The Casting Blog!

Last year I had alot of shoots which were planned individually for outfits, looks etc but not many that were planned for specific themes, and in most cases my digital editing was based on looking at the images once they were on my pc and then seeing what they inspired me to add. With the numbers of shoots I did I ended up with a huge backlog of editing, which meant that I was constantly trying to play catch up. Trying to hurry each set of images from each shoot - not really the ideal situation.

So this year I'm looking to work differently. If I want to get what I'm after I need to shoot less but increase the quality through structured planning and themes, and alot less arranging shoots where I dont seem to get much out of it. Its too much work unless you are going to throw money and gifts at me.

I know that I've already said to people that I will work with them this year once my editing backlog is cleared, but I have to take the more selfish stance of shooting with people that fit in with my themes/visions etc. that doesnt mean you cant get in touch anyway, sometimes a models unique look can be the inspiration for a theme.

So without further ado here are a few ideas ....

1. The Apocalypse - from the book of Revelations in the Bible. If you are not familar with it, its basically a vision of the end of the world, but if you saw something two thousand years into the future how would you describe it, e.g. how would someone two thousand years ago describe a fleet of modern day jet fighters...

'...The locusts looked like horses ready for battle, on their heads they had what seemed to be crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces. Their hair was like womens hair , their teeth were like lions teeth. Their chests were covered with what looked like iron breastplates, and the sound made by their wings was like the noise of many horse drawn chariots rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like those of a scorpion....'

There is lots of amazing imagery like that......oh and where do I get four horses  for the four horsemen!

2. While we are on the subject of ancient and modern technology, wouldnt  there be alot of potential in trying to create images based on the 'ancient visitors ' that seem to appear in all ancient cultures, Egyptian, Inca, Aztec, Maya etc.

3. I've been a fan of Norse mythology ever since I read my first Thor comic back when I was about 8 years old, straight down the local library and got all the books I could find. Yes its basically a bunch of Vikings with abit extra thrown in, or is it? Norse Gods a thousand years later, would they still be Viking barbarians or would they have progressed technologically. Wouldnt Thor now have a nuclear powered plasma Hammer and wouldnt they all be wearing a mixture of ancient and new.....abit like steampunk but with an extremely wide timeline gap, vikings with state of the art technology. I did put a forum about this up on NetModel about a year ago, but nobody got it, everyone replied with 'I got a helmet' 'I got an axe' I got a drinking horn' 'doooh can we rape and pillage'

4. Fetish - Ok cool always into lots of shiny fetish wear in strange locations, but actual fetish I rarely see anything that works for me. Ropes and shibari and rigging.....sorry I'd rather shoot bellybutton fluff, just does nothing for me, yes I've done suspension but only as a means to an end not as the end in itself. and as for self mutilation? do me a favour! Anyway mustn't delve too much here, only to say that there has to be a way of doing something thats got more to it.

5. Terrible beauty - you know, that balance between the scary sorceress that makes you want to run away, but you want to stay as shes just too hot.

As Lady Galadriel said when Frodo offered her the ring

'...beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!   

6. Fire, Fire! I want more fire and smoke and sparks, but real fire. Check out Rob Mackellars pics using a secret formula that lets you set yourself on fire.

Its all fun until you burn your head off!

7. Alien beauty - I'm a fan of HR Giger, I love the way he can produce something incredibly strange and alien yet there is still something of beauty there. Sometimes its the violent juxtapostion of bodies and faces with machinery, and sometimes there is an incredible serenity....google images 'Giger Brain Salad surgery' that should explain it better.

8. Vampires - groan you say as its been done to death! There are aspects that I've wanted to do. The style brought in by Anne Rice and also in Underworld, the idea that vampires that have been around for hundreds of years know each other and every now and again get together for the banquet of vampires, decadent, opulent, sensual, pyschotic? bored? Or maybe the more animalistic side...remember the part in Bram Stokers Dracula where the female vampire that is caught in her coffin sprays blood from her mouth at everyone. Or what about  Lestat thats had enough of it all 'Why cant I die!'

9. Think of the film 300...no not rippling muscles and shouting Spartans...the scene in Xerxes court, isnt that an amazing fetish fest

What you're still reading! Well thats enough ideas, although I still have lots more - post apocalyptic, space troopers, Lady Gaga-ish oTT fashion.

Anyway let me know if anything there sparks your interest, some of the above will need a cast of thousands (well maybe a handful).