So, I did a very scary thing yesterday… and I’m not talking about the actual boudoir shoot… I got on the other side of the camera.  For a change I wasn’t the photographer, but the subject… and OMG that was more unnerving than getting my kit off for the shoot!!

I can successfully say that I’ve ticked off another item from my bucket list.  Yay!! Boudoir shoot = done!

A lot of people on Twitter have been asking me how it went, so it deserves a quick blog post

The first question everyone is asking, is who on earth I got to do the shoot?  Well, I chose Yvette from Innovate Photo.  She’s a Cape Town based boudoir photographer, who travels to Joburg every few months, and I’ve been following her work for ages.  I know, she’s not local, but her style is similar to mine, and it’s real, and she was planning a trip to Joburg… so I took the opportunity to book her.  I know for her, it must have been unnerving to take photos of another photographer, so big ups to her!!

So, after getting my outfits ready after my last blog post, I also had to do a quick makeover on my bedroom.  We had planned on using another venue, but it fell through… so I made the call to redecorate my bedroom (photos to be blogged in a few days once I’m actually completely finished with it)… and it was  a mad rush to find all white linen and new bedside lamps and new mirrors and new trinkets etc… and thankfully I was ready in time

Lance was working, so Madelein kindly offered to take the kids on a picnic while we were busy… and then I was set… well… almost… apart from the nerves.

Yvette’s makeup artist arrived first, and started setting up, while I cracked open the champagne LOL!! Therein lies the mistake.  I thought, hell, even though it’s Sunday morning, I need to relax, and this is a big deal, so lets drink .  I didn’t think about the fact that I didn’t eat lunch, or that by the end of the shoot I’d virtually finished the entire bottle of champers!! And champagne doesn’t agree with me!!  So I ended up with a humungous headache and by the time I went to sleep I was properly hungover!

Anyhoo, it was fun.  Loved the outfits!! I ended up buying far too many, and we had about 7 to choose from in the end, if you count the sheets as an outfit.  The shocking pink babydoll from La Senza ended up being my favourite and it really worked so well against the white sheets… and my pale skin!! LOL! But I think Yvette really had her work cut out for her with me… and my body LOL! I’m definitely not one of her usual model looking clients, and the photos I saw before she left looked amazing

I’m really glad I did it, and I learnt a hell of a lot about myself, and I reckon I’ll be  a much better boudoir photographer because of the experience of being on the other side of the lens for a change.  Some of my random thoughts about it…

• As a photographer, I can so readily “see” the image that I want and instruct the client to move in certain ways.  But yesterday, unless it was the champagne that muddled my mind completely, I often had no idea what she was seeing, so I relied a LOT on her instructions.  Big learning… it again reinforced the importance of explaining poses properly so that my clients can understand what I’m talking about.
• I probably should have gone to gym for a few months before this so that at least my stomach wasn’t so evident!! My boobs I can do very little about, unless I get a boob job (and that’s not on my bucket list)
• A good makeup artist that you trust is so very important for shoots like this.  Rozaan was awesome! Loved the smokey look she gave me.
• I knew basically what to prepare for this, but a list of outfit choices that work and lighting/sheets that you need is so important.  I’m going to get a style guide together for boudoir shoots I think.
• Never underestimate the amount of mental preparation someone goes through when booking this type of shoot.  It’s not only about the outfits and finding stuff that you think works for your body.  It’s organising the household so that you can be alone. It’s the redecorating of a room so that light is right, or phoning hotel after hotel to book a room for the event.  It’s cleaning the room before the shoot.  It’s being aware of what you really dislike about your body so that the photographer can avoid those areas… or enhance the parts that you do like… so that she doesn’t waste shots that you’ll never ever choose.
• If you’re unfit like me, it’s quite a workout to move and contort your body for 2/3 hours… oh man my back is quite stiff today!! And yes, I’m that unfit!

So anyway… it’s done… and now I wait to see the final images )

Thanks Yvette for the awesome experience… and one day when you decide to do this for yourself, let me know

So, thought I’d update you on the latest about my boudoir shoot after the umpteen beautiful comments that I got on my last blog post, as well as the umpteen tweets about the location etc.

I got a DM last night from the photog, saying that the location we were going to use, is no longer available.  So now there are only 2 options… rent a hotel room or use my bedroom.  At this point I’m going with option B, because:

• I looked at a few hotels on the interweb today, and none of their rooms jumped out at me.  They were either too OTT or too small or downright boring… apart from the villa suites at the Fairlawns hotel… holy moly that looks nice!
• The last time I did a boudoir shoot in a hotel we actually got the room for free, but I doubt I’ll get that right again, and although the room was great it wasn’t the most private of spaces, which I’m not too keen on.
•  I don’t actually have time to waste looking for a room and getting a good price.
• My bedroom needs to be redecorated anyway… Lance painted a few weeks ago and nothing matches anymore… so this is an excellent excuse.

As for my outfits, that shopping is going pretty well.  I popped into La Senza this afternoon, and bought a little hot pink body number with suspender straps very similar to the one in the image  LOL this is going to be fun

So, in a nutshell, after my little shopping spree to find the rest of my bedroom stuff, I think I’m set for this Exciting times!!

You know I’ve booked my boudoir shoot for this month’s bucket list item?  Well, I did. And I’ve already actually paid for it in full.

Today, I was determined to go hunting for one or all of my outfits that I’m going to wear during this shoot.  So after meeting up with Tiana to collect my next gadget that I’m reviewing for Girl Guides, I decide to go shopping.

First let me say, that I know what my flaws are… my tummy isn’t exactly flat, and my boobs aren’t exactly big, and my hips are not exactly small… so my plan is to get those body chemise/baby doll outfits to hide my tummy… and a bra and panty outfit with those stocking hookup jobs.

I make a beeline for Woolies first because I’d seen slinky outfits in their Sandton store before… but they didn’t have my size in the one I wanted.  So, then I go to La Senza, my favourite place… and my oath didn’t realise the price! But anyhoo, tried a gorgeous black and pink spotty number on.  While I’m in the change room I start getting antsy about the way it’s looking even though it does actually fit (a concern in the beginning because of my flat chestness).  Then decide to wander over to Temptations… and bingo… found an outfit which is half the price and they had 20% off everything in the store… this time all black and lacy… and OMG made by Playboy which Lance thinks is extremely funny… it even has little Playboy thingy dangling between the bra cups.

Anyhoo, the point of this long ramble is the following… I’m now getting cold feet.  I think I look a little silly in the outfit, and my thighs stick out and it doesn’t really hide my tummy, and I have to be careful about the bra area or else it gapes.  Ho hum… me and my body issues.

I chose the photographer I did because I don’t want to look fake.  I want the photos to look like me.  However, I’m praying that she will make me look good even though it will be just me and my make-up and I won’t look like the frumpy lumpy mommy that I am.  My logical side of my brain is telling me to stop worrying because I chose her because I know she’s that good.

Seriously though, I should really have done this after doing a few months of gym… but we all know that’s unlikely to happen.

Oh well, I never said this bucket list was going to be easy.  It’s about getting out of my comfort zone and learning about myself.

When I got home and spoke to Lance about my insecurities he told me I was being silly, and that he loves me for me anyway, and he can’t wait to see the photos.  That doesn’t make it easier though.

And then a few minutes later, we watched SYTYCD and this dance happened…

… and Bradley says “Mommy, you are amazing..  just the way you are” and Lance smiles.

Best I get over myself.

I swear, with the excitement I’m feeling about the iPhoneography exhibition tomorrow night, you’d swear it was a big thing.  LOL, to me it is huge!

I’ve always been extremely critical of my work.  And my views about my photography are no different.  This view of my work wasn’t enhanced at all by the camera club in Sandton that I used to go to, because they destroyed my ego every month.  And apart from my blog, I don’t really show my own personal work… and that’s not the same as the photography I do for clients.

I get a huge thrill when I see people using my images.

I love it when someone is using my photos as profile photos on Facebook and Twitter and other social sites. And there’s nothing better than walking through someone’s house and seeing some portraits that I’ve done blown up on huge canvases.  I will never forget the staircases in my one client’s house, which are lined with images from her maternity shoot (the only one I’ve never been able to show you and the one that was my best ever)… and mixed in with my images are the ones she did in New York with a photographer that I recommended for her newborn photos (and the most incredible photographer to boot).  I love that the quality of my images on the wall equal the quality of the ones done overseas. And that she’s hopefully got more of them now that her daughter is older and we’ve done another shoot (and yet again I can’t show you, but they were the best photos of a 1 year old that I’ve ever taken).

So, when this iPhoneography exhibition came around, I decided to enter some images.  And I was hoping that I got to display at least one of them, so I entered about 7.  And none of them had people in them… apart from passersby… and I’m not really known for non-portrait photography. And I’m absolutely thrilled that 5 of them were chosen… and was very disappointed when one of them was an instagram image that I couldn’t blow up onto canvas.

So, I’ve had 4 of them printed onto canvas for the exhibition.  Two of them in A2 (one of them is the image in the blog post), one as an A4 and the last was a 30X30.  I think they look good.

And tomorrow I get to see them next to the other iPhone photogs images.  Part of me is praying that mine will stand up against the others.  But I can honestly say that I’m so very curious to see what everyone else’s turned out like, and how they framed them, and how big they managed to blow them up.  Because in fact, that’s why the one image is only an A4… I didn’t think that it would be able to be enlarged, but after seeing the A4, I know that it would have looked magnificent as a larger canvas.

Because it’s an iPhone exhibition I feel that it’s a more even playing field, because everyone used the same equipment… the only difference is really the editing app that they used… and their eyes and composition etc.  And because of that fact, I think this is a more interesting exhibition than a normal photographers showcasing.

So anyway after this long ramble, I’ve also decided that I’m going to sell the canvases.   And all the profits from the sale will be going to Team JP (You know the guy with cancer whose photos I took a few weeks ago) to help pay for his cancer treatment.

My next dream though, is to get a few of my DSLR images displayed somewhere in a gallery.  So, even though this exhibition effectively ticks off the item from my bucket list, I need more now.  I really want to be able to sell my images as art now… and not just as commissioned photoshoots.

PS.  If you want to find out more about the iPhoneography exhibition, the information is on the FB event page

You may, or may not have noticed that I haven’t blogged about my bucket list this month, and it’s already the 30th. Well, it’s a bit of a #fail but I haven’t been able to swing it this month… partly because of our trip and then partly because of the weather on Sunday which didn’t play along with my plans.

So, here’s the revised plan:
1. July – Tattoo
2. August – Take part in a Photography Exhibition – which is actually taking place on 1 September… but I got the photos printed and organised this month… so I’m calling it done  And PS… if you’re in Sandton on Thursday evening, pop over to the iStore on Sandton Drive where 5 of my images will be on display in the first South African iPhoneography exhibition.  I’m VERY excited!!
3. September – King Swing… just need to finalise the date
4. October – Boudoir shoot… which is now booked with a photographer who will be in JHB for a while (she’s based in Cape Town).   I’m now planning my outfits

I saw this on Laura’s blog, and decided to join in

Today was the day I ticked off the first item from my Bucket List… I got a tattoo…

I’ve put up a photostory on my photo blog with all the photos, so I’m only putting up the end result here…

  So, here’s the revised plan:
1. July – Tattoo 
2. August – ?
3. September – boudoir shoot
4. October – King Swing or Bungee jump

I’m actually feeling a bit overwhelmed at everything I’ve got to do before our holiday in just over a week’s time.

1.  4 photoshoots, and possibly a 5th that’s urgent and can’t wait

2.  Deliver 3 photoshoots

3.  Deliver 3 photobooks (and the DVD’s that go with them) and design another book from one of the photoshoots I’m doing this weekend.

4.  Discovered tonight that I need to get Connor a yellow t-shirt before Thursday morning, and I’m in meetings ALL day tomorrow!! That actually sent me into my tailspin… there’s always a trigger for this breathless feeling… and today it was a t-shirt.  But seriously, WTF isn’t this piece of news on the news site that the school proudly advertises!! FFS I’m just annoyed now.

5.  I also forgot to buy Bradley a long sleeve collared shirt (that’s not a school shirt) before Thursday morning when he’s a mayor in a play.  This one I did actually know about but forgot about.

6.  Getting my tattoo on Thursday… woohoo!!

7.  Try a fit in a hair cut and colour… and a bikini wax.

8.  Find a dog sitter!! Oh crap just realised I forgot!

9.  Try sort out my job… which I’ve actually just resigned myself to the fact that it’s not going to sorted out before I go away, so I’m more relaxed about it.  Just have to go with the flow at this point no matter how annoying that is.

10.  Meet a bride.

11.  Buy the kids summer clothes for the holiday because they’ve shot up and last season’s stuff doesn’t fit at all.

12.  Go to a kids party on Saturday.

… and I’m sure there’s something I’ve forgotten…

I feel a little panicked right now… but I’m sure all will be well with the world again in the morning and I’ll regret this stressed post.

OK, so we’re starting to get somewhere with this project.  If you recall, I’m going to do one thing from my bucket list every month until I turn 40.

This is how the planning of the bucket list is panning out so far…
1. July – Tattoo
2. August – ?
3. September – boudoir shoot

I have finally decided, well almost, on a design for my tattoo. It’s going to be similar to this image I found on Pinterest.  I want an infinity curve, with love on the one side, and the kids initials on the other.  And I was going to have it on my wrist but I don’t think it’ll fit there because I have really thin wrists, so I’m thinking at the top of my back, in the middle.

I’ve also decided on 2 options for tattoo artists and I’ll be contacting them tomorrow to decide which one I’m going use… and then hopefully I can get it done.

And then… I’ve contacted a boudoir photographer for the shoot in September, and hopefully she can fit me in.  I’m just waiting for some costing.

As for August, which is where I have a hole… maybe the learning to ride a horse?

Anyway, I have to tell you this.  I was telling the boys about my bucket list project  this evening, and explaining that I’m going to get a tattoo.  Bradley seemed a little dumbfounded at first, he couldn’t get his head around the fact that I wouldn’t be getting a temporary tattoo, but now he thinks it’s kinda cool… albeit too sore for him to contemplate.  LOL!

Then I spoke about the other things on my list.  Bradley was concerned about the Madagascar trip to see the lemurs because of the Somali pirates!! LOL! And then in the end, Connor looks at me, and just says “And can I just get an ice-cream?”

LOL, I love them to bits!