12 Months of Red and Light

A year in pictures.

12 Months of Red and Light.
Just over a year ago, Chrissie and I met after several months of random passing of comments and mutual admiration of one another's work.
On our very shoestring budget most of what we have done wouldn't have been possible under the normal model/photographer process as we mostly just go out for a day, bounce ideas about and see what happens and what places we find, we have very similar tastes and goals and the spontaneity is sometimes instrumental to the results that we produce.
One of the most interesting things is that we have become quite an efficient working partnership, both knowing what the other needs and wants to do without in depth discussion, we just do our thing in our own way, it works well for us.

We have both been through good times and darker times in our personal lives and both been there for one another when it mattered, I think and I think Chrissie would agree, we make such good friends because we aren't judgemental and don't get involved in each others personal lives unless asked to do so.

None of this was planned, nether of us were looking for a friendship or collaboration, actually I had been cooking for a collaborator, but I had given up, I guess sometimes you find what you want when you are not looking for it, some things are just meant to be I guess, there is so much more I could say, we have watched one another evolve as model/photographer and as people, Chrissie is a wonderful and dear friend and If we could do it all again I wouldn't change a thing, so here's to the next year and beyond..

Thank you Chrissie fr being you and for being such a great friend.

Interview with Chrissie

Recently Chrissie had an Interview with Jan Murphy on the Univers d' Artistes Blog.
Very interesting and insightful and worth a read, you can read the
Chrissie Interview here.

Then and Now

As well as our model/photographer collaborative work Waterfall: Colourfall.

This waterfall is situated on the route from between Broadford and Portree, fairly accessible even if poor light and looked like a good subject for a lightpainting.
We used two large torches and a tripod mounted camera with a remote shutter release and the camera set to a bulb.
We were positioned either side of the camera for the “paint”.
Chrissie with a 2 million candle power torch, on the foreground rocks, water, right mid ground rocks, water and right-hand side rock face.
Myself, with a 10 million candle power torch, on the waterfall, tree, left mid ground rocks, water and the left-hand side rock face.
Exposure, approximately 2 minuets.

Cill Chriosd ruin, Isle of Skye: The Haunted.

This ruin is just outside Broadford, a place that I have visited and photographed before, it has been shot quite extensively so I wanted to make it a little different.
For this we used one large torch and two flashguns with gel coloured flash.
Chrissie went inside the ruin to fire coloured flash to create some interesting light effects.
Myself, with a 2 million candle power torch, from just behind left of camera and then far right of camera for dual directional light and shadows
Exposure, approximately 2 minuets.

Dual person Lightpainting, Isle of Skye

As well as our model/photographer collaborative work Chrissie and I also dabble with joint photographic projects, which fits in well with Chrissies other interest, photography, something I am keen to explore with her. Both of these images are difficult to get right, having two lighting at once is interesting and in some cases makes something that is pretty much impossible to do alone within the reach of possibility.

Waterfall: Colourfall.

This waterfall is situated on the route from between Broadford and Portree, fairly accessible even if poor light and looked like a good subject for a lightpainting.
We used two large torches and a tripod mounted camera with a remote shutter release and the camera set to a bulb.
We were positioned either side of the camera for the “paint”.
Chrissie with a 2 million candle power torch, on the foreground rocks, water, right mid ground rocks, water and right-hand side rock face.
Myself, with a 10 million candle power torch, on the waterfall, tree, left mid ground rocks, water and the left-hand side rock face.
Exposure, approximately 2 minuets.

Cill Chriosd ruin, Isle of Skye: The Haunted.

This ruin is just outside Broadford, a place that I have visited and photographed before, it has been shot quite extensively so I wanted to make it a little different.
For this we used one large torch and two flashguns with gel coloured flash.
Chrissie went inside the ruin to fire coloured flash to create some interesting light effects.
Myself, with a 2 million candle power torch, from just behind left of camera and then far right of camera for dual directional light and shadows
Exposure, approximately 2 minuets.

Skye trip, 951 miles, art nude and waterfalls

Skye: Day 1, arrival.

As Chrissie has already bolgged Skye is at best tricky for doing location nudes due to its popularity, however we did manage to have a fairly productive trip in which we clocked up a respectable 951 miles in total.

I met Chrissie in Glasgow on the Friday morning, the trip up was fairly uneventful but the whether was good, on arrival we checked in to what turned out to be a rather lively hostel and headed straight out to Elgol, as I had been there before I had a fair idea of what may be possible.
I hadn’t actually explored this particular part before, so we wandered about looking for an interesting setting, toying with doing a waves crashing in the rocks shot which turned out to be a bit too risky at the time, we wanted something that shouted, WE ARE ON SKYE, I’m not sure who actually spotted this rock crevice on the beach, but this is one of the resulting images.

Skye: Day 2, explore.

Day two was largely a non even due to pretty poor weather conditions and lots of rain, so we spent a lot of the day just exploring the island.
By late afternoon the weather had cleared up considerably, we found a few locations worthy of a shot or two, went back to the hostle for something to eat and preceded back out to attempt to get something, we shot this as the light was fading, this was pretty much Chrissies choosing with me just left to get the photography end sorted.
Later we went in search for something that we could do a lightpainting of, which I will cover in the next blog entry.

Skye:Day 3 Labdscape Nude

On day 3 we ventured up to the north of the island in search of a suitable waterfall, Chrissie spotted a scene that looked good for a shot but just as we were stetting up a car pulled up reversed and decided to see what we were so interested in, so that was an abandonment.
We headed further up to Uig then decided that the southern part of the island yielded better locations and a nice waterfall.
The waterfall was swamped with tourists but we spotted this location neatly hidden behind some rocks, the sky was mean and moody and makes for something worthy of wet soggy feet (Chrissie had commandeered my boots) this is one of several shots we did there.

Day 4: Waterfall and departure

On day 2 we went to this waterfall in the evening to do a lightpainting and thought it would make a good location shot but it was way too popular .
The next morning Chrissie sais she really wanted to do it as a nude, we figured that would have to make some compromises to make this possible, we decided againsed our better judgments that would mean getting up early, very early, so 5 am it was!
This was our third visit to the fall, by now I had found a dry feet route to the fall lol, Chrissie was way ahead of me with nice boots ha ha. So while I set up, Chrissie composed herself for the shot and cold of the early morning, justice for stealing my boots :P this was the result.
We then headed back to the hostel, checked out and hit the road..

Skye Trip and Chrissie's new website

Skye:

Chrissie and I will be taking a trip up to Skye over the Weekend, I’m sure this will result in some decent photographic ventures and no doubt some random adventures.
Chrissie wanted to stay in one of the Wigwams (which look pretty cool) at Portnalong on the west coast of the island, so that is the plan, we have both visited Skye in the past and probably know different areas of the island, which should be good for variety, I think it would be fair to say we are both looking forward to the trip and results that come from it.

Update:
Well the planned wigwam accommodation went a little pare shaped, so now its going to be something a little more normal, still it should be fun anyway, at least they serve breakfast :D

Chrissie’s new website:

Chrissie now has a new website where you can view a lot more of her work and contact her if you are interested in working with her.
Lots of good photography there, well worth a peep, click on image to visit her site.
Screen shot: Web design by Paul (Artpunk) Muir, Featured image Ian McInnes

Searching for snow

Snow Shoot:

Snow Window.
Yesterday Chrissie and I took a wee jaunt further north, for reasons best known to ourselves, in search of snow and somewhere even colder than we are normally used to.
This is was the first shot of the day in a ruin that we came across, pretty much based on Chrissies liking for old windows and doorways.

Snow Landscape nude
Later in the day we came across this lovely open area with background hills.
after deciding where to set up the shot, in what can only be described as a chilling -3 C, this was the final result.

Model Behavior

Snow scene hunting with Chrissie:

Outtake.
On a wee jaunt north snow scene hunting one can be excused those little indiscretions in freezing conditions with a car passing, tooting filled with jeering guys ha ha.
Actually nothing of the sort, but the caption is rather Chrissie like! :D

Early Beginnings.

I guess the best place to start is right back at the beginning on our first non virtual meeting, I will try to make my postings as linier as possible or I can remember up to present.

I may get in trouble for posting this, however it forms part of the story so far, since this blog isn’t just about our work together but also about our friendship, it deserves its place here, so I guess I will just have to duck! I am sure that Chrissie has the odd photo that will make me cringe too.
On our first meeting we looked over a location that Chrissie had suggested which looked very promising, on our way back we found this rather odd chimney in the woods all alone and well just done something spontaneous.

Having walked around the location had got pretty much covered in mud up to our knees, I took a few shots for reference, this is one which later became the scene of a shot from out first proper shoot.


This is the resulting shot from the above location, all be it with a little less colour, A near miss with a random walker, and probably the first time I had been that close to an interesting situation to explain away :)


Finally for this entry, another image from the end of the shoot, I just happen to like this one a lot for a number of reasons, but for me it was the beginning of something special.

Chrissie Writes :-)

I don't know how to edit posts so I cant just add to what Simon has said above/below?

Simons pretty much explained how we met, even though I remember it like yesterday sometimes when we are out together I forget how long we have been friends.. Sometimes it seems like years! I know that even if tomorrow I decided not to go on with modelling he would remain a friend despite that. Like Si said before me - we go on random days out, and the camera's don't even need to come out of their little hidey holes.

I took this sunrise picture half naked hanging out my bedroom while waiting for Si to arrive at mine this weekend. I know its not technically perfect but nothing really is perfect! I just thought it looked pretty and I wanted to capture it just to share it with Simon!


Over and out!!! Cxx

Introduction

Simon writes:

Chrissie and I first met in the virtual sense in March 2008 by chance through various websites, most notably deviant Art, exchanging comments (and some random banter) on each others work and other general/not so general subjects.
I think it would be fair to say that we had a mutual admiration for oneanother’s work.

Chrissie had mentioned to me about a location that may be suitable for a shoot, so I sent her a mail asking for directions so that I could go and have a look, we later agreed to go together.

On meeting, we soon realized that we had possibly stumbled by chance into a friendship that was more than just doing the odd shoot here and there, the result being an ongoing collaboration of artistic and well formed ideas, some random days out just doing, well random things, usually with some random photographs to show for it.

Chrissie had also expressed an interest in photographic projects from behind the camera, something that I was keen to be involved in a little, so I gave her a DSLR and 50mm lens to play with, with very little instruction from my part she has ventured into this arena with enthusiasm, I ma sure you will see some of her results here.

The rest I am sure will unfold as this blog grows….