Period Photo Shoot
This is my first blog for a while, and my first of 2020. Been a bit busy!
As you all probably realise, I’m a sucker for makeovers and themed shoots. In late November last year, I did one in Sydney with Alise Black, a make up and photographic artist who I have used before a few years ago. It was a wonderful experience then, but even better his time, and I have created this short video on my YouTube channel, showing all of the 25 photographs she put together for me. It’s so lovely when you get the artistic buy-in from professionals and we had the greatest time doing the shoot. The tightening of the corset, which had Alise and her assistant both pulling at my laces, I can’t say wasn’t enjoyable too (they turned out to be corset experts)! We also had a perfect day of clear weather between all the smoke and bush fires which were going on. Magical. The locations she chose were also ideal for the Edwardian/Victorian outfits and looks I had chosen. Amazing makeup, too: Alise is a master of a natural look. You can see I was enjoying every second of it.
The lead up was well planned and there were no real hitches, but the outfits came from Recollections in the USA, and (one Saturday morning) I had them altered to fit at a small alterations shop in King’s Cross, Sydney, where I have gone several times before. The proprietor is a lovely, quiet, unassuming lady, but it’s a very popular and open location, especially at weekends, so it’s not easy to tuck yourself away out of sight. During the process of getting fitted, there are constant interruptions from arriving customers, during which one gets left in the changing ‘rooms’. I put that in inverted commas because they are really just curtains which you stand behind that don’t come all the way to the floor and there is always a gap at the side. During one fitting of a lacy, floral Edwardian number, a very nice young mother came in with her son, and I would guess he would have been about 9 years old. The mother saw me while passing my cubicle to try on a dress next door, and politely nodded hello to this rather strange man in his sixties trying on a long Edwardian floral dress. That kind of thing I am usually pretty comfortable with, but meanwhile, the son was sat on a stool in the shop chewing on an apple and intermittently picking his nose, the archetypal obnoxious small boy. He was obviously seeing my feet under the curtain with the dress flowing down across them and draped on the floor. As I peeped out (to see where the proprietor was at and whether she would soon come to measure me up), he would have seen my very un-fetching male head above the lacy high neck and bib. That was when it got uncomfortable. Talk about a stare – his eyes were fixed on me and I swear he never blinked! It seemed like ages I was in there, and every time I looked out he was still there and staring disconcertingly at me…. cheeky little git! Never said a word, just stared unwaveringly right at me. It seemed like hours I was in there, waiting, and by the end I was cursing the little scallywag under my breath. When the proprietor finally attended to me I dropped all pretence and just did my measuring in the middle of the shop in front of everyone. After all it was in King’s Cross. And hopefully he’ll grow up thinking (or rather knowing) it’s quite normal….
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this reel of my period shoot! There’s also a caruosel of the pics on my Gallery page.
By the way, the corset was made to measure by Claudia Savage…. Another wonderful artist I have met on my journey. Let me know if you want her details (I warn you, it wasn’t cheap!).
Oh yes, and before I forget, thank you to John Anastasios Boyiazis for the wonderful wig styling!
