The end of 09

Well I thought now would be the perfect time to have a nice little thought out rant before the end of the year. Its about nothing really in particular just a collection of similar events or things I have seen this year which has left me slightly confused about not only how my mind works but how other peoples minds work too, although maybe the things I say leave people perplexed.

So I have a big bag of crisps and a cup of tea so I'm all settled for now at least, must be up early for work in the morning but I can stay up long enough to talk about the stuff that has been on my mind. Firstly I admire sooo many talented models and photographers many of which get the recognition they deserve, some will always be *hidden gems* but to me they are all stars for their attitude and skill, theres lots of people I admire and all for different reasons. I love and admire people with passion for something, even if their passion is nothing like mine, people who actually want to better themselves.. Not just to 'prove a point' to someone else or to secure more bookings but someone who actually strives to just be the best they can be, jump over hurdles to get to that level and even if they reach it they continue going because the only way is up. On the same token I'm fed up of seeing new models moan on forums that they never get listed on peoples 'fave models' lists or whatever = WHO CARES... be a better model, work with better photographers and better yourself, the only reason other models are listed is because they are bloody good at their job, they have worked for years in the industry and have put in time and effort and it takes more than a couple of months to be a 'known/reputable' model.

Someone asked me recently what I love most about modelling, I actually had trouble answering because the truth is that there is soo many things I love about it. Meeting interesting people who all have a different story to tell is pretty good. I love getting up in the morning and preparing for a shoot, I remember how nervous I was on my first 10 or so shoots and I knew that overcoming the nerves would be worth while. I love feeling appreciated and being able to help people, when a new photographer comes to me and is honest in saying 'Look i've not done this before - help me' I feel like I'm in my element and actually able to do everything I can without feeling too restricted. I make no secret about the fact that I am not the best model to direct, if you plop me in a location I do what comes naturaly and most of the time it does work better than me focusing on someone instructing me.

I do plan on travelling more next year and I know that travelling has been my downpoint, if I took on every offer I have had I know my portfolio would really benefit so hopefully the offers from this year will still be on the table next year.

Right I have prattled on a bit.
Shooting this weekend and next week so I'm really excited about that. Can't wait to start producing again, in the past few months I know I have more than halfed my 'usual' shoots. I don't have a reason for that, just seemed like when I got back from England I naturally had a bit of a break and I aint quite got right back into it yet.

Im spurred up and ready to go again, time to take off in 2010 :-)

I hope everyone has a fantastic newyear and doesn't get too drunk :-)

Cxx

Merry X-mas!!

Well santa has come and gone again for another year.

I got lots of fabby presents, infact I got soo much more than I expected.

Rory got me some amazing gifts including an art nude book, some awesome work in it and I recognised 1 of my favourite artnude photographers images in it. It really is amazing how much better a printed photograph is than a digital one. I also got a David LaChappell book, again Im amazed how awesome the prints look and the colours are to die for. I got a music cd, my favourite expensive hair conditioner, a cookery book, a special teddy bear from Hamleys in London, an I <3 tea cup, perfume, a ring and best of all my new ballet outfit that I picked. The tutu is soo crisp and white and the enpointe shoes are great. My dream was to one day manage to get enpointe even if only for 2 minutes for a photograph, well minutes after putting my new shoes on I managed to go enpointe and stay there... I was delighted so now I just need to be photographed doing it :-) I got lots of other amazing gifts too and had a really nice day. Everyone seemed happy with their gifts from me, Im glad I got them really early this year.

Heres a few images from a shoot a couple of weeks ago with Simon!

It was cold.

My hometown is burried under about a foot of snow right now :-)
must get out and shoot, only problem is getting out of Perth or people getting into Perth!

mwahahahah

Holiday Pictures Part1

Well this up-date is a quickie..
Just home and pretty tired, got a few edited..
Still lots of light painting ones to go through and other ones which include the snow yey!

Congrats to my loverly other half on his promotion at work yey :-)
You will never be the boss of me though mwahahahahahah!

Home...

Well I just got home from my little break away :-)
Had a very relaxing break. I even had a dream come true because it started snowing yesterday, a wooden lodge with a outside hot-tub and snow.. yeyy!

Rory and I took alot of pictures, he even had a little go at shooting me a'la artnude.. Just got to put them onto the computer. We messed about lightpainting last night too.

Now its time to unpack and all that stuff.


Heres a couple of non nude images from my shoot last week with Alistair. Despite feeling like death they look pretty good yey.


To be continued ;-)

....

Going away..

Well just a public note to say I'm going away tomorrow, my computer might be coming with me but I WONT be repying to e-mails or taking any work related calls all week.. :-)

Have a nice week all

x

3.27am -

As per the norm for me these days its first thing in the morning :-)
For a change though I have actually been to sleep and not long woken up, I love the winter but I hate not seeing much light and it messes with my body clock a little.

I managed to make it out to my shoot on Wednesday, despite not feeling great. I thought my anxiety was well enough for the whole 'getting on a train' sadly my nerves were slightly mad before I left the house. I think its because I wasn't feeling 100%. I still find it amazing that no matter what my anxiety is telling me (it usually tells me not to bother and just to go back to my comfort zone) I still manage to push myself forward to shoots and once I'm at a shoot I have the best time ever, I always know I will have a good time but before shoots especially if Im public transporting it I freak out and worry. Its mad what the mind can do to your body, and I still thank god that I somehow stumbled into modelling when I did or else I know I would never have faced alot of my fears. I still have the anxiety but actually being able to push past the bad bits and having something to aim for kind of keeps me going.

I spotted on Craigs blog his aims and objectives for next year so it got me thinking about what I hope to achieve next year, I know since I started that my aims were always be just to improve and they still are although its difficult when I often feel I have reached my personal peak in modelling and what I am capiable of doing. I have done pretty much everything I set out to do apart from work with Irish Puppy and a couple of other UK based artistic nude photographers but in a way I like still having that 'goal' because I know once I have worked with them then I might have nothing to aim for. The funny thing is that I know I can work with all the people I want to just now its just the oppertunity in most cases has not come up due to my anxiety. Irish is no different, if I can persuade myself to get on a darn plane I would be there tomorrow if I could even though that would mean my goal to work with him is no longer a goal :-S

So next year my plans are to travel more, I hope to do at least 3 tours. 2 are kind of in the planning stages and means I wont be going it all alone which is a great bonus for me the tours proberly wont last as long as my english summer 09 one was because to be honest although I had a fantastic time I don't think I could bare being away from home for 6 weeks again . Another aim I guess is to get more international publications and what I call 'tesco publications' meaning I can pick a copy of the magazine/book in tesco :-). I also have in the back of my mind to do a book, although photographers I have worked with have a few with just the work they have done with me I think it would be really nice to have one just of my work, only issue is that although I cannot see it being a top seller or even selling all that many copies I wouldn't have a clue how to go about sharing any profits which may be made from it.

I'm going to start dancing classes, I have contacted someone about some one 2 one tuition in Ballet but still waiting to hear back. I remember someone saying recently that you are never to old to learn new skills so I though 'bugger it' and decided that I want to get a bit of training, it will obviously help with my posture, flexibility, fitness and my strength so it can't be a bad thing even if I never manage to get enpointe which is one of my dreams. Part of my christmas from Rory is a whole new outfit for my dancing so fingers crossed the teacher gets back to me soon, if not then I might need to travel further afield for some lessons . I guess the biggest thing for next year is just to keep enjoying what I do and keep pushing myself to do better than previous attempts.

May as well start tomorrow with the whole 'getting better', im off out with Si for some shooting fun. Its been ages since we have hung out so even if its not all that productive even getting a few shots with him before the year is out will be a good thing.

Right I best at least try to get to sleep now even if its just for an hour or so!

Nite nite xx

8th of December

I was in hiding but now I'm back :-)

I spent a long weekend down at Rory's in Glasgow, we both have a bad cold like virus so pretty much just hid under the covers for a few days. I woke up this morning thinking I was actually going to die (it didn't feel nice). It actually feels like someone is sitting on my chest and limiting my breathing and my legs keep going funny.. The weird thing is that I have all the symptoms of a cold (and a few other weird symptoms) but I don't actually have a sore throat.

I'm shooting tomorrow though, so fighting this cold and drinking lots of sugary tea.
I'm actually really looking forward to the shoot, last time I worked with him we had such a good time and it was nice and laid back. I do sometimes get a booking for 2 hours but end up being there for 3 or 4 just because it gives me time to get to know the photographer a bit before the shoot and time for a cuppa and a chinwag after shooting.

Anyways attached to this blog are the pictures from my recent shoot with the awesome Craig Mcguire. I have been meaning to post these up for a week now but having no internet at Rorys weekend flat made that impossible. The first one was actually a spur of the moment type shoot, Erica got to work on my makeup, hair and dressed me.. Then held the light, there is no end to he girls talents.

I think Craig knows it but his work is really coming on these days, he should be super proud of himself right about now.



Plans for this month.........

Tomorrow - shooty
Im going on holiday on Monday, for 5 days... a nice wooden lodge with a hottub and sauna yippee, I have invited a photographer to come work with me while I'm away (im awaiting word back from him). I was not planning on shooting but its too good a place not to shoot in.
When I get back from holiday theres a couple of christmas nights out that weekend (the UKPM one im organising should be awesome). That takes us up to the 21st, have a shoot that week then working with mum for a few days running up to christmas. I'm not sure where I'm spending Christmas yet, proberly half the day up with my family and the other down at Rorys.

Anyways...
Adios

xxx

Bouncing E-mail

Thank you soo very much to the artist who has e-mailed me twice recently, his words have encouraged me and really made me smile this morning. Sadly theres a problem with e-mails and my replies are bouncing so if youre reading this Mark can you e-mail me with a different contact address or number so I can reply properly to you.

Chrissie Red x