Friday 26 March 2010

With Hands or Without?

Copyright: Miss Cern Photography
 I have recently edited some photos from a nude shoot I did down in London, it was my first ever studio nudes and the results were variable. I am undecided if I prefer the image with or without hands. These are currently the cropped versions.


Copyright: Miss Cern Photography


Copyright: Miss Cern Photography

I am also aware that recently I have written little on the bushcraft or wilderness side of things but I shall. This is simply because I have been so busy with it all, sticking up photos takes little effort or time, writing about bushcraft or dreams, or writing poetry takes a while and time is one thing I dont have much of right now.
 But soon.....

Friday 19 March 2010

Lyliums Sketch

 I was honoured yesterday to see that my beautifull and creative friend Lylium (from the photoshoot in one of my last posts) had created a sketch of myself. I was honoured and flattered, I appreciate creativity in all its forms but Lyliums work strikes me as something special, it is allways full of symbolism or part of her soul and recently I have found her creativity very inspiring and it has compelled me to paint and be creative myself once more.
  She also gave me this beautifull enchanting painting for christmas which I have fallen in Love with. I am enchanted by its mystery and get lost in its world....
 I urge you all to check out her site here

In turn I edited a photo I had taken of Lylium in our first photoshoot together..

And as she dances at dusk,
 underneath the nights new moon.
At this time of magic,
she bids fairwell to the sun so soon.
And as her dance speeds,
when feet begin to fly
She throws aside her cloak,
and loosens her stars into the night sky....

Monday 15 March 2010

DickAndFranny : A Photoshoot for a Lovely Lady

 I was recently in contact with a lovely Jewlery designer and artist who runs "DickandFranny" and I ffered to model or photograph some of her work for her site. She decided to send up some of her handmade Jewlery but alas she did so just before I severed my tendon and most of my finger! My friend Lylium, another model who has a natural talent for the art, travelled Down from Edinburgh and battled the freezing cold weather to help me out and model in my place whilst I attempted one handed photography. Commercial photography is very new to me as is shooting one handed, I am very gratefull to Lylium(as well as her makeup skills) and Cecca the designer has been a pleasure to collaborate with.
 Here are some of the results
Edits and photography by yours truly

Edits by Lylium

Sunday 14 March 2010

Modelling Update : Old Photo, New Upload

 I was recently looking over the variety of photoshoots that I have done over the last year and came across this image by Canadian photographers "Afterglow Images" that was taken last summer. Although it was shot after spending 5 straight days intensive life art modelling it was one of my favourite photoshoots. Now if only I could decide on a crop.....



Monday 8 March 2010

A Bit of Bushcraft : Birch Barck Pitch & Glue

 The birch tree has so many different uses and much folklore attached to it I could write a whole article on it and I had recently considered doing a lesson on the birch tree and its uses along with an activity. That activity was going to be making birch pitch. Considered a very nourturing and giving tree by the celts it is interesting that even long after its death it can still provide us with usefull matrials. Here we use the dead birch bark, which rots slower than the bark, to  make a pitch.

First of all the materials you will need are ; Some dead birch bark (be carefull when harvesting as many types of wildlife make homes out of it), a big round biscuit or chocolate tin with a hole punched in the middle of the bottom (must be emptied first haha!), a soup tin or something similar, and something to start the fire.

Then Roll up the birch bark as tightly as possible keeping it the same way up as it grew on the tree (this makes it easier for the oils to be released) and place it in the biscuit tin, try and pack it as tightly as possible.
Then dig a hole and place the soup tin (collection tin) in the hole and place the biscuit tin on top making sure the hole goes over the collection tin and that both tins are flush. Pile sand around it to hold it steady.
Then we build a nice hot fire over the tin, keep the fire going for a couple of hours as it takes a lot of heat for the oils to be released from the bark, evaporate and condense in the bottom of the tin (the idea is they go through the whole in their liquid form and into collection tin.
Let the fire die down, cool then check inside the collection tin, mine was just about a quarter full. This can then be used as pitch.


To make into glue let it simmer by the fire for about an hour or so,not too close and keeping an eye on it so it doesnt catch fire then allow to cool.
This can then be moulded onto sticks for storage as glue.