After Andrew and Ade - The Results (contains loadsa nudityness)

Ok, so a couple of weeks ago, and last week Monday, I worked with Andrew Appleton and Ade Kestrel respectively.

Here are some results from said shoots. As you can imagine, I am pleased as a pleased thing with the results and I am looking forward to further shoots with both!

I am really thrilled with how different the two sets are. Andrew has a style different to anything else I have done so the images will fit really nicely with everything else in my portfolio, adding something fresh and dazzling, as well as providing some well needed portrait images. Andrew is very relaxed and professional in his approach, knowledgeable in lighting and the art of photography, his passion for "that shot" making the time fly.
I have been waiting to shoot with Ade Kestrel for a long long time, and what a day! Last Monday, whilst I was on holiday in North Wales, I made a little journey over to Ade's and we spent a gorgeous sunny day chatting and travelling around finding glorious locations like waterfalls, mountainous hills, and abandoned dilapidated buildings to get naked in (me that is, not Ade)! Again, I adore these images for how different they are to what is on my portfolio. They make me think of a little landscape nymph, frolicking in the dappled sunshine and freshwater falls. Gorgeous! I might post some more at a later date...

Sadly, I did not get to work with Silverlight this weekend, so, just for the sake of it, I have added one of our 2011 shots for good measure. This cancelled shoot will be rearranged - Wayne remains one of my top fave photographers. A lovely fella, and an outstandingly good photographer!

That's all from me for now. Watch this space for more pics, more blogs and more randomness from lil' me!

I'd love to know what you think so far - please, comment and let me know!

Thanks for reading!!

B. XxX.

Update and Face Stuff!

So, on Saturday, I worked with Andrew Appleton and his wife Helen, who was our make-up artist for the day. It was a really awesome day, and I will blog the results soon. I have seen the out of camera shots, and they look awesome!!! Watch this space!

Whilst I was having my hair and make-up tended to, it got me thinking about cosmetic products. I thought I could use my blog as an opportunity to write a kind of little cosmetic review. No tutorials or anything like that, just a kind of, what I use, how, and why. I am going to do this across a series of blogs; it will be too long winded for one post. I am going to start with facial skin care, and then go on to make-up and other stuff in later blogs.

So, the questions I get asked the most as a model is how I keep my skin spot-free and unblemished, and how I maintain my figure. Let's start with the first question. The first and most important point is that I only wear make-up for photo shoots, and very little else. This is pretty key.

Obviously, when I do a shoot, I can wear anything from a tiny bit of mascara, to a full face of make-up that goes beyond the realm of your standard every day wear. So how do I stay so spot free? On my face, I use the Bodyshop Seaweed range every day - specifically the Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial wash. It's £7 for 100ml, but hands down is the best face wash I've ever used. It smells gorgeous, and clears greasy skin, whilst moisturising dry patches. I have "combination" skin, so I have oily patches as well as little dry bits in places. This works wonders. I use in the shower, and follow it with their Seaweed range Cleanser (£7), Toner (£7), and then Moisturiser (£9). I do this in its entirety about once a week anyway, but always after a shoot. About once a fortnight, I also use the Ionic Clay mask (£12), before I get in the shower. This process makes for clear skin all the time. I do the whole regime every time I wear any make up at all.

Now then, this is not to say spots never happen. I do from time to time, get spots (I blame the hormones). I keep them in check by not slathering them in foundation and hiding them under a ton of concealer. This never ever works. First off, it never completely hides the issue. Second, it makes the blemish worse, and third, it generally makes the infection spread to other pores. Like an awful catch 22 of bad skin. The best way I have found to treat spots is to use Witch Hazel gel on them after a shower, in the morning, and before bed. Try not to touch them with dirty hands. If you really can't help yourself, pop them when they are ready, with clean hands and a tissue, Witch Hazel at the ready. If you absolutely must cover them up, use a medicated concealer - Witch Hazel do one (most large chemists) and so do The Body Shop - part of their Tea Tree Range. I am not an advocate for The Body Shop by the way - I just love their products and use them a lot!

Tying in with good skin, and my figure, I also maintain a fairly healthy, very varied diet. Everyone has a different idea of this. In short, I eat a lot of fresh steamed veg, grilled or baked meat or fish. I like fattening and unhealthy food as much as your next person, but it's all in moderation. Mostly I eat healthily, but I love a fast food treat from time to time - don't we all!? There is almost nothing I do to excess. I don't drink at all (yes, really!), or smoke. I have been a member of a gym for the last 7 years, but tend to go in fits and bursts. When I am in full on gym mode, I go four times a week, usually three exercise sessions, and one session of Pilates. My gym habit is another blogs worth of writing, so I'll leave that for today.

So anyway, that's my facial skin care regime picked apart. Sometime in the future I'll write about my five favourite products, the make-up I use, and what I do at the gym, when I go!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have enjoyed the latest instalment.

Byee! XxX.

It's about time really...

I really ought to write again since its been a while since I last filled the white box with randomness!
Modelling wise it has been a quiet month but with so much else going on, moving house for example and settling in my new job, I haven't had much time for promotion.
I have though, had another drawing session with the Milton Keynes sculptor, and spent a lovely day with one of my very favouritest people, Richard Lund.
When I got to the MK art studio, I found my legs to be finished, attached to someone else's torso, and someone else's boobs and arms. An amalgamation of models into someone's idea of perfect I suppose. I rather like it, and look forward to seeing the final piece.
So, my day with Richard was as productive as usual, but I felt really out of practice. It was weird, when I arrived, I felt confident but had a little crisis once I was in front of the camera. I suddenly lacked confidence! However, in the end I warmed up, and then I was back to my good old Buttony self! I made it my task to take several label-still-on bits of clothing and make them work, and, well, the results knocked the socks off of many!

So at the moment I am planning an upcoming location shoot in countryside Herts, and looking at themes and concepts for a very busy planned June. I have a holiday in North Wales coming up at the end for May, which I am looking really forward to - having photos taken as well as taking some great photos!
I am also looking to fill some spaces in May, a couple of shoots which have been moved back to June for various reasons, leaving a couple of empty weekends in May. It's all go!
It would be really nice to arrange a shoot with the awesome Silverlight whilst I am in the South. I think I will do emailing at him and see if I can get something arranged. Also, perhaps might be time soon to think about further works with the fabulous Nick Giles - we have shot several times and each time created something great! There are some examples of my work with Wayne and Nick here. You can see more on my site!
Anyway, that's all from me for now. Thanks for reading! I'll try not to leave it so long next time!
B. xxx

Some More Rambling from Button's Brain! (Contains Nakedness)

Hello, and welcome to another instalment of Button's blog! This will be more of a bloglet really - I am keeping it short and sweet for ease of reading and to add mystique. Let's see how long it turns out to be once I get my ramble on!
Anyway, the last blog I wrote was all about doing some proper posh portrait pics with a pro, working with that Mike Hardley fella, and going to drawing classes.

It has been a quite couple of weeks, but what I have done, has been interesting! I spent Monday evening after work last week doing a really fun three hour studio session in Milton Keynes with a photographer who is slow and calculative with his lighting approach, knows exactly what he wants from a shoot, and comes (helpfully) with a selection of thumb nails for reference to the kind of thing he wants. It is a great resource to have on hand, and especially good when someone is running short on motivation, which does happen from time to time!

So then, I booked a half day off work on Wednesday and wondered on down to KV Media for a shoot with Karen Jones and Tony Nutley. A very productive day and two pleased photographers who both had projects and ideas in mind, and achieved what they wanted. There will be further results to follow, but for now, here are a couple of previews. Working with Karen is a joy every time. We work in a very relaxed manner, but seem, more or less, to produce results every time, and with the most unusual of props. The dress in the photo on the left was one of the most unusual things I think I have ever worn, but I was sure I could make it work for a photo or two, and low and behold, here is one of many examples of shots that worked.

Tony and I have worked together on numerous occasions too, but seeing as we live so far apart, our meetings for photo fabness are far less frequent than I would like. Again, we get great results each time we shoot (even when make-up artists do ridiculous things with my eyebrows) and Tony is so lovely and easy going, the time seems to whizz by in the blink of an eye. So, we did some great stuff with a single light from all different angles, and my favourite is this one here on the right.

This is a fairly typical pose for me, and one photographers ask me to replicate over and over. The first time I did this pose was when I spent a day with John Tisbury at Arianne Studios in Tamworth, being wickedly creative with one light, but from directly above. A slightly different approach to that of Tony, but just as effective. Take a look for yourself. A couple of the other shots from this shoot when on to be published in the Guild of Erotic Arts second book, named "The Guild of Erotic Artists II". You can see some more of these images on my website. www.nicbutton.co.uk

Finally, last night I spent the evening working with a group of photographers from a photographic group in Hertfordshire. There were two photographers working with film - something which makes me feel fairly under pressure. Call me anti-old fashioned, but there is something wonderful about being able to do it again and not waste a whole shot when you accidentally lose balance, blink or forget to stand on tippy-toes. Equally though, and I am not just saying this, there is something gorgeous about a proper film photograph. The pressure means you work an extra bit harder, there are smaller parameters for post-shot editing, and whilst you do run the risk of potentially ruining a whole roll of film, a perfect shot from a film camera can be really satisfying to look at, especially if you have been part of it.

So much for short and sweet! Have a great weekend people, and thanks for reading!

Clothed, legs, and wigs... (Link contains nudity)

So here I am once again faced with this large white space to fill, but luckily, I have lots to talk about today as a lot has happened since I last did blogging.

First of all, I offer you a preview of my finished work with Chris Yates and the make-up artist Hayley Lorraine. My favourite selection of the rest are on my website (www.nicbutton.co.uk), and I must say, I am really rather besotted with them. Working in this style was very new for me. The makeup was chosen for me, as were the outfits, and I really struggled with posing, since I am so used to being naked for my work. Despite this difficulty, we worked hard, and produced some belting images, many of which are already receiving a great response.

This particular shoot has done more than benefit my portfolio. It has shown me that I can do fashion (something which I have always thought I lacked skill in and shied away from, generally). In turn, I have found new confidence in front of the camera, and find myself more relaxed when someone says "here, put this on". It has also given me motivation to start making some of my own props and accessories for shoots. I have some great ideas in planning and am gradually finding all the bits I need to get started. Watch this space for pictures and writings about how I get on! I am quite excited to be adding another creative string to my bow of creativity!

So, on Friday just gone I attended another life drawing session in Milton Keynes village. I have been here several times, and the session is often pre-empted by an hour or so of photography and measuring for the artist who holds the class; an erotic sculptor who works in plaster and fibre glass, often making full size sculpures of people (girls mostly) in various positions. I arrived to find he had made a full size clay model of my legs, from a photograph. Quite an experience! We got going and he set to work with calipers and a measuring tape, checking various lengths so that he could perfect my model legs for a piece he has planned involving a bicycle... Perhaps at a later date, I will be able to attain a photograph!
Yesterday, I spent the day doing all sorts of different stuff with photographer and friend Mike Hardley from Northampton. We met and did an awesome five and a half hours (although it felt like about one hour, it went so fast), and the results so far are brill! I have added a sample, but again, you will have to pop on over to my site to see some more.

As you will see, we used some awesome props, an amazing wig (or two) and shot it at KV Media studio in Chesham, Bucks. I love it there! There are lots of sets, some great props, and a very helpful and friendly studio owner.

I hope you have enjoyed reading blog 3, and looking at my new work. Have a great Sunday evening! XxX.

Mid weekend babble...

Good early evening everyone, and happy Saturday!!!

Well, it's been quite a week. Having recovered well from flu, I then came down with something hideous midweek and lost track of all my emails and everything.

I have spent this afternoon catching up, sending some emails about very interesting projects and working out what I want to do as the next step on my portfolio. Most importantly, and excitingly, I have spent an hour or so perusing the images from first TFP shoot of the year with photographer Chris Yates and make up artist Hayley Lorraine.

As I said I would, I took myself along with a suitcase filled to bursting with all sorts of things I would not normally wear for a shoot i.e. clothes!, and offered myself as a tabula rasa (blank slate, remember). The results are... Well you will have to wait and see! Watch this space for some pictures, and my thoughts on the process!

So, it seems this promoting myself more thing is working out really well. I am getting lots of interest from all over the place, and there are some really exciting things coming up. In the next few weeks, I am going to be working with Jamie McCartney in Brighton; the creator of the Great Wall of Vagina. I will also be working once again with erotic sculptor, Len Gifford. I have shoots with a couple of my top top favourite photographers, and further portfolio building works in the diary. It is all looking pretty awesome, and I am loving being back in the swing of it!

Thanks for reading, and have a great rest of the weekend! XxX.

Testing, testing... 1, 2, 3... Is this thing working? (Warning - contains links and imagery with nudity)

Hi. I'm Button. Welcome and thanks for reading. I've always been somewhat threatened by the idea of this... A tabula rasa (that's Latin for blank slate) whereby I can write whatever I please for all you guys to read at your leisure. What would I write about? Where would I start? Would it keep you interested?
So, I am at a point in my modelling career where now is as good a time as any to start writing about what I do. I use the term "career" lightly, since I am not full time you see - some people use that as a point to decide whether or not someone is a "professional". Is there no such thing as a "part time professional" and, because I only model in the evenings and weekends, does that make me "unprofessional" or "amateur"? Anyway, I digress.



By John Tisbury, 2006

I have been modelling now for six years. I was introduced to the industry by a friend of the family, and at the time, next door neighbour, who is now a very well known art nude, fetish and erotic photographer. It is not my place to name names here yet. Take a look at my website, and you will see a good collection of work there. www.nicbutton.co.uk



By Byan Allman, 2011

Where did I get to. Ah yes, six years. That website link has work from my very first shoot, right up until my very latest shoot. I have reached a point now where I feel a change of direction is needed. I know something in lacking somewhere, but I am not sure what. That said, I know what to do about it, and I am working on it - watch this space! Or rather, watch my website space. New work will go there, but I will talk about it here, on this... Thing...

In the coming weeks I have some very fun looking projects. I am particularly excited about the shoots arranged with make-up artists (MUA). Having worked mostly in the nude genre, there has not really been much of a call for an MUA, but as part of my desire for differentness, I am keen to give it a go. In a manner of speaking, offering my face as a tabula rasa to a make up professional, and see what that turns out like. I am excited, and a bit nervous, but confident. It is a new kind of journey, and one to take me out of my comfort zone, and I am going to give it my all!

Thanks for reading.