Antonella Muscat Photography

New Website!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 12:53:00 +0000

It's been nearly a month since I've had a relook at my website and have completely relaunched it with new work. I've been up to so much these last few months that we came to the point that the work I had displayed online was not reflecting my current projects and ideology.

So here we go, new work, new styling, new energy and all of my social media links for you to follow! :)
Enjoy! x
www.antonellamuscatphotography.co.uk

creative work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 20:43:00 +0000

I currently find myself in a new creative boost, fresh air dancing in my head, I have organised new collaborations, am working on big shooting plans and keep buying new pieces of kit, most of which not necessarily camera stuff, but which go in my bag and in the boot of my car for my studio or location work....

I have always loved to shoot floral work, be it flowers in their natural state, arrangements or models in flower crowns. I do like to add flowers to enhance the subject for a bohemian feel, depending what the subject is of course!

Today I share I simple shot of flowers from my garden, multi coloured poppies and beautifully bold cosmos, dancing in bokeh, srcreaming colour. Did you notice I love colour, the vibrancy of life?

Hope you like this work - I look forward to publishing more images in this style soon...

Lindy's dias de la muerte (dia de los muertos)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 16:47:00 +0000

'Day of the Dead' has been done to death as subject matter for photographers, but there really isn't much work out there using more mature models. I hope you will like the work I produced with Norfolk based actress Lindy Pieri recently. I photographed the very vesrsatile Lindy in her own home and, being fuly portable in terms of kit, recreated a very classical portrait in terms of lighting. The effect is, as I hope you will agree, dramatic and complementary to both the model and subject matter.

Not content with just producing work in colour I have also produced this monochrome image which is also very dramatic and is recreated with the effect of old and amazingly punchy Kodak T Max 400 in mind.

I hope you like the work and look forward to your comments as usual. :)

Poignant

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 15:45:00 +0000

I received this sad message yesterday...

Hi Antonella,

The prints have arrived safe and sound, Thank for your help, they look great. The picture has particular happy memories as my mother ( oldest lady on the left) sadly passed away 2 weeks ago. So happy memories ( the wonderful thing about photos I think)Thanks again L & K

just a reminder that life goes on, and some of us are left behind. Thank God for images captured and great memories kept forever....

Creative Shoot Styling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 23:38:00 +0000

I had a very interesting meeting with a great London based creative hair stylist this week - he also happens to be a shoot stylist, though that was not the reason I got in touch, indeed I was not aware he had this role. We discussed a possible collaboration, and typical me, although I always have ideas for what I want to create/achieve, took nothing but a notebook and pen with me.

My collaborations do not base on preconceived ideas. I listen to the people I am working with and try to understand what their strong points are and what their goals within this collaboration are. Sometimes, during this initial conversation, I push people a little bit as I want to find out not only what they want to and can do but also what they won't and can't. This is important for me, as I would never want to push a collaborator too much during the creative process. in both the prep just before the shoot and also during this, knowing very well that if I wanted to I could go too far and upset the delicate balance of what is essentially, a group of people who are coming together creatively for the first time.

Even when you work with your own established team, you are likely to be introducing different models, therefore it is essential to maintain this fine balance till at least the end of the shooting.

Diva behaviour is not something I enjoy very much so people with attitude don't make it to my short-list, which is why I always try to meet with the people i will be working with. If my gut feeling says no, then I will think about whether to take this forward...

Back to the shoot stylist. We mostly talked about ideas for hair but he also talked about his role as a stylist. I then just suddenly realised that up to now I have never engaged one, maybe because I worry that they may take over most of the creative process pre shoot and that the resulting imagery would have less of my imprint only.

I had not realised that I am doing a lot of extra work some photographers don't do. I have always stylised my own shoots and that all the timeline and planning always falls on myself.

My process is usually quite meticulous and unless I am pressured, I will not propose a date for shooting until everything is sourced and available. Everything beyond the model turning up, and the MUA and hair stylist doing their bit, is usually up to me. this includes location scouting, deciding timing of shoot for best lighting, planning transport of kit, clothing, purchasing/modifying props and getting all the team organised and with a clear idea in mind.

It just struck me how lucky some photographers are to have a stylist assist and take a little of the planning and execution. or am I the lucky one as I retain more control over the execution of my vision?

I spend my "free time" (really and truly I don't even know what free time is!), going into charity shops, vintage stores and all sorts of random places, from B&Q to gardening centres scouring for and sourcing items for a shoot. I have a small collection of items that are readily available and stuff that I have hunted for instinctively that is waiting for the right moment to me used. Being Maltese, I am immensely resourceful and practical and can usually come up with a quick solution if things get a bit complicated or too expensive to take forward.

My personal baby blanket, all of 46 years old, has appeared, complete with tatty ends and holes in a photo that is published on the Vogue Italia Website. old coats, bustiers and bits of my old wardrobe have been used, and I have created interesting backgrounds out of curtain bits, odd drapes and even my bedsheets on occasion...

This is a tedious process but at the end when the images are complete I am left feeling as if I have completed a body of work, rather than having been part of it.

If you are a photographer reading this, I would love to hear your opinion about this subject...

Do you work alone, or do you use stylists, and if so, do you always use the same person because they have become part of the creative team and understand your vision and way of working?

Let me know what you think by posting a comment at the bottom of this posting...

In the meantime I am looking forward to planning the shoot with the creative hairstylist, hopefully very soon :)

Best wishes X

Who do YOU think you are? - a lovely testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:22:00 +0000

I received an unexpected and very wonderful surprise this morning, a link to an article written by a lovely person I photographed some months ago. Jenny Eaton runs the EOS Programme in Norwich and wanted some images taken to update her image portfolio. She did not feel that the images she then had represented her true self at that point in time. We therefore worked together to create some images for her. On receipt of the images, she let me know how happy she was with the work and how many positive comments she received on her social media pages. Success!

Like many other shoots I do, my images for Jenny did not end up on this blog. Many of my clients seek my assistance in creating an image that will boost their morale. They do not need their photograph plastered on a website/blog to advertise their photographers' skills. Keeping work private maintains clients' trust and confidence in my business. It does of course mean that I have less images to publish than I would like, but then you can get lovely testimonials to support one's work.... and wow was this a lovely surprise and great testimonial this morning :)

(click on the image to read the text as published on Radiant Magazine!)

If you would like me to work with you to create images of you that reflect your inner soul give me a call or drop me an email, I am always happy to help :)

Happy weekend! :)

Goodbye Great Yarmouth

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 20:12:00 +0000

The house is empty, everything is packed and I am raring to go...

I am embarking on a new and exciting adventure, a move that will be a new chapter of my life.

For various reasons, I have not felt completely happy here. Even though Great Yarmouth has many good things going for it, it is not as open and multicultural as I had hoped. Even though I managed to earn decent bread and butter here, the lack of energy in this environment has taken a toll on my own energy and positivity. Even amongst creatives I have found lack of trust and confidence that binds them down and ties their wings...

My creativity and happiness is directly linked to my environment and I think it is the right time for pastures new, exciting and difficult challenges that will keep me an my toes, and new opportunities to take my business to the next level.

This post may seem sad, and I am a little sad for this town that seems to miss opportunities to move forwards, and home to some who find it difficult to change .... but in reality I am happy for all the new challenges I will find in my way and set myself to prove my abilities.

I took this photograph on the phone a few weeks ago whilst waiting for a client... the emptiness felt like the emptiness I was feeling in my soul at the time....

My laptop will start up again in a new place, new county, new town and new opportunities.

Blog soon from the other side :)

KISS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 12:21:00 +0000

This quote by Roy Lilley, Health Commentator, caught my eye this morning...

When the Americans put men into space, the Apollo Programme sent them with a Fisher Space Pen that worked in zero-gravity, freezing cold, desert heat, underwater and upside down. The Russians took a pencil.

Interesting point!

I think most of us photographers are guilty of just that, complicating things just for the sake of it. Some fashion photographers are well known for coming up with lighting setups that are more there to impress the client than actually light up the subject.

I believe that it is always incredibly important to be versatile, to have lots of tools in your toolbox and to know when to pull them out. To do this you need to understand your client, the environment, the brief and not least the available light... you need to have a vision, a clear idea of where you want to get, however it's good to play with what you've got...

I have and use a variety of lights, light modifiers, drapes, and contraptions I use to help me get my shot - everything has it's use. However I do find that going back to basics is rather the best way of keeping an uneasy client comfortable. Less of faffing about with leads, stands and firing flashes, more or talking, laughing and shooting...

... and this is what you get when you have a beautiful sitter, in a beautiful environment with a lovely soft light, one prime lens and lots of fun and banter :)

Thanks to Flamingo Amy for the wonderful make up and hair styling...

have a wonderful weekend ! x

more strobistry....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 12:00:00 +0000

A quick upload and sneaky peek today as an apology for to blog followers who may be wondering if I have stopped blogging... Being busy is a good thing, but it also means one has less time to post images with the hows and whys. :s

Yesterday we packed our bags to photograph local costume maker Barry and his son Oliver. We had discussed the brief but we were unsure as to what Barry would pick out of many possibilities as the outfit to be photographed on the day.

That meant we had to create an editorial and choose a location on the fly. I thought to delegate a part of this to my son Matt who is my assistant and is looking to become a game designer. Part of his future role is to create scenarios for games so I gave him the challenge to come up with ideas for how to create a story with limited resources. There is so much to creating an image that the viewer often doesn't get and part of it is creating the mood for the story the image is telling.

My sneaky peek for today is an image of Oliver, dressed up as a confederate child. The cornfield in nearby Burgh Castle could be anywhere in the US and the look he gives the camera is of steely determination, emphasized by the strong shadow on his nearest eye. The image was photographed in full sun at 6pm and the strobes were used to create the particular lighting effect one behind my right shoulder and the other at 60 degrees to my left.

I hope you like this image and as usual I look forward to your comments. If you would like to book an editorial styled photoshoot with me please email me on contact@antonellamuscatphotography.co.uk or give me a call on 07748 197522

Have a great week! x

working with beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:48:00 +0000

A beautiful model, lovely hair and make up, a wonderful vintage nightie I bought specifically for the shoot and a wonderful fresh flower headress, all in a dreamy little known location... what more can I ask for?

The difficulty is of course, is in achieving the balance between all these lovely features and the beauty of the model, so that not one overbears the other and all the contributors get maximum benefit from each of the images which feature their input and I hope I have achieved with this image set.

The model is the beautiful Holly, wearing a magnificent fresh flower headpiece from Norwich based master florist Jo Flowers. Make up artistry and hair were done by the creative Herts based Claire Warden who achieved a great look and perfect finish on Holly's already flawless skin. Such a great team to be collaborating with and I hope to be working with Claire and Jo again soon on different projects. Exciting!!

At the moment I am looking for more work with high end portraiture and in the fashion industry. Please get in touch with me if you think I may come up with a creative solution to your image requirements. I look forward to hearing from you if you have a challenge for me to take up :)

Meanwhile please have a look at the rest of the set and let me have your feedback. I look forward to your comments.

How far would you go...?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:17:00 +0000

You're on a shooting trip having a drink with a mate in a foreign town when a bomb explodes.

The blast sends you both flying but thankfully you're both alive. That's not to be said of the people around you.

There are wounded everywhere and the stench is incredible. Do you grab your camera and start to shoot like mad, aware of the importance of the event, or do you start to offer help to the wounded?

I'm sure I would be torn, very torn between the need to help and the importance of documenting and saving people's lives. It would have to be a snap decision from me, one way or another, a swift assessment of my capabilities and where I would be most useful.

I just want to ponder, for a moment, on the fact that we often assume that journalism is free and open, and that news just filters freely across all channels, without delay, without censorship, when in fact repression is rife, more often so than the public realize, not only in war torn countries but maybe even in other situation.

Part of me wants to dedicate part of my life to photography for social causes. For a long time, I have been toying with whether I would or could become a war photographer. I am sorely tempted to run away sometimes, from photographing people in a frivolous and ethereal fashion and doing something that is of greater purpose. It is something that I am dedicated to in spirit. I am not afraid of challenges and am ready to take risks, however I am worried that it may be a bit late to take this on at this point in my life.

I keep an open mind when viewing images, from whatever source or style. I think about the social connotations of where and when or how the images were photographed. There is a lot of meaning in the background for me.

I follow the work of Zoriah Miller, one of the best photojournalists around. His work is full of depth and intensity. I hope to be able, one day, to incorporate elements of journalism a bit better in my editorial work, however at this point in time, I have little around me to work with. \Maybe life will present me with opportunities soon....

I have just watched 'the killing fields' a 1984 film about the story of Dith Pran. It's just rekindled a lot of energy in me again....

beauty shoot with Bohemian Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

It must be said that the creations of the adorable Hannah Melnyk are absolutely wonderful and I have been very fortunate to be able to collaborate with her on this shoot. Hannah is Norwich based and designs wonderful flowery and textured adornments and trades under the name Bohemian Love Story. I have already worked with her on the Nosferatu shoot (which I still have to properly blog about!) so it was very natural for us to get our creative minds together again once more to shoot something slightly more fabulous.

We worked together to create images that I'm really proud to show off here, classic and stylish.

These are my favourite 8 images from the set, with the fabulous Izadora and Vicky

Do get in touch if you would to book a photoshoot in a fashion editorial style. I look forward to hearing from you x

lest we forget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Today, is Holocaust Memorial Day, a time for considering the effects of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides that have shocked the world, reminding us there is no end to evil and that we must do our utmost to prevent these things from happening again.

I have always been very interested in all things concerning war, just because I'm interested in how people coped in that horror and because I heard lots of first hand stories from people who lived through the Blitz in Malta, secondly because my maternal grandfather was British and died in a submarine, alas I know nothing more about this.

I have wanted to do some work inspired by life during WW2 and the opportunity to work with Norwich based actress Lindy Pieri allowed me to do just that. Lindy is a wonderful and very talented lady and I enjoyed working with her on this project. Like me, Lindy has very strong feelings about the horrors of the war and I love the expression and intensity she demonstrated as we took this image.

Lindy's character is looking into the horror of the events through the barbed wire. She feels helpless and tears start to well. We can imagine what she is seeing, what she is feeling, we don't need to see anything else apart from that expression on her face....

To read more about Holocaust Memorial Day, please have a look here

I will be blogging more images from the shoot with Lindy soon. x

Published on Vogue Italia once more!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:30:00 +0000

I'm very able to say this in a very quiet and subdued tone, but maybe it is time for a bit of loud fanfare... :)

I managed to get a second image published on PhotoVogue Italia! Another image accepted by the editorial board of Vogue! Yipeeeeedooooo!

I think you will recall this image from the Big C shoot which I blogged about a few months ago... I re-postprocessed it to give it a more fashion type edge and hey ho! They said Yes. Yesss!!!

Model: Poppy Keith

Hair: Flamingo Amy Hair Styling

MUA: Art Look 4 U

Photography: Antonella Muscat

Wedding Editorial for Big C Charity, Norfolk

Derelicta III

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:42:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

Those who know me know I am a hopeless romantic. I see beauty even where it isn't obvious. I suppose it's a coping strategy I have for when I need to spend time in environments that are less interesting, but I think this is a good thing!

I often look at the broken and the abandoned as a fragment of the life that it once enveloped, and like to think happy moments were spent there, even though it does not seem like that to the naked eye in the present.

My iPhone is my right hand in circumstances where it is not practical to carry a camera, and shooting the derelict with this tool is for me ideal, frugal, low-fi and practical. It is still possible to capture a mood like this, even though I have reduced control over the amount and quality of light going through the 'lens'... or do I? I suppose once you spot good light you don't need any great technology to capture it.

The images below are all iPhone captured and processed, and have only hit my pc to be saved.

I hope you like the work and travel back in time with me looking at these images. It would be lovely to read your comments too! :)

Take care and keep safe

Published on Vogue Italia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:53:00 +0000

Dear all,

I wanted to share with you an image from the recent Nosferatu shoot that has been accepted by the Vogue Italia editorial board. Needless to say I am very pleased as this is not an easy thing to achieve. :) I am working hard on my work getting more of an editorial feel to it and for me this is a step forward in the right direction.

The following is the image as it appears on Vogue Italia with their logo on, it is a low-res image and I will publish a better quality one when I add the full blog post for this shoot.

Norwich based actress Melanie Manson as Lucy Westenra in a Nosferatu inspired shoot published on Vogue Italia 18.12.12

I wish you all a great start for 2013 and hope it will bring you happiness. x

sneak preview Nosferatu shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Life has been busy and I need to catch up with my blogging! Lots to post and little time at the moment, which, is probably a good thing :)

I just wanted to show you a sneaky preview shot from my recent Nosferatu inspired shoot. I will go into what this is about in a longer blog post, I hope, but I need to give massive credit to my collaborators on this shoot. Their professionalism and level of talent and committment deserves a lot of praise, following my ideas through all through from the initial planning. It is great to work in sync and let ideas develop in all stages of a shoot.

Kudos for the fabulous vintage styled make up go to Hannah Melnyk Bohemian Love Story,

Gini Newton for costumes and period styling

Alex Helm and Melanie Manson, both fabulous actors, based in Norwich

Well, here is my first photograph from the set. I hope you like it and would love to read your comments...

Melanie Manson as Mina Harker in a Nosferatu inspired editorial shoot

I will post the rest of the images soon! Have a lovely weekend x

The Siren

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:22:00 +0000

It's looking more winter than autumn out there today and I thought of fishing out work that will hopefully take your imagination somewhere warm and far away.

This is a project I had been wanting to do for a while. I wasn't sure I would get the mood that I wanted, from what is essentially a beach shoot, so I had a lot of thinking to do.

The beautiful Brazilian, Norwich based model, Amanda Santos, was the clear choice for my subject, her graceful curves flowing with the curves in the sand, and the angle of the sun creating the right amount of shadow to add definition to what would have been otherwise a flat image. There is a distinct air of bravery of the subject who seems to be fighting all that is happening around her but also a beauty and command which is somewhat surreal...

The final image was created by stitching a series of shots to be able to create the level of detail required.

Kudos go to Amanda for her patience in the blazing sun and to my friend Rainbo for the help with sculpturing the waves and sky.

Amanda Santos as a Siren photographed for an editorial shoot

I hope you like the final image .... and please do leave your comments ....

As you will have realised by looking at my work, my portraiture is not straightforward image shooting and I can create something for you that fits your personality and is totally original.

Please give me a call if you have any ideas you would like to take forward to create a stunning and totally individual set of images.

07748 197522

Have a lovely weekend! :)

architecture & buildings with character

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:46:00 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to photograph the University College Suffolk building near the Waterfront in Ipswich, aptly named the Waterfront Building. The building can be described as bold but also contemporary and the graceful curves which circumscribe it somehow seem to extend upwards as well as outwards. Because of this illusion, images of the building taken from different aspects seem to merge into continuity.

I post processed the images with quite a grungy feel and underexposed the shots to get maximal detail in both the glass and the sky, the clouds adding interest to the reflections in the glass.

I enjoy shooting buildings as architecture has always been of interest to me - from the baroque to the modern there is always something to catch my attention and I am constantly observing buildings to see how they are changing with time, as social, economical and environmental factors leave their mark.

Hope you like this image set - do leave a comment at the end of the post if you find this work of interest. Thank you! :)

bellezza in flagrante...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 15:51:00 +0000

I only recently realised that I haven't yet blogged about this series, a wedding themed shoot for Norfolk's own Cancer Charity, Big C, a few months back . However today I will blog about one particular image I picked up this week. I occasionally look back at image sets and try and post process them again, when I am in a different mood.

I chose this image of Poppy Keith to look back at this time. I love the way her hair flies across her face, just like a poster for a manga book or film would, but with the soft curls giving a completely different effect, the door providing a narrative to add to the surprise and movement in her pose, whilst the colours of the foliage complement the scene and do not detract away from it.

'Bellezza in Fragrante' is beauty caught red-handed, which to me describes the image perfectly....

I hope you love it as much as I do :)

Contact me for commercial and fashion assignments as well as portrait photography, in Norfolk and Hertfordshire. I am always looking for exciting projects to work on. :)

Nice Surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 19:12:00 +0000

I seriously don't know which of the two scenes I preferred, the pub landlord's face as he opened a box to find a signed 18x12 mounted print of a scene involving his business premises, with the pub patrons peering over each other's back to see what he was smiling at, or my son's big smile at watching the whole scene unfold and later telling me that the landlord's expression was priceless...

The pub landlord hadn't been expecting anything from me... he gave me permission to use his premises for a shoot and I promised I'd show him some finished work...

It is so nice to give people something extra, something they didn't pay for or request

I like to make people happy, it makes me happy - so I go a longer way than they expect. I always have something up my sleeve, something I have thought about after our first meeting, and something I work on during our shoot and often afterwards.

Then when we meet again to look at photos, there is that little something special, that extra service or add on they weren't expecting, not just the quality of the images, the special moments captured, the quality of the prints and products....

just because it's me and this is the way I do things , above and beyond... just so that I can see that delighted look on my client's face. Only then is my job done :)

Vigilance, and contracts...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:06:00 +0000

This news is doing the rounds in the Wedding Photography world this week. Ex Wedding Photographer and Entrepreneur Gary Fong was sent information from a wedding photographer about clients threatening a 300k dollar lawsuit for, incredibly.... GOOD work. We normally read stories about photographers that have lost data, were thoroughly incompetent, or failed to deliver the goods, but this story is a warning for all photographers who take a nonchalant approach with clients.

Have a look at the video first:

I won't go into the technicalities about why this lawsuit may be quashed in court. The letter sent by the attorney seems highly unprofessional and I have no knowledge about the law in different US states. However the point to be made here is that you always treat a client, however nice, flattering or friendly as they see...as a client.

Many professional photographers who regularly blog, are afraid to say the truth about the industry. All their clients are gorgeous, fun to work with and their weddings are a joy to photograph. It doesn't take much to realise this is not the real world they are talking about. Some clients can be very difficult to work with, and this is not only in the wedding world. They could be any kind of client really.

The difficult bit is when clients are extra flattering about one's work. In the industry we've all been through this... lots of sweet talking that makes you feel weak at the knees and highly esteemed. Wow, you think.. why don't I have more of these clients? The aim is, of course, to get more out of you than you normally would, or should offer... hmm...

Of course there are the real nice people that are genuine and that you will love working with and for, but there are also the nasty ones who make your life hell, either before the shooting or afterwards.

For me this story is just a reminder not to forget the basis of a professional relationship, trust and honesty, and making sure all the paperwork is relevant, agreed to in all detail and that the contract is honoured in its' totality. If you can afford to, walk away from people who you're not sure of, that saves you hassle and problems that others can have... Well that's my policy anyway...

Have a great weekend! :)

On Landguard Point

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 18:29:00 +0000

It was about a year ago, that I got what I thought was a weird phone call at the time. I was asked if I was available to photograph a film production that was happening in Great Yarmouth. The line was very bad and I didn't quite get all the details, though I did call the person back to enquire for more information. I wasn't sure whether I was scared or thrilled!!

I was informed Pacitti Company were working on a short film for the cultural Olympiad and they needed a photographer to shoot stills from the filming they were doing locally. The weird thing is that they also needed someone to play the part of a photographer using a large land camera (an old style wooden camera that carried glass photographic plate and had bellows). Eek! I'm not quite confident having a photo taken, so you can imagine what I feel about being filmed!!

However, this was an opportunity too good to miss, so I accepted the assignment with some trepidation! :)

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movement. On Landguard Point' is the representation for the East of England and reflects the director, Robert Pacitti's love for the coast of East Anglia and in particular, Landguard Point, the last coastal defence built in this part of the coast in 1639. You can read more about Robert's perspective on making the film here, together with links to the project's official website

I turned up to the old skating rink in Great Yarmouth on the afternoon of the shoot with a lot of concern regarding my attire. I had been asked to discuss my choice of clothing for the filming with the team and I had narrowed my choice down to a couple of outfits. The day being hot and muggy made it easy to grab a frilly black warehouse dress that fitted into the vintage theme.

The skating rink was full of activity when I arrived, with the filming crew all ready to roll, and all the participants practicing, his Worship the Lord Mayor of Great Yarmouth, the naval cadets, Parkers Donkeyworld and their handlers, Great Yarmouth Brass and TS Fearless, The Crystallette Twirlers and me, still not sure what to expect.

The instructions flowed quick and direct, I had to move into the scene at a signalled point, vintage camera firmly in my grip, place it on the marked spots, drape myself in a black cloth behind the view finder and signal to the group that the shot was about to be taken. We practiced three times, for what seemed like forever, and the firework that was due to accompany my shooting action had to be aborted because it didn't fire on demand (I was quite looking forward to that! Sigh)

Here are some images I took that afternoon during the practice, however the image that did make it to the film is bound by copyright and only appears on the film :) It appears very bright as a photograph laid on a desk, surrounded by objects that connect to the story. I am so, so proud of that bit!! :)

We were duly invited to the cast and contributing crew's premiere of 'On Landguard Point' at the Corn Exchange in Ipswich two weeks ago, so we very excitedly made our way down the coast to see what came out of this teeny contribution....

I took the opportunity to capture a few moments of the premiere, with Robert Pacitti being interviewed on the red carpet, his introduction to the project in the theatre and my second of fame in the film credits. The images could not capture my excitement at seeing what came out of the filming in Great Yarmouth and my delight that the vintage photographer scene was retained as well as my image of the participants on the day in another scene. :)

The film in itself has some wonderful photography as well as a fascinating insight in to the directors perspective on his much loved land of origin. The film was filmed in the six counties that constitute the East of England and offer different stories that all link together in a loose but very artistic way. I must say I was very impressed to see what Pacitti Company have achieved in this project and will be following their future activities.

'On Landguard Point' will be shown at the Latitude Festival near Southwold next weekend, as well as some Theatres in the East so add it to your calendar if you'd like to watch. :)

Meanwhile, if you are filming and are looking for a photographer to document the events and play a part in the filming, I may just be tempted! ;)

70's styled photoshoot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:45:00 +0000

I'm so pleased with the outcome of this shoot I decided it just had to take precedence over lot of other projects I've been undertaking, all of which I'm proud of...

However, this shoot involves something very special for me and very 70's!

The concept of the shoot was around portraying the 70's a little differently to what we are seeing in magazines and vintage styled shoot. Less about the clothing but more about lifestyle. The 70's were a long and ever changing period stylistically so I clung on to the early period in terms of clothing, styling and image post processing. I allowed myself to be a little bit more playful this time with my image manipulation, using polaroid and holga style looks to create either a postcard style or kitsch look. I also wanted to recreate the look of motoring mags and car brochures of the period, stuff I happily thumbed though as a little one, from my dad's collection.

But what really made the shoot was the lovely Lotus Elan we were graciously allowed to use, thanks to Celia and Mark, a beautiful Sprint S4 drophead coupe in perfect condition. I made best use of the time available during make up and prep to drool over it, feel the lovely click of closing doors and glove box, and thumb through a perfect handbook.

I grew up looking forward to Sundays drives, and time in the Elan was spent on the tunnel behind my parents in the teeny space in the tunnel behind my parents, listening to the carbs rumbling as the wind blowed in my hair. So what better 70's recreation than to have models driving down the lovely Norfolk countryside in an Elan? Perfect!

Joy and Matthew were perfect models for the shoot, both in terms of the look, as well as for gelling well notwithstanding none of us had worked together before. Suzie Townsend recreated the 70's look for both of them, and which looked lovely on Joy's porcelain complexion. It was indeed a great team for a fun shoot.

Now for some images!

Paul took some video clips of me shooting- this is quite an uncharacteristic moment with me being quiet, rather than directing, but this allowed the models to engage in conversation and look more natural.

This is my favourite shot, with Joy and Matt appearing to panic as they come across a ford. In fact the water was just a few inches deep. The effect was achieved by shooting low, close to the water surface. I've followed the shot with a tiny clip which shows me trying to balance in the slimy water using a stepladder rather like a Zimmer :))

To have a look at the full set of images, have a look at my facebook business page, and do 'like' the page if you find the work interesting :)

If you want a portrait shoot that recreates a mood or a period of time do get in touch to discuss what we can offer. Creative projects are very important to me and you are guaranteed a fun experience as well as having a great project planning team and photography.

I will be having a stand at the Norfolk Show with Dead Good Designs (Stand 21, Avenue 7) and look forward to seeing you there. If you mention the password 'Lotus' to me you will get a 10% discount on orders taken during that week. ;)

Look forward to seeing you there :)

Kudos:

Models: Matt Meazey & Joy Cruikshank

Make up - Suzie Townsend

Car - Celia & Mark

Clothing and Styling - myself

Vintage Cameras and video - Paul Davis

Assisting - Paul Davis & Mathew Muscat

PS apologies for the apparent alignment and editing errors but blogger really doesn't want to play!

Dear Queen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:51:00 +0000

It is a weekend and bank holidays full of celebrations here in the UK. Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for 60 years and her kingdom is about to celebrate this wonderful diamond jubilee.

I have thought long and hard about how to produce a personal tribute to the Queen mulling ideas for several months. I thought about ways about creating an image that the queen would be pleased with, that celebrates her resilience, magnamity and wisdom. However, for many reasons, I crossed off each and every idea I had. None of the models I thought of would look like her, the clothing would not be regal enough and I had no stunning location at hand to photograph in. Nothing would be good enough to pass on to Her Majesty as a thank you and a sign of respect from me. I am just able to say Thank You in a virtual way and imagine I am paying respect to a Queen I admire and respect.

Why should all this come from a foreigner, I hear you say, and why specifically me?

Queen Elizabeth has always had a very special tie with Malta.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh married on November 20, 1947, and Malta is the only country outside the UK where they have lived.

Prince Philip served there with the Royal Navy between 1949 and 1951, during which period the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) visited several times, the longest visit being from November 1950 to February 1951.

They returned to the island in 1954, 1967, 1992 and 2005.

Her Majesty has been known to reminisce about lengthy stays as a young Monarch in Malta and is said to cherish memories of being able to drive around the Island quite freely. She is also said to miss visiting Villa Portelli in Pieta’, her residence in the Island.

Although there has always been a strong anti-colonial feeling within the Maltese which ultimately led to the island becoming a republic, even today there is a strong connection with the Queen, especially from the older generation. It is within this environment that I grew up as a child.

How does all this link up with me, you will ask!

In 2005 I was in the middle of a very difficult court case. I had separated from my husband after a breakdown of our marriage, and had been granted legal separation and custody of our son. My financial situation was fraught and I was looking at our future. My hope was to be able to move to the UK with my son Matt, but under Maltese law it was very difficult or nearly impossible to do so with a child. In total I had gone through 6 lawyers, who were all happy to take my money, but not to give me a positive outcome (this is before I engaged the 7^th and successful one!)

One day after school, the then 10 year old Matt bounded up to me and suggested he wanted to speak to the Queen, I sort of ignored him, as you do when one if faced with such statements. He said he had a plan. The Queen was due to visit, and his school, like others, was invited to an event where, as is customary in foreign visits by Royals, she met with schoolchildren. He said he might be able to stand in a place where he could ask her a favour. The last thing I’d do to Matt was to dash his hopes so I gave him my blessing to do what he wanted.

Matt came back from that event very upset, he said none of his school mates were anywhere near to the Queen and he had really wanted to speak to her.

I suggested he might want to write to her. She might not be the Queen of Malta anymore, but maybe, as the head of the Commonwealth, it would be sort of OK to write to her.

Now anybody who knows Matt will appreciate that he does not like to write to anybody, so seeing him scribble his pleas just made me feel so sad that he had to go through this. No child should ever have to plead!

A few weeks later, this letter drops through my postbox... it bears the insignia ERII and I tremble....

I call Matt, who asks me for help with opening the letter....

How can it be that so many people I met with over the years to move my case forward, notable people, members of the Parliament, government employees who influenced local policy, often snubbed my requests and a Queen, not even of my own country, takes the bother to read my son’s scribbles and reply??!

She replied not once, but twice, after Matt updated her on how we failed to make any progress...

The Queen’s reply per se obviously did nothing in itself to change our legal position – Jack Straw was in no position to comment on individual cases, and we were not under his remit really. However it gave us so much energy to drive the whole thing through. Matt felt empowered, and our lawyer felt that if Matt had the initiative to write like that then he certainly had what it took to make himself heard clearly within a Maltese court of Law, which he did, in a small but powerful voice.

I’m not sure if it is OK to refer to the Queen as Dear, but I will do so now, reverentially.

Dear Queen, thank you for listening to the children. You are an example to individuals both here and within the Commonwealth. Thank you for being a kind mother.

I am your faithful servant.

Sincerely,

Antonella