It's All Black & White with Edwin van Wier

I apologise again for this long gap in my blog. The past few weeks or so I have been busy with personal matters such as visits from family and friends and sorting out our new house. So busy I was that I had to put my modelling on hold as my mind too was not with it. April saw a wave of visitors from the UK but luckily I managed to squeeze in a shoot in one of the days between the visits. After all, I also needed a break and figured a shoot would be a good distraction!

I shot for the first time in about a month last week. Amsterdam-based photographer Edwin van Wier (known as Wierdeu on Model Mayhem) and I were speaking of a shoot for a few years when I was travelling back and forth UK and NL. Somehow, the shoot never happened but since I moved here, we finally managed to find the time on 27 April 2011.

Finding a venue was easy. As opposed to the UK, it is not unusual for togs in Holland to have their own studios. Most British togs for instance shoot on location, at the model's place or their own place where they make a makeshift studio in their own garage or lounge. In Holland, togs take advantage of the "anti-squatters" scheme in which they rent cheaply empty offices from the council in exchange for occupying them to deter squatters. Edwin had his studio in the west part of Amsterdam.

It was a 20-minute tram ride and a 10 minute or so walk to the studio. Edwin greeted me outside the building, and despite me being slightly delayed, he was just as funny and friendly as he was during our correspondence by e-mail and Facebook. However, I did not quite expect him to be 2 metres tall! He led me to his studio which quite spacious and we had a cup of tea whilst chatting. We talked about how well I'm adapting to life in Holland (I also lived here in the mid-90's) and how familiar he was with Japan as he worked with the Japanese. Edwin does some underwater photography but unfortunately we need a swimming pool for this either by renting one for a few hours or being rich enough to afford one at home!

We began the shoot by doing portraits and headshots. In hindsight, it would've been better had we done a warm up shoot first or leaving them till the last set. It was my first time shooting for a month, let alone with a new tog, and with anyone I

shoot for the first time, I need time till I felt at ease. I couldn't figure out what kind of mood he wanted, and my nervousness showed in the pictures. Oh well, next time we'll know!

Edwin and I were intending to churn out black & white images this time. Thus, all I brought were black or white outfits or outfits that had black and white patterns. So in the next set

where he suggested a white brickwall background, I put on some black lingerie and a sheer black blouse with a pearl choker and matching earings and bracelets. By then, I was more relaxed and in my comfort zone because as Edwin rightly suggested, I was back to my "own style". The mood was rather semi-lowkey with a bright light on one side.

For the next set, I thought I'd switch to a white outfit. White bra and sheer knickers with a fishnet top. Thanks for these last few sunny days, I was able to get a little colour so took the opportunity to show it off by wearing white. Though I prefer the set with the black outfit, I was still pleased to see how this set turned out. Even with the white background, the lighting was perfect as it greyed out the background and enhanced the white of the outfit and my tan!

It was good two hour or so of shooting. As we are both local, though, it's very likely we will meet again and shoot. Perhaps next time, I'll be better prepared and more at ease so we could exchange more ideas. So after quickly packing up, we left together but went our seperate ways. He had his own scooter while I was taking the tram back from Lelyland station. While I was walking half a block, Edwin beckoned me to hop on his scooter as he was concerned about my safety. It was getting a tad dark and rather eerie, and the west part of Amsterdam is not the most affluent, though I have to say even the roughest areas are not as life-threatening than parts of UK. Still the offer was appreciated, and I was pleased to find that the first tram that was coming was the one heading for home.

Thank you so much Edwin for this short and sweet shoot! I hope I wasn't too awkward with you, and I would definitely like to work with you again. For more amazing work by Edwin, please click onto his website.

Skoolz Out for Miu with Karma Monero

Hah, for change, I actually kept my kit on throughout a shoot! And for the first time this year, I shot outside too. Despite being mid-March when it's still expected to still be chilly in the UK, we were lucky. On 20 March 2011, I had the opportunity to work with Karma Monero who looked me up on Model Mayhem some time ago, and we began corresponding on Facebook.

I really liked his style. Very "street cred", a tad edgy and mischievous yet youthful and innocent, even bringing out the rebellious teenager in me! It's totally different from the stuff I've been doing so I thought yes, this would be a pleasant change to add in my work. I also wanted to work with Karma as he's also a model when he's not taking photos so knows what to look for in his images in terms of posing, style and composition.

After a few exchanges on Facebook, we set up a date during one of my UK visits. We were to meet at noon at Valentine Park in Gant's Hill in East London. Unfortunately, due to "signal problems" on the tube, I was a tad late despite giving myself enough time which was rather embarrassing as I never like to keep people waiting. Plus, Karma had another shoot after ours so I realised we would be pressed for time. Nevertheless, Karma was rather nice about it (well at least showed it) and accompanied by his "boss" Becky, we were ready to roll!

Despite the condensed time, we managed to get the images we wanted. Luckily am an experienced model and came prepared with the outfit and make-up so all I needed to do was to quickly change in their car. Also, Karma is an skilled photographer and model so there was no awkwardness and we carried on with our business. Plus the natural light at the park was perfect so there was no need to faff about with lighting...

So there I was, dressed in a tartan micro-miniskirt, boots and long black socks. Plus a not-so-matching tartan tie I found in my husband's closet and "borrowed". We strolled around the park randomly and stopped to shoot where the location suited us. This time, the occasional flashing of my white panties was as far as I dared. Then a bunch of boisterious pre-puberty schoolboys, who should actually be attending classes rather than loitering in the park, appeared agog with excitement as they went to check out this "new girl" in school. "Can I have a picture taken with her?", the bravest of the lot asked. Another one asked Karma, "What can I do to be like you?" to which the smart response was, "Get yourself a camera first"!

After we were satisfied with the school girl set, I got into some "Karma" tee-shirts. Karma has designed a few T-shirts with logos on them to promote his work and gets his models to pose in them. I should've asked him if I get to keep any! Still in my tartan micro-mini and changing into a pair of high heels, we shot around the woods and on trees. The shirts were so baggy that I had to pull them down so the logo could be read properly on the images! The shoot lasted just under an hour and we walked back towards the car. Still strutting in that micro-mini and heels, I had a giggle as I passed a group of schoolgirls hanging around the park bench sniggering and whispering at this "new girl in school", reminiscent of my school days. If only they knew!

Despite the short time we shot, we managed to get a lot of good images. Unlike a lot of the togs, Karma was very quick in processing them. I was very pleased with them all but the only thing I am disappointed about is the huge watermark across the images which I'm sorry to say, does ruin them. Still I'm sure Karma has his own reasons for it such a copyright and promoting his work. Nevertheless, some of them still look good despite it.

Besides, it was also a fun hour of shooting and meeting more togs. Karma seems rather ambitious and expressive on Facebook but he's actually down-to-earth, gentle and even shy, more pleasant than I expected, with a genuine personality. We plan on working together again soon in my future visits to the UK. And next time, I'll see to it that I'm more punctual! Thank you Karma for your patience...

More images from this shoot can be found on my Flickr page. Enjoy the browse!

"No Face" Shoot with Steve Hayward

It's kinda strange having to do a shoot where your face is not shown. But then again, this time, the focus was on "body parts". More concentrating on the beauty of the female form through shade and light to enhance curves. Back in January, Steve Hayward, if you recall from the Naked at Yours home shoot, got in touch with me again to do a few experimental shoots doing close ups of the naked form such as bodyscapes.

I was more than happy to accept. Not only do I lack any such images, I was so chuffed that Steve chose me as he said I had the "right" sort of figure for it, and because I had a "perfect" skin tone for it as it's also looks smooth. The shooting date was set for Saturday 19 March 2011. Steve emailed me over some samples of what he was looking to do which all looked so challenging. Yet beautiful and inspirational. I was so excited!!

So Steve arrived around 10 in the morning. I had my hair and make-up done "just in case" but it turned out I didnt' need it in the end. Still, it's good to be prepared! The only outfit I really needed was white knickers. We experimented with a lot of poses and played with the lights to get the right effect. Some were more "raunchy" than others but in a subtle way. It's all about stimulating the imagination without being cheap and in your face.

The day went very well, and we had such a fun shoot. Unfortunately though, Steve came back to me a few days later, sounding rather unhappy and expressing how disappointed he was only being able to come up with a few good images. I told him not to dispair and that we could always redo it, even improve on it. Besides, it's about quality not quantity, and with the few edited pics he produced, I think they came out great! I can't wait to share it here.

I look forward to working with Steve again soon. I feel very comfortable working with him, and it's pleasant to work with someone who is serious and critical about his work. Once I get my schedule sorted, we plan on having another go. Maybe with even more ideas! Thanks, Steve, we'll keep in touch!

Paying My Respects to the Victims of the Japan Disaster

The day after my last blog, the earthquake struck Sendai, a city in the northeast of Japan. The hugest in history, measuring 9.0 on the Richter Scale. Then there were aftershocks even hitting Tokyo as far as hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter. This was followed by a colossal tsunami that wiped out whole villages and towns, killing tens of thousands and leaving at least half-million homeless. These people lost EVERYTHING. But the only thing that's left of them is their dignity and the spirit to fight, and I see it in them.

But that's not the end of it. Now Japan is faced with the uncertainty of the radiation resulting from explosions of nuclear plants in Fukushima caused by the disaster. Radiation is an invisible enemy...

For this reason, I have not been contributing to my blog for which I apologise. I did not feel it appropriate to post up blogs in respect of my people. It has been a rather depressing few weeks and my mind was not in it. Though still numb with shock I'm gradually getting out of it. I've since cancelled my trip to Japan which I had booked months ago. I was due to fly this Saturday.

My friends and family live in Tokyo or Osaka which was not as severely affected as the North. Still they have to live with the fear of aftershocks and possible increase in radiation as well as the inconvenience of dealing with food shortages, unexpected power cuts, chaotic transportation and scarcity of fuel. According to my folks back home though things are picking up. I keep up with the latest through Twitter and Facebook as the current news headlines are being annoyingly obstructed by the Libyan Crisis on CNN and BBC. Though a non-believer in charity, I now find myself making donations, including the Japan Tsunami Appeal from the British Red Cross. If only it were that easy to airlift some food and clothing out there.

If any nation can quickly recover from such a disaster, it's going to be Japan. Heck, we experienced the horrors of WWII and two atomic bombs and yet in 20 years managed to rebuild and even become one of the world's top economic superpowers. We're tough cookies. Even among the youngsters whom our parents always grumbled about being complacent and spoilt, I see their spirit and determination. I know we'll pull through.

During this past week, I've done two shoots in the UK, and once ready will be posting my blog in no time...

Suite 301 Experience with Elroy Powell

I had quite a unique experience in London a few weeks ago. I never thought I'd handle doing a video shoot, and though I've had some experience featured in events, it was to be all solo and as a matter of fact on-line for all to see, Well certainly a great change to doing stills all the time! London-based music producer, photographer and videographer Elroy "Spoonface" Powell contacted me through Model Mayhem where he even posted a casting call searching for models to appear in his website to promote his production company. Now that's something different! And definitely to add in my diversified portfolio of work.

Elroy scheduled the shoot the weekend before I was due to arrive in England. As I expressed my disappointment at this and keenness to work with him, he kindly arranged an additional day for 20 February 2011, for which I have been most grateful. Luckily another model was shooting the same evening so I didn't feel bad he'd arranged one especially for me. The promotion was to be based on the theme "Suite 301" involving various exotic models being photographed, interviewed and videoed in and around, you guessed it, Suite 301 of a North London hotel. I took the tube there and arrived at the hotel where Elroy greeted me. And what a nice guy! Very polite, professional and making sure I was comfortable throughout the shoot. He even provided healthy treats like water, fruit juices, fruits and ok flapjacks...not quite healthy but certainly beats Jaffa cakes! Not many togs would do that.

We started with me entering the room in the outfit I came in and introducing myself on video. Then Elroy had this bright idea of me doing that all in Japanese. Having been out of the country since 1994, and hence not having much opportunities to speak it, that completely threw me off! Still I managed by switching into my Japanese mode and being giggly, humble and acting "cute", you'd think I was a totally different person. Now that would certainly add value to my work experience and add diversity to the Suite 301 promotion! For the other video clips though, it was all back in English so I was back to my more confident "Westernised" self, hence positively enhancing versatility. Many of my peers in UK were also rather surprised to see the other side of me. I've certainly Elroy to thank for thinking about this!

Througout the day, we shot in different settings. On the bed where I rolled around in lingerie or in the nude playing with silky fabric, one in black another in red. That was a lot of fun, bringing out the inner child in me! Then in the closet in my red lingerie all huddled up in the narrow space and hanging on the rails. Thankfully I'm rather flexible and small while not so claustophobic. Then it was the most unusual part: slathering myself in baby oil and moving around a leather armchair to enhance sheen. He'd take photos in low key to make a fine art nude effect. Then into the shower! I didn't mind getting my hair wet or my make-up smudged but my eyes started stinging trying to keep them open. Oh well! Worth the fun. Finally, when I got out and dried myself, I changed into some black bra and panties as Elroy was shooting me dancing to some sexy music.

It was such a productive, exciting and interesting day. It's always good to have a new challenge now and again, and this certainly was one of them! Now, Elroy has a website for this, and he's even got a limited-edition book out! I'm considering getting it as it'll remind me of what a fun shoot it was and how chuffed I am being among these other beautiful models featured. By the way, Elroy is looking for models for his various projects, the more exotic-looking the better, but really it doesn't matter as long as you're sexy, vivacious and fun! Get in touch with him via www.suite301.co.uk. You get my recommendation for working with him, he's awesome!

Oh... and don't forget to check out the videos on the Miu's Videos page!!

Erotic Nude Shoot with China Hamilton

I couldn't believe my luck when I got a birthday greeting on Facebook from one of the world's renowned photographers in the erotic field. Yes, from China Hamilton! It was quite a random message and in fact thought it was a hoax, let alone having doubts as to whether his FB profile was genuine. I replied to his greeting, and we started exchanging messages with me praising his work and him positively commenting on my "unique look" even adding that I remind him of his late aunt...

I first came across China's work in his books in fact when I was staying at Clover and Dave's house in November. All I can remember is the exotic name and all the beautiful work associated with him. Some were fetish involving bondage but without the shock factor. Others were erotic nudes which though explicit were very tastefully done. Clover commented that I should try and work with him but as he seemed way out of my league I dismissed it as something I can only dream of...

As such, I casually told China on FB that I would like to collaborate with him, expecting that he'd be "too busy" and promised myself not to be gutted. It was to my surprise he invited me to shoot at his place the next time I was in England. I was due to be there for just over a week so we set a date for 16 February 2011. I was still pinching myself to see if it was all a dream...

After a 3 hour train ride to Lowestoft from London via Norwich, China picked me up at the station. I was rather nervous to be honest but when he approached me, I was pleasantly relieved to notice what a friendly, kind-hearted and genuine gentleman he was. He drove us to his huge beautiful house and immediately made me feel at home, feeding me good food (not Jaffa cakes... sorry but they're horrible!) and making sure I was comfortable. We had a long chat about art, erotica and photography in his room which had all wonderful work displayed on the wall. I looked through his collection of books from other photographers as well and got very taken by it all.

We worked a little bit that evening. I won't say "shoot" because China dislikes that term! The first moments were rather awkward as I was quite ill at ease not because I was all in nude but as I was still star-struck knowing one of the world's best photographers was behind the camera! After warming up a little, we decided that I would lie down on his beautiful rug on the floor. I did a number of rather implied "naughty" poses though nothing too explicit. After nailing an image or two, we went to his office and downloaded the pictures to choose which ones we liked. I sat and watched China editing the images which for me was another plus to this day as I'm in the process of learning Photoshop!

We called it a night and resumed the next day. Up and early the next morning. I had such a comfortable rest! After a healthy breakfast of berries with goat's yoghurt and farm-produced jam on rye, I got ready with the make-up, hair and lingerie consisting only of black stockings and suspenders. Nothing more. As I was admiring this antique restraining chair he had in his room the night before, China suggested that I pose in it getting strapped with two leather belts and my feet bound. Then later on, I had my hands tied back.

We also worked on a few poses in his room with me keeping my suspenders and stockings on but wearing my red satin gloves. Just some beautiful but sensual images. Then a few with me naked. China was very careful with the lighting and knew exactly what he wanted out of the images. In fact, he was such a great director giving me advice and having me pose in the most effective way. Accustomed to and being a glamour model as well, I occasionally got scolded for standing with my hips on one side and trying hard to look unnaturally curvaceous. Erotic photography is about showing the beauty of female form in a natural and tasteful way rather than being loud and in your face. Being a model of different facets, it's at times hard to switch on and off!

Normally I shy away from baring all nude and going just a small step further in terms of level but China was different. He is an experienced and professional photographer who knows and truly appreciates the meaning of erotic art. I enjoyed working with him not only because he is renowned but because he was such a great company to chat with. Very witty, intelligent and worldly. We had so much fun discussing and learning from each other about history, culture and the environment. Besides, he's also very polite and down-to-earth and though I was intimidated at the beginning he made me feel relaxed. I hope to work with him again in the near future... thank you so much, China, for this wonderful opportunity!

Last Autumn... with Tim Hutton

Oh wow, I nearly totally forgot! I was just browsing through my pics and came across these beautiful images that was taken by Tim Hutton of Sliproad Junkies. He is a photographer who deals a lot with cars and has just started gaining some experience shooting models. On 5 September 2010, I accompanied him for some promo-work with T-shirts and stickers at a carshow in Silverstone, a main race track in the UK.

The day was spent handing out flyers and chasing people to check out our tent. After a successful but exhausting day of standing around in boots, shorts and a crop top and smiling and schmoozing, we drove to some deserted field on the way. We would've loved to shoot me in some bikinis and skimpy wear but as it was nearing the end of the day it was getting rather chilly. So we decided that I leave my animal-print trench-coat on and as I was still wearing my shorts, we leave that on as well, along with my boots!

It was a short shoot but we nailed some awesome images. Due to his wedding, work and generally being occupied with his new business, Tim was unable to send the edited versions till December but it was well worth the wait! The images had a very autumnal mood indeed but moreover I loved the 1970s retro feel. It was the outfit, hair & makeup perhaps but more with his play with the colours on the images. And a friend commented how the warm golden tones of the wheat field complimented my tanned complexion. I really miss having a tan and can't wait till the weather warms up again!

Thanks Tim! Hopefully when it gets warmer we plan to do more outdoors shoots and next time involve some cars!

Please have a look by logging onto my Flickr page to view the extraordinary images!