WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

Hi everyone, it's me MIU!

Half-Japanese and half-Thai, I'm a free-lance semi-professional MODEL and ARTISTE based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I have lived in the UK for 12 years previous to that, where my modelling career was born in 2008.

Apart from working all over the UK and Holland, assignments have taken me to Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Sweden, Ireland and, of course, my hometown Japan!

I started as a life model posing nude for artists in the late 90s and eventually put myself in front of the cameras as a glamour model and became involved in car shows and hostessing parties and events in the UK. Easily bored with the same old routine I like to vary my work. Today, much of my work lie with nude, fetish, alternative, and erotic art.

For more information, you can also find me on: http://www.minimiumodel.com/

I love to document all my shoots and events to reflect what a great time I'm having and meeting all sorts of people. Some entries may be delayed since the shoot due to waiting for edited images or just being "busy". But I do my best!

HOPE YOU ENJOY READING!!

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Outdoors BDSM Shoot with Tim Rosier


Oops been taking my summer break again for the last few weeks. Having 4-5 shoots in a row and travelling all over UK and even to Holland have taken it's toll but I've been recouperating slowly and now up and ready to face more shoots again! One of those "4-5" shoots included one with Tim Rosier who spotted me on Fetlife site though he has been my "friend" on FB already without me recognising him!

We scheduled the shoot on 9 July just a day or two before his operation. On that hot sunny day, I took took a one-hour train ride up to Northampton where he picked me up. I didn't recognise Tim as he looked so much younger than his picture... needless to say, he returned the compliments.He drove us to an abandoned army barrack in his neck of the woods. Climbing fences and lazily strolling under the sizzling summer heat, we arrived at the ideal setting, a derelict army housing which kept us both cozy and cool in the shade despite all the dust. There were a few small insects flying around and covering me from head to toe but Tim assured me they would not bite and were harmless...

We warmed up our shoot with doing some clothed images. To compliment the army barrack scenery, I donned a pair of camoflauge shorts and matching bikini top and pretending I was a POW being held captive or even better, up to naughty tricks like exposing herself in secret... Tim took a few excellent shots one of my favorite being a bum shot of me with my shorts pulled down... quite naughty... like what happened to GI Jane??? The other point was also the beautiful lighting effect enhanced by a bit of light going through the broken window...

Then we worked on some nudes by the broken window where the light shone through and reflected on my body. Next step was getting cuffed and chained with my wrists behind looking helpless knelt on the dusty ground. It was posted on Fetlife site, and everyone loved my expression! That pleading look!!! We experimented all over the hut and had so much fun trying out different themes. Another one was of me being tied to a wooden crate, the image of which I have yet to wait for. Then was a image of me on all fours looking ferocious like I just came out of the wilderness. It's wonderful to know I could play different roles... from naughty to vulnerable to scary!!!

As I complained on Facebook about having to work on such a hot sunny day, Tim promised me to "tie me to a tree" so I could be exposed to some sunrays. So we went outside and did a few images by the tree though I disappointedly didn't get to be tied to it! But one of the images he posted up on Fetlife was a stunning one... a simple nude where I'm just looking up in space, eyes wide open... it's posted on the pictures to your right...

We called it a day but we nailed quite a few amazing images. Tim has them in black and white which makes them even more effective. After the shoot, he took me to his place where I showered and his wife Karenza kindly prepared us a nice salad dinner. Their hospitality was very much appreciated! As Tim has posted up some images one by one on Fetlife, I am increasingly anxious to receive the rest of the images! He's just had his operation so I don't think I'll rush him too much. Still though, I'm very excited!

Thank you Tim for the awesome shoot. I will definitely work with him again. Easy-going, friendly and energetic, he had very creative ideas and really knows how to work with natural lighting. Let's do it again and next time, I WANNA BE TIED TO A TREE!!!

Sunday 11 July 2010

Shibari Experience with Rod MacDonald



I have been quite fascinated with the Japanese art of rope bondage, Shibari, for the past year but have been rather apprehensive of it. Enter Rod MacDonald, experienced rigger and photographer based in Cambridge. Twice before, I had the opportunity to work with him in group shoots but only when he was rigger and not photographer and also for a short period. At one group shoot in Brighton, I was tied to the back of a big farm truck and another time to a small wagon in a nuclear bunker!

It was through the fetish website, FetLife, when Rod's partner and model, Alex Ramsay (aka Boykitten) contacted me and suggested we do a shoot together. He also mentioned that Rod was doing a Shibari workshop for models for free at their place on 20 June so I figured I should stay for the weekend and shoot the next day whilst there. I was quite chuffed Alex wanted to do a shoot with me because he is quite renowned and a very experienced alternative model whereas I'm quite a newbie. Further, it was an opportunity for me to shoot with Rod directly and enhance my portfolio in the fetish and bondage scene with a proper rigger and to pose with another model. I was very excited!

I got picked up at Cambridge train station and after a chat over coffee, the other workshop participants arrived. There were only 4 of us which was ideal, and all were quite a fascinating mixture from the fetish scene and one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Rod demonstrated the ins and outs of proper rope bondage, all the do's and dont's down to what sort of ropes to use and how to knot and hitch properly. Hemp rope is the best as it doesn't scratch the skin. We practised on each other basic sorts of shibari techniques... all looked easy while demonstrated but takes lots of patience and correct technique when doing. I doubt I'd ever use that in practice at the moment but it's good to know if in future I work with a rigger, I'd know if he's doing it right.

Next morning after a leisurely breakfast, Rod and I decided to shoot outside in the garden as it was such a beautiful day. I wore my red Japanese happi coat and he bound me in ropes. With such an awesome scenery with the bench and foliage behind me, we nailed a few good images. Funnily enough, it looked quite "Japanese" of me. The next set, Alex joined me and we sat together on the settee to do some erotic nudes which turned out awesome in black and white, followed by me clad in a white leather corset being a domme with Alex worshipping my boots and finally the piece-de-resistance of me trampling over him at the doorstep in my red ankle boots!

For the final set of the day, I was able to get suspended on a tree at last!! I have always been apprehensive to try suspension because of my dodgy back but with the expertise of Rod's ways to get the knots in the right places, I was able to trust him. So there I was hanging on a big branch of a tree, legs and arms sprawled out. I actually found it quite theraeutic surprisingly... I could just let loose in limbo and let the world go by. I have been told that some people do get a little emotional afterwards but as I'm always emotional anyway, I was fine!

The weekend went very well. It was one of the most memorable shoots I have done as a lot of the stuff was new to me as I'm enthusiastically getting into the fetish-BDSM scene. It helps to have supportive togs and models like Rod and Alex as well. I really enjoyed my shoot with Rod who is meticulous about his images and takes pride in his rigging skills yet is relaxed, approachable and very patient. Further, I'm very pleased with the images which arrived sooner than I expected. I would recommend and definitely work with him and Alex again. THANKS GUYS!

Saturday 3 July 2010

Glam Lingerie and Dazzling Dresses with Tony Stubbings

Again I've been quite slow at updating my blog! Too busy catching up with personal things and plus, the weather has been so beautiful and warm, a rarity in UK, so why sit in front of your computer when you could be working on your tan???

I have a special limited list of favorite photographers with whom I would work over and over again to enhance my portfolio. And it's special and limited for a reason because I'm very very picky and strive for top quality! On the fashion front, there is Tony Stubbings, a commercial professional photographer based in Hove. Back in early 2009, I had the honour to work with him and though I was relatively new to fashion, he gave me various tips for posing and with good lighting and a fan to create wind, we churned out the most fantastic images which I still treasure today as my faves.

So again this summer, I worked with Tony for the third time! (8 June 2010) He expressed his wish to explore the works of German photographer, Ellen von Unwerth, who specialises in "erotic femininity" - ie., edgy, dynamic, some burlesque influence and heavy make-up. By the same token, I wanted to add some pretty colours to my fashion portfolio and bring out the summer by again wearing those sexy vibrant frocks designed by my Dutch friend, Farzana Warasta (whose work you've seen in the photos I took with Phil Moran blogged below). Great trade-off! Still I was also looking to add something different to my portfolio so Tony's idea was very appealing...

We decided to shoot at home rather than a studio which would in particular be a change of scenery for Tony. During the first half of the shoot, we tidied up the garage and I posed in some of Farzana's outfits, in fresh purple, then turquoise, then bright lavender and finally mint green. The first three outfits were shot with the white brickwall background from our garage, but as the mint green was not standing out, we decided to shoot that in our garden with all the folliage. The only thing missing was some background club music to dance to and a huge fan to create some wind. Oh well, still we managed to get by...

Once the fashion shoot was done, we headed for the Ellen von Unwerth stuff, shooting in the bedroom and the lounge. All this is very different from what we've both been accustomed to so it was a challenge which however turned out rather well. With heavier makeup, I was clad in basques and black fishnet stockings looking very stern, but seductive with an "attitude". The first set, I had on a shimmery burgundy basque which in photos looks very striking. Then I changed into a pretty light pink lace basque.

As usual, the day turned out quite well as we managed to nail a good image from each set. Tony sent me a few images a few days later. The results were amazing. All the colours from Farzana's dresses stood out so vibrantly, you'd think you're going to be blinded! And the glam lingerie shoots turned out so well, the burgundy basque one now becoming one of my top 10 on my list of faves with lots of compliments as I posted them up on Model Mayhem and Facebook. Picture is one of the photos among a string of them on the right.

I thoroughly recommend Tony if models want to enhance their fashion portfolio. Never mind if you're only 5' like me...he makes one look a foot taller and so glamourous you'd think the images should appear on the cover of Vogue. Besides, Tony is very easy-going, relaxed and great at giving directions... makes you want to dance whilst he's clicking away. Thanks so much Tony, I look forward to another shoot with you!