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!!!

Shooting in Germany

The good thing about living in Holland is being able to travel quite easily to nearby countries abroad. I've had the pleasure of working in Belgium and now in early May, also in Germany for the first time. Out of the blue, Dusseldorf-based Udo Schulte contacted me through my website after having discovered me through Flickr or a modeling site. It was quite spontaneous as we scheduled the shoot for the coming Friday, 6 May 2011. I was very much looking forward to it!

The venue was at a quite unique setting. A hotel in Wuppertal, a town near Dusseldorf, called Art Fabrik. Each room has been designed free-style by a different artist. Some had a classic European theme, while another had an Oriental theme. Several had the absract modern look. We went for a room with a Middle Eastern decor. It was beautiful.

The shoot was a combination of glamour and erotica. I was asked to bring some see-thru outfits and lingerie, though Udo provided some sexy outfits too. So some of my sets included one with me with nothing on but crotchless tights and a pair of stilettos. I also did some sets wearing a few sexy dress, including one which a visiting friend gave to me, a pink tight mini-dress with holes in them. I have plenty of see-through lingerie so was able to use them too!

I thoroughly enjoyed my shoot with Udo. A pleasant down-to-earth guy with an unassuming attitude and great ideas. Although we have both been busy, he has produced some hot-looking images which I am pleased with. There are more to come which I look forward to getting, but I nevertheless like to share what I've seen so far.

By the way, Udo has also been most helpful too. He has been kind enough to offer helping me set up my portfolio in a German modelling site so I could get some work out there, even volunteering to translate my profile. Once I am less occupied with moving home, I would like to set one up. So hopefully you'll see more of me out in Germany too!

Thank you, Udo, for your time and help, I will most certainly take up your offer once things are less hectic at home!