This is the lovely Miss M, who is a past client and friend. The original plan was for us to squeeze in a proper boudoir shoot while in New York, but we got so busy catching up and making plans that it slipped our minds until midnight.
No problem – I had a rooftop and an amazing view, and our roommate Christie (also a photographer) had this crazy lighting tool, an Ice Light, with her. As a side note, the Ice Light looks exactly like a light saber, and would be exceedingly popular with young boys and nerds alike.
We climbed to the roof, pushed open the door, and…it was raining cats and dogs. Serious rain. It was also very cold, and everyone was tired and jet lagged.
At this point, both girls were ready to throw in the towel. I just knew if we didn’t do the shoot that night it wasn’t going to happen, so I put on my most charming smile and begged. Luckily, they agreed to humour me for 2 minutes. If you make friends with a photographer, this sort of thing is bound to happen sooner or later. You’ve been warned.
Can you see the rain?! These girls are troopers.
With no time and minimal equipment, the only way I was going to be able to get the image I had in my head was to combine several frames in post production. This gets technical so I won’t bore you with details, but due to the circumstances I wasn’t able to get Miss M and the background both in focus in the same image. Instead, I used the image above as my cityscape background, and a separate image for the best pose and expression from Miss M. Later on, I combined the two images in Photoshop.
It’s not the ideal way to work, but when you have literally two minutes and are also worried about giving your client hypothermia and flooding your very expensive camera, sometimes you just have to cut a few corners;)
Our final image:
Big thanks to Miss M and Christie – you girls are amazing! Christie, I’ll happily hold light for you in the rain if there’s ever a chance for me to return the favour:)
So! I’m back from NYC. It was a manic, exciting, fantastic four days.
It was surreal being back in America again, but I met so many wonderfully creative people this trip. There’s an energy in NYC that is like nothing else – it’s aggressive and defensive, but also exciting and welcoming in it’s own won’t-say-I-love-you-out-loud sort of way. You get the sense that everyone is an outsider, but that very fact is what makes people belong. That feeling, combined with the fact that basically everyone I met is trying to make something happen, build something, create something, or make an impact, is addictive.
I’m currently incommunicado while I get caught up on this mountain of culling, editing, and retouching work I’ve created for myself, but I wanted to share a few behind the scenes images with you this week. There were mostly shot with my iPhone so please don’t judge:)
I flew Kuwait Airways. That’s like a trip in and of itself. Everything was late, everyone got frisked, no one spoke English, and they play an Islamic prayer set to music and meditative images as the lights go off in preparation for takeoff. I’m sure this prayer is meant to be comforting, but as a non-Islamic white girl, I suddenly felt like…uh…do I NEED to by praying right now? Should I be worried this plane needs Divine Intervention to get off the ground?! This, as I notice half the plane is empty and the tray tables are falling apart. Eeesh. On the upside, we didn’t die, I had no one sitting next to me either flight, and the food and service was good.
They also give you printed menus. On the right, NYC greeted me with the most beautiful sunset at touchdown.
I managed to get to Brooklyn by myself, via the subway, with a huge suitcase. I’m not going to lie – NYC public transport is cheap, but it isn’t pretty. By the end of the journey, which featured an assortment of people who looked tired, angry, and/or were singing loudly to no one, I understood why people just take a cab everywhere. Anyway, I made it in the end, and was welcomed by this stunning view.
Our “home” for the trip. This space was a dream, full of eclectic details and gorgeous light.
As luck would have it, my homegirl Jada happened to be in the city at the same time. We got together for a shoot and a catch up, and it was so nice to see a friendly face and talk shop. Here’s Jada’s best Kim Kardashian impression.
One more cityscape.
A sneaky sneak of what Jada and I got up to on the roof;)
Introducing my UK dream team – Katherine on hair and Gemma on makeup. It was such a pleasure having these girls along. Here’s a few outtakes from our shoot with Lauren, who was an absolute bombshell.
Gemma was looking ever so chic…
….and Katherine wasn’t having it.
It was my pleasure to work with a gorgeous woman called Philomena too. A back of the camera preview of her on the left, and a random street shot on the right.
I have decided I would like to switch my gym membership so I can become a “Chinatown Dragon Fighter” club member.
Me, Michael (previous client & friend), and Christie (fellow photographer) in the Stanton Social for dinner. Obligatory selfies ensued, I don’t know why I’m making crazy eyes. Kate (fellow photographer) joined us later, but somehow managed to escape having it photographed.
Michael and I planned a day of sightseeing before I left. This photograph commemorates the time the cab driver dropped us off about a mile from where we asked him too. We had suitcases with us, it wasn’t fun.
I mean, when in Rome…you eat the pizza.
Lady Liberty:) I feel like a proper American now.
The boat tour is definitely the way to go if you want to see the sights in a relatively short amount of time. Michael and I were both fighting exhaustion by the final morning of the trip and we almost didn’t bother, but we were both really glad we did it in the end.
We even walked to Times Square (with bags). I think if you’ve ever been to Vegas, it’s a little underwhelming. I’d like to thank this random guy on the right for photobombing us though. Well played sir, well played.
And finally, me in a cab on the way to the airport, and then on the way home.
I just want to make sure I say a massive thank you to everyone I met in New York. Each one of you were dynamic and interesting and gracious, and it’s an absolute pleasure to be in the company of such good people. It was an honour to work with you and photograph you. I also owe a big thank you to my tireless team, who flew across the ocean and battled a strange city, exhaustion, and sickness to work their magic far from home.
That said, I have SO MANY IMAGES to show you from shoots I did while I was away. I’ve got Jada, a curvy blonde bombshell; Perci, a beautiful vegan brunette in a $1200 AP jacket; Lauren, a redhead covered in tattoos; and Philomena, the most beautifully dark skinned woman with a shaved head and dangerous curves. Plus, several amazing and unique clients who might just let us have a peek at their images too:)
Just you wait and see!
xx
Stormy
P.S. I’m going back. If you missed this trip but want in on the next one, drop me a line!
At long last, I’m happy to announce that we’ve officially started renovation work on a beautiful, purpose-designed shoot space for boudoir sessions. It’s an Edwardian/Victorian style property located within each reach of central London, and although it looks pretty rough at the moment, this space has great bones. Really, really great bones:)
Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ve been up to:
I still love working on location and arranging unique, bespoke spaces for shoots. I plan to keep doing so, especially for clients who have a specific vision for their session and for international and destinations shoots. Working on location keeps me on my toes, and it’s constant source of inspiration, challenges, and new ideas.
However, some things become prohibitively difficult and/or expensive without at least a small space to call your own. Advanced lighting setups and detailed sets have been out of reach for me thus far, since lugging any more than two lights and my camera bag around London by myself is basically impossible. Sure, you can always hire a normal photo studio with loads of kit, but I never feel inspired by those spaces. Plain Colorama backgrounds make me die a little inside. Always have, probably always will. Basically, I want the best of both worlds: an amazing location, and all the kit I might need too, without needing to hire an entire team of people to help me pull that off.
Also, sometimes it’s a lot easier to create a particular look or feel inside a studio, rather than try to source/arrange/hire/travel to a location that has it organically. For example, I was so inspired by a setup at commercial photographer Joey L‘s workshop last year. At the workshop, he demonstrated how to re-create an arctic blizzard using a series of lighting techniques, snow machine, haze machine, and painted backdrops. It blew my mind.
Sure, it’s a little complicated. But it’s much, much easier that you and I flying to the Alps, praying for snow, hiring a Sherpa to carry all my equipment, and then trying to create beautiful images with numb fingers and frostbitten toes on the side of some mountain. If you’re a photographer and also inspired by this setup, there’s a great blog post about the full process and resulting images here: http://www.joeyl.com/2013/06/creating-an-indoor-blizzard/
Anyway! All that just to say I’m so excited about this new space we’re creating. It will be a combination of all the things clients and I have loved this past year, including custom built sets, curated details, huge chandeliers, sourced antique pieces, amazing lingerie and shoe, and much more. Plus, room to experiment.
The idea of a dedicated space for shoots has been a long time coming. It took a long time to find a suitable space to house this hideaway of boudoir goodness. Once we found a place, it also took much longer than expected to actually purchase it. So now that we’ve fiiiinnaaallllyyyy got the paperwork sorted, we’re charging ahead at full speed. A collection of the world’s nastiest carpet is already where it belongs (the dump), my husband has spent hours knocking out a tragic 60’s brick fireplace by hand, and I managed to demolish the entire kitchen on my own last weekend.
This weekend we’re making a start on the flooring, bathroom, and maybe painting. If you’d like to see more of this sort of thing, please join me on Instagram: @stormy_rebelandromance
Also, if you’re handy with DIY and want to help reupholster furniture or paint, give me a shout:)
International Boudoir Photography: a Destination Photography Session in Paris
So, I was recently in Paris for work….if you can call doing a destination photography session with beautiful people (Natasha & Derek) in the most romantic city in the world “work” that is:) Although it was a very quick trip, it was such a great experience and I thought I’d share a few travel pictures with you here, ahead of showing you all the gorgeous proper images of N&D of course.
It was my first trip to Paris. Despite lots of warnings about the attitude of “The French,” I’m happy to report that only one waitress was excessively rude to me. Everyone else was fine, nice even! Seeing as I speak exactly two French words (Bonjour and Boudoir), it was a pleasant surprise. I did spend quite a lot of time in a panic that someone would try to talk to me, but it’s still a city after all, and people mostly keep to themselves. I’ve spoken to a few friends about this since returning, and we’ve all agreed that if you can survive the complete and total unfriendliness that is living in London, Paris is no worse.
One of the first images I took in Paris. This was just outside our hotel. Basically, the whole city looks like this – the WHOLE city. You have to see it to believe it.
The Louvre, the Seine, and that time my husband said his famous last words, “It’s only about a ten minute walk.”
Such a perfect street.
La Tour Eiffel.
I call this “The Belly of the Beast.” The Eiffel Tower is way, way bigger than you expect it to be. Precisely the opposite of Big Ben.
The Lock Bridge….
…so glad I did my nails. Unfortunately, orange doesn’t seem that romantic on second thought. Oh well.
This guy was amazing.
There must be a thousand great locations to plan a destination photography session, but I’m glad this one was in Paris.
This is the Bato Bus. The Bato Bus is my friend, especially after walking the whole day prior to our shoot. This is the time where I almost fell of the back of the boat.
Awww. Big dress. Romance. Paris. Photography. All things I like:)
My husband took these. I think he’s trying to put me out of a job.
Luckily, as long as he keeps getting distracted by pigeons, I think I’ll be okay:)
So that’s it! A little roundup of my first destination photography session in Paris. Stay tuned for finished images of Natasha and Derek, you won’t want to miss them.
I love the idea of doing more destination photography sessions like this, so if it’s something you’re interested in please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Boudoir, anniversary, engagement, birthday, just because – I’m not picky! All excuses are good excuses in my book, and flights in Europe are pretty cheap at the moment – let’s plan something amazing:)
xx
Stormy
Ready to start planning your very own Destination Photography Session with me?
I’d love to chat with you about all the details of how a London Boudoir Photography session with me works, or how we can arrange to hold your session in any major city worldwide. We’ll go over what you can expect, how to prepare, and talk about the beautiful imagery we can create for you. Destination Photography Sessions are so much fun, and they make the perfect surprise gift for a partner, or even better – as a mini holiday and a big confidence boost for yourself. Please feel free to get in touch, you can reach me (Stormy) at 07799 390468, or just drop me an email here. We’ll plan a Destination Photography Session that will thrill you:)
London Boudoir Photography: A video debrief of our “dream shoot” at a Victorian Mansion in London
Just a quick video today to fill you in on how our London Boudoir Photography dream shoot went on Wednesday!
It was, in a word, FAB. Such a busy, crazy day but totally worth it. The venue was gorgeous and exceeded expectations, we all kept finding new things to gush about. I spent the day surrounded by beautiful, powerful women and, basically, squealing with excitement:)
I’m just getting started working on the mountain of culling, editing, and retouching ahead of me, but stay tuned for images soon. Also, I’ll have some behind the scenes footage to share soon as well. Hopefully it will give those of you who haven’t yet had your first session an idea of what a London Boudoir Photography shoot with me is like.
If you’d like to be in the know for our next dream shoot location, make sure you sign up to the newsletter. You can subscribe on the website and blog, or also through Facebook. Subscribers get first dibs on the limited places available, so getting on the list is your best bet to get a spot at the next one. I struggle to get even one newsletter out a month at the moment, so no need to worry about spam! You’ll only hear from me when I’ve got something important to tell you.
Ready to start planning your own London Boudoir Photography session with Rebel & Romance Boudoir Photography?
Please feel free to drop me an email at stormy@rebelandromance.com or give me a ring anytime. You can reach me at 07799 390468, and my (real) name is Stormy. I’d be delighted to fill you in on all the details and discuss any questions you might have about what a London Boudoir Photography Session with me includes and how it all works. If you’re a soon to be bride and interested in a London Boudoir Photography Session with me before your summer wedding, the time to get in touch is now!
London Boudoir Photography: Behind the Scenes at Danielle’s Boudoir Photo Shoot
An extra little treat today!
You remember bootylicious Danielle? If not, you can check out her gorgeous London Boudoir Photography session on the blog here. I couldn’t fit everything I wanted to show into a single post, so there’s even more of her London Boudoir Photography Session here.
Miss D was happy to let me play around with shooting a little bit of video during her London Boudoir Photography Session, which I’m happy to share with you today. It’s like a little peek behind the curtain if you will. You’ll hear me and Debbie gushing. No need to tell us we are ridiculous and over the top – we already know;) Odds are, we’ll gush about you too, so best prepare yourselves.
xx
Stormy
Ready to start planning your very own London Boudoir Photography Session with me?
I’d love to chat walk you through the details of how a London Boudoir Photography session with me works, including what to expect, how to prepare, and what sort of fabulousness we can create for you. I do this job because I love it, and we always have a great time. Please feel free to get in touch, you can reach me (Stormy) at 07799 390468, or just drop me an email here. A word to the wise…if you’re a soon-to-be Bride and hoping to use the images we create together as a special gift for your Groom, please call me ASAP! Spring and summer sessions are filling up, but it’s still not too late if we get started on your London Boudoir Photography session soon:)
Plus Size Boudoir Photography: A Video Sneak Peak of Olivia’s
London Boudoir Photography Session
I’ll be posting the *FABULOUS* results of my on location London Boudoir Photography session with Miss Olivia next week, but I just couldn’t wait to give you another little sneak peek.
Check out the video below to see exactly how lovely an on location London Boudoir Photography session with Rebel & Romance can be. Granted, we had lovely weather and (apparently) the very last day of summer this year for this shoot, but it’s always a great time.
This video features mostly details of the location, but there are a few lovely clips of Olivia towards the end.
Enjoy! Images next week, so stay tuned!
Ready to book your own Rebel & Romance London Boudoir Photography Session?
Rebel & Romance London Boudoir Photography Sessions are a complete experience, from plenty of preparation and coaching, to pampering and professional makeup, to a fantastic boudoir photo shoot. Courtesy confidence boost is yours free of charge:)
Call me (Stormy) at 07799390468 or use the Contact Page to get all the details.
It’s never to early to start planning your very own Rebel & Romance London Boudoir Photography Session!
London Boudoir Photography: Behind the Scenes on Rihanna’s Vogue Cover Shoot
Rihanna talks crazy people, Vogue, being hungry for fashion, and how the grass is always greener – especially when it comes to accepting your body shape. We think her attitude is inspiring for boudoir photography everywhere.
Rihanna was recently photographed for the “Shape” issue of American Vogue by the one and only Annie Leibovitz (renowned fashion photographer).
Despite her blazing success and worldwide adoration, Rihanna told Vogue that she has only recently become content with her shape.
“Over the holidays, and even during filming, I realized that I actually like my body, even if it’s not perfect according to the book. I just feel sexy. For the first time, I don’t want to get rid of the curves. I just want to tone it up. My body is comfortable, and it’s not unhealthy, so I’m going to rock with it.”
I love that! Sums up what boudoir photography is all about.
Ready for your own close up? Book your own photo shoot with Rebel & Romance Boudoir Photography here.
Behind the Scenes: London Hen Party – a Burlesque themed Boudoir Party!
Maybe you’ve heard that we’re keen to offer London Hen Party packages?
Last weekend, the girls and I had a heck of a time at our very first London Hen Party, which had a fabulous Burlesque Boudoir theme! It was soooo much fun, and I can’t wait to do more of these!
All our London Hen Party girls had their hair done by Miss Emma Hellier herself,
and received a glamourous new makeup look courtesy of our professional makeup artists Emma and Jenn.
So…much…makeup!
The hens preparing for their Burlesque Dance Lesson with Miss Zuki, and a makeover photo shoot with yours truly!
It was sunny and beautiful, so we finished off this London Hen Party with a drink on the terrace.
Oh my my, these girls put on a H.O.T. show!
Massive thanks to all our lovely hens and my hair and makeup magicians!! Also to Miss Zuki for teaching everyone her burlesque move secrets!
Behind the scenes with plus size boudoir model Annie!
Miss Annie is a professional plus size model, and the sweetest girl ever! Check out a behind the scenes look at her boudoir session last week, and don’t forget to check out her final images on the blog here.
Stay tuned for more plus size boudoir photography, on the blog soon!
