My First Shoot Of 2013: De Sachy Browne

Being a freelance model with no other parties to promote you let alone apply to casting calls for you it's amazing how a little (a lot) of meticulous searching can score you your next modelling gig. This one was via Twitter, thanks to the dozens of photographers and creative sites I follow I saw that a photographer was looking for a model and jumped on the 'reply' function to sell myself. That's what you have to do with these things, market yourself, sound obnoxiously big headed but nonetheless sell yourself. And when you score that job your shameless (or not so) self promotion doesn't seem all that bad because it paid off.  Emails exchanged and details confirmed and then boom. My body decides this would be the perfect time to contract a cold the day before the shoot. I'd been itching to get back on the proverbial clothes horse job ever since the clock turned midnight on New Years Eve. January is a quiet month I had to remind myself as the creative industry get back on their feet post christmas. I was determined not to back out of this job so that I did not and soldiered on.

Once I got out of the cold and into the studio my cold eased off for the duration. I met the most wonderful team (though everyone I get to work with are the most wonderful at said time). The very talented make up artist that is Kate Littlejohn, the two Irish designers come stylists for the day Marie De Sachy and Jennifer Browne, the bubbly photographer Jason Alden and his hard working assistant Tim Bowditch and the beautiful italian model Djada.

Thanks to the MUA and designers, we covered lots of looks and designs much to photographer Jason's surprise each time I came back out to shoot I looked completely different. I also got to add my own art direction and poses, its always nice to get a little bit of creative reign especially if its a fresh idea previously unthought of and beneficial to the client. Another highlight included the cave constructed by Jason and Tim out of polystyrene boards so that we could achieve some tight headshots. Time flies when you're working and having fun and it was soon time to head back out into the dreaded cold. I had so much fun once again and I'm happy to have done my first shoot of 2013!  I'll post the final pics when I have them! Until then...
Abitha xo

Photo Shoot With Marshall Kappel

Towards the end of 2012 I modelled for Marshall Kappel , a well travelled photographer hailing from the states.  Here are some of the end results!

After running the (so I'm told) fifteen minute walk from Ladbroke Grove to Portobello in five minutes I finally arrived on location on the corner of that renown road(After much stress following bus replacement, misguiding tfl staff and all the lines I needed to be in use closed for work). As I stood there regaining my breath from the aforementioned sprint, I baffled at the huge house standing before me with the correspending number to the email I held in my hands. Really, we're shooting here? I must have got something wrong.   I ascended the steps and rapped on the door. No answer. Christmas shoppers below gawp at me and my bewildered expression.

The door swings open and I am greeted by the photographer before being lead up to the chair for hair and makeup conducted by a sweet French MUA singing along with the pop music being streamed by spotify. My eyes are diverted to the various film cameras lying around and in use, being an amateur film photographer myself I just have to ask questions, carefully though as not to smudge my lipstick. It's actually a mastered technique to be able to articulate yourself verbally without your lips meeting, try it sometime, hard right? 

I am dressed and redressed, in vintage designer clothing, accessories and shoes. Shot and reshot. Taken outside and back in. The hours have flown by and it's time to go home. 

Many thanks to Marshall and the team!

2012: A Retrospective

2012 has been a whirlwind year for me with regards to both modelling and journalism and as it draws to an end I'd like on reflect and thank all the people I've had the pleasure of meeting  and working with.

It all started with uploading a profile to a popular casting site and suddenly I went from that to having three shoots in one week at one point, something I'd hadn't envisaged. However 2012 has brought me into contact with some of the most friendly, aspirational and creative people I've had the pleasure of meeting, here are some highlights.

• Modelling for ESSKA, a London urban footwear brand. We spent the day in and around Primose Hill shooting for the S/S 13 lookbook. It was lovely to work with talented photographer Natalie J Watts and the lovely MUA Chloe Olivia Hiskett. 
• Modelling for GEMMA LAND's ' The Heart Of The Blossom' scarf collection.
• Modelling for Nobuyuki Taguchi, a Japanese photographer specialising in fine art photography. I had a lot of fun experimenting with extreme hairstyles and impromptu hair accessories i.e cabbage!
• Modelling the designs of a candidate going up for Dazed and Confused magazine's 'Spirit of Toughness Award'.
• Working on the lookbook for my dear friend Steven Alley's brand ALLEY CLOTHING.
• Working with Ravensbourne university students to create a campaign for River Island based on their fashion designs. See Video Here

And so much more!

This year I also had the pleasure of scribing again for CLASH magazine and LIVE magazine. Covering Hop Farm Festival at which I got to see Bob Dylan at his only UK date this year,  SW4 Festival, Bestival and Freeze Festival!

2013 is shaping up to be a year of continued and greater success for both myself and many budding creatives in the industry and I'm very much looking forward to it. I just want to thank everyone that has worked with me, supported me and encouraged me without you I wouldn't have been able to experience all that I have this year and blossomed in my self. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

@abitha_arabella

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Email: bookings@abitha.co.uk