Ella Rose: The Story

I know, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve updated! I’ve had a lot of exciting shoots recently but am reluctant to post without the images – hopefully I’ll be able to remedy this soon!

Anyway, I was lucky enough to be asked recently to model for the new 2011 collection of Chanticleer wedding dresses, each made by the extremely talented bridal designer Tracey Salt in Cheltenham. One look at the Chanticleer website and I knew this would be a wonderful day; the dresses are exquisite.

We shot at Badger Farm, having stayed over the night before in the cottage. It was such a varied, beautiful location; the views all around were amazing (as you can see in one of the images below). It was a brilliant case of everyone pulling their weight and doing their bit; 2 models and 18 dresses to get through in one day (11 hours!), all with different hair and make up, and each needing help to get into and out of each dress, trains carried for walking outside between locations, beautiful shoes carried until the last moment for minimal mud-sinking, fluffy robes held to be thrown on between sets (there was a very cold wind on the day!)… We were well looked after! All in all, the shots below are due to the brilliant teamwork of the following:

Designer: Tracey Salt (Chanticleer)
Assistant: Natalie Russell (Chanticleer)
Photography team: Chris and Claire Hanley
Make up: Hannah Raison
Hair: James
Beautiful and lovely other model: Rachel Hetherington
Thanks also to Liz Parker, Tracey’s mum, and for the gorgeous jewellery and shoes (which I don’t have a link for but may be found via the Chanticleer website).

The theme of the collection is ‘Back to Nature’. Each of the 18 dresses is named after a fairy. Cute or what! Here are the 9 dresses I modelled…

Jocasta:

Oriana:

Lolanthe:

Aphrodite:

Cassandra:

Paloma:

Arabella:

Carmel:

Minerva:

If you like what you see and are feeling bridally inclined, you can visit visit both Chanticleer and Chris Hanley Photography at this year’s National wedding Show at the NEC, from October 8-10th October.

P.S. There are some hilarious shots taken behind the scenes, which you may have seen on my facebook page… Here are a few of the best (comedy) shots…

 

>I know, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve updated! I’ve had a lot of exciting shoots recently but am reluctant to post without the images – hopefully I’ll be able to remedy this soon!

Anyway, I was lucky enough to be asked recently to model for the new 2011 collection of Chanticleer wedding dresses, each made by the extremely talented bridal designer Tracey Salt in Cheltenham. One look at the Chanticleer website and I knew this would be a wonderful day; the dresses are exquisite.

We shot at Badger Farm, having stayed over the night before in the cottage. It was such a varied, beautiful location; the views all around were amazing (as you can see in one of the images below). It was a brilliant case of everyone pulling their weight and doing their bit; 2 models and 18 dresses to get through in one day (11 hours!), all with different hair and make up, and each needing help to get into and out of each dress, trains carried for walking outside between locations, beautiful shoes carried until the last moment for minimal mud-sinking, fluffy robes held to be thrown on between sets (there was a very cold wind on the day!)… We were well looked after! All in all, the shots below are due to the brilliant teamwork of the following:

Designer: Tracey Salt (Chanticleer)
Assistant: Natalie Russell (Chanticleer)
Photography team: Chris and Claire Hanley
Make up: Hannah Raison
Hair: James
Beautiful and lovely other model: Rachel Hetherington
Thanks also to Liz Parker, Tracey’s mum, and for the gorgeous jewellery and shoes (which I don’t have a link for but may be found via the Chanticleer website).

The theme of the collection is ‘Back to Nature’. Each of the 18 dresses is named after a fairy. Cute or what! Here are the 9 dresses I modelled…

Jocasta:

Oriana:

Lolanthe:

Aphrodite:

Cassandra:

Paloma:

Arabella:

Carmel:

Minerva:

If you like what you see and are feeling bridally inclined, you can visit visit both Chanticleer and Chris Hanley Photography at this year’s National wedding Show at the NEC, from October 8-10th October.

P.S. There are some hilarious shots taken behind the scenes, which you may have seen on my facebook page… Here are a few of the best (comedy) shots…

 

I’d be meaning to work Chris Rout for over a year before I finally got around to it. I needed some lifestyle shots for my commercial agencies and have always admired the incredible way Chris captures light; his work is so fresh and natural, which was exactly what I needed, so the 5-hour trip (each way) to Middlesbrough was well worth the time and effort. I couldn’t believe how quickly he worked. We got through over 20 sets, I think, with many of them finished within just 3-4 shots! Chris also needed some natural-looking stock styles (many of which I haven’t included here), so it was a great exchange.

Also, in case you missed it on my rather smug (sorry!) facebook status (page here), the hotel I stayed in before the shoot had a cancellation and I was offered a free upgrade to an enormous room with two beds (one being a double four poster), gorgeous antique-looking furniture and a stained glass bay window. Brilliant! I hardly ever stay in hotels, so it’s always quite a novelty anyway.

Back to the images. I won’t lie, there’s a lot (A LOT) of cheese here. Good, wholesome ‘don’t you just love life?’ stuff… Brace yourselves!

(… And as you can see, I’m struggling to limit these down to just a few favourites. As the whole idea of commercial/lifestyle portfolio shots is for the potential client to see what you would look like in a given ‘scenario’, it’s all about seeing/showing yourself in different ways and from different points of view… So thoughts and opinions are very welcome, as always.)

Kicking off with ‘Casual Ella’:

‘Purple Dress (dangerously close to editorial but not allowing ourselves to go there for more than a couple of shots) Ella’:

‘Health and Beauty Ella’ (including ‘my elbow hurts’):

‘Catalogue Ella’:

‘Hanging out in lingerie Ella’ (kicking off this time with ‘my stomach hurts’/'perhaps I’m pregnant’):

‘Office Ella’ (including ‘let’s talk business’ Ella and my personal favourite, ‘really really excited, office has won the lottery’ Ella):

‘Safari Ella’:

‘Mumsy Ella’:

‘Bikini Frolics’ and ‘Action Ella’:

And ‘Ballerina Ella’:

What a productive day!

>I’d be meaning to work Chris Rout for over a year before I finally got around to it. I needed some lifestyle shots for my commercial agencies and have always admired the incredible way Chris captures light; his work is so fresh and natural, which was exactly what I needed, so the 5-hour trip (each way) to Middlesbrough was well worth the time and effort. I couldn’t believe how quickly he worked. We got through over 20 sets, I think, with many of them finished within just 3-4 shots! Chris also needed some natural-looking stock styles (many of which I haven’t included here), so it was a great exchange.

Also, in case you missed it on my rather smug (sorry!) facebook status (page here), the hotel I stayed in before the shoot had a cancellation and I was offered a free upgrade to an enormous room with two beds (one being a double four poster), gorgeous antique-looking furniture and a stained glass bay window. Brilliant! I hardly ever stay in hotels, so it’s always quite a novelty anyway.

Back to the images. I won’t lie, there’s a lot (A LOT) of cheese here. Good, wholesome ‘don’t you just love life?’ stuff… Brace yourselves!

(… And as you can see, I’m struggling to limit these down to just a few favourites. As the whole idea of commercial/lifestyle portfolio shots is for the potential client to see what you would look like in a given ‘scenario’, it’s all about seeing/showing yourself in different ways and from different points of view… So thoughts and opinions are very welcome, as always.)

Kicking off with ‘Casual Ella’:

‘Purple Dress (dangerously close to editorial but not allowing ourselves to go there for more than a couple of shots) Ella’:

‘Health and Beauty Ella’ (including ‘my elbow hurts’):

‘Catalogue Ella’:

‘Hanging out in lingerie Ella’ (kicking off this time with ‘my stomach hurts’/'perhaps I’m pregnant’):

‘Office Ella’ (including ‘let’s talk business’ Ella and my personal favourite, ‘really really excited, office has won the lottery’ Ella):

‘Safari Ella’:

‘Mumsy Ella’:

‘Bikini Frolics’ and ‘Action Ella’:

And ‘Ballerina Ella’:

What a productive day!

…And only 0.01% posing in the following images. Just a bit of fun and silliness to say Happy Easter to everyone!

I did these with a photographer last year (for a project I’m not allowed to talk about) – basically, it was me being me in front of the camera, with no aim to flatter me at all or show me in a particularly ‘beautiful’ way. It felt quite strange at first – I felt quite vulnerable and self-conscious; when someone says ‘just be yourself’ and then clicks away on the camera, you’re suddenly faced with a mini existential crisis about what that means and start unconsciously doing bizarre things with your mouth and fingers (or maybe that’s just me; anway, photographers often say it’s when they tell their models to relax or that they’re doing test shots that the model busts out the coolest poses – that definitely happens to me sometimes). The idea was very much to be natural and not try to be anything I’m not. The results aren’t ‘modelling photographs’ in the usual sense, yet, someone gave me a really interesting critique the other day in which they said it would be interesting to see me allow myself to be seen in different lights. I found his comments really helpful, and they confirmed something I have been feeling for a while – while I do suit the dreamy, serene look very well, and really enjoy modelling in this style, I would like to show some strong emotion sometimes and explore the aspects of human experience which aren’t necessarily just ‘pretty’ and ‘classic’ – pain, anguish, strength, power… etc… the electric (under?)currents of human life. So maybe I will see these as a start to showing different sides of myself; the sides my family and friends get to see all the time, off-camera. I’d be interested to hear what others think.

Anyway, Happy Easter!!!

Lots of love,

Ella (mini-egg-lover) Rose

xx

>…And only 0.01% posing in the following images. Just a bit of fun and silliness to say Happy Easter to everyone!

I did these with a photographer last year (for a project I’m not allowed to talk about) – basically, it was me being me in front of the camera, with no aim to flatter me at all or show me in a particularly ‘beautiful’ way. It felt quite strange at first – I felt quite vulnerable and self-conscious; when someone says ‘just be yourself’ and then clicks away on the camera, you’re suddenly faced with a mini existential crisis about what that means and start unconsciously doing bizarre things with your mouth and fingers (or maybe that’s just me; anway, photographers often say it’s when they tell their models to relax or that they’re doing test shots that the model busts out the coolest poses – that definitely happens to me sometimes). The idea was very much to be natural and not try to be anything I’m not. The results aren’t ‘modelling photographs’ in the usual sense, yet, someone gave me a really interesting critique the other day in which they said it would be interesting to see me allow myself to be seen in different lights. I found his comments really helpful, and they confirmed something I have been feeling for a while – while I do suit the dreamy, serene look very well, and really enjoy modelling in this style, I would like to show some strong emotion sometimes and explore the aspects of human experience which aren’t necessarily just ‘pretty’ and ‘classic’ – pain, anguish, strength, power… etc… the electric (under?)currents of human life. So maybe I will see these as a start to showing different sides of myself; the sides my family and friends get to see all the time, off-camera. I’d be interested to hear what others think.

Anyway, Happy Easter!!!

Lots of love,

Ella (mini-egg-lover) Rose

xx

I had a quick bridal shoot in Oxford with photographer Tony McCawley, recently. He wanted some bridal images for his business and I thought it was about time I had some photographs in that style for my agency and portfolio, so was glad to receive some images from Tony after the shoot. I’m not the type of girl who has spent her entire life dreaming of a white wedding, but it was certainly fun to play the part for a couple of hours in a very pretty dress.

A few of my favourites:

>I had a quick bridal shoot in Oxford with photographer Tony McCawley, recently. He wanted some bridal images for his business and I thought it was about time I had some photographs in that style for my agency and portfolio, so was glad to receive some images from Tony after the shoot. I’m not the type of girl who has spent her entire life dreaming of a white wedding, but it was certainly fun to play the part for a couple of hours in a very pretty dress.

A few of my favourites:

These images, from a little trip to Bath on the way back from a shoot in the Forest of Dean, are long overdue an appearance here.

Photography: Stefano Brunesci
Make up and poseur: Moi

I think there will be more shoots in the future… Apparently Stefano would shoot with me ‘every day of the week’ if I wanted (he’ll wish he’d never said that now…). Seriously though, I love shooting with Stefano. We have very different strengths/styles (which makes for a good swap), and I always feel like I’ve learnt something by the end. Although I couldn’t be a ‘proper’ fashion model in such a competitive industry (and to be honest I probably wouldn’t want to be, since the shallow superficiality of that world would terrify me, even though it would be tres glamourous I’m sure…), I love posing in more fashion-y styles now and then.

We also did some natural light stuff outdoors.

Seems appropriate to include a couple from our first shoot, last March (I may as well make this the longest post ever..!):

Thanks Stefano!

>These images, from a little trip to Bath on the way back from a shoot in the Forest of Dean, are long overdue an appearance here.

Photography: Stefano Brunesci
Make up and poseur: Moi

I think there will be more shoots in the future… Apparently Stefano would shoot with me ‘every day of the week’ if I wanted (he’ll wish he’d never said that now…). Seriously though, I love shooting with Stefano. We have very different strengths/styles (which makes for a good swap), and I always feel like I’ve learnt something by the end. Although I couldn’t be a ‘proper’ fashion model in such a competitive industry (and to be honest I probably wouldn’t want to be, since the shallow superficiality of that world would terrify me, even though it would be tres glamourous I’m sure…), I love posing in more fashion-y styles now and then.

We also did some natural light stuff outdoors.

Seems appropriate to include a couple from our first shoot, last March (I may as well make this the longest post ever..!):

Thanks Stefano!