Ramblings of a Model, Mother and Outspoken Weirdo

It was a year full of ups and downs. Had quite a lot of work stress which meant that I haven't got to shoot as much as I would of liked. I work weekends now which I thought would cause issue but I have got more shoots booked up to February than I ever have!

Here are a few lessons I learned from shooting in 2013

1. I enjoy cosplay shoots!

I have always loved to dress up I just didn't realise quite how much. I clocked up quite a few cosplay shoots last year ranging from Disney, to Scooby Doo, Superheroes, Dexter! I had so much fun doing it. I also went to a convention as April O'Neil and loads of people commented on how cool my costume was. I'm such a geek at heart, I'm kinda rubbish at computer games thought unfortunately, but this gives me an outlet for my geekery. I'm going to share my image with Graham Kenneth Short in this blog, it took quite a bit of planning and he is such an epic photoshop whiz that this image packs a real punch. I'm looking to work with him again for a Psylocke shot next month!


2. Sometimes shoot arranged a day in advance are the best

In November I got a random message from Richard Hanley, photographer who just lives round the corner in Delaval. He basically asked if the weather was ok could we shoot the next day. I said yes, we didn't travel far maybe just a couple of miles down the road, we shot for maybe half an hour tops, most of which was catching up and putting the world to rights and I was really happy with how the pics turned out. Sometimes you can plan and plan and plan and shoots just don't work but sometimes you do it on the fly and it just clicks.




I think it's fair to say I have made two extremely firm photographer friends. Meg from Spellbound Imagery and Shepy of Richard Shepherd Photography are always there to pick me up when I am down, talk through ideas, make me feel better about myself and not only this but they are both extremely talented photographers. I have had a crazy 3 or 4 years and they have been with me through the duration. I never tire of shooting with them and spending time with them.
Image one by Spellbound Imagery. Image two by Richard Shepherd.



6. My body isn't too bad!

I am 27 with two kids. I really need to stop comparing myself to those who are almost ten years younger than me who don't have a single stretch mark on their ridiculous hot bods. I don't over indulge, I exercise a bit. I get what I pay for. I don't feel sick when I look in the mirror (unless I'm completely naked)! Image by Spellbound Imagery.


7. I should work with more models

This kinda ties in with the one above. One of the reasons I don't work with other people is my own insecurity. After shooting in the summer with Scott Henderson, modeling with Fifi Galore and Anastacia Taline it was such a blast. I had such a giggle, I think it taught me a valuable lesson with regards to being threatened by other women. It should be more of a sisterhood!
Image by Scott Henderson


8. Work with new people.

One of my favourite shoots this year was with a lovely young Hartlepool chap called Michael J Smalley. No one I'd know had worked with him but I contacted him on Purple port and it ended up giving me some of my favourite images from this year. I looked young, fresh and happy and he photographed my movement perfectly.
Image by Michael J Smalley


9. I still love latex.

Although I haven't modelled as much of it this year. I've had some cosplay pieces and a few bits from here and there. Fave companies are still Catalyst Latex, Fetasia Latex and Violaceous Latex. I'm not sure whether I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for it all though! Got to grow up sometime, maybe 2015!
Image by Richard Shepherd


10. I should blog more!

I used to blog every shoot I did but this stopped when I started working full time. I'm attempting to do one shoot per week this year (on average) so I'm going to try and blog at least once a month. Even if I blog a months shoots in one go.

Thank you so much for reading (if you got this far!)
Final Image by Stu Glen (one of the most talented photographers I've ever worked with)

Ages ago I got asked to review amazing costume website www.joke.co.uk. This is a website I have used many a time for costumes for photo shoots and burlesque bits and bobs. Also for stuff for the kids too. Their selection is massive. I agreed to do the review before I started my current job at the RVI in Newcastle, but by the time it had all been finalised I'd started doing days where I got up at 5:30am and I don't get to sit down until 8pm so I've had little time nor energy for blogging. my own personal blog has taken a nosedive which is a shame because it was something I genuinely used to enjoy.

At the beginning of this year I planned to do a 2013 Dee La Beau Geek and Gamer Calender but sadly that has taken a back seat too and it is more likely that this will be a project I see into 2014 instead. I did however get two images for my calender using epic costumes from www.joke.co.uk. My next purchase from them will be their 80's Official Street Figther Chun Li costume, as it is perfect for my calender and also a little bit suggestive!

I did a shoot with friend and awesome photographer Richard Shepherd at local Mayfield Studio for my calender using Joke's Secret Wishes Ghostbuster costume. At £34.99 this is a fab way to look like a foxy Ghostbuster gal for your Halloween party. The fabric of the costume is awesome and soft, my only real complaint is that this wouldn't be suitable for anyone who has no bust and also the armbands were very very tight so if I wear it again I will probably need to snip them to loosen them and I don't think myself to have particularly fat arms.

Feels very odd to finally be blogging this, it was actually a project I was involved in last year at about this time, infact I did this particular photo shoot the day after my birthday, so March the 17th 2011! I also performed at a burlesque event this day, and my daughter who at the time was 3 came along to this shoot which didn't particularly help with my expressions or anything.

So what was it all about? A designer called Jennifer Johnson and her partner, photographer Michael Daglish, showcasing their skills along with a poet/story teller with the theme of the '7 Sins'. So this involved 7 dresses, 7 photo shoots, 7 models (Constance Peach, Jenny Johnson, Trixie D Licious, Nicola Michelle, Katrina Darling, Betty D'Light and myself) and poems about all of the sins which was then published in a book. I wasn't able to release my set of the images until after the book launch which ended up being in January

My sin was 'Gluttony', this didn't bother me in the slightest. I think the only time this sin has been relevant to me however was when I was pregnant with my son. I suffered terribly from hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a severe form of morning sickness but because I was being sick so frequently (approx 8 times a day) I was still hungry and then filling my face. I struggled to stop doing this until after my son was born.

My frock was amazing, so much detail, and I actually adore the colour orange, along with purple they are probably my favourite colours. My shoot also featured some pretty rotten fruit which I had the joy of squishing into my hands. Anyway I just thought I'd share a couple of my images and I highly recommend hunting down everyone else's for a gander.

So I did a second shoot with Gregg and Sam of Wicked Heart Photography back end of last year, I am just so far behind in my blogs that it isn't even funny. I took only latex, so the only thing we shot was latex, at the lovely Mayfield Studio. My personal fave studio in Newcastle, also the most central one. I'm having the pleasure of shooting there with Hannah Todd at the weekend :)

I got through 3 outfits for this shoot firstly my wee black and gold set, which I have worn for a few shoots before. I don't generally feel comfortable just in my undies especially with any part of my tummy on show but Sam and Gregg always make sure you're comfortable and always make you feel good about yourself. I feel so hot it was stupid honestly! This is my fave shot from my first outfit, because they compliment their models so much it gives you the extra push to perform extra hard and this is what I got.

So Sam Corban was all 'There is studio slots free on Thursday' and I was like 'I'm free' and then Josephine Birkett was like 'I'm free also' and that is how this all began. I'd say this is probably by far my most favourite shoot of 2012 so far and may continue to be for a long while.

So after we established we were all free we passed some ideas around and because I am a massive fan of Pop Art, especially that of Roy Lichtenstein I suggested we plotted a shoot around that idea. My friend, Shepy, had also sent me an image feature mega garish make up a few weeks previously saying it reminded him of me and it stuck in my head.

Josephine practised on her sister a couple of times and the results on her pictures looked pretty cool but it didn't prepare me for how well it all worked at the shoot. It was one of those shoots that involved about 2 hours of make up and approximately 25 mins of shoot all in all but it just totally worked and the images are....I would go as far as to say powerful and a really excellent addition to my portfolio. I hope the other members of the gang feel the same.

I didn't really know what to wear for the shoot, I had decided however my normal black hair wasn't going to cut the mustard so I just took along my turquoise cosplay wig and it didn't look as ridiculous was I had first anticipated! Such an amazing shoot and I can't wait to work with both these amazing peeps again. It's just occurred to me how many of my favourite images in my port are actually taken by Sam now.

Couple of weeks ago I did a super fun and sticky shoot with Richard Shepherd, a photographer who I rate highly for his skills and also I consider him to be a genuine friend of mine. I always have a laugh with him, if he wasn't so busy I'd spend more time with him even if it just meant stalking his flat. So I had some epic Catalyst Latex items to model, 2 of which I had asked them to make because I <3 Neon and I also <3 Tartan!

Firstly I modelled my tartan dress, I'd found this Etsy shop in Hungary that makes plaid latex it can also create custom colours if it's required, I fell in love with it and asked Catalyst to make me a super foxy dress, I am really happy with the way it turned out and I'm glad I went for the Red/Blue colouring.

Darn tootin' totally forgot about this shoot! Naughty naughty Dee! Last month I show with Doug Durham in the Studio of Light in Sunderland. It's an excellent varied studio, lots of sets, lots of props, only real complaint is that it's always freezing and the toilets are out of order, sure this will all be sorted in due course though. It's still an excellent place to shoot and the owners have always treated me with massive amount of respect.