Swept by the Arashi with Robin de Goede

Now that I've moved permanently to the Netherlands, I've increasingly discovered a wonderful network of great local photographers. One of them is Robin de Goede who is based in den Haag (The Hague). Hooking up on Model Mayhem during the summer, we became friends on Facebook and began corresponding and chasing each other for doing a shoot together. After months of either one of us traveling to Japan in different times, we decided on 14 December 2011.

Armed with a degree from the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Robin is not just a photographer but also an artist. He has produced quite a few beautiful drawings as seen in his website, whilst gradually progressing into photography to develop his talents. Like his artwork, his photography work clearly reflects profound appreciation of places, objects and people whilst managing to touch our minds and emotions. Not surprising!

Also not surprising Robin's fascination for tatoos. And we're not talking about the small odd one on the arm but an extensive masterpiece on practically the whole body! Over the years, Robin has come to know quite a few good tattoo artists and spends time in Japan every year, photographing this body art, even getting acquainted with the Yakuza who are famous for their elaborate tatoos. Thus, when I saw his images, I was not sure how to react when he offered to work with me! If he were brave enough to hang out with the Yakuza, one can only imagine that he must be a pretty scary guy, right? Wrong!

When Robin picked me up from Den Haag HS station, he was quite the opposite of what I had imagined. So mild-mannered with a kind face and speaking with a gentletone of voice despite his muscular build that you'd find it hard to believe he's also a bouncer at a local nightclub! Having a keen interest in Japanese culture, Robin adapts a more "zen" approach towards dealing with trouble makers, he told me. It was a five minute or so walk to his apartment in which he converted his living room into a studio.... equipped with a tatami mat!!

Over coffee, he showed me his work and shared his experience during his Japan trip. Many were fascinating, others were quite sad as he showed me some photos during his trip to tsunami-stricken Fukushima as a volunteer. The photos of the orphaned children nearly brought tears in my eyes. Had I not been there for a photoshoot, I think I would've burst out crying. On a more happier scale, the photos he took of the Yakuza in tatoos were fascinating. Am not so keen on tatoos myself but the patterns were just amazing.

Robin is involved in a sort of project on nude women he calls "Anomie". Anomie is a sociological term used to describe lack of social norms or breakdown between individual and social norms. Thus, the concept of nudity being a disconnection from what is expected from "normal" society. Quite profound! I was more than happy to volunteer. His work of nude women was quite unique, even abstract I must say. He focuses on the eyes of the model rather than the body. Or focuses on one part of the body. The use of various lenses such as wide angled ones and capturing the subject from unusual angles make the images look quite surreal. I couldn't wait to become involved!

We began with a warm-up shoot. I brought over with me a green kimono which I had purchased at a charity shop when I was last in Japan. Slipped it on and as I'm rather clueless about how to properly fasten it all on properly with an Obi, I disguised my embarrassing ignorance and just let it hang open while I sat demurely on the tatami mat. Gradually, I lay down on the mat. I decided that as it's an "anomie" theme, I am not to smile or pout (who the hell pouts wearing a kimono anyway!) but look quite subservient and vulnerable. Thought it would also be "cute" to add that doe-eyed vacant but frightened stare for a more "manga" effect without looking silly!

Then off went the Kimono and we moved to nudes. From the charity shop in Japan, I also bought an assortment of Japanese-silk strips of cloths which were scraps produced during the making of various Kimono. I had the idea to scatter it all over my nude body whilst lying down on the tatami. Robin himself had this cool idea of wetting my hair with a water spray and making my hair all stringy and randomly settling on my face,. Then I had my body oiled with baby oil for the extra sheen. First thing that came to mind for this look was being swept by a vicious rain storm which in Japanese is known as Arashi (嵐).

I like experimenting with props too. Great way to add some vavavoom to nude images! Robin produced a small round convexed mirror he put on the floor for me to look into while I am kneeling on the mat. This time I wanted to add a little humour in it by making faces to the mirror. And I love the scary one Robin produced in which I am going nuts, tearing my hair out!

Next, Robin placed another mirror on the floor. It was a rectangle one on which I was to stand on the sides of it with my legs apart! However, there is a logo or printed pattern in the middle of the mirror so my "bits" are concealed. Then we used a mini Noh mask (Japanese theatrical mask). I sat on the tatami with my legs apart but having the mask in front of me so you can't see. The sky's the limit when it comes to props! The next time I shoot with him, I would like to bring along some simple Japanese ornament or object. In fact for a while, I did regret bringing along a Hello Kitty soft toy, thinking it would be quite Japanese... clutching it like a lost child.

We called it a day, but we were both happy with the shoot. It was very relaxed, no rushing and I got to also see the results on screen. They were beautiful! As Robin is a skilled photographer, not much editing was necessary except for the odd cropping. He even holds the record for turning all the images around and sending them to me the very next day! Unfortunately I was very busy those weeks and couldn't share them sooner. I am in the middle of uploading them on Flickr and will be adding much more as soon as possible.

Thank you so much, Robin, for this enjoyable shoot. I would definitely like to work with you again when I'm back from Japan in mid-March. By then, we'll have more inspiration when I'm freshly back from there. Look forward to it!!

For more beautiful work of Robin de Goede, click onto his website!!
More pics available on Flickr

"Open White" Shoot with Antonio Taccone

I still do visit the U.K. from time to time since shifting my residence to the Netherlands. Becoming exhausted with traveling extensively around the country like I used to (getting too old!), I now shoot in London only, where I go every month to visit my mother. I was therefore very lucky that my schedule happened to coincide with that of Antonio Taccone, a professional photographer visiting from Italy for work! Antonio contacted me out of the blue on Model Mayhem and invited me to shoot with him. Apart from capturing beautiful images with the most gorgeous models, he also works for the world's major photo and press agencies. Impressed with his credentials and his wonderful work, I was most chuffed he wanted to collaborate with me!

The main thrust of the shoot was his project called Open White. Involving the use of high-key lighting and infinite white background, the images would all be in black and white but with soft textures. Antonio's inspiration evolved from a film called "Open Water" in which two submarines were abandoned in the middle of a sea. Just as the subs themselves were lost in the blue, the models were to be lost in the white. He imaginatively described the project as: "the body is present, visible but there is only a feeling; the most important is the look and the face of the model. An elegant, intimate portrait." The Open White theme was to be primarily nude but involving one item with which we could use as a prop. Taking a look at some of his samples, I couldn't wait to pursue this! We agreed to shoot on 2 December 2011.

Prior to the shoot, Antonio briefed me on the preparation. I was instructed to bring a favorite item with which we could use as prop as well as some black lingerie. I chose a long string of pearls which would blend perfectly with the soft mood. As we were doing a high-key lit B&W shoot, I was advised to wear light make-up, more precisely sky-blue or crystal-violet eyeshadow and magenta lipstick. No reds or yellows, I was told, as this would make it difficult to adjust the color tones of the images without affecting the skin tone during the editing process. Even as a trained make-up artist, I never knew this. Wow, you do learn a new thing everyday!

Antonio picked me up from Wembley Park tube station in London. Despite his professional experience, he was a very unassuming, hospitable and a warm-hearted gentleman and I immediately felt at ease. We chatted about Italy as I shared some of my travelling experience there. We walked to his hotel, whilst shopping by Tesco's on the way to pick up some snacks. Once we arrived there, we had some bite to eat whilst preparing the set. We used the two single beds which we pushed together to make a big one, all covered with white sheets and scattered with huge white pillows. Then Antonio initiated an "introductory" warm-up shoot to help me loosen up as well as for him to get an idea of of my natural expressions and from which angle to best capture me.

I admired the way in which Antonio was direct and precise in his directions. It shows he knows what he wants out of the images and his determination to create the best quality. Whilst shooting we also experimented on me posing from various angles from the light and different distances from the camera. Antonio, in the middle of a set, also downloaded the images on his laptop from which we would assess what sort of images worked and how we could improve on them. Plus I get to see how well the results turn out! I also had a lot of fun observing how he cropped the images and manipulated the lighting on photoshop which didn't need much doing anyhow. Most importantly, he emphasized on blurring out the "explicit bits" to create a subtly erotic mood with facial expressions being the main focus.

We worked on various nude images with single props being used to add some accent. The feeling of being "lost" in the white and clutching onto the one item we treasure. First was the pearl necklace. Then I had a pair of stilettos which I used to take on and off, as if I were "undressing" in the nude. I also had a black faux-fur scarf which I cuddled in. We even worked with my mobile phone (along with the bling-bling Hello Kitty cover) with which I had to pretend to be taking photos of myself whilst pulling my panties to one side and teasingly exposing myself little.

It was very ingenious of Antonio to suggest doing the lingerie sets at the end of the shoots. Most of the time, it is the other way around as we feel the need to build comfort and rapport covered up initially before stripping off. However the disadvantage is that tighter clothing, especially bras or fishnet hosiery, leave pressed marks onto the skin, taking hours to fade.

We called it a day after 3 productive hours. Although the shoot was so intense which left me exhausted, it was worth every minute. We hit it off really well and, in fact, I must've made quite an impression on him as he text me the following day and asked me if I wanted to shoot with him on Sunday too! It was of course an offer I couldn't refuse so I went along. As I was already accustomed to Antonio already, I felt more relaxed for this second shoot. This time, I brought a pretty Japanese folding fan. Although he asked me to bring a corset, I didn't have one with me in London, so I brought along a pair of stockings with suspenders.

On both occasions, I thoroughly enjoyed working with Antonio. From what he had shown me, I am very pleased with the results. He has given me a couple of edited images right after the shoot, and I look forward to receiving more. I hope to be working with him again when he is visiting London next. Thanks so much, Antonio, for your time and for creating some beautiful images!

For more of Antonio's work, have a look at his website!

Kinbaku Experience in Tokyo

As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do. So I took the opportunity whilst in Japan in October to indulge in the ultimate Kinbaku experience. I'm not always certain whether Kinbaku or Shibari would be more appropriate to use, but Wikipedia suggests that Kinbaku literally means "tight binding" and that Kinbaku-bi means "the beauty/art of tight binding", whereas Shibari was a word coined in the West in the 1990s to merely mean "(to) tie". Thus from now on, I should really be referring Japanese rope bondage as "Kinbaku".

I got in touch with the rigger from Fetlife. He is known as Nuitdetokyo, a very well-mannered and intelligent Frenchman who has been living in Japan for decades. We got in touch through Fetlife when I was announcing my arrival to Tokyo to seek social events and make some new friends. Nuitdetokyo practises Kinbaku as a pastime and works closely with well-known Kinbaku-shi (riggers) in Japan.

With the Kinbaku experience of course came the photoshoot. Nuitdetokyo was very kind to arrange one with a young but experienced German photographer called Thomas who was living in Tokyo, and the date was set for Sunday 2 October 2011 at Nuitdetokyo's studio. He picked me up at Akebonobashi subway station. Just as in our correspondence on Fetlife, he was a very pleasant gentleman. He even bought us all some delicious take-away sushi

and Japanese sweets (wa-gashi) we can all have for lunch which was most generous of him.

Arriving at his place, which was a spacious Japanese-style house, I was introduced to his friend who helped me. I was to choose an outfit from the closet, and naturally I chose a yukata. We had some coffee and some food and was ready to roll!

After discussions over lighting and scenery, we found a perfect spot. It was the tokonoma, or an alcove few inches above ground typically found in Japanese rooms to display ornaments and scrolls of caligraphy paintings. Nuitdetokyo proceeded in tying me up with the rope. I was most impressed at his skill at doing it at quick succession with one frame of tying after another, while Thomas captured the images from various angles.

I have to say I noticed a difference how things are done in Japan. For instance, I was surprised to see how in Japan the ropework looks more haphazard and uneven at times whereas in say Europe it tends to be more symetrical, some involving meticulous weaving or coloured ropes! I believe this is because in Japan, focus is made more on the bondage rather than trying to create effect through pretty patterns or the artwork of the tying. In Japan, it's more about the bondage itself and the whole picture which creates the art.

We did about three sets in total. After the tokonoma set, we did a floor series where I'd be sitting down and getting tied up on the floor and then ending up lying down (first picture) with my hands bound from behind and gagged with both knees bent and tied up which is known as futo-momo (thick thighs).

The final one was me eventually getting suspended. It was a bit of a challenge for me as I was being suspended from behind whilst still standing and with one leg further being further bound in futo-momo style. In the past, much of the suspension involved me lying down either on my back or my side which tends to even out the weight and hence be more comfortable. At some point, I might have moved my right arm which caused the rope to get displaced and poke into my radial nerve and cause it to numb.

A few sessions with the local accupunturist and positive attitude helped heal the trapped nerve. In fact,

when I clicked my hand suddenly whilst practicing with a whip for fun, the nerve somewhat "snapped into place" accelerating the healing. It only took a few weeks for the hand to recover completely but this is the risk one takes when doing rope bondage. Nuitdetokyo was very kind and sympathetic when I voiced my concerns and in fact took his time to analyse the injury through the pictures taken. The next time I become involved in Kinbaku, we need to be more observant!

Despite this, I was very pleased with the results of the photoshoot. Thomas captured the images so effectively by shooting from different and the correct angles. He knew exactly what is expected from a Kinbaku session in which he must get the lighting right from the start and be very quick to snap the photos. All the photos he processed came out so beautifully. Many thanks to both of them for this challenging experience!

Although Thomas has returned to Germany, I do look forward to catching up with Nuitdetokyo again when I'm in Tokyo next.

For more photos of this wonderful shoot, please click on to my Flickr page

A Day in Nagoya with Shogunmaster

Oops sorry for this long break again! I was ill with a nasty cold the last couple of weeks. Then got busy with stuff I had put off doing as was too ill to bother. Still got a few more shoots in Japan to blog about which am sure you're all dying to read! This time, I'll be writing about my shoot in Nagoya, where I arranged to stop by on my way back from a family visit in Osaka. Jeffrey Johnson, otherwise known as "Shogunmaster" is an American photographer based there with whom I connected through Fetlife and then began corresponding on Facebook. Whilst an expert on event photography, such as car and fashion shows, he also photographs models. I really like his outdoors work especially as he takes advantage of the typically "Japanese metropolis" be it all the tall buildings or the street. Before leaving for Japan, we scheduled our shoot for 28 September 2011.
I took a shinkansen (Bullet Train), a smooth one hour journey, from Osaka to Nagoya, where Jeff picked me up. He was just as friendly, gregarious and funny as his conversations were on Facebook and we both hit it off immediately. Lugging all our bags on this warm sunny day, we took the metro to the city centre for some coffee. It was well over 20°C which was unusually warm for late September and I was still in my shorts and tank-top! I myself have been to Nagoya once when I was a kid but don't remember much of it. Still it was a friendly city, much like Tokyo in terms of scenery though on a smaller scale.

After coffee, we walked to an office block where I got changed in the public toilet. I disappeared in my scruffy sweaty backpacker attire and reappeared looking like a princess in a hot-pink strapless body-con evening dress with sequined ruffles in the front. I felt like Cinderella! The dress was designed and made Farzana Warasta, one of my closest friends in Amsterdam. Then we wandered off to a parking lot in one of the smaller streets, where there were some grafitti on the walls. We did quite a few fashion shoots there whilst adding some humour with me posing with a "No Parking" cone in Japanese.

Next was another Love Hotel shoot! We arrived to the one that Jeff had in mind but discovered that it was temporarily shut down for refurbishment. So we walked further and found another place. Once in there, we proceeded doing quite a few sets of some goodies Jeff had brought with him. One of them was a cute T-shirt that said "Don't take my photos!!" which we used as a warm-up shoot. Then was a chongsam Chinese dress and a cute frilly lingerie set.

I was dying to do a Uniform Fetish as well. Knowing that Jeff had served in the U.S. Army in Korea prior to coming to Japan, I coaxed him into bringing some of his old uniforms along. The trousers though were just too big for me so we improvised by throwing on the shirt with the cap and combining this with the same blue fishnet hold-ups with matching blue knickers I had worn with the previous set. Now that's sexy! Then Jeff produced an American flag he had kept from his army days, all neatly folded up. I posed behind it in nude although I was initially reluctant to as I didn't want to show any disrespect, but Jeff didn't seem to mind. Living in Europe and hence more exposed to things British, doing something "American" was such a great change!

We called it a day at the hotel. Then we roamed around to look for a hotel for me to stay in that evening and finally found one at reasonable rates. It was approaching sunset and we thought it would be a great idea to shoot at Oasis 21. This building is a huge recreational and commercial complex right in downtown, providing a massive view of modern Nagoya. Still a very warm evening, I was still dressed in my denim shorts and tank top and decided that a "casual fashion" shoot would be an idea. Personally, I thought this set was the best of the day's shoot most likely because I felt more at ease as the weather was cooling down and I was enjoying the fresh air and space around me. Plus, the lighting and the composition of the resulting images were perfect.

It was approaching dinner time and we were getting hungry. Jeff knew the guy who worked at this bar so we proceeded there for some snacks. After having been introduced to the owner, who was very friendly and accommodating, I quickly got changed in the toilet to that pretty pink evening dress I had worn earlier. I have to admit I was a little self-conscious when people were watching me get shot but as soon as I got to the bar and laid across it, I felt more myself! Naughty me...
Our final destination was a karaoke bar! Only this was quite different. It specialised in Cosplay. The bar had a closet full of funky costumes from which customers can pick and choose to wear, ranging from animé to sexy body-con clubwear to of course seira-fuku schoolgirl outfits. The place was even equipped with a tiny changing room with lockers! I wanted to see if they had a Hello Kitty outfit but alas they didn't. Still there were quite a few pretty costumes to choose from but unfortunately, I am not as slim and slightly-built like the average Japanese woman. I nevertheless managed to squeeze into a hot-looking red body-con dress for a femme-fatale look. We went out in the hallway where Jeff took some shots, then I got changed into another sexy outfit, this time with me as a Budweiser Girl in another body-con number. As I write this, I have yet to see how those photos turned out!

It has been a long but fun day of shooting in Nagoya. It is not often that I get to go there and rare for Jeff to have a visiting model from abroad, so we wanted to make the most of it. I very much enjoyed it, am well pleased with the results and look forward to working with him again when I am there next. Thank you so much for your time, Jeff, and Otsukaré-sama!

You can see more photos on this shoot on my Flickr page!

More of Jeff's awesome work can be seen on his Website...

Summertime in Amsterdam

Summertime in Amsterdam, originally uploaded by Mini Miu.

Going back to 6 months ago. Just a quick recap of my shoot last late spring in Amsterdam with Charles van Trappen on 8 May 2011. I worked with him once before 2 years ago and was so pleased with his work that I decided to go for another! Wow two years and how my style has changed. Last time, it was just swimwear, lingerie and "art nude" but this time we decided to go for something more crazy and quirky, even more daring in the nude....

And you gotta love his ideas. iPhone in front of my private bits and adding the eye on the touch screen, a straw coming out of my boobs as if I'm feeding myself milk, and brandishing a rifle half dressed in the middle of a skyscraper. Those were a few of Charles cool ideas. Yep am up for em!

At the time, I also needed some swimwear shots for my portfolio. It was a very warm spring we had, it felt like summer already. But alas, the warmth wasn't too last as a wet summer followed with days, weeks and months of rain and below-20℃ temperatures. On the day, I managed to pose in two swimwear, one green and another in teal.

I also had a make-up artist with me. Kudos to Yachar Dabboussi who was recommended by Charles. A friendly and gifted artist, she also did my hair. And I loved how she did my eyes! I normally do my own make-up and hair but I was getting in a rut with the same look so decided to try something different.

I look forward to working with Charles again soon. Though it took some weeks to get the images, I was pleased with the results, including the post-production. Worth the wait! We now need to get our thinking caps on for the next shoot and come up with some more quirky ideas. We hope to shoot again once the weather warms up. And hopefully it will be a much better summer than the last one!

Thanks, Charles and Yachar!

For more pics on this awesome shoot, please click on my Flickr page!

More of Charles' work could be seen on his Website.

"Erotic Japan" Home Shoot with David & Jordi

I had further opportunities to do erotic shoots in Japan which I've been dying to do. After all, Japan is the home for erotica in the Eastern hemisphere! This time, it was to be entirely "Japanese", so to speak, at the comfort of my family's apartment in Tokyo. Enter Spanish professional photographer David Rodriguez Toro who resides in Japan. We managed to connect through mutual friends on Facebook and been corresponding for a few months. Observing his work, I noticed he focuses a lot on creativity with a slight surreal twist which makes it all the more interesting. He was accompanied by another budding photographer, Jordi Olaria Jané, whom David has been taking under his wing. And what wonderful guys they were!

Initially I wanted to do a shoot in a forest nearby where David lives, in the outskirts of Tokyo. He has done a few in the past there and thought I would be daring enough as well myself to try it. In Japan, it is forbidden to be nude in public so it would've been the ultimate thrill for me. However, David expressed his preference to come over to our apartment in Tokyo and shoot, especially as we have a Japanese room equipped with tatami mat floor, windows with shoji doors, oshiire sliding closet and a tokonoma corner. I must admit I was a little gutted not being able to do a nude shoot outdoors but it turned out for even better!

I had a few yukata's I purchased from a local charity shop. At this point, I was unsure about using my family heirloom kimonos mum kept very carefully, especially for something as explicit as an erotic shoot. Perhaps one day I'd like to a proper traditional kimono shoot, complete with hair and make-up, when I find someone that could give me a hand...

I picked up David and Jordi at Meguro train station and took a short bus ride to our apartment. Interestingly enough both felt more confident speaking in Japanese than English, and even with my limited Spanish which I had learnt at night school years ago, they still preferred to communiate in Japanese. Both were initially quite shy but eventually we all became comfortable with one another. And very polite and professionally-mannered they were!

We started with a warm-up shoot. I would be hidden behind the net curtains sitting on the window ledge, almost nude but partly covered up with a white and blue yukata. After David had taken a few shots, it was Jordi's turn. He had this ingenious idea of me fiddling around with my clothes on the washing line, namely my bra and panties. It added to the contrast of Western-style lingerie with the traditional Japanese attire I was wearing. David then developed this idea of throwing the white bra on the floor and photographing it amidst the reflected lines from shadows of the curtains. It was the only image during our shoot that would be permissible on Facebook!

Once we all felt comfortable, we got down to business! Whilst semi-dressed in the same yukata, I got tied shibari-style with a rope in the form of a chest harness. David is not a professional rigger so it was of course quite loosely done and clearly for effect. We naturally chose the tatami room as our set, close to the window for the light and of course because we wanted to display also the shoji, which are the traditional inner doors with latticed wooden frames covered in white paper. I lay on the tatami floor looking serene yet sensual despite being bound in rope. Am I to enjoy it? Or am I to accept in despair? That's open to the viewer's interpretation.

Next set, I changed into a more formal-looking yukata. A colourfully reddish pretty one. Still using the same tatami room, we abandoned the shibari-style bondage and continued with erotic poses as we aimed to focus on the beauty of the outfit. At one point we also shot some POV (point of view) shoots where David would be my "partner" and putting his hand on me. I don't normally let photographers touch me at all, but we agreed that this was for merely for effect and considering David's status as a professional photographer in Japan and with Jordi in the room, I knew I could trust the guy completely. And I must say the images turned out beautifully!

Now to the the third set. We decided to take advantage of the apartment balcony overlooking the residential neighbourhood. I changed into another outfit, and this time it was the under-garment of a kimono, a lightweight flowery pink cotton gown. In the old days, we didn't wear knickers & bras under our outfits! We wore instead these under-garments for warmth in the winter and for protecting our clothes from perspiration in the summer. I gather that David read my mind as we decided to shoot me discreetly flashing with my back to the outside world. And boy was that fun! I was in fact determined to do at least one naughty outdoors nude shoot before leaving Japan. My disappointment at not being able to shoot nude in the forest immediately disappeared. This was even better! I've done plenty of nude forest shoots in the past anyways so it was a great change to do one with the scene of Tokyo behind me.

And the final set. Naked me standing inside a closet full of clothes! Being in Japan, it was a rather small closet, so small in fact that even I had to bend over and get into it. The floor of the closet was made of thin wood so I had to be extra careful treading inside it in case my big foot went through it made a big hole. Nevertheless, the image turned out rather well although all the clothes were in plastic garment covers.

By then we decided to call it a day. I thoroughly enjoyed working with David and Jordi. Though David was mainly shooting, I was more than happy to have Jordi shoot me as well as he wishes to gain experience working with models and expand his portfolio. Much of his work has been focused on events and places. All the best to him! David has a good eye for artistic photography so I was very excited to work with him as he has brilliant ideas and captures them beautifully. When I'm in Tokyo again next year, I would definitely work with them again! Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to the next one!!

For more pics from this beatiful shoot, please click onto my Flickr page!

More of David's work can be seen on his website.
Jordi's work can also be seen on his Flickr page

Going Underground in Tokyo with James Drew

So my first two photoshoots in Tokyo involved street fashion, both daytime and evening. For the third shoot, though, I decided to exploit the wild and wicked side of me by entering into Japan's erotica realm. Interestingly, Japan keeps pornography under wraps as seen in all the "pixilated bits" in magazines and films, and even I, the uber-exhibitionist I am, was not prepared to risk taking my kit off in public as I otherwise would in Europe and UK. That said, with love hotels casually scattered even in the most upscale residential areas, and places like the lively Kabuki-cho curiously managing to avoid oozing the sort of sleaze seen in Europe's red light districts, I must say the country is an interesting paradox.

For that reason, I couldn't wait to do some erotic shoots in Japan. And what setting could be more perfect than those love hotels! So what is a "love hotel", you ask. Almost comparable to motels in the U.S., it is where couples can cheaply rent a room for either a few hours (or overnight) when one's own home is not possible. Enough said! Having shot in a luxurious 5-star Hilton in Brussels as well as a 70s-style decor Travelodge in Gloucester, I figured love hotels would the Japanese alternative to a "sleazy motel" set. Seedy yet luxurious, and the gaudier the better. One such photographer who made this possible was James Drew (known as Kakko-eroi), an American living in Tokyo.

We somewhat connected throug h Flickr a few years ago when I came across his work. Edgy yet sensual, his photos somewhat portray a mysterious underground vibe through clever use of lens and angles and light-handed post-production manipulation like cropping and colour. As such, he successfully manages to capture traditional Japanese eroticism whilst introducing the modern Westernised ideals of "hot and sexy". So is it glamour? Is it fetish? Or erotica? I think it's hard to pigeon hole his work into one category. Whatever it was, I just couldn't wait to work with the guy!

After having put off my trip to Japan for years and hence procrastinating my shoot with James, I finally made the decision to go. Few emails exchanged, and it was as soon as I arrived in Tokyo that I contacted him. Out of courtesy, he was kind enough to invite me for lunch to introduce himself, put me at ease and discuss ideas. He was just as pleasant and friendly as he has been in his e-mails with a professional yet casual approach. So we set the shoot for that Friday, 23 September 2o11.

James picked me up at the hotel I was staying for a few days. After selecting the outfits to take along to the set, we took a taxi to a rather famous and fancy love hotel in the upmarket Azabu Juban area. Knowing his style, I grabbed some thigh high boots, heels, fishnet and PVC clothes and lingerie and slapped on some heavy eye-make up to look as bitchy as possible. And boy was I ready for some bitchy action!

Like a lot of love hotels, the place had rooms each of it's own theme and character. We were pleased to discover that the BDSM "dungeon" was available. Apart from a big bed, the room had a bondage bench and the grey concerete wall was adorned with ropes, chains, collars and whips hanging from it. We were expecting James' friend to join us later to assist with the lighting so meanwhile we decided to do a warm-up shoot with me wearing a PVC one piece micro-dress with fishnet stockings. At one point, I grabbed a ballgag from the wall but in the interest of hygiene, pretended to be biting into it rather than wear one.

As soon as his assistant arrived, I changed into another outfit. A fishnet top with attached suspender fasteners and matching fishnet knickers I had purchased earlier on at a sexshop in Shibuya. I have to say I have been amazed at the number of outrageous lingerie and abundant variety of hosiery available in Japan, though many are imported from the U.S. Either Japan has changed, or I have. We went around the hallway looking for ideal areas to shoot such as the staircase and finally landed in a narrow elevator! The glowing buttons on the wall amid the dark lighting made such an ideal background.

We went back to the room and proceeded to the next set. Now, in every hotel shoot, the toilet should never be missed! What made this one unique to the others I had done in the past was that it was a Japanese-style toilet (benjo), the one where you squat down over the hole on the floor. By then I was clad in a pair of black PVC shorts and a studded open PVC bra. And not to forget the hot-looking thigh high boots to elongate my pins! It was to be a rather voyeuristic shoot from James' viewpoint. Mockingly teasing him while I have my shorts pulled down halfway. Or giving him the "what the f*** you looking at" eyes. And I have to agree with him that the pics from this series came out the best, although I found the other sets also stunning.

And finally, we experimented with James' laser pens. Room lights would be out and a reddish filtered light for effect. James got his assistant to carefully trace the pen around me while I was being captured with a slow shutter speed. This meant staying very still for 15-30 seconds or so. Having been a life model before, I know what staying "very still" is like so it was no difficult task for me! After a few attempts, we finally nailed a few awesome ones. The chain curtains in the background added to the effect as did the sink basin behind me, giving that seedy motel vibe with the green laser light acting as a neon sign around my half-naked body. This would certainly make a great advertisement!

We decided to call it a day and walked to a nearby Teppanyaki restaurant for some dinner. With a lot of ideas brewing, we have been planning more shoots during my stay. But alas, our busy schedules clashing and his catching a flu towards the end of my short prevented this from happening. Such a shame but then again, I will have my next trip to Tokyo in the course of early 2012 to look forward to! By then, ideas will develop further, we'll be more at ease working again together and I'd be better prepared with outfits and being organised with schedules. I have yet to do a naughty Roppongi evening shoot. What I'll be up to will be a surprise so stay tuned!

Thank you so much, James for your collaboration as well as your hospitality. The pictures you have sent me are awesome, and I can't wait to receive more. You're a pleasure to work with and I look forward to the next time!

For more pictures from this saucy shoot, hit me up on my Flickr page.

And more of James' work can be seen on his Flickr page too!

It's Shibuya Chic with Asian Impressions Photography

Another coincidence! One other photographer happened to be in Tokyo on business during my stay. This time, it was American photographer Teban from Asian Impressions Photography, who is based in Seattle. We had connected some time ago through Twitter and began corresponding. Such a talented photographer with great character and witty sense of humour, I couldn't wait to work with him!

And what is it I like about his work? I really adored that he mainly specialises in photographing Asian women, whether models or the girl next door, and as such knows how to capture their natural beauty. And their beauty radiates not only from the outside but also from within. Teban clearly manages to combine the Western and Asian ideals of beauty and enhances elegance with understated sultriness.

Our schedules closely coincided and in fact, we even barely made it. Teban had already been in Tokyo for a week before I arrived. While I landed in the morning from London, his flight back to Seattle was leaving that midnight. And how crazy was I. So keen was I to shoot with him that I volunteered to work the evening of my arrival, despite an 11-hour flight and 8 time zones later! That evening, though, we had a heavy Typhoon and had to cancel. We were both gutted. But it was a blessing. His midnight flight got postponed till the following afternoon which meant I was able to catch up with some sleep and shoot the next morning! So we decided to meet at the famous Shibuya diagonal crossing on Thursday 22 September 2011.

We only had a couple of hours but it was worth every minute. Good thing about working with Teban is that minimal preparation was needed. Just turn up the way you are with natural make-up, well-groomed and wearing a smile. He likes the natural and fresh-faced. Plus no teetering around town with a rolling luggage full of clothes to change into. So I showed up in a pair of denim shorts and a floral purple hippy-chic top with diamante on the collar area. And shhhhh.... I purchased that for €10 at an Amsterdam's Albert Cuyp flea market! Finally also a pair of comfy platform wedges.

It was only 10 am, and the shops were just about to open. The streets were only half full with some people on their way to work. We walked around the main and backstreets and spontaneously shot. First the bar district, which is street leading to DIY shop "Tokyu Hands", followed by Shibuya's "Sentaa-gai" the infamous shopping street and finally the aforementioned famous Shibuya crossing. It was important that we captured the "typical Shibuya" character as background to make it as "modern Japan" as possible. Being close to 11 am and being a very sunny day, it was at times difficult to find a suitable spot with good natural light but nevertheless we managed to capture a number of beautiful images.

Although the shoot this time was rather brief, Teban travels quite a lot on business. He is expecting to be in Holland during the warmer months of next year so we intend to meet up again and shoot in Amsterdam. It will be fun! And hopefully we'll have more time then to collaborate. Thank you so much Teban for squeezing me in your tight schedule! I look forward to the next time.

For more photos on this shoot, please hit me up on my Flickr pages.

And please also feel free to check out Teban's website

Raising the Red Lantern with Sean O'Malley

So Tokyo here I am!! After 3 years of putting it all off, I finally decided it was time to visit my hometown, the place I was born, raised and left 17 years ago. During my absence, though, I began modeling and over the years gained ample experience, building my portfolio and reputation in the industry in UK and Holland. So now's the time to expand in Japan!! How strange it feels... I now beam with pride yet blush with embarrassment being referred to "Miu, that model visiting from Europe". But I have to say, I'm enjoying this 3 weeks of fame!

During my journey, there were a couple of photographers though who happened to be in Japan on business. It was sheer coincidence that London-based photographer, Sean O'Malley, happened to be in town, which I discovered when looking at the casting calls on Model Mayhem before I had left. I had the pleasure of shooting with him two years ago at the Bunker group shoot near North London and remember him to be a polite and professionally-mannered photographer. In fact, it was the first time I wore a corset back then ,and I recall how sweet he was, being very concerned as I couldn't breathe and felt I was going to faint! This time, though, we decided to do a pure fashion shoot incorporating the Tokyo nightlife. The date was set for Thursday, 22 September 2011.

Initially, Sean suggested that we shoot near his hotel along the water front and then in his room. However we decided we wanted to take advantage of being in Tokyo and thought it would be an idea to include a "typical" Japanese setting such as street signs in Japanese and all the bright neon signs. He came up with Akasaka-mitsuke, an upscale street lined with bars and restaurants, as well as Japanese entertainment establishments like pachinko parlours and "hostess" bars, which are somewhat unique to Japan.

Despite the rain following the typhoon the night before, we went ahead with the plan. After all, we're both from the UK so accustomed to "a little rain won't hurt us"! We met at Akasaka-mitsuke subway station, and as Sean had only a couple of hours, we paced up and down the bar district searching for perfect spots and shooting whenever a suitable one came by. I loved the way Sean would occasionally twist his camera sideways to "blur" the background and create some quirkiness in the image. Through manipulating the settings, though, the subject (me) would still stay in focus.

During the shoot I had two outfit changes. Both of the evening wear were designed and made by my friend in Holland, Farzana Warasta. I have previously shot quite a number of times with her dresses because I love how they flatter my build and of course, the colours are so beautiful! The first outfit was a black tube dress with gold specks on it fastened with a thick gold chain to add some bling-bling to it. The second outfit was a vibrant cobalt blue halter dress with frills, one of my favourites. They certainly went very well with Tokyo's colourful nightlife!

Sean was so kind to invite me for a bite to eat. We had some Taiwanese food, which is spicy and delicious. Intelligent and articulate, he was very interesting to speak to and he seems to enjoy his day job involving computer games. After the shoot, we hopped onto a taxi to Shinagawa station near where his hotel was. We even continued shooting during the ride! Now that was quite cool. I was to be sitting relaxed with the background of Tokyo city passing by among the neon lights while the cab was moving.

This was the first time I've done an outdoors shoot in the evening. And in Tokyo of all places! I have never even done one in London! Perhaps when am back there, it would be something to consider about doing, perhaps in Soho or by the Thames. Amsterdam would be good too, in where else but the Red Light District!

Sean was very quick at producing the results. He said he was too impatient! Considering only 36 hours or so passed since stepping off the plane from London with an 8-hour time difference from Tokyo, I must say I was quite amazed how much better the pictures turned out than I had expected. Thank you so much Sean for this wonderful opportunity. It's always wonderful to do shoot something different, especially abroad!

For more pics on this shoot, please click on my FLICKR PAGE!

Elegantly Erotic with Helyos Photography

Again my apologies for not updating my whatabouts. A lot of preparation for my present Tokyo Tour! Just before leaving, I had the pleasure of working with the photographer behind Helyos Photography, an Italian living in Hengelo, Holland, near the German border. He found me on Deviant Art, where I have a profile, and asked if we could work together. I was most chuffed as his work is most outstanding and so well thought out. Much of his work involves fine art nudity focussing on the beauty of the female form which very few photographers manage to capture. We set the date for Saturday 10 September 2011.

The train ride from Amsterdam was two hours but it was well worth the trip. When picked up at Hengelo station, I was rather surprised to notice how much younger the photographer was than I had imagined. Yet he was certainly very pleasant and intelligent with a very mature and professional attitude towards his work. I immediately felt at ease with him. We walked to his flat about 10 minutes walk where the "studio" was.

The set was a simple yet effective one. A futon bed was plonked in the corner of his lounge by the balcony which gave ample natural light. With white as the intended background, the futon was covered by a soft white sheet and scattered with a couple of big white fluffy cushions to add more structure and dimension. The whiteness gave a crispy edge to the images especially amid my tanned complexion and black cloth used as a prop. We started with a warm up shoot, typically in which I wore some lingerie. The bulk of the shoot though was all nude. I also asked if I could do some "anonymous" close ups of body parts which he was happy to do.

The photographer was a perfectionist and very meticulous in his work. Knowing exactly what he wanted, he gave me detailed directions on where exactly to lie down or place my hands or feet. I was more than happy to oblige because I too wanted to have perfect results! We also experimented with various poses which we got inspired through other people's work we saw on Deviant Art. We realised that some didn't work but also modified them to suit my stature. We shot for a few good hours...

I have been receiving the results bit by bit as he edits them. So far I've been extremely elated with the images! His post-production skills are also to be commended. I love how he softens the black/white contrast to give a more velvet feel to the image. It really makes the explicit poses look so much more sophisticated.

We plan on working together again soon. I can't wait! For this shoot, I do recall him asking me to bring some Japanese kimono which I didn't have so I may pick up a yukata or a cloth on my way back to Amsterdam. I thoroughly enjoy working with creative photographers and exchanging ideas. That's a true Artiste! Thank you so much for your time and for producing such beautiful work of art.

For more images from this shoot, please browse through my Flickr page!

Miu is in Uniform in Antwerp!

What a pleasant change to go back to fetish shoots! It's nice to get my creative self back on the track. For the third time, I had the pleasure of shooting with Joris Bruyninkcx over in Antwerp on 24 August 2011. A year has passed since we worked together for the first time! Since then, we also shot in Brussels, if you recall some of the daring ones I had done at the train station and the hallway and lifts at the Hilton Hotel!

Joris picked me up at Antwerp Berchem station and this time, took us to a derelict school building. How he finds these places is a complete mystery to me but I hear that derelict buildings in Belgium are, unlike Holland and the UK, not as difficult to come by. All I was instructed was to bring a long were two pairs of shoes, one black & one white, along with black and white lingerie sets with matching stockings & suspenders. I was very curious to find out what Joris had in his goody bag this time!

There were to be three scenarios. The first two were with me in a nurse's uniform, while the last one with me as a schoolgirl. Unlike these cheesy imitiations one gets at "Fancy Dress" shops, these are genuine uniforms sourced through Joris' connections with the theatre industry. The only thing he did was make the nurse's caps by white cardboard!

And wow, the venue was so perfect! An old school building complete with grafitti and even the blackboard still had writing on it! So eerie and scary indeed. When we entered, there was another photographer shooting at one of the classrooms so it must be a popular spot as well! The ground though was rather wet and muddy, and I was secretly cringing as the only pair of white shoes I have in Amsterdam is a brand-new designer one! But oh well, they can be wiped after use, and besides, it's worth the wear for this photoshoot!

For the first nurse outfit, I was to be cute, sweet and glamour-like. So underneath the uniform was a pair of white stockings and suspenders for added naughtiness. Later on, I was to get my hands tied up on the doorknob with some rope, looking helpless.

The second nurse's set wast to be the complete opposite! Joris had already prepared the nurse's tunic by painting some red spots on them to make them look like blood. The tunic was then tied from the back revealing my backside. With the outfit came a pair of white over-the-knee socks with a Red Cross on the base. I was then handed over with a chainsaw, pretending I've just about killed someone. So psycho nurse I was!

The final set was of me in a schoolgirl uniform! In the past, Joris' shoot of me dressed in a Japanese seira-fuku and in a Belgian private-school uniform was a real hit. I apparently play the role of a naughty schoolgirl quite well. That's because I was naughty when I was a schoolgirl, that's why! Joris provided me with an American Catholic School uniform which he found on eBay. And what to wear underneath it? A pair of white panties of course! What fun that was. I think it was my favourite set, as it not only brought back childhood memories, but having gone to a strict snotty Catholic school myself, helped released all the repression and smack in the middle of a classroom!

We continued this school uniform set at a construction site where Joris drove us. The next venue was a hut which looked like it was built from a huge container. Funnily enough, we were able to see trucks driving in and out from a distance, and despite shooting at visible locations, all were quite oblivious to what was going on, even during the scene where I was to sit on the floor and mischievously pull my knickers off. We recalled that the first time we shot at a derelict site a year, the police walked in on us!

To conclude the day, we did some topless lingerie shots. From fetish to glamour! I wore a pair of black/red knickers that had suspenders attached, along with a pair of black stockings. Unfortunately, we couldn't take our time over this set as Joris had to pick his children up and I had a train to catch. But we know there's always going to be a next time!

The train ride back to Amsterdam took 4 hours, about twice as long as going to Antwerp. Due to technical problems, we had to hop on a slow train and change near the border and wait for 45 minutes for the connecting train back home. I must say I was miraculously not even stressed as I thought about what a fun shoot I had and how it was worth this adventurous journey! Thank you, Joris, for making it enjoyable again! Can't wait to shoot with you yet again soon!!!

For more of Miu's images for this shoot, please go to Flickr:

Naughty Nurse
Psycho Nurse
Naughty Schoolgirl

"Near Horsham" Group Shoot

It was good coming back to the UK for the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Our last ditch attempt to fit in as many swimwear and poolside shots as this dreary summer of 2011 allowed us to. This time, it was at a huge privately-owned estate which was quite local to our soon-to-be old home in Horsham, and kudos go to Barney Douglas for arranging it for Sunday 28 August 2011. About 3-4 cars were arranged for this shoot as was unlimited access to the poolside and the surrounding vast estate owned by a wonderful family who was so kind and hospitable.

There were about 12 models and photographers each. I had the opportunity to shoot with 7 amazing photographers for a 50-minute slot each, including

Andy Thomas (Black swimwear & boots around poolside and cars. See above pic)

David Elliot (Lingerie around the gardens and even abandoned tractor)

Fabio Sceac (Orange leopard print then blue bikini by the pool and in greenhouse)

Barney Douglas (Domme look, followed by purple lingerie and then nude in the forest!)

Paul Crusier (Mao cap with red bikini, then art nude, followed by pink tights around the estate)

Joe Kay (black cocktail dress fashion followed by duo shoot in black shorts & basque)

Doug Waghorn (Red PVC dress fetish fashion in gardens and snooker room)

The final shoot was what Barney calls "Daft Group Shoot". Prior to the day the models were all instructed to bring an old tight T-shirt and some kitchen scissors. It was to be a surprise so when the moment came, we were all instructed to jump in the pool in our "wet T-shirts", form a line and bob up and down while the photographers snapped away. Initially I was rather apprehensive about it as I am sensitive to chlorine but I thought a few minutes won't hurt. And I'm glad I did it! In fact it was the highlight of the day!!

Though I have yet to see all the results from the shoot, I thought I'd share this day with you. As I get the edited copies, I will be posting them up on Flickr so keep your eyes open for them! Thanks to Barney and also all the photographers I worked with. It was also great to meet some new faces, including all the young and budding models. Wish em all the best! Also many thanks to the wonderful car owners and the family who kindly let their beautiful property for the day!

Red Light District Shoot with Kat & Phil

I had one of the funnest shoots in Amsterdam, smack in the middle of the infamous Red Light District! I somehow discovered photographer Philip Romeyn (Philostar) through another model called Kat (known as "Dame Noire"). Funny thing is, Kat works at a fetish shop which my friends and I frequent, but she had no idea that I was a model until she found me on Model Mayhem! I saw one of the pictures of her I liked and immediately contacted Phil to see if we could shoot together.

Luckily, Phil got in touch soon and suggested we do a shoot with Kat. She would be a dominatrix while I am a pet-girl sub. Now I'm quite picky with which models I work with, especially when it comes to role-playing, but I was honoured to shoot with her. With her long jet-black hair and striking features, Kat, from Slovakia but living in Holland, has the ideal looks of a domme. Besides, it's also nice to make some friends out here so I thought why not? Although the shooting date had been set for 28 May 2011, I visited her shop for some coffee and a chat. And what I sweetie she is! I was initially quite intimidated by her but once we got talking, I discovered what a good laugh she was, gregarious and bubbly. I couldn't wait to work with her!

We decided to shoot in the upstairs area of Kat's shop where she worked. Upstairs is a playroom/dungeon furnished with pulleys and a bondage chair with a huge window which was an ideal setting. I met up with Phil downstairs. I must say I was rather surprised to notice how much younger he was than I had imagined! Although serious about his photography, he was just as bubbly and funny with plenty of joie de vie. All three of us hit it off immediately.

After some coffee, chit chat and applying make-up, we got started. Phil created a sort of chest harness on me using some white industrial cellophane. With the spring being warm and sunny, I managed to get some tan which went really well with the white! Then I was to be tied to it from the back with my hands tied behind to a pulley suspension. Initially, I had my white knickers on but eventually removed it. Kat on the other hand, was clad all in black latex and a pair of amazing platform thigh high boots. I was to look oppressed while she was to look mean! We also did a few shots of me on all fours like a pet-dog and gagged as well as handcuffed with the tape, where Kat was to be tugging me from behind as if the tape were a leash.

We also had some time later to do some solo sets each. Kat some "Ooze Girl" shorts she wanted to shoot with for a friend. After she was done, it was my go but his time, I was to turn my cowering sub act off and replace it with the scary bitchy domme look. Kat was very sweet and kind enough to lend me her latex gear consisting of bra, underbust and suspenders. They fit perfectly! Luckily I had a pair of fishnet stockings and black stilettos at hand. Then it was climbing on the huge windowsill and looking down to the camera looking mean. And not to forget turning around and facing the window with my back towards the camera to show off my backside! From this time on, Phil would now jokingly refer to me as "Hiney Girl".

This was the few of many shoots where I had so much fun! It was very casual and chilled and despite that we churned out some seriously great images. Though I have been busy, I plan to make more time to meet up with Kat more often and drop by her store. It's just a 10 minute walk there! As with me and Phil, we were scheduled to shoot in July outdoors but with the rainy summer had to postpone it. We are due to shoot in October-end. Though it will be colder, I am up for shooting with Phil whatever the weather any day! Thanks guys for all your time. I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Getting All Shirty with Adi Dewey

In another one of my UK trips, I travelled to Peterborough too. There I had the opportunity to shoot with commercial photographer Adi Dewey who discovered me on Purestorm. His words were: "Gutted you're so far away" and after having looked at his work, I must say I was quite chuffed. Much of Adi's work is based around combining sexy and sultry fashion with the more edgy and classy side of glamour. I also have to add he works with the most beautiful models so I was pleasantly surprised he even contacted me! It certainly was going to be worth the one hour journey from London. The date was set for 7 June 2011.

Adi picked me up from the station. Despite his top talent as photographer, he is such a polite and gentle down-to-earth guy. We got along very well! He has a two-room studio in a building also shared with another photographer and a hairdresser, the place all spacious, tidy and looking very professional. Throughout the shoot, Adi was extremely pleasant and knew exactly what he was doing especially with the lighting and positioning of camera.

We spent the afternoon shooting me in various outfits. It was such a pleasant change not to have to be tied up or gagged or clad in boots and whip, let alone to take my kit off! It was all very clean and vanilla or better described as "Facebook friendly". As seen in the above photo, the most daring was of me in black underwear, no bra and an open black shirt! I also posed in lingerie, swimwear and also with a pair of emerald green tights and necklace. As I post this blog, I am still waiting for those images. I realise that Adi is busy with his paid work and prefers to take his time to produce top quality images. I do look forward to them and am sure it'll be worth the wait!

Thanks, Adi, for setting some time aside for me. Can't wait for more stuff from you!!!