shoot | Hold the Glamour

January 14, 2013

Extremes of anything are dangerous

In the morning, I leave Sydney for New York. I’m flying with Qantas (my airline of choice), so I am looking forward to making my journey safely and comfortably home to the Big Apple. I cannot wait to see my precious family even though it’ll be for less than 24 hours.

Within 24 hours of touching down at JFK, I’m stepping on another plane heading to the middle of America for work on my next shoot. Catch-up family time is going to have to wait until the weekend (when I think I’m going to be home).

It has been a hot and fiery summer in Australia with fires burning out of control. Homes have been lost and certainly the lives of the innocent. It is headline news night after night – so sad and tragic to watch and listen to.

Global warming is out of control and we can see, notice and personally experience the impact of what it is doing everywhere in the world, whether in the Northern or Southern Hemispheres.

I know of someone who returned from Germany the other day and he describes his three weeks in Europe as freezing. New York up until recently has been freezing.

The weather patterns around the world seem to be out-of-control. Extremes of weather are dangerous. Extremes of anything are dangerous.

What are we going to do about it?

What are you doing about it?

What suggestions do you have to improve the way of the world?

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January 8, 2013

42 degrees and still shooting

I’m currently in Australia and today I finished my first shoot of the new year. We were shooting the autumn/fall collection for Sara by Ezibuy. It means layers, coats and boots for the cooler months ahead.

It’s hard to imagine however, the fashion industry is always at least six months ahead of the game with design, sourcing the fabric, manufacture to shooting the samples and getting the images ready for advertising. It’s a long lead time.

The weather has been hot, hot, hot and today we battled beauty and fashion in 42 degree celsius heat in Sydney like true professionals (107.6 degrees fahrenheit). The heat wave we are experiencing throughout Australia did not stop us from making and creating fashion magic. We started at 5.30am this morning to ensure we weren’t shooting during the hottest time of the day.

Sydney – call time is at sunrise

Sydney – Juli Balla and the Sara crew hard at work

Sydney – smiling and shooting whilst the temperatures soar

Yesterday we spent on the Northern Beaches shooting in one of my favourite location homes. The property looks like something straight out of Palm Springs, U.S.A. I love it. Unfortunately, jumping in the pool and cooling off after work was not an option for me or the crew. What an incredible view!

Sydney – my dream house on the Northern Beaches

The first couple of days of our shoot, we spent inside the studio. It is certainly easier for all without the elements and humidity wreaking havoc on hair, make-up, equipment and clothes. We turn the air conditioning up, the music goes on and we get down to business. It is calm, controlled and smooth.

Sydney – Annette McKenzie & I (my amazing hair & make-up artist)

Sydney – in studio

Sydney – kisses from the hair & make-up table

Since I started writing this post this afternoon, over a hundred and forty fires have broken out in N.S.W. alone. Other states in Australia are also battling fires in hot, dry and windy conditions that have proven to be devastating and uncontrollable. My best wishes and thoughts go out to all those affected and threatened by the catastrophic temperatures and erratic fire patterns that lie ahead of this evening. I wish you all, well.

What are you going to do to stay cool during these hot summer months? What tips do you have?

What are you looking forward to come autumn/fall as far as fashion goes?

What trends are you noticing and excited about?

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January 1, 2013

2013… Here we come!

Happy New Year! Here’s hoping for a fabulous and glamourous 2013 for all.

I’m sitting at the British Airways club lounge in New York’s JFK airport as I write my first blog of the year. My mum always said, whatever you do on the first day of the year is what will manifest and be for the remainder of the year. Does that mean, I’ll get a sleep in, be frantically packing, organising the household, kissing and hugging my family a hundred times and flying off to far away places for what remains of the year? We shall see won’t we.

I’m leaving my husband and kids for two weeks as I fly to Sydney to shoot the Autumn catalogue of Modern Curve by Ezibuy. It’s a long flight – approximately 27 hours door-to-door. I am looking forward to seeing my family in Sydney and to enjoying the warmer weather that Australia is experiencing right now. I was packing dresses and sandals this morning when Steve commented, “at least you’re heading to the sunshine”. Yes I am and without my family this time.

Wish me well as I journey Down Under.

Last night, my family and I stayed home for NYE and had a delicious meal together before the kids went to bed a little later than their usual time. Steve and I watched a couple of our recorded TV programs before retiring to bed just before midnight, cuddling and talking as the fireworks started to explode outside. We wished each other the best of the best for 2013 and fell asleep in each others arms. A perfect way to welcome a new day and a new year.

I hope your heads &/or hearts aren’t suffering too much after last night.

What did you do for New Year’s Eve?

What was special or meant the most to you about last night?

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December 11, 2012

Did anyone say ‘Taxi’?

The past week I had a trip out-of-town for work and it was as usual, pleasant and easy as I’ve come to expect with this lovely and regular client in Wisconsin. I took an early morning flight out, get picked-up in a Town Car or similar (with my Starbucks Grande Americano in hand), worked that day then it’s back to the hotel for the night. A shuttle bus takes me and the other models (straight-size, full-figured, men and women from all over the country) from the hotel to the studio and then it’s another day of work and playing it up to the camera.

Once I returned home and arrived at La Guardia Airport, not only was it bitterly cold, every taxi line or queue was also unusually long for this Wednesday night. I tend to walk a few minutes over to the American Airlines taxi rank which is typically the one people know least about and found myself behind approximately 25 people. During my wait, I noticed how many different types of New York City yellow cabs there are now. I counted at least five on this evening. They are all the same colour however, they are different in size, shape, make, model and most importantly, leg room.

Nissan NV200 – ‘Taxi Of Tomorrow’ – Image courtesy of Nissan

Being the tall chick that I am, I am usually hoping and projecting for one of the Ford Crown Victoria cabs that tend to have more room for my long legs. Then I spot the latest version of the yellow cab model emerging in to the market, approaching the line. It’s called the ‘Taxi Of Tomorrow’ and it was launched in April of this year by Nissan. I wanted it to be mine as I had never been in one to date.

Sure enough, this newcomer was mine. I was excited to experience this new yellow minivan style of cab and was hoping it was more like the London black cabs on the inside. Well, it wasn’t. I did have enough leg room however, the seats were hard and the second row of seating could still only accommodate three passengers. There were no fold out seats to seat more people like the London cabs have. I was disappointed.

NYC – Large Nissan NV200 taxi door

The doors were really big and there was an enormous amount of overhead space which both the driver and I had no idea as to why, in addition to this very large area for luggage etc. The driver drove fast and I felt like I could tumble out of my seat belt and go bouncing around this big, hard, square box. It was weird and not completely comfortable.

NYC – Inside the ‘Taxi Of Tomorrow’

I did like the large windows so you certainly had a better view of the world around you however, if it can’t carry more passengers and it’s not comfortable then what’s the big deal? What are the benefits if it’s not aesthetics?

Have you experienced one of the new Nissan New York City taxis? If yes, what are your thoughts?

Where do you think the best cabs are in the world? Who does them best?

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November 22, 2012

Radio City Rockettes and Magnolia Bakery

Since my last post I’ve been a very busy bee. I’ve traveled and worked in Milwaukee and Minneapolis for most of the week or so in-between. Time escapes me and before I know it, I’m in the here and now and it’s the eve before Thanksgiving. It’s probably the biggest public holiday in the U.S. of A and I am yet to get my head around hosting this traditional event. So here goes…

I did mange to squeeze some family time over the weekend however – I took Mila to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (The Rockettes in all their glory and precise splendor). It was amazing. We both loved it and it was our first time to the show for both of us. Mila and I both highly recommend it. We had orchestra seats and we saw it all before our eyes. It was fabulous.

NYC – Radio City Christmas Spectacular

The show was truly a spectacular and it was so precise and the dancers were in exact time. Mila, I and the hundreds who saw the show that session simply loved it. We were blown away.

Afterwards, we enjoyed the delicious Magnolia Bakery only blocks from where we were. Mila selected her six favourite cupcakes for her, Levi and our guests due later that day. What can I say other than yum and gone! A must on the New York City circuit. Remember the scenes in Sex and the City? If not, go back and revisit.

NYC – Rockettes Toy Soldier routine

The Toy Soldier routine was simply amazing. It took minutes for all of the dancers to fall down gracefully and rhythmically. It was one of the best choreographed routines I’ve seen ever seen and coming from an ex-dancer that’s something! I was left speechless.

Before I know it, six loads of laundry later, whilst frantically packing for my work trip, I hop on a plane from JFK for an almost three-hour flight to work. Once I arrive, I’m then privileged to a wonderful catch-up with Barbara Bricker for a few days. Whilst we were working together, one of the many things we spoke about and discussed at length was Thanksgiving dinner. Barb helped me come up with my menu and traditional dinner fare for the holiday. I was most thankful and grateful. It is my first time hosting the entire event so it was important to get it right. A work in progress I must say as I emailed my darling husband Steve the shopping list.

Minneapolis – Barbara and I

Minneapolis -Beri Smithers and the gang

After we finish our shoot, four of the six models were heading home to New York. We rushed to our cars and headed to the airport. As soon as I got in my car with Beri, I took off my make-up and called home. The picture below is me negotiating with my four and two-year olds to eat their wonderful dinner that our nanny Isabel had made for them. It’s a hard sell.

Beri, who was riding with me in the car starts laughing and takes the picture below. Her words to me were, ” From supermodel to super negotiator”. She is not wrong. Beri Smithers’ too is a supermodel and she was one of the first straight-sized models I ever met when I moved to New York. She is a rock star and I love her so.

Minneapolis – In the car on the way to the airport

I arrive home by midnight and am so tired my eyes are bloodshot. I cannot wait to get to sleep however, it takes me a very long time. I have Thanksgiving dinner to prepare and host and for that, I am geed up! My next installment will be me hosting me first ever Thanksgiving dinner… Success or failure to come!

Stay tuned.

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October 18, 2012

Cutting 10 inches off and a sunrise in Dallas

When I left home yesterday afternoon for the airport, it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was so mild for this time of year in New York, all I wanted to do was stay and enjoy the afternoon with my family. This is one of the sacrifices one must make when work beckons, even on weekends. We shoot or travel, seven days a week. Fashion shoots are not simply Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

I was on my way to Texas and fortunately on this Sunday afternoon, my flight which was over three hours was on time (most of the other flights were strangely delayed). I felt blessed. One can never tell what the skies of aviation will dictate. There is no rhyme or reason.

Texas – The sun rising over Dallas

I woke up this morning and looked out of my hotel window and saw the sun rising over Dallas. I saw hues of blue, pink, orange and gold coming over the sky that filled in the space between the skyscrapers. I’m fortunate I get to see the sun rise and set in different cities, states and countries around the world. I simply love it!

Texas – Hair & make-up ready with backlight and sequence top shining

Whilst I was at work today, a good friend of mine called me from New York. She told me she was cutting off 10 inches of her virgin hair and donating it to cancer patients. Isn’t she amazing? Her hair is without dyes &/or chemicals and she has fabulous, thick, black, long, shiny hair that is now going to someone who really needs it and deserves it.

New York – 10 inches of hair going to cancer patients

I know someone else (a hair & make-up artist) who donates his long, beautiful, virgin hair every few years (that’s how long it takes him to grow it out). He waits until his hair gets to about six or eight inches long then he too donates it to cancer patients. What wonderful people! Giving unconditionally to those who need it most. I commend both Aileen and Stefano – you set an example.

So, I thought it was a great day at work. We were taking beautiful shots, I was wearing fun clothes and knowing such inspirational people who cut their hair off for charity. It was a good day indeed.

Have you ever donated anything of yours to a great cause or charity? If so, what?

Is there a charity the world should know more about?

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September 11, 2012

Spring in Sydney

Sydney – Setting up on Coogee Beach

Since arriving in Sydney, Australia a week ago the fabulous spring weather has been nothing but delightful. I love it here at this time of year. The days are sunny and bright, the evenings still crisp and cool. I can smell and feel the change of season and there’s an excitement in the air. The time has come to shed your winter layers and get moving, going. A rebirth is around the corner.

Sydney – My change room on Coogee Beach

Our shoot for Ezibuy goes well and we have great weather to prove it. We shoot in various suburbs in Sydney which include Coogee Beach, Seaforth, Dover Heights and the studio in Waterloo.

Sydney – Hello sunshine! Views from Dover Heights

Our mornings start at 6.30am for hair and make-up, so that means my alarm goes off at 5am to ensure I’m at work on time. By lunchtime we are well and truly in to our day and by 9pm I fall into my bed exhausted, more than ready to rest and be still.

Sydney – Studio day with a hair & make-up change

Location days are generally more difficult than shooting in the studio. You have weather, sun, reflection, equipment to maneuver and light to consider and work around. In the studio, it’s a controlled environment. You can change the background and adjust the lighting depending on whether you are shooting full length, waist-up or waist-down. I like mixing up my days in studio and on location.

Sydney – Time to bring on the glamour

I manage to have some down time with a dear friend of mine and her family on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and we have brunch at The Boathouse Palm Beach (my first time). The views are spectacular, the food is delicious (fresh Australian cuisine) and the atmosphere is beachside and truly relaxed. It is a must on your Sydney agenda and worth the 45 min drive north.

Sydney – Views from The Boathouse Palm Beach

Sydney – Lying on the grass soaking up the sun after our brunch at The Boathouse

Now, I return to my annual tax return, filing, opening of mail and general office work. It’s the other side to my, ‘oh so glamourous’ life. Ha!

What are some of your favourite Sydney spots to live or visit?

Where is the best ‘brunch’ served in your opinion?

What makes or defines the best brunch?

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July 18, 2012

Women of the world

I arrived in Minneapolis 11.15pm local time (that’s 12.15am EST). I was picked up from the airport and taken to my hotel along with a straight-sized model Lana that I worked with earlier this year and with another client. We were busy sleeping on the plane so we caught-up once we were in the car and on our way.

Our hotel room was nice and clean. I unpacked, got my work bag ready and fell in to the big, comfortable bed by 12.30am local time. When the alarm sounded at 7am, I was pretty sure I hadn’t moved all night.

On the ground floor of the hotel, I meet the four other models I was working with over the next few days at Starbucks – a very necessary start to our day. I knew Lana already and my dear and stunning friend Barbara Brickner was the other full-figured model on the shoot. The other two lovely ladies were straight-sized.

Minneapolis – Our shoot on location

We hit it off right away, discussing family (husbands & children), work, travel, schooling, fashion and of course the juggling of it all. It was a common thread amongst all five of us and we had a lot in common. We didn’t stop talking, asking questions and sharing advice whilst the camera clicked away. It was so refreshing to be amongst women of the world who had come from all four corners and traveled it well both personally and professionally.

Minneapolis – Behind the scenes

That evening, our client took us out for a delicious Japanese dinner. We all loved it and ended up in bed a little later than we had anticipated. See what happens when women get together and spontaneously have glamourous fun over dinner and a glass of wine?! It was a great way to start the shoot and it gave us the opportunity to get to know each other, including the client and producer.

Minneapolis – The stunning Barbara Brickner laying one on me!

One of the models had ‘googled’ me since it was my first time working with her, this client and the other four models. They other’s have been regularly working together over the last year or two. I thought it a little odd at first. I can’t say I’ve ‘googled’ another model prior to a shoot before – perhaps it has become more of a common thing these days. Well, she knew a bit about me before we started shooting anyway – it started the conversation rolling amongst the crew.

One of the questions that was asked of me was, what editorial was I most proud of or that I liked the most that I have done in my career. There were two that came to mind – one was the jet-setting feature I did in the Australian Cosmopolitan magazine about five years ago and the other was in the Australian Women’s Weekly. I must say, the women’s magazines in Australia really support curvy, beautiful women of all shapes, sizes and ages. This is wonderful, exciting and rewarding at the same time.

Wouldn’t it be fabulous and fantastic to have more editorials for women who are curvy and of all shapes, size, colour and age represented by more, if not all magazines around the world – a representation of WOMAN not just young, slim and pretty?

What are your thoughts?

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July 9, 2012

Getting it all done Big Apple style

Since returning home to New York, my time has flown by at record speed as usual. From unpacking to re-organising my entire closet/robe and getting rid of the clothes that needed to be, oh so long ago to purging the kid’s clothes again that are now too small and we have to make way for more to getting back to the gym and surviving the heat wave we’ve had in the last 10 days to getting back to my husband, kids and life in the Big Apple.

I had to go in to Ford and try a pair of jeans on for a client that had sent them to my agency for me to try on. So I went in, was introduced to two new bookers on our Ford + board then tried the jeans on. My booker took photos of me in the jeans and he emailed them through to the client. We had a quick meeting to discuss the work I have coming up and then I was off to run another errand or 10.

I worked a few days in the city and caught up with some wonderful friends and people I work with regularly in the industry. Here is a visual of my week at work.

NYC – The Empire State Building at 7am on my way to work

NYC – The beautiful Julie Henderson and I getting into mischief

NYC – My amazing hair & make-up artist, Keiko Hamaguchi and I

NYC – The studio in midtown

And now I must dash as I have a car waiting for me outside to take me to JFK airport. It really isn’t all that glamourous when I think back to my day and what I’ve had to do to get it all done.

The images my booker took must have worked – I’m going to work for them over the next few days. Till then…

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June 23, 2012

Where the ocean meets the sky

Sydney – the studio, quiet and empty before the day starts

Sydney - the rack of clothes that need to be shot

Sydney – the racks of clothes that need to be shot

We started shooting the spring and summer catalogues for Sara by Ezibuy last Friday in a studio in Sydney at 8am. Traffic is a part of Sydney life and it took me an hour to get to work (that was with no traffic accidents or incidents). Once inside the studio, Annette McKenzie (genius) starts on hair and make-up. By 10am we were ready, Juli Balla (photographer) and the crew were ready to start shooting the new season looks.

Sydney - hair & make-up done with curlers setting my hair

Sydney – hair & make-up done with pin curls setting my hair

Sydney - curlers out, touching up my lips with a hint of colour before getting changed into outfit #1

Sydney – curls out, touching up my lips with a hint of colour before getting changed into outfit #1

Scanning the racks of clothes once I was ready to get changed I noticed there were some key pieces that I really liked and simply had to have. The new season clothes were bright, colourful and included skinny jeans that fit me like a glove (one of my all time favs). Stripes are still very much in and still one of my favourite trends. There was a navy and a tea coloured linen jacket that I really liked too. Having basic neutrals in your wardrobe is a must in my opinion. It’s all about variety and versatility.

This routine continues over the next few days in studio. Our days of shooting merge into one as the days go by. At the end of our Sydney stint we head up to Palm Beach (Northern Beaches of Sydney) to get some location shots done. One can’t go any further than Palm Beach and its a 45 min – 1 hour drive north of Sydney (depending on traffic of course).

Palm Beach is somewhat far for the crew to travel and we mumble to ourselves about the distance and 6.45am call time however, once we are there and Andrea Rowe (amazing producer extraordinaire) walks in with delicious coffee and we have a moment to enjoy and take in the breathtaking views, we soon realise how divinely beautiful and blue this part of the world is. What were we saying?

Sydney – Palm Beach, view from the house we were shooting in

Sydney – Palm Beach, our view of where the ocean meets the sky

Sydney – Palm Beach, the day is done and I am heading home

Sydney – Palm Beach at ground level

Tomorrow we depart for Noosa, Queensland for the rest of the Sara shoot. Stay tuned.

Where have you been where the ocean meets the sky? What beautiful places do you dream of visiting and experiencing?

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