will post another blog soon all about the underwater shoot) The latest shoot with Carly P-T was shot at our home again where I took the shots and did the edit on it also, the model was Amy Finnimore, here are a few of the shots up to now:
I could go on, but will have to continue this later on this week, but I will leave you with a look into tomorrow’s event. My good friend Donna Mills who is a fantastic photographer and zombie enthusiast is getting MARRIED to her beloved Steve Craddock in the worlds first ZOMBIE WEDDING!!!! I have offered to do her makeup as a gift and a SPFX makeup artist from the states will be doing the blood and guts. Really looking forward to it. I will do a full write up with pics after the event!
That’s all for now folks!
Andrea x
aww andrea, thanks so much for the mention! :D and thank you AGAIN for doing my makeup, i adored it <3
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