The how, why and where of going “on tour”!

**Illustrated with photos by the incomparable Ben Ernst- from my latest tour of Holland!**

I don’t think there’s a single freelance model around who can live and work full time without touring. That isn’t to say that touring is a last resort or a bad thing- I’ve written a lot about how much I love to travel- so much so that I can’t imagine staying in one place! Still, I often read posts on modelling forums asking how to go about planning tours in the first place. For the first two years I had no idea what I was doing so made a tonne of mistakes and lost a tonne of money. I still enjoy the shooting more than the planning but I no longer assume everywhere is a couple of hours away and have to take a last minute sleeper train across Germany…
BREAKING NEWS: you can’t get to Dusseldorf from Berlin in three hours- you heard it here first!! 😛

This is the foolproof guide to planning a tour:

LOGISTICS:
So I don’t have to write fifty addendums, I’m going to assume your first tour is in Western Europe at the absolute furthest. America is a legal nightmare, Australia requires some logistics gymnastics and I don’t know a thing about visiting Asia. 🙂

1) Decide where you want to go.
Are photographers constantly asking you to go somewhere? If so, go there. If not, ask on social media and networking sites. There are probably many photographers who want to book you but don’t know you’re about to start life as a touring model. I’d advise going somewhere at least four hours away from your home base as most people wouldn’t travel four hours each way for one photoshoot (though I have had a photographer travel from Sweden, which was a lovely thing to do!)

2) Check your dates- it helps to be flexible.
I usually book my tours 2-3 months in advance. It helps me not panic as days slide closer and closer, and I can rethink my plans if my location looks to be a “touring model hotspot”. Try to make sure that other models aren’t touring there at the same time. It isn’t a total disaster if there’s more than one of you but work can be thinly spread for all involved. (If you do find yourself in the same area as someone else though, it can often be a lot of fun meeting up and either getting booked together or doing something touristy!)
If your tour books up faster than you expected, if you have a day or two either side, you can extend the dates to fit demand.

3) Snoozing and cruising!
Once you have your dates set, you need to know where you’re sleeping and how you’re getting around- then it’s just a case of booking work.
If you drive and are staying with someone, you’re sorted. If not, check train costs on nationalrail.co.uk and nationalexpress.com. Those are the main train and coach sites. This is when it helps to have flexible days as travel costs can vary. For a place to sleep, check hostelworld.com, airbnb or any hotel booking site you like. I recommend laterooms.com though others swear by booking.com

Unless you’ll be absolutely bankrupted if you aren’t booked solid on your planned tour, book the above *well* in advance. It really is cheaper- especially if you’re coming by train. If you have left it a bit late, don’t worry too much- have a look at coach times and fares. Eurolines often have some amazing deals if you’re travelling internationally. If you’re in the UK, try Megabus. There’s usually a hostel available in any city at any time*, but if you’d like to be a chooser rather than a beggar, make your booking quickly.

* Except Amsterdam. If you are going to Amsterdam, book your bed NOW.

Once the above is planned out, that’s the scary part over.

JOB HUNTING:

1) Start casting
If you’re already working as a model, you know how to post a casting call and advertise on social media. I don’t bother with flyers but I know a lot of models make a nice flyer advertising their dates so that people can share it as an image and get the word of the tour out more easily. If you want to do that, go for it.
I contact photographers who have already expressed an interest in working with me before I start posting public castings as it gives them a chance at a first refusal which is usually appreciated.

2) Language skills
– If you’re going to another country and know the language, say so in your casting. Even better, write the casting in both languages. (Keep it short though.) If you don’t know the language and are going to be working with several photographers in quick succession (for example, a workshop or studio day) check that the organiser or studio owner can help with translation! Nothing is worse than being yelled at by six people at once in a language you don’t understand.
– I almost always list my rates in the currency of the country I will be shooting in- it makes things easier for the photographer booking me if they don’t have to convert cash.
– In the body of your casting, emphasise anything popular in the country- are there any fashions you would suit? (For example, if you work to nude levels, you may get a flurry of bookings in a conservative country that has a large photography scene.)
– I shouldn’t need to say this, but use correct grammar. No txt spk. Try to use spellchecker if you aren’t sure. Not only do you look more professional but if you’re advertising for work in a country speaking a different language, you’ll be difficult to understand if you’re sloppy when advertising.

3) Locations for dummies
I never used to charge travel expenses thinking “what’s a tenner here and there?” Well, my first ever Scotland tour had four days filled by two half-day bookings on each day- a decade ago, I was charging £100 for a half-day. I was commuting around an hour or two each way and sometimes to EACH shoot. Not a particularly hard commute- I like travelling- but the £20 or so (not booked in advance of course- I wasn’t sure exactly where the studio would be in relation to the station) mounted up. By the end of my tour, taking off the original travel costs to and from Scotland, travel expenses in Scotland, accommodation (even though it was just a hostel) and food, I was left with £500 profit. After a six day tour in which I had run myself ragged. It was heartbreaking but a good lesson in why booking in advance and charging travel expenses when you leave your host city is so important.
Many years ago, I also made the mistake of judging all countries by the UK’s size. So I went to Germany and booked two full day photoshoots- one in Berlin, one in Dusseldorf. To my horror, I realised my mistake halfway through the first shoot and in my lunch break, booked a night train very quickly and moderately expensively. I got to Dusseldorf in time, pretended I’d come from the suburbs and the photographer never knew…. until now. 😛 Make sure you know where you’re going and how you’ll get there!

If you’ve done castings, shouted all over social media and still have gaps in your schedule, consider taking a day off to explore. If that isn’t an option, can you shorten your tour or try another place? (For example if you are casting for Leeds, try Manchester too).
Bear in mind that tours can be unpredictable. I’ve expected visits to sell out in hours and they haven’t, and trips I added as an afterthought have had to be extended by days! If it’s your first tour, you have no client base there… yet. You need to get the ball rolling and things may start slowly but if you’re a skilled model with a good reputation, things will pick up.

SERIOUS STUFF:

1) Insurance of all kinds
A lot of things are up in the air at the moment due to Brexit but if you’re travelling outside the UK, get health insurance- you don’t want to lose your hard earned money in hospital. There is no reason not to- peace of mind is priceless.
Just in case- because you never know, pack that little leaflet your bank gives you when you travel, as well as the emergency numbers of the country you’re in.

2) Time travel.
If you’re travelling to a different timezone, remember that you may need a day or two to get over any jetlag from long-haul flights. If you travel back and forth a lot, you’ll know how long you need. If this is your first time, set aside a couple of days after arrival and you should be over the worst of it. Keep one thing (phone, alarm etc) on “home time”- especially if you’re on medication or the contraceptive pill, which should be taken at the same time every day.

3) References
I can not stress the importance of references enough. In your own town or country, at least if something happens you can speak the language, call the emergency services, find the nearest train station or taxi company, get cash out etc- it’s familiar territory.
If you’re on the other side of the world with little knowledge of the area, what are you going to do? It is so vital that before you confirm a photoshoot with someone, you contact two or three people they have already worked with to make absolutely sure that they are okay. It’s important in your own area, but doubly so when you’re touring.

FUN STUFF

Exploring!!

Have a walk around when you arrive. Is there a tourist information point? Any pretty places to look around? Always know where your food is- if your shoot finishes late and the cafes are closed, knowing where your local supermarket or 24-hour store is will save you from breakfasting on anything you can see when you wake up starving. This has actually happened to me in Spain- I finished working with two other models and had luckily noted the 24-hour shop down the road. So we went shopping and had a bed-picnic!

I came to realise that I was travelling to all these amazing places but relying on location photoshoots to show me around! On my days off, I mostly curled up in my hostel to read and do admin work. Set up an auto-reply on your e-mail to let clients know that it may take you a little longer to answer queries, and take yourself somewhere on your free days. If you look in the lobby of where you’re staying (especially in hostels), you’ll find they usually advertise budget tours. Modelling does not last forever and while you’re doing something so amazing, make the most of it!

p.s. I couldn’t decide which version of the “wrapped up” picture to post! Which do you prefer? The full colour one of this one?

Persephone: Welcome to the dark side!

Wow- hello, new readers! I had a wave of subscriptions since my last post, so thankyou for the nice messages and interesting discussions I’ve had since then. 🙂

Before I go all mythological on you, I just want to clear some confusion over a particular term and an oversight on my part which I’m planning to fix in a very exciting way. The term “stripper rates” has been used for as long as I can remember and (as far as I have ever heard it) refers to rates that increase per hour according to the amount of skin on show. It is not meant as derogatory to models or strippers. I stand by my original point that there should be no rates increase between fashion and art-nude because it places the value on your nudity rather than your skill… BUT… it had not occurred to me that adult models may also be reading my post and that is a different matter.
Adult models (here, meaning models who pose to open-leg and beyond) charge higher rates depending on various factors and as this is not my area of expertise, I’m currently speaking to some well-known, very well-regarded adult models about appearing on this blog! This will be the first time I have asked other models to guest post so I’m very excited! 🙂

As I expected- life’s getting busy and I’m almost completely fully booked for my studio weekend at Joel Hicks Photographic in April! If you would like a place, I still have a little time free on April 22^nd/23^rd but otherwise, February 11^th/12^th is my only other weekend there and there are spaces aplenty! I would love to use some of the grey atmospheric trees and surroundings before Spring comes along and re-greens everything… 😉 Each hour is just £50-all inclusive- get in touch for a place!

As you can see from this photo by Liv Free, Winter is a good time for photo-making…
(Headdress and make-up/hair by Liv Free)

There are also just two hours still available on my first ever shibari studio day in March! Click here for more information.
NB: You do NOT need bondage experience- all the ropework is done for you by a trained rigger.

I’ve updated my travel page- some of the ‘possible’ places have become definites and I can’t wait to start zooming around the world again. Do let me know your interest as soon as possible as I’m booking as far into the future as I can- or ask me to add you to my ‘short notice’ mailing list. No need to keep checking back- I’ll let you know if I’m available nearby.

Though I’m definitely noticing the lighter evenings, Winter is still very firmly here- the canal’s frozen over and ducks go skidding hilariously past my window every morning! In Greek mythology, the reason for everything being cold and barren is this (simplified massively*):
Once, the earth lived in eternal summer, watched over by Demeter- the goddess of harvest. One day, her daughter Persephone was gathering flowers in a meadow when Hades, lord of the Underworld surprised her and snatched her off to be his queen. The grieving Demeter turned the earth cold and lifeless and in fear for the earth’s survival, a rescue mission was mounted. The ‘rules’ in almost every legend involving an underworld or faerieland say that you can return home if you don’t eat or drink anything while there and Persephone, apparently, held out for as long as she could but finally ate six pomegranate seeds in her hunger and so when Hades was finally forced to answer to the other gods and goddesses, he used that fact as leverage (or another god ratted on her) and it was agreed that Persephone would belong to the Underworld for six months of the year and return for the remainder. That is why Demeter retreats and freezes the earth for the months in which her daughter is no longer with her and brings back the flowers and warmth when she returns.

I don’t know about you but something about that has always felt ‘off’ to me…

(I seem to be replacing Lord of the Rings references with Disney at the moment. I’m not going soft, I swear!)

Anyway, here’s another version…
.
.
.
.

She had lived in the tower for so long she was almost used to the vertigo. She had lived with the imposed fragility until she had almost forgotten her strength. She had lived eternally planting flowers that she had almost accepted she would never wear. She hadn’t lived– and all because the key to her door lay in the hand of her mother, Demeter.

Seeds upon seeds, in pots upon pots, the little girl Persephone had treasured her work. The child planted, the mother grew, and the seeds were sent out into the world to flourish. Decades passed and yet the woman Persephone remained surrounded by the embryos of flowers she could only see blossom from her window. It had become an irritation, a complaint and finally an argument of the kind that tells a mother her child has grown.
Demeter took the key she should have handed Persephone, and turned it in the lock. Persephone smiled an innocent accepting smile and bided her time. When one is pushed to the light by force over freedom, one learns to think rather dark thoughts. 

There had been suitors but all had been banished. “When you live alone, you may do as you wish” had been her mother’s refrain. It would be pointless gesturing to her earth-strewn, seed-scattered solitude in the tower. Better, by far, to wait for the retreating footsteps and then lean backward out of the window, balancing and swaying until the sun god (who had already been cautioned about looking at her) couldn’t help but go to her aid. Just a favour, she asked. A quick word with the god of messages. 
The god of messages (who had been banished twice from the gate for asking after her) entered through her window. Tell anyone who will listen that I need to get out! The words were on the tip of her tongue but the footsteps of Demeter were already echoing on the stairway.
“Let the earth swallow me”, she had muttered to herself as her messenger fled, but he had heard and prepared to convey the strange request to somebody who could fulfil it.

Her plan shattered, Persephone took the unexpected way out- through the window. It was not as far a fall as she had thought, even without the assistance from various winged forms (who had been snapped at for attempting to talk to her). She came to her feet and ran. Free!

Wishes have a habit of granting themselves at the strangest times and Persephone, having made her way across eight fields, a river, one and a half woodlands and somebodys garden, enjoyed the feel of grass under her feet and flowers in her hair for less than a day before her request was honoured.

Fear and flight have been added to every story concerning the events that happened in that meadow, Persephone reflected later. There certainly was none. Perhaps her status as a flower goddess in training had misled people about her fragility. Perhaps it was inconceivable even then that an innocent daughter with blossom in her hair could want anything other than the sun on her skin and birdsong in her ears.
Certainly when the earth opened up before her and he stepped out, she felt many things but fear wasn’t one of them.

The lord of the Underworld has been painted enough times. Enough songs have been sung about him. Enough people have made up their minds on who or what he is. All Persephone will say is that sooner or later, we all meet him and can judge for ourselves. Only she and the dead truly know, and the latter are in no position to speak on him.

It would be easy to claim that she had merely been picking a bouquet to bring home to her mother when this man split the earth in two in order to steal her but the fact is, when one is forced toward the light, the darkness becomes very, very appealing indeed.
Persephone smiled a smile that made even the lord of the Underworld take a step back. She waited the split second it took for him to recover, waited a second more to enjoy the moment and then descended to the Underworld, shedding her cloak on the stairs. She kept the flowers for she had picked those herself.

Of course, her mother was never going to be happy with the state of affairs. As the earth and stone formed a cocoon around the lord of the Underworld and his new friend, who was learning quickly that flowers could bloom underground if they really set their minds to it, Demeter scorched the sky.

The other gods and goddesses could never agree on whether Demeter grieved mostly for the loss of her daughter or the control she had wielded but either way, people began to die shrivelled and empty as the earth now was. Only Demeter retained a fraction of her former strength and despite threats from the other deities, the earth yielded nothing. The sky remained black.

The sun, who usually saw all, was blind to the goings on below the darkness and had to rely on his hearing and guess at the despair below. It was in the middle of the starless night- which now looked much like the day- that he heard the decision made by the gods council; happy or not, willing or not, Persephone must be found. And he had seen her. Demeter may have cautioned his god, but she had never told the sun himself that he couldn’t look at her daughter- and so he had seen all. Softly, coughing through the smoky blackness, he called Demeter to him and asked her to listen.

Had Demeter gone to the underworld herself, it is likely that Persephone would never have been found- the Underworld has its own ways of hiding what it holds. Instead, she sent a man who had once guarded her orchard. He flew through the gates in the form of a black owl and found Demeter’s daughter wearing a black dress and a smile. When he tried to persuade her to return, she asked him simply for a good reason.

The man who was an owl thought for some time and took out a pomegranate he had saved. They were messy and fiddly to eat but he was hungry and Persephone was scary.
“Your mother is, after all, family. Blood is thicker than water…” he offered.
“That saying is incomplete”, Persephone told him gently, taking a seed. “It is ‘the blood of comradeship is thicker than the water of the womb’. But I suppose one conversation with her wouldn’t do much harm.”
“The food up here is tasty when it grows?” he offered her the pomegranate and Persephone ate another seed.
“So is the food down here. But you are right.”
“You would be less lonely up above.”
“Don’t confuse being alone with loneliness. I’d like to catch up with some people though.” She took a seed and looked at it. It was pretty. The man who was an owl almost reached out to pat her arm but thought better of it.
“You could escape and return to the glory of the sun. And lastly, your mother would, I’m sure, let you entertain a better suitor!” Persephone took two more seeds, crushed them between her thumb and forefinger and flicked the sticky juice back into the messenger’s face.
“Let? I chose my own suitor and I don’t need, wish, or want to escape. You have given me four tenuous reasons to return to the above and two reasons to kill you and remain lost,” she snapped at the man who was an owl, who flew from the Underworld and returned in minutes with a guard.

Persephone’s rage was terrible but the old rule stood- taking the food of a world to which you do not belong binds you to that world and she had taken six seeds from the above, which was no longer hers. As she prepared to spend the rest of her life divided, she cursed the man who was an owl to remain jet black and live only in the dark of the night from then on. Don’t look for him- you’ll never see him.
Demeter kept her job as harvest goddess but only just- the summer comes once a year now, and other gods and goddesses have taken greater precedence. She and her daughter still talk from time to time though half of Persephone’s life remains a mystery that even Demeter would rather not know. Persephone still remains goddess of flowers, but these days her tastes have changed….

Photo by Lisa Waud

Other images by Leigh Eros (who I am greatly looking forward to working with again this year)
Pink corset by Orchid Corsetry
‘Metal’ corset made by me.

I waited a while for the perfect story to write that would go with the images and was cursing my writers block… and suddenly I realised I was stuck because the story had already been written and it fit so perfectly. We didn’t go out intending to illustrate a myth but somehow it happened- even down to the six main balls of light in the last picture.

I’m excitedly writing something to go with the rest of the set by Liv Free so I’ll show you those pictures as soon as I can as well… 😉

It’s now 3am and I just poured coffee into my cup of tea. Definitely bedtime…

ROSWELL x

P.S. Is there anything you would like me to write about? I’ve had a lot of flash fiction requests and am making a new website for my non-modelling writing, but anything industry-related you wish I’d burbled about long ago? Let me know.

* strictly speaking, being Greek mythology, there’s a lot of cheating, rape, abduction and incest in the long version.

The Urge To Migrate

I haven’t left the country in nearly six weeks. Usually I tour internationally at least once a month and though I love to return home and make a cinnamon-scented duvet nest over the Christmas period, I’m now planning next years tours even further in advance. (It’s one of my New Years Resolutions but that’s another post)…
For photographers (and other models who would like to meet up), this blog is my current plan for 2017- including studio days, discounts and travel.

If your location is not listed or marked as ‘considering’ and you would like to book me, please get in touch! I plan tours according to demand and if I don’t know you’re interested, I can’t arrange anything. 🙂

Photo by Sabrina Fenn, taken in a gorgeous Norfolk lavender field last year.
I’m wearing Yummy Gummy latex.

Discounts
I am running a 10% discount on shoots for January/February that are booked before the end of the year. If you would like to start 2017 with a bargain, get in touch asap with your location and any enquiries.

Short notice
You are welcome to book as far in advance as you like but I understand that you cannot always know what you’ll be up to in four months time! So… if you prefer short notice bookings, get in touch and I will add you to a ‘first refusal’ mailing list. If I still have days free within a couple of weeks of my tour beginning, you will be the first to know.

Events
Fantastic value for money, and a location ready and waiting. I have a few very exciting studio events coming up next year:
Joel Hicks’s studio: February 11th/12th and April 22nd/23rd
Hangleton Lane: March 25th/26th*.
*My first ever SHIBARI DAY– March 26th, with a very experienced rigger. (3 slots remaining)

Left photo by huitgalerie, right photo by Follyhouse, taken in the grounds at Joel Hicks’s.

2017 DIARY

January: I’m thinking about visiting the Manchester area and also offering some short street fashion shoots in London. If you’re based in either, let me know and we’ll arrange something. I am of course available for local-ish bookings (Milton Keynes, London, Birmingham, Cambridge etc) from the 6^th onwards.

February:
11th/12th Studio Weekend at Joel Hicks’s studio near Leicester
25th  Available in Oxford and the surrounding area
Considering Chester

March:
22nd-27th South Coast Tour. Available on the 22^nd, 24^th and 27^th
25th Studio Day- Hangleton Lane
26th Shibari Studio Day- Hangleton Lane
Considering Norfolk- 17^th-20^th

April:
8th/10th Guildford area (available 8th and 10th )
22nd/23rd Studio Weekend at Joel Hicks’s studio near Leicester
Considering Kent

May:
Ireland tour- dates TBC
Considering Northern England tour

June:
Denmark, Norway and Sweden tour- dates TBC

July:
Switzerland-  considering the 7th-9th
Scotland tour- considering the 19th-26th

August:
Germany- art-nude tour
Considering Iceland

September:
Ireland tour- dates TBC
Scotland tour- dates TBC
Considering Wales

October
Eurotour- dates TBC

November:
Open to suggestions!

December:
Reading/Wokingham area- dates TBC

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In the near future, I may be spending more time writing rather than modelling so if you are interested in booking me while I’m travelling around, get in touch and lets plan something fantastic!

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Now, my last blog about Helmut Newton got some attention! 😉 Some people agreed, some didn’t but I like making people think and starting conversations. I searched my computer for some unseen pictures that evoked the fetish/fashion style in the few pictures of his that I like and in terms of mood and outfit, I have found some! 🙂
John Duder is hands-down, one of my favourite photographers to work with! He and I get on like a house on fire (though I’ve never understood that expression) and it seems that every time we work together we create something completely different! Here’s a shoot that’s a little bit of a throwback, with one of my favourite designers- Fabulously Fetish.

Missing: Have you seen these hours?

How has it become May? What’s with the weather? How is it summer already?? Oh yes, because I’ve been running around doing stuff for so long I missed the memo. 😛 Don’t misunderstand me- it’s all good. 😉

I’d like to tell you all about my wonderful day but first just want to shout out to my friends who have spent the weekend in Berlin for the German Fetish Ball. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there- there are exciting reasons, I promise. You know I wouldn’t usually miss a chance to go to Berlin!
Photos by Belinda Bartzner that I have sat on for too long. These are from last GFB…



Bodysuit by Yummy Gummy, harness by Pandora Deluxe, Black dress by Ardita Fetish Fashion

Being self-employed and on the go all the time, it’s easy to forget how to relax. I have a few ‘days off’ and realise I’ve spent them answering emails and booking the next three months work, and don’t feel ready to do another tour so soon. Now, I’m readdressing how I manage my time. I’m now aiming to spend as many hours as possible off the internet and being as creative as possible. 🙂 And reading about time management so I can blog about it, lol!

Last week, I had a Northern tour, working with some lovely photographers in interesting locations! (Pictures coming soon of course) and then had a little holiday at the end of a week’s touring- photographer Kitty Wood’s hen party. A penis-hat free afternoon tea and punk gig with not an L-plate or fake veil in sight. Hoorah! I cannot begin to tell you how much I have missed rock clubs, dancing and giant boots. Milton Keynes has its beautiful areas but there are no rock bars with Harley Davidson posters and AC/DC. I think I’ll go Northwards again- and soon! 😛
I’ll show you hen party pictures after Kitty has posted them, but here’s a shot of us from the engagement party (L-R, me, Kitty, Fal)

I came back from tour, winced at the 100+ emails in my inbox, ploughed through them at my mums (my bandwidth was eaten again by my addiction to Sons Of Anarchy), began to organise my Scotland tour and put the computer away with 30 replies already in the inbox. (You see why I always feel I’m behind on my tasks??)

Then I went to London. I love London- it’s full of history, oddballs and secrets. I’d gone to buy a wig and meet up with a photographer to discuss a writing project. And good things began to happen:
– She liked the story! Wahoo! (I don’t care who sees me naked but sharing my writing fills me with dread).
– The universe decided to offer me the little things I asked for. (Red shoes for a shoot- found them in a charity shop. A quiet place to sit- found a secret nature garden. And a bonus- Sons of Anarchy full box set reduced to £29.99. No more bandwidth eating!).
–  I found a dress to customise… and it looked like the universe. I’m picky about the charities I support and I found it in the perfect charity shop.
– My local kingfisher decided to sit next to me while I was re-reading one of my favourite books on the roof! I had sat up there hoping to see bats but this was incredible. ❤ This is what I sadly suspect my expression looked like. But without the tutu on my head. Also, I never wear white.

Of course, to illustrate a blogpost about time and where the heck it has gone, I wanted some ‘back in time’ pictures! And as Kitty Wood and Yummy Gummy have already made an appearance here, I’ll give you some more of their work. 😀 Kitty and I made an 80s themed set for Zivity which gave me an excuse to go crazy with the hair and make-up. I love green eyeshadow. Can’t seem to find a decent black though… any suggestions, ladies? (And gents too, if you wear make-up!)
You can see the whole set here: https://www.zivity.com/models/Roswell_Ivory/photosets/44





Don’t you just love the net latex?? I have a small confession though… I’d been wearing the skirt back to front. The clear part is supposed to be at the back- but it shows the design is versatile, lol!

This was done with a special lens, apparently. So very 80s… 😀

If you also like the 80s and want your day to improve just a little, have a look at this alternative best mans speech. (Hint: It isn’t a speech.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxpLiQgdTI0

Have a behind-the-scenes.

I’m almost fully booked until July!! I have a few days free at the start of June (I can go anywhere), then July is Manchester, Scotland and hopefully Switzerland, and August may be a Scandinavian tour! If you would like to book a photoshoot with me within England or Wales, get in touch ASAP as I may not be available in this country until October (I’m away all of September).

See? As I said, things are jam packed but that is by no means a bad thing. Adventures are coming and of course, so are photos… 😀

ROSWELL x

The Dimholt Road

“The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it.”
JRR Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)

That sentence got into my head the same way songs do when I shot with Amelia Roslyn and Sam (aka Sjambok) in this ancient Roman ironworks which looked exactly like somewhere in Middle Earth. 😀

 

My pictures don’t really do justice to the scale of the place, which was huge! In fact; for various reasons I need to get myself a ‘proper’ camera, as my phone really isn’t the greatest and I have certain exciting plans involving my own camera…

Anyway, there’s a beautiful expression in (I think) Mexico: “el bosque del corazon” (the forest of the heart), which refers to your spiritual home, rather than the place in which you live. Well, English woodland and forest is mine, so I was very excited when we arrived here- not to mention awestruck, as the light was shining in perfect fairytale shafts through the leaves and down to the mossy boulders I started posing on.

Photo by Sjambok

Look at the dark looming trees behind me too!! ❤

We’d spoken beforehand about the ‘mood’ we wanted from the pictures. Art-nude is often a very dreamy, ethereal genre but this time I wanted something different. There are so many legends about what happens to young wayward men who see faeries and dryads in the woods. Mostly, they’re never seen again- or turned into something four-legged.
So… I wanted the pictures to look as though they were taken *just* before the action happens. As though I know the watcher is there and I’m just deciding what to do about them…

Photos by Amelia

These were smoke grenades (below) as sadly we couldn’t capture the very real strands of mist just above the forest floor!

“Legends can be now and forever, loved by the sun…”

The photo above might have been taken just after I burst out laughing at a Lord of the Rings similarity (I promise my next blog will have NO Tolkien references.)
We were halfway up a very steep boulder here- there was Amelia being Frodo, with the most important thing (the camera) hanging around her neck, Sam managing the lights and extra equipment, often leading the way (snd already a Sam) … and then there was me, naked and covered with bits of moss crawling up rocks after them. “My precioussssss!” 😛

After a cookie break we moved on to some beautiful, slightly creepy cave entrances for a bit of bondage, which I was very excited to shoot. Although I’m known as a fetish and bondage model, I am actually very selective about who I shoot ropework with as it can be dangerous.

Often our mythical dryad creatures are bound to one cave or tree… so here I am. 🙂

We drove back to my hotel in the beautiful not-quite-sunset. That little dot you can see in the lower middle is the moon!

Obviously, it’s Winter now and far too cold generally to pose nude outdoors but I am available for bookings from late January onwards. Now, I’m on holiday for the next few weeks and planning to get all crafty with making things, and doing a LOT of writing as I have missed doing articles! I haven’t properly decorated the boat yet but I’ll be getting some seriously tacky tinsel in and may even make a Christmas tree fairy. 😉
As a pagan, my Winter celebration is Yule aka the Solstice, which is on the 21st. However, I grew up with Christmas, am more than happy to be told Merry Christmas and I celebrate that with my mum too. Yay for festival sharing… and yule logs.

I have a lot of seasonal festive blogs to share with you soon but right now there is a silver flowery accessory that needs to be steampunked up. 😛

Take care everyone, speak soon,

ROSWELL xxx

p.s. Outtake time! This will be my face when I can pose in the forest again! 😛
The watermark was on all the raw photos so I didn’t accidentally post unedited ones but I do have permission to post these two.

Sam is taking this lighting test very seriously… 😛