Last time I was at home in Dublin, about 2 weeks ago, I had the chance to shoot with photographer Gareth Byrd. I've been a huge fan of his work for a long time so was thrilled when we started corresponding regarding working together. The shoot took place on an unused dairy farm in North Co. Dublin. It was fantastic! The place was full or interesting nooks and crannies, brightly painted rooms that had fallen into glorious decay, old barns stacked to the roof with wooden crates, and artfully mould-dappled walls. I found some pretty cool creepy crawlies too, including a zebra-striped spider eating a fly, and an abandoned butterfly caccoon that I took with me to show to my 4-year-old nephew.

The location

"Zebra" spider eating lunch 

Insects, spiders and other bugs have always fascinated me, ever since I was little. As a child, I hated that I was a girl and went out of my way to be a boyish as possible. That included shunning dolls and girly toys of all kinds (except Polly Pockets, they were too much fun), loving anything to do with insects and dinosaurs, demanding my hair be cut short,  and wearing dungarees and little Dr Martens constantly. My Mam likes reminding me how anytime she tried to put me in a dress I'd get sick all over it so I wouldn't have to wear it!! What a delightful child I was!

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Gareth had a lighting assistant on hand for the day named Michelle who was an absolute dote and even brought along a picnic for us :) 

Yummy

We got a huge amount done in a very short amount of time. We had about 3 hours to prep and shoot as everyone was quite restricted timewise, but we got an impressive amount of poses, looks and locations shot. Gareth used a combination of natural and artificial light, to wonderful effect. I kept my makeup simple and natural to start with as the focus was on the posing and composition, and then added red lipstick and dark eye makeup later on for some portrait shots. I am so delighted with what we managed to achieve, and absolutely adore the results. Gareth was fantastic to work with, encouraging, relaxed, knowledgeable and fun. Michelle was a complete sweetheart and I hope I get the chance to work with both of them again in the future. 

Here are the shots, can't choose a favourite!

I am VERY excited. I have finally come to a decision that could change my life forever. I am going to follow my dream. I mean actually follow my dream. None of this famous actress/singer/whatever nonsense. I'm going to return to college in 2013, study zoology for 4 years and perhaps after a Masters or doctorate I will get to do what I have wanted to do since I was a little girl - research, study and maybe even live among penguins!! I am obsessed, OBSESSED with penguins and everything about them. I believe they are the most wonderful creatures on earth. I'm going to apply to a number of the better universities in Ireland and as I'll be a mature student I won't have to enter through the points system. I'm leaning mostly towards NUIG, and maybe UCC as I've heard their Zoology departments are excellent. I know I'm looking really far into the future with the whole thing but I am so excited about getting started. I've been thinking about doing it for a while but only in the past few days have I given the idea proper consideration. I've been feeling completely unmotivated the past year or so, like I've come to a dead end. I'm working in a clothes shop full time and though the people are lovely and the work is generally okay, I want to do something different and more fulfilling with my life. I'm so delighted with the prospect of going back to college too. This time around I'm older and wiser and will be a lot more focused and dedicated, especially because I have something to aim for, not just a degree for the sake of a degree! I'm going to do it. I'm going to fucking do it!! :D :D :D

Also, I might as well post some pictures while I'm at it. These shots are by the incredible Stefano Brunesci, who literally reeks of awesome!! They were taken during the same weekend that myself and Madame Bink shot together a few months ago. They're definitely some of my favourite photos taken of me ever!

A few months ago I took a trip up to London to shoot with Terry Johnson for the second time. I had so much fun! He's such a creative soul. I guess as a high profile playwright and director it comes with the territory :p He also has a great artistic and photographic eye, and that really comes across in his work. We shot a combination of natural light nudes, bubbly bath shots and japanese rope bondage, a first for me. I guess you could say he took by bondage virginity, and boy was it fun! I think it's something that I'm going to try and do a lot more of in future. I can definitely understand why so many people have such a fetish for it. Anyway, here's my pick of the bunch:

Our first shoot earlier in the year was fantastic. I had seen his work in other models' portfolios and completely fell in love with his style. Somehow, through a combination of lighting, composition and location, he manages to make his images appear timeless, like they could come from any time. I especially loved getting to play around in his vintage tin bath. I wanted to take it home! Anyway here is a selection of my favourite images from that first shoot.

Sooo.....

It's been a weird few months. At the end of March I suffered a massive OCD relapse and had to leave work and go home to Ireland and everything. It was a total kick in the face. I just woke up one morning and suddenly it was back, all those horrible, tortuous, tormenting thoughts and suffocating anxiety. I cried so much I nearly passed out from dehydration and exhaustion. It really was not fun. I'm back in Cambridge now and massively improved, but the fear of it happening again hangs over me constantly. I have come to realise that I will never be free of it. Well anyway, enough of that! PICTURES!!!

The following 2 photos are by the eccentric and wonderful artist, writer and photographer Julian Baker whom I worked with in December 2011 at his studio in London. The other lovely nudey model is Ms Jezebel and the hair and makeup was done by hair artist and wigmaker Katkinoko.

The next set of shots is by photographer Jeremy Kruse, aka Burntlight. I've worked with him a few times and he is such a hilarious guy! It's always a pleasure. He shoots from his home in Peterborough and it is one of the coolest houses I've been in. Every corner and nook has something unique and wonderful, like the big ass painted wooden rocking horse in his sitting room that I have yet to shoot with! I love how we manage to get something completely different and unexpected every time.

Right that's about my quota for the day methinks. I should go and make some dinner. I think I'll have fish fingers.

I'm being really cheeky here, but I felt I should skip on to some more recent shoots I have done, mostly because I'm just so excited about sharing the images! A couple of weeks ago I took a train (or 3) down to Kemble, near Bath to stay and shoot with a certain Mr Stefano Brunesci. I arrived quite late in the evening but was given the warmest welcome and lots of tea. I stayed up chatting for most of the night with Stefano and Madame Bink (who lives there too with her boyfriend, Adam Robertson) and there was much banter and much giggling. Their three gorgeous dogs also joined us for some scratches and cuddles. I was delighted to discover that Bink, like me, is an avid penguin fan :D I had arranged also to do a shoot with Bink while I was there so the next day, after some much-needed coffee, we got down to business.

Bink and I shot some lovely natural light images with minimal makeup upstairs in one of the bedrooms first. I love the soft lighting and pinkish tone, it gives them a really feminine, almost ethereal feel.

Bink then proceeded to climb out onto the roof at the front of the house to take some shots of me through one of the upstairs windows. I was absolutely terrified watching her twisting around and balancing on the edge of the roof, I can only imagine how she must have felt! It can't be said that the girl's not dedicated to her craft!

To finish off, we did some studio shots near the end of the day, after I had finished shooting with Stefano. These were again very soft and feminine, but the studio and lighting setup made them very different to what we had shot earlier. I adore how they turned out, especially the first one :)

Here's a link to some more of Bink's photography work: http://www.binkography.blogspot.com/

Bink is also a full-time model, specialising in artistic nude. I was quite excited to meet her because I had been following her modelling career for the past couple of years, and definitely regard her as one of the top artistic nude models in the UK, if not the world. She goes by the pseudonym Madame Bink, I'm sure you've heard of her ;) http://madamebink.co.uk/

I really enjoyed shooting with Bink. She's so sweet and funny and incredibly down-to-earth. And she loves penguins. Need I say more? 

The following shots are from one of my first shoots in the UK. They are some of my favourite shots ever and the photographer is the wonderful Rebecca Imogen Tun. You may know her better as the model Rebecca Tun >>>>

How lush! For more of her modelling work check out her Model Mayhem page - http://www.modelmayhem.com/822673 The girl has skillz!

The shoot took place in her family home in Cambridgeshire, and Hayley Bird, a ridiculously talented makeup artist from Norwich, joined us for the day to take charge of all things face-arty related! The concept was vintage boudoir, think burlesque beauty relaxing in her quarters after a night on stage. Here are the results...

I love how these turned out. They have a really sensual, feminine feel to them and I adore the glamourous makeup and luxurious styling.

Kudos to Rebecca's family, who were lovely and let me have a Chinese with them ;)

Just a quick post before the fella gets back from the pub. I could have gone, it was by all accounts a very civilised, enjoyable affair, but I'm more of a pyjamas and hot chocolate kind of girl, if I'm being honest ;) Anyhoo, to some shameless photo whoring! These are from 2010, I think. There may be a wee bit of overlap with 2011 but I'll do my best to avoid it :)

Sam Wak

Eoghan Brennan

Solus Photography

Roberto Echeverry

Bullseye Photography


...And one I forgot to post in my last entry - by Stephen Comiskey, 2009:

My next few blog entries will be focusing on individual, more recent shoots. It will present me with a chance to describe the kind of things that go on at photoshoots, the interesting locations, beautiful styling and the amount of work that goes into each shoot., both before, during and after, by everyone involved.

Goodnight everyone!

Pussywillow x