STREET LIFE
Although my roots are in Wales with my teenage years in Bristol, I now definitely feel like a Norf London Girl. So, it was great to do an urban shoot around the streets of Kentish Town. Fab photographer, Lesley Edith had just arrived back to the capital after living in LA for 8 years so she really enjoyed searching out all these great locations. I love all the hot pink clothes around just now and we opted for backgrounds that really made each outfit really pop! Amazing model Akira really made the pics with her strong beautiful look. All in all, a great success with Nude Magazine using the images for their latest issue. Talk about tickled pink!
PHOTOGRAPHER – LESLEY EDITH, FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN, HAIR & MAKE-UP – MIRA PARMAR, MODEL, AKIRA MALAIKA, FIRST AGENCY.
BIRDS OF PREY
They say never work with animals or children – well, I always enjoy a challenge! We met early one rainy morning in November at Savernake Forest near Marlborough. I had already had a 2-hour journey, it was raining and quite honestly, I wasn’t feeling massively positive whilst waiting for the arrival of 3 child models under nine, plus a whole flock of birds of prey – owls, kestrels et al.
But I must say, once we got going everyone was marvellous. The kids were all so brave holding the birds, helped enormously by the amazing Dian from the Fir Tree Falconry and our lovely calming photographer Tara. Our make-up artist, Emily did a fabulous job painting a feathered look on each of the children’s face. I used loads of beautiful plumage in the styling with spectacular feather headdresses and capes. In the end, it was a soaring success with Little Revolution Magazine using all the pictures in their Christmas issue. What a great team – such high fliers!
PHOTOGRAPHY – TARA KATHERINE. FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN. HAIR & MAKE-UP – EMILY L AT MACH MANAGEMENT. BIRDS – FIR TREE FALCONRY. MODELS – BILLY AT RAY AND ROBIN, ZIGGY AT GINGERSNAP MODELS and MATILDA.
THE CROWN
When Lovely photographer, Katy McDonnell came up with the idea of shooting at the very majestic location, Kings Weston House in Bristol, we couldn’t resist doing our own ‘kids’ take of the stylish TV drama, The Crown. So much fun was had casting our own royal family, choosing regal props and creating vintage hairstyles. We were thrilled that Babiekins Magazine published the pictures in their Christmas issue – Yay! I think the traditional styling is just perfect for Yuletide …..
PHOTOGRAPHER- KATY McDONNELL. FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN. HAIR & MAKE-UP -ABLE MABLE DESIGNS. MODELS – GINGERSNAP MODELS. LOCATION – KINGS WESTON HOUSE, BRISTOL.
LAVENDER DREAM
I had always wanted to do a shoot in a lavender field. So, when lovely photographer Tory Smith emailed me to say she’d found a great one in Hitchin I jumped at the opportunity! The team met at my house early one morning. I had a rail all ready, overflowing with gorgeous lilac and purple clothes. Model, Kitti tried on the various outfits and we picked our 6 favourites. Then make-up artist Sarah Mcllwain-Bates worked her magic creating a beautiful look. We all piled into my car and we whizzed up the A1 and spent the day shooting in the heavenly scented lavender fields. It was such a productive day – Tory did so many amazing shots and videographer, Ben Ramasami directed and then edited the fabulous film below. Take a look…….
Photography – Tory Smith. Fashion Stylist, Becky John. Hair & Make-Up, Sarah Mcllwain-Bates. Model, Kitti Kulcsar. Videographer, Ben Ramasami.
Have a look at the film now on the SuperStylingUK channel on YouTube
FALL FOR PASTELS
Pastels aren’t just for summer. They’re so many fabulous faded shades around this winter, like baby blue and the super popular millennial pink. I’ve always admired the sugar almond coloured houses around Kentish Town in London so this was the ideal location for our latest shoot. Take a look……
Fashion Stylist – Becky John, Photographer – Ian Hooton, Hair & Make-Up – Anna Durston, Model – Melody Sanderson.
THE MOONWALK POSTER GIRLS
Well I didn’t expect to be a poster girl at my grand old age (especially in one’s bra!) but I have suddenly found myself emblazoned on billboards in nearly every tube station across London.
How did this happen? You may ask. Well my lovely friend Cathy Sloman and I did The MoonWalk two years ago and we were spotted and photographed in our flamboyant cowboy outfits. Miraculously enough the theme for Moonwalk 2018 is The Wild West, so the wonderful gals at WalkTheWalk thought our look was just perfect! Yee! Haa! We’re so delighted because it is such an amazing cause, raising funds for research and aid for people with breast cancer. This charity is so close to my heart as so many of my lovely friends have been affected by this deadly disease.
The MoonWalk is a fantastic experience and Cathy and I are SO up to doing it again next year. If you’d like to get involved, here’s what happening . Well, it’s on 12th May 2018 in London and over 15,000 women and yes some guys too will either walk or power walk a full moon marathon (26.2 miles) of half-moon (13.1 plus 2 miles) through the streets of the capital wearing fabulously decorated bras. It really is a sight to behold I can tell you!
The great thing about The MoonWalk is that you have such fun whilst raising vital money needed to fight breast cancer. There’s such a great camaraderie amongst the walkers. Even Jennifer Saunders takes part! In fact, she was our pacer and every time I lost sight of the Absolutely Fabulous actress during the Moonwalk I knew we had to get a move on. Thank you Edina – you kept us going!
It’s such an exhilarating challenge! So, if you do feel inspired to get involved either as a walker or a volunteer contact www.walkthewalk.org
LAST OF THE SUMMER WHITE
There’s nothing like a British summer! I know this shoot looks all sunny and effortless but behind the scenes we were dodging the rain, rushing for cover in between each shot. The location, a beautiful country house in Essex complete with rolling lawns and meadows was perfect for this boho style shoot. I love this look with its white flowing cotton and lace and really hoping for an Indian Summer so were can wear it a little longer – I’m not ready for heavy autumnal layers just yet…
FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN. PHOTOGRAPHY – IAN HOOTON. HAIR & MAKE-UP – AMANDA ROBBINS. MODEL – MILOU GORT.
A SHORE THING
It was all go! Thursday morning Little London Magazine asked me to do a fashion spread suitable for their August/September issue. I alerted lovely photographer Richard Burns and make-up artist Sally Kvalheim. They hurriedly organised the fabulous location Southwold – which luckily is a stone’s throw from their home. Meanwhile I dashed around the fashion PR’s pulling together beautiful beachy looks. We all pitched in trying to find gorgeous models that lived nearby….. Somehow it all came together wonderfully and that weekend we found ourselves at the seaside in sunny Suffolk. Phew! Here’s the shoot……
FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN, PHOTOGRAPHY – RICHARD BURNS, HAIR & MAKE-UP – SALLY KVALHEIM, MODELS – ELLA AT GRACE & GALOR, TYLER AT MINI MODELS, ISIS AND POPPY.
SWEPT AWAY
When most people think of fashion shoots, they always imagine they’re terribly glamorous. Well, I’m afraid it’s not always the case. Working in fashion, you’re constantly shooting out of season. Our poor models are always baking in faux fur coats in the middle of Summer or freezing to death in bikinis in the depth of Winter.
Another myth is that we’re always jetting off to somewhere amazingly exotic – maybe Bali, Maldives or Fiji? No such luck, this time I was heading for the not quite so sunny Kent!
Dungeness is one of the most unusual places I have ever visited with its barren flat landscape and nuclear power station. On the plus side, this beachside location does have amazing light. Unfortunately for our crew, we plumped for the coldest, windy day ever – It must have been over 20 knots. I felt chilled to the bone even in all my layers of sweaters and puffa jacket. How our amazing model Ishika kept her act together in these flimsy cotton and lace little numbers I’ll never know. But she did, not complaining once as the wind practically blew her hair away. What a trooper! Anyhow all is forgotten when we look back at the pics. I love them and can now only think warm thoughts!
FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN, PHOTOGRAPHER – IAN HOOTON, HAIR & MAKE-UP – ANNA DURSTON, MODEL – ISHIKA AT NEVS