February Updates, welcome to all the new stuff and a sad farewell to a friend, remembering Patricia Nyajeka

A warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

Apologies for the lateness of writing this blog, I should have done it yesterday but had been in the studio in Derby working with singer Alexis Victoria Hall so by the time we got back home, both Amy and I were exhausted. This month just gone has been a busy one with shoots and family stuff to do like the funeral of my beloved Aunt Jane in Northampton. My uncle and cousins and greater family gave Aunt Jane a good send off. It was not a morbid affair as some funerals can be and I learned a lot about my aunt that I did not know before. There was a tear jerker moment when the song 'The way we were' by Barbara Streisand played over the ceremony. And when the curtains closed around the coffin, all I could think to say was 'Goodbye Aunt Jane … and thank you x.

Hats when it hits you that you will never see her again.

Aunt Jane in our memories.

February also witness the cruel hand of fate fall on another friend of mine, Patricia Nyajeka.

Patricia was the mother of a lovely model I used to work with on many projects called Lorna Nyajeka. I got to know Pat as we called her, through Lorna, whom she was very proud of. She was born in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe in Africa, She was a good women and was only one month younger than me. She asked me once to design a flyer to publicize a class reunion in a hall of all of her friends from home which I was glad to do. I even got to photograph the event and meet the good people there. It was a very friendly event, full of warm African hospitality in an English country house. Good memories. Life does not seem fair sometimes, its very arbitrary and often cruet

so then you have to take the bad times to hold dear the good times. But its never easy in reality. My thoughts are with her family and those she loved.

A few weeks ago we got to work again with the flaming redhead Lydia Clifford at the Boardroom Studio in Derby and dot some great stuff. Sadly the second model Zoe Birtwhistle could not make the shoot which was a shame. Maybe again at some future date? So a huge thank you to all there. Lydia, Shadrine from Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam and of course Amy.

This March has already started on a good foot with a shoot yesterday featuring awesome singer Alexis Victoria Hall in Derby and will be followed by two more shoots, one with the lovely Mercybongo and a third with male model Lee Henshaw on location. So keeping us busy.

So I would like to say a big thank you to my parents for putting us both up for the night, as well as their company at the funeral.

See you all in March for another update and I hope, plenty to view.

Do take care of yourselves and enjoy this months blog x.

December Updates and it is Christmas Again !

Seasons greetings and welcome back to my little rant … sorry blog …. on the web

Is it just me getting older or is time moving faster? It does not seem long ago when it was last years Christmas period. So not only is it Jesus birthday but it is also the time when Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé come out to play again alongside some golden oldies from Slade and Roy Wood of Wizard. Its all a bit much for me and try my best to ignore it. But when you hear one of those tunes its like an ear worm and it plays over and over again in your head. Very annoying when you are trying to get some shut eye. As a seasonal treat the other day I ate a 'Snickers' Chocolate bar and was hugely disappointed. I can remember when they used to be called 'Marathon' bars. They were huge, so big that you could beat a man to death with one and needed to dislocate your jaw like an anaconda to eat it. Now its this small pathetic little thing that is twice the price it used to be. Or is it that I am looking back through rose tinted glasses? Never mind, nothing lasts forever … except B.O..

Its been quite a busy year this year with plenty of shoots and still more to come in 2024. I am already booked up till May. Looking ahead we will be working with Zoe Birtwhistle again in February and saying hello to a model who first contacted me twenty years ago. From Manchester the amazing singer and celeb Alexis Victoria Hall. After all this time, we are finally going to be working with each other. I just pray the weather is decent and it is not snowing?

The street photography website is coming on with even my wife Amy taking the camera out on her own and doing some great shots. So much so that I have had to add her name to the website as a contribute. To remind you all again the site is called 'Streets Of Your Town' (See it here).

That s about it for now, so here is wishing you all a great Christmas and even greater New Year. Thank then to all of the people who have collaborated on my work this last year. I could not have done it without you (for sure !). To many to mention, but you know who you are. Thank you.

Enjoy this months blog.

September Updates and a special mention to 'Parcel-farce'

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

September was a placid month again, I had wanted to go to the City and capture some architecture pictures as well as street photography. But every time it came to the weekend it was either bad weather, or we had something else to do. Maybe this October we can get down there and photograph something of interest? We did however manage to do a three model shoot at the Boardroom Studio, featuring the makeup of Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and the loveliness of Mercybongo, Munira Model and Yoo Yoo. And it was great fun with some good results … in-fact too many for publication.

Cast your mind back a few months ago when I sent a parcel containing a Camera to Romania so it could be chipped to do Infrared photography with it. The camera that was stolen somewhere on its journey back to me and I only got an empty box back for my troubles? Well we filled in a claims form that was given to us over the counter at the local post office and mailed it to the shipping company's address. After a month or so I contacted the shipping company to see how it was claim was progressing The shipping company I shall simply refer to as 'Parcel - Farce,' told me that it was with the claims department and that I should wait for them to contact me. So it was to my surprise when I contacted them again a week ago to say I have not heard a sound from them, that they tell me they never received it in the first place. So someone in Parcel - Farce lied or is lying to me I wish I could say I am surprised, but I am not. When you look at other people dealings with Parcel - Farce, its easy to come to the conclusion that they are as useful as a tampon in a swimming pool. In fairness when you read about any shipping company on liner its like reading a horror story, with very few printing the times they have done a great job. Such is the way things go, but I for one will try to avoid using Parcel - Farce any more. And fingers crossed for the smooth journey through the department concerned of my resubmitted claim. I shall keep you all informed.

I am in the studio again tomorrow, so should have something new to show you all at the end of October. Until then take care of yourselves and enjoy this months blog.

x

Augusts Updates and 'Well he would say that, wouldn't he? '

Welcome back to my blog and little piece of the web that is mine. Good to have you back and hope you enjoy this months offerings?

It was going to be a quite month as opposed to July, with no model shoots at all Yet back in July I was contacted about shooting with a new model Lydia Clifford and I just jumped at the opportunity. We also squeezed another new shoot in with favourite Monalisa Moyo, back again in-front of the lens. So aside from them its been an peaceful, uneventful month. I would like to add a thank you to all those who like and watch my blog. With a special mention to my father who wrote a really lovely email to me saying how he enjoyed the pictures. I do not often get a lot of comments and often met with indifference because I think people have an expectation of a certain quality of work so don't mention when they get it. I put images up on Instagram and the such which sometimes go on to get two likes- WORLDWIDE!! Now I am not fishing for compliments, applause or feeling sorry for myself, but it is always good to get feedback (good or bad). So at least you know where your going wrong or getting something right? Now I know what you might be thinking, so his father said something encouraging to him and to use the Mandy Rice - Davies quote 'Well he would say that, wouldn't he? ' But it took me back a bit in a pleasant way and it felt good. Feedback, suggestion, requests and even constructive criticism, is better than silent indifference people. Nuff said ….…...

September is shaping up to be a busy month with a three model shoot at the Boardroom Studio in Derby, organised Shadrine my makeup artist at Kavour Beauty. Get well Shadrine, we need you fit and active on the day.

Please enjoy this months blog

x

So please enjoy this months blog

July Updates, what turned out to be a very busy month and a lesson never to send parcels to Romania !

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

There were two shoots this month and a shoot taken on the last day of June (so technically for all sakes and purposes this month) Blessed with four great models to work with Mercybongo and Carl Tilson. Maryna Sedin and Marie Jean Saxton, they have kept me busy snapping and editing.

We also managed to travel to my parents home and see them which is always good. Not just to get away from our house, but to spend quality time with them is worth the journey. I managed to do one of the shoots on location in my Fathers lush garden as well as them taking us to Rushden Lakes for some magazine shopping and photo taking around the buildings. It was fun,Amy and I loved it, So thank you greatly to Mum and Dad x

Now here is a word of caution …. if your thinking of sending anything to another country (in this case Romania) you might want to think again about it. I sent an old camera to a man in Romania who could chip the camera so as to make it take Infrared images only. I know I already have a camera that does that, but I wanted a higher spec and it made use of my trusted old Nikon D3. So I sent it via the post office carrier (I shall not mention their name here!) at the princely sum of £50.00 only for the empty box coming back to me a few weeks later! Apparently it got as far as Bucharest and customs did not like it and sent it back, but between there and my front door some thieving turd helped themselves to it. Returning the empty box like trying to rub my nose in it! The Royal Mail recommended I call the Romania Customs and ask what happened to the camera? but that is as futile an effort as a one legged man in an arse kicking contest! Taking the piss obviously, I think they just said that to get rid of me. It worked. Although I have put a claim in, I have still not heard anything from the carriage company, and don't hold out much hope. Oh well, I guess some things just were not meant to be and I shall not do that again. Lesson learned.

Hope you enjoy this bumper month of pictures to make up for last months lacklustre offering.

x

May Updates, stuck fingers and a small spring cleaning for the site

Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

I am having issue with my fingers especially on my right side of the body getting stuck in an awkward position every morning. I had it so bad recently that I had to talk with the Doctors about it (yes I did manage to talk with one !). Its the onset of creeping arthritis I have in my hands and knees. It does not hurt, its more of an inconvenience trying to snap them back into place or massage them. Holding knives and forks is a problem now as does using a camera. Still it could be worse and I be in terrible pain some people have with arthritis. The joys of getting old I suppose.

So I have had a spring clean on the site and moved a few things around. Notice please the Beauty Shots and fashion/ mode gallery's are now amalgamated under one title. Notice also that there are now two projects folders. The projects folder is for ongoing work that I am still doing where as the Projects Extra folder is for stuff I feel I cannot do any more with. I had to do this as the project file on its own with everything in it was proving difficult to open and show its content.

There was no model shoot this month. Instead we have a gallery of pictures from a shoot with the lovely fashion model Mercybongo taken at The Boardroom Studio on the very last day of April. All hair and makeup was done by Kavour beauty, who did an excellent job as always. And check out the backdrop to the shoot especially made for this project. Awesome – best I have ever seen !!!

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Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. x

January Updates and welcome back for the New Year 2023.

Welcome back to Lujon Rael Portfolio, I do hope you had a great Christmas and New Year?

Amy and I spent some quality time with my Mum and Dad down at their place in Northamptonshire, so it was just nice to have a scene change and to see them both again.

Aside from that it has been fairly quiet this month. Mainly on account that its too bloody cold and everyone is skint after the Christmas binge. There has not even been a trip up to see all my friends (?) at Clinic 8 for a change, although I am now getting appointments to see me a few times this coming February. Oh what fun we shall have, I Can’t wait !! Better things to look forward to this coming February is another shoot with Aasiya Azeemali who we last snapped in November. This will be a head and shoulders beauty shots of Aasiya wearing a few different hijabs and makeup provided by Shadrine from Kavour Beauty.As well as this,a second shoot later in the month with new model to me Elle Jones will take place. The theme of this shoot is a nod to the late Norma Jean Baker in style. Both shoots will be held at The Boardroom Studio in Derby.

It only leaves me to say I hope you enjoy this months offerings

x

December Update Christmas and my continuing adventures at Clinic 8

Welcome back to the final blog update of 2022, and how the year has gone fast.

As of writing this blog, Christmas day (or Mariah Carey Day as I like to call it) is past and building up again for the a rival of the new year. I already have some shoots booked in for doing in February when things start to come alive again, as well as some appointments in Clinic 8 … a place where all your dreams do come true and of which I am a frequent flyer! At the start of the month I visited my favourite clinic to have laser done on my left eyeball. I have had it before and it is a drawn out procedure of some Doctor zapping you with his laser gun. This session I was stuck with a young Doctor who thought he was Roy Rogers or Quick on the draw Mcgraw He zapped my into oblivion, shooting from the hip. Now its safe to say I do not like laser any more than I like being at Clinic 8 in general. Laser is up there with root canal, colonoscopy, cervical smears (so I am reliably informed!) and the odious pleasure of having a small camera rammed down your knob! As perceive as it may sound, I actually prefer injections into my eyeballs as I am used to it and it is over very quickly. Unlike laser which is thirty or more minutes of agony and torture.I hate it and recoiled in pain when he would not stop zapping me after I told him it hurt, only then and after I gave him a string of experlatives did he finish inflicting pain on me. Saying that he guessed I did not like the procedure, top marks to that man for working that one out all by himself! So for the new year, my new years resolution will be a simple one …. NO MORE LASER !!! It should not be a hard one to keep.

Collected here on the website and blog are some much better things I have done this month, including getting to work with the lovely Mercybongo model She was a real treat and we got some great stuff to finish the year off with. I will be back in the studio come February 1st, for a second shoot I have planned with model Aasiya Azeemali. So roll on February.

Thanks then to Phil Lynam at the Boardroom Studio for his help. To Shadrine at Kavour Beauty for all her makeup work. To Chris and the ladies at Flowers To Yours and the Brambles Florist. A special thanks to my long suffering wife Amy, and to you all seasons greetings

.Enjoy the blog.

October Updates and a warm farewell to Uncle .... a life worth remembering

Welcome back to Lujon Rael Portfolio this month.

We aim to please our viewers and friends, but must start this month off with some sad news of the passing of a dear Uncle. Ly Va Sinh (or Uncle as we affectionately refereed to him) passed away earlier this month with his family by his bedside when the end finally came. Originally from North Vietnam, he came with all of his family to the UK via Hong Kong back in the late 1970's. Which was no mean feet on a boat as they did then. Anyone old enough to remember the late 1970' and early 1980's would be aware of the 'Boat People' fleeing to safety back then. My wife included on that same boat as Uncle.

He was the mayor of his town in Vietnam and was always welcoming to Amy and myself whenever we would be in his house. Uncle had a warm smile that lit up his face when he was pleased about something and he also possessed a good sense of humour. I can remember once Uncle offering me some Chinese Rice Wine. I knocked the whole glass down straight and he paused to see my reaction. It was like having a red hot poker in your throat and Uncle thought it was so amusing to watch me flap my arms about like a demented chicken in a clumsy attempt to cool my mouth down. On another occasion Uncle laughed enthusiastically when I put some orange peel in my mouth cut to make them look like monkeys teeth. So what I am saying here is that Uncle was a very good and loving man. He leaves behind a very large extended family of several generations and all of whom love him and miss him. But he is with his beloved late wife and in a much better place now I believe. And in no more pain. The martial arts star Bruce Lee once said 'To reach true immortality, you must first lead a life worth remembering.' I think that applies here and it is no glib statement to say that Amy and I will both miss him. But we will remember him … and so I would like to dedicate this months blog to the memory of Uncle Ly Va Sinh.

For Uncle and the Ly family ... the love of the loved ... Safe journey home x

In other business, I had a great shoot this last month with Marie Jean Saxton at the Boardroom Studio in Derby, that went well. The results of which can be seen below, I am at loggerheads with Clinic 8 of my local Hospital again as they called me in for an appointment at 9am Sunday morning, only to be told they had cancelled it weeks ago and had not got around to telling me. They had also booked me in for an appointment today to have dye washed through my veins. Something I did not know about as nobody discussed it with me. This appointment was then cancelled later that day in a phone call from the hospital. They apologised as it was a mistake and they did not infact need to do this invasive procedure. Which was just as well. Because after yesterdays debacle, I had already made up my mind I was not going to turn up anyway, so there !

Clinic 8, a place where dreams do come true !

Hope you enjoy this months blog.

September Updates

Hello and welcome back to Lujon Rael Portfolio blog, I do hope you are all in good health.

Starting this months blog of on a positive note, Amy and I managed to do a long planned shoot in Nottingham Train Station one Wednesday afternoon this last month.

Everything went to plan – EVERYTHING !!!!

No late arrivals, no awkward travel passengers or station staff and we managed to do all the hair makeup and shooting within the two hour maximum we promised the station manager. And it was fun. Have a look over the results below and see for yourself what makeup artist Shadrine and two models Monalisa Moyo and Fern Thompson did together.

On a less positive note, Amy and I were due to travel down to see my parents and for me to accompany my Father to a long awaited concert with guitarist Steve Hackett at the Royal Derogate Theatre in Northampton. Sadly it turned out when we arrived at Nottingham Train Station that a student somewhere between Nottingham and London had decided to play the Mondo Death game of Student Verses Train with a predictable outcome and to a full on gory effect. Now while there are no right way to kill yourself … as its all bad and all sad ..,, but this very selfish way of removing yourself from the human gene pool has huge ramifications for lots of other innocent people. Obviously the friends and family of the student, but then there is the driver and staff of the train also. The passengers onboard the train and what ever plans they had being lost in this act of self destruction. The emergency services staff called out to attend the scene and the poor persons who had to clean all the blood and guts of the track. And to myself who could not get down to see my parents and attend the concert. My dad sat alone with a spare seat next to him that I should have taken, watching the show. But then I suppose its like what John Lennon once said that 'Life is what happens to you when your busy making plans.'

Still on a lighter note, be sure to come back next month as we have a shoot in the fabulous Boardroom Studio in Derby featuring the return of stunning Marie Jean Saxton.

Please enjoy this months picture offerings. x

March Updates

Welcome back to the Lujon Rael blog update for March.

Its been a busy month with two fashion shoots and a visit to a local beauty spot to see if there is any good places to shoot. The World is still in a shitty way with Wars and conflict, lies and deceitfulness, yet things still go on and the Sun sets and rises again in the morning. We are never going to put all things right, and this is not the forum to try, but you can only do your bit to make it a slightly better place if you can make someone happy. So I would like to give a shout out to my friend Mark who I know drops by from time to time to see what I am up to on the blog. Thanks my friend.

Then thanks also to all those that help bring these pictures into being. Chris, Wendy and Nina at The Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. To Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and Shadrine at Kavour Beauty.

A mention also to Amy for all her love and support.

I hope you enjoy this months updates. x

July Updates

Welcome back to July's blog updates.

There has not really been much happening this month except sitting in my front room with the fan on. I am not very good in sweltering hot weather, give me an Indian Summer any day ! So I have not been out very much, or moved far this month.

I mentioned last month that I have no shoots booked until the end of September when I then have two with Monalisa Moyo and boxer Nicolie Campbell which I am both looking forward too. So it is a bit of a bare month for model pictures I am sorry to say.

But I have managed to take the months scheduled flower images in the home studio, kindly provided by my friends Chris and Wendy at Flowers To Yours and Brambles Florist. I have also been digging up ancient images I have of flowers taken in a variety of gardens up and down the Country from London to Scotland and renovated the images for you to enjoy.

So now that I have some time down this coming August before the next flower shoot, I am taking the time to send of my digital camera off for a well overdue service with Nikon. These things never move fast, so I am feeling like my hands have been removed for the while. I shall have to take up knitting instead.

Enjoy this months offerings.

February Updates

Welcome back to the blog and its the end of February already. My how the time flies by when your doing bugger all ? Since a type of way out of this Covid-19 imprisonment is coming to an end I can start to plan a way back for more new shoots starting in about the middle of April I hope. If it goes ahead, we shall be proud to show you all a new model who goes by the sweet name of ‘Moyondafoluwa’ A very pretty melanin beauty, and someone I am very much looking forward to working with.

Anyway before then please enjoy this months offerings of work from the home studio and a look back (not in anger!).

Thanks x

January Updates

Welcome back to the new years gallery kick off and sadly no model shoots to show you. It does also look likey that there won’t be a proper studio shoot until maybe April or May the way this Covid-19 situation is going. I know I don’t need to be reminded of it, as we are all suffering, but I just wish I could do something in a studio away from my four walls.

But like I said, we are all suffering one way or another.

Anyway, I managed to do some digital art this month after a break and do some more stuff for fine art and projects. There is also the flower work that I am so grateful to still be able to do with help from Chris and Wendy at Brambles Florist and Flowers to Yours. Not to mention, and not forgetting, my wife Amy who always helps me with the pictures.

One more thing to look out for is a review from Lens Culture of my efforts I submitted to one of their awards for Fantasy Art. Its not a bad review, worth a look … it’s at the bottom of this months flowers and quite a lengthy read.

Well thats it for now. Enjoy the blog and catch you next month.