RETREAT.

So, just shot the artwork for the amazingly talented singer/songwriter Alex Ko's upcoming 2012 EP.

Inbetween gigging, recording demos for some of the music industry's top artists, and setting up a music workshop and tuition business named CUPID, Alex found time to come down to London to shoot with me for a day.

As of yet untitled, the body of songs inspired me to create something a little dreamy, but still reflective of Alex's wicked sense of humor and vibrant personality.

check out his vocal stylings HERE!, his twitter HERE!, and keep your eyes peeled for this face in the very near future!

ANNA.

Here's some of my images on Profile's Z-Card for Russian beauty, Anna Smirnova.

DE FREITAS.

Thought I would post an alternate image I edited from my recent shoot for Kaltblut magazine featuring the beautiful Anna Smirnova at Profile, and an exquisite dress by the insanely talented Lesley De Freitas.

Lesley contacted me to see if I could provide her with a colour image for her website...how could I refuse?! =]

The beautiful styling is courtesy of Aiden Connor, who put together a jaw dropping array of sartorial delights for me to shoot!

Makeup is by Emma Broom, Hair is by Aaron Carlo using L'Oréal Professionel and Styling Assistance is by Rahmeur Rahman.

Casting by Jody & Bayo @ The Eye.

♀

Stylist: Aiden Connor.
Make up artist: Emma Broom.
Hairstylist: Aaron Carlo @ Headmasters, using L'Oreal proffesionnel.
Model: Anna Smirnova @ Profile.
Casting: Jody and Bayo at The Eye.
Styling assistant: Rahemur Rahman.

VENUS.

So, the wonderful Ziad Ghanem introduced me to Aiden Connor just before christmas '11...he is one of the few people who posess the distinction of having access to Ziad's clothes, and it's not surprising to see why. Clothing and the human form it rests upon are of upmost importance to Connor obviously, and his eye for subtle detail allows him to respect his medium as a stylist.

Our original brief was to create images based on the theme of nudity. With styling left in Aiden's capable hands, I began to turn my mind towards the aesthetic of the images, and how I could present the clothes in their best possible light.

I thought of the many nudes I have seen throughout classical visual culture, in particular, those of Venus. For artists such as Botticelli and Titian, Venus is untouchable, she is swathed in fine cloths and illuinated by celestial light. Nudity, or at least, the simulation of nudity is perhaps one of her most recognisible traits, and is one that remains fairly constant throughout her various guises and manifestations.

The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli. 1485.

Aiden's seamless styling exaggerates and accentuates the female form, and through it's sheer beauty, encourages us to view the photographed body with a degree of both passivity and power. It provides shapes reminiscant of the visual metaphors of god-like femininity that often accompany Venus...the clamshell, waves, flowers... Venus' skin is something that clothes her still, it is an earthly cocoon that disseminates information about her allegorical origins.

Venus de Milo, Louvre Gallery, Paris.

These photographs represent my encounters with Venus as a spectator, where she exists beyond reality in a mythical and static realm. Fashion, with its' ephemeral, fluxating values is a perfect medium to explore this, as it offers a relevant and contemporary approach to interpreting historical (and to some extent, socially ingrained) values.

You can view the entire shoot in the premier edition of *Kaltblut Magazine* (check it out!)

Styling: Aiden Connor.
Model - Anna Smirnova @ Profile.
Makeup Artistry- Emma Broom.
Hairstylist - Aaron Carlo @ Headmasters using L'Oréal proffesionnel.
Casting by Jody and Bayo @ The Eye.
Styling Assistant - Rahemur Rahman.

INTERVAL.

model: herbert @ The Eye.
stylist: naro hanso.
casting: jody & bayo ' The Eye.

REVERB.

Woah, it's actually been more than a slight while since I posted here, and thanks to the people asking me where I've been hiding!..yes I'm alive! ...and now it's time for a post to make up for me seemingly evading blogger at all costs.

Been a busy bee these past few months...I've been completely immersing myself in assisting other photographers (who have been AWESOME!... *Saty and Pratha* & *Alisa Connan*), testing, retouching and working my arse off to pay the rent!...=s ...it has to be done!

First and foremost, take a little looksie at *Kaltblut Magazine*...a really exciting upcoming publication, however, more to come on that one, my lips are sealed! (how mysterious!!!)

I met Saty and Pratha through Jody @ The Eye Casting, and aside from them being lovely people and awesome photographers, they also keep up a terrific blog about their happenings!...here's links to shoots I assisted on!

*Saty and Pratha for Fiasco.*

*Saty and Pratha for 1883.*

*Saty and Pratha for Ones2Watch.*

...and so! to round off, here's a little preview of a shoot i did with herbert @ The Eye. enjoy. =]

assistant & stylist: Naro Hanso.
model: Herbert @ The Eye.
casting: Jody & Bayo @ The Eye.

BOY.

Everytime I have a little shoot in the studio, I  think of the diverse range of artists that I love... Caravaggio... Vermeer... Rembrandt... Rubens... Holman Hunt... Leighton...

I'm probably more influenced by painters of the past than contemporary photographers, and not because I do not admire their work; for me there's just something about a painterly aesthetic that I find so personally affinitive.

Maybe one of these days I'll pick up my paint brushes once more, but for the time being (and forseeable future) I'm in a state of ardor over photography...particularly the ability to create imagery relatively quickly, whilst I'm still in the throws of inspiration.

I've tested with a lot of guys lately, and I think Caravaggio was definately present in my mind for this setup that I did. It made me think of his early paintings featuring young men. They have a very sensually evocative undercurrent to them that I've been interpreting in my work, in my own strange way for some time now.

Check out the links below!

Caravaggio; boy with a basket of fruit.


Caravaggio; boy peeling fruit.

Casting: Bayo & Jody @ The Eye.
Photographer's Assistant: Naro Hanso.
Makeup & Grooming: Naomi Benjamin.

FLUX.

Some wonderfully minimal makeup designs by Naomi Benjamin that I shot a few weeks ago.

Casting: Bayo & Jody @ The Eye.
Makeup Artistry: Naomi Benjamin.
Photographer's Assistant & Stylist: Naro Hanso.

  

RHETORIC.

Again, another triptych from a recent test.

I really have a predisposition to the number three when creating sets of images...for me it is perfect at hinting narrative, without ever giving too much away...

as always, let me know what you think! =]

Casting: by Bayo & Jody @ The Eye.
Grooming: Naomi Benjamin.
Photographer's Assistant: Naro Hanso.

REGOLITH II.

The final installment in my 'regolith' story.

Casting: Bayo & Jody @ The Eye.
Makeup Artistry and Grooming: Naomi Benjamin.
Assistant: Naro Hanso.

REGOLITH.

A first little glimpse at a test i did last week with another model scouted by Bayo & Jody @ The Eye.

Casting; Jody & Bayo @ The Eye.
Makeup Artistry & Grooming; Naomi Benjamin.
Photographer's Assistant; Naro Hanso.

MAN OF STONE.

A little test here, taking inspiration from classical sculpture.

I read quite a lot lately about the Elgin marbles (which were taken from the Parthenon in Athens) and this inevitably led me back to my obsession with Renaissance visual culture. Whilst taking these images I had visions of Michelangelo and Donatello floating around in my head...daydreaming as usual! (...even whilst on the job!...gah!)

Model: Herbert @ The Eye.
Casting: Jody & Bayo @ The Eye.
Assistant: Naro Hanso.

DETAILS.

A bit of a personal project here, it's been finished for a day or two now, and I've been waiting to share! enjoy =]

.

ZIAD.

So, last night I was invited to haute couturier Ziad Ghanem's show at London Fashon Week.

The collection was influenced by the Polish film 'Matka Joanna', which narrates the story of nuns belonging to a 17th Century Convent who become possesed by demonic forces.

Now i definately wasn't expecting an obvious borrowing from vestimentary dress, and of course Ziad delighted with his unique vision consisting of bias cut figure hugging creations, draping, and the illusion of reordering the proportions and visibility of his models' bodies. There was lace, organza, appliqued detailing, unusual seamlines, splattered paint, all tied together by a sensuality and an overtly erotic attitude towards construction.

There was an almost tangible energy eminating from the collection (and the audience itself), surely a ramification of the pure act of theatricality and spectale of the show. There were some truly intriguing construction methods and effects present here, reaffirming why Ghanems position as the 'Cult Couturier' will be cemented for a very long time.

Here's a few images i took from where i was stood...enjoy. =]