Keeping everyone up to date! Etsy/ Uni/ Photography/ Life!

Hello everyone! So I haven't blogged in a little while, I have been super busy! I finished my contemporary textile products degree with a 2:1 from Cleveland College of Art and Design, which is pretty cool! But I now don't know what to do with myself, so I have been trying to keep myself busy!

I have decided that I should try selling on Etsy again, I am selling some things that I made in first and second year at Uni, and some other things too! You can find my shop Here!
My current collection in the shop is rather bright and colourful, surreal and mystical! It would be great for anyone who loves anything imaginative, or loves anything a bit weird and quirky!

I am also selling some work for a lovely lady at The French House in Whitley Bay, you can find her Facebook page Here! 

I now also have 3 jobs! I still work at the Painted Elephant as a waitress, and I have a job doing nightlife photography with IAMVIP, and a job doing photography for The Alternative Modelling Contest, so hopefully I can eventually manage to pay some bills or eat some food or something!

Anyway here are some pictures of things!!

Band Photography - Life Amongst Wolves

So recently I spent the day running around Jesmond Dene with my camera and the lovely northern band Life Amongst Wolves! Here are some photos from the shoot!

Band Photography

So as well as completing my final major project, I was commissioned last Saturday to do a Band shoot with a lovely band A New Nowhere. I have also been designing an album cover for them, but that is super secret and can't be revealed until they have finished recording! I took the band to The Sage in Gateshead, which is a great location for band photography as there are some 'free art' walls nearby, where graffiti artists can come and paint whatever they like. The band are playing the O2 Academy on the 16th of July, with support acts such as Alterverse, Life Amongst Wolves and Stone Lights.

Band Members include drummer Jack Wilson, who is a good friend of mine, and brothers Mark Gregg (lead singer) and Kev Gregg (lead guitarist).

The Quiet Before The Storm.

This past few weeks at Uni I have felt as though things have gone incredibly slowly. I have a vast amount of work to do, mainly embroidery, which takes a very long time. So even if I have done a lot it feels as though I have done very little. So in order to feel productive, here are some images of some photos from my minor project, different characters from Greek Mythology. They will be made into life size sculptures made from thread. I am definitely feeling as though I have a long way to go.

Cerberus

Daphne

Dionysus

Pandora

Lethe

Medea

   Medusa

The Fates

Oedipus

Persephone

Terpsichore

Chiron

Dried Flowers

Through doing this project I have been thinking about different ways in which to enhance my embroidery techniques. I have kindly been sponsored by the lovely people at Daisy Shop who have given me some gorgeous dried flowers!

Here is an example of an image of my friend Katy, portraying Pandora, with flowers incorporated into the work.

 

 

 

 

Embroidery

The first two weeks back at Uni, and I have been embarking on experimental embroidery. I have mainly been using water soluble fabric, and trying to figure out the best way to do it. I have been using my photography as inspiration to create these images. Here are a few examples:

Ally Jones, as Persephone.

        

Emma Brownless, as Medea

How to use Smoke Bombs in a Photo Shoot

Smoke Bombs create a magical and atmospheric image, but using them is quite tricky to get right. There are many things to think about, the weather, wind, tin foil, health and safety, the model, and lighting. Here are a few tips that might help if you want to use them in your next photo shoot:

1. Smoke Bombs are poisonous, and shouldn't be breathed in, so always use them outside and make sure your model holds their breath.
2. They can be tricky to light, especially in the wind, so use a good lighter and plenty of cover.
3. Some smoke bombs only last a minute, so you have to act quickly to get a good shot, practice some poses with the model before hand so that you can guarantee a great image.
4. Choosing a good background is crucial, you don't have to go far away, I used some spooky looking trees in my local park.
5. Lighting is always worth thinking about, because it is winter at the minute, make sure you keep an eye on the time, although late afternoon lighting produces a gorgeous golden colour. If you are doing extravagant hair and make-up on your model, allow enough time so the sun doesn't go down. Which is a mistake I have done in the past, so you always learn from your mistakes!
6. Tin foil is great for protecting the ground, or the hands of your model. In this shoot my model Katy was being portrayed as Pandora, famously all the demons and tragic things in the world came out of a box given to her by Zeus. I used a metal box, and put tin foil around the smoke bomb for added protection, as it does get very hot. Using a container like this would be a great idea.
7. It is useful to have a friend to help you with 'set design'. My boyfriend was on hand to light the smoke bombs and then quickly run away, so that I was already in position to take photos, since there is only a minute of smoke, it is quite the military operation.
8. I got my smoke bombs from a local joke shop, however you can get the same brand that I used online here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201360133690?adgroupid=13585920426&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=pla-131843277186&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80