Okay, so I have PLENTY of new photographers to feature and things to say but for now I'm just going to put up some photographs that I found on my computer from last November time from my first ever shoot using the light studio ^-^

So here you go :)

Property, Akif Hakan Celebi and Photo-shoots

        So firstly a rather unwelcomed update on my life- After almost two years of solicitors, courtcase's and uncertainty about my future, today it is officially over. It hasn't ended the way I wanted it to and, without revealing all the details, I have about 2 months to find myself a new home after my mother and her ex have spent since 2010 fighting over owning my current home outright, with a restraining order against him during that period ( although he was around the whole time, working on the house near by and then later being allowed into our apartments downstairs ( that doesn't connect to the upper levels of the house) to 'work' on them to become finished holiday apartments. I suppose it's a bittersweet event now; It's all over but seeing him getting what he wanted all along by buying out my mother and it becoming officially his, makes me angry for many reasons, not just for the hell he put us through for years.
My sister has already moved on to her own place with her other half ( a baby is expected in August), my mother has found a new man who she loves unconditionally and loves her back and has bought a restaurant with him and practically lives with him so it's just little ol' me left to sort out my life and find myself a new place to call home.

Unpleasant news over, I've spent a very long time deliberating sorting out rates for my photography as I've never really charged anyone before and find that I have the awful fault of not wanting to ask people for, what I consider, lots of money even if I'm told that It's EXTREMELY cheap compared to many photographers and for what I SHOULD be charging. So if anyone out there reads this and has an opinion on rates then feel free to share, Or are you an amateur photographer yourself and having trouble coming up with fair rates?
I've been thinking to create an hourly rate for photo-shoots with a seperate rate for retouching time and also other rates for 'packages' - such as creating an entire modelling portfolio over a month etc.
I have rates in my head but until they are set in stone I shan't put them up online.
Also, my Flickr is finally starting to take shape after hours of slow uploading images to the site. I still have less than 50% of my work uploaded but a link for you darlings now whilst it's on my mind - Flickr

Now, FEATURE TIME! :) If any of you have someone in mind that you think I should feature in the future then please feel free to leave a comment with links to the photographers work :)
I actually can't believe I haven't featured this person before. Akif Hakan Celebi His style inspired me all through my Design& Technology course and his execution is brilliant. His work reminds me or everything I wish to be in a photographer, the use of colour is spectacular whilst his use to create his own world in his images, a place where people can be who they want, set apart from the dullness of everyday life and style through his use of incorporating models in amongst busy cities and bustling crowds. In fact I've found it nigh on impossible to not want to put ALL of his photographs here and so I've stuck to using his Fashion/Commercial work - to Quote him "Fiction photography is art because then the ideas of the photographer count and he creates something new, just like a painter."

Internet, Flickr and Updates

        So this is a short update but one that is VERY MUCH needed. For a while I lost my internet and so couldn't update my blog and during that time I realised that I wasn't happy with where my 365 day project was taking me as I wanted to focus more on fashion and people photography. I convinced myself to stop it and have wavered on the decision ever since. The thing is, it may have not been exactly what I wanted out of the project but that doesn't mean I couldn't do another one next year when I have more models at the ready and equipment etc. The problem being that now I've left it too long to pick up on the 365 day project as I've missed more than a weeks worth of photo's. So what do I do... Do I pick up from where I left of from my already 365 day project and edit photo's in for the missing days ( I consider that cheating though :/ )do I restart the 365 day project, switch to a 52 week project giving me a week to come up with a photograph I'm really proud of or do I scrap the whole thing... Hmmmm

On another note, I have a couple of photoshoots coming up in the near future that I can't wait for and will,of course be posting pictures of here :)

AND - I've finally actually made a Flickr account that I intend to remember the password for and use :) so you can catch me there at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/luciiebphotography/
Unfortunately uploading photo's onto it is a nightmare - I've been trying to upload 23 photographs for the last 20 minutes and am only on 8%. Oh no, I know what I'm going to be doing all day :/

For now that is all I'm going to say as I have a lovely, long post planned with a feature etc soon. I'm also planning on editing some photographs that I've taken earlier this year and done nothing with yet so they will be coming up soon to :)
Just along with that message IS a few photographs I've edited today :)

Love, Always
Luciie Panda

Kimberly Akrigg, plans and plots

         Okay, so writing a blog daily is A LOT harder then I'd originally expected. The amount of time I actually spend with my laptop within area of use now that it's summer is, well, not an awful lot. Even now, although on a laptop, it is not my own or even in my own house. I think it'd be best to set myself a day a way to upload all my 365 day project photo's from the week so I can plan to be at home editing and uploading that day. Not to say that i'll only do a single blog entry a week cause that won't be the case. I still plan on bombarding you with features and shoot ideas and everything else I originally stated would be in these posts.
Today has been an easy day, I've not ventured out into the sun at all as I've been busy with the plans of summer photo-shoots dancing through my mind, make-up and clothing etc worrying me to no end.
Because I'm still very new to fashion shoots etc I tend to use all my own make-up and buy in clothing and accessories from eBay ( a blessing on such a tight budget) yet, at the moment, I can barely afford a single item of clothing and now I'm actually free to do shoots every week and I can't afford to. Ah, the life of a student photographer. I'm planning a huge clear out of my room with eBay coming in handy to sell items from old photo-shoots, un-used items bought for shoots etc. so that I can afford to actually create new shoots. I will put a link to my ebay up once i've actually put items on it :)

Today I'm really excited to do a feature as it's been a while since i've done one and I really think there are so many things out there that need to be shared. Todays' feature is on Kimberly Akrigg. I came across this talented photographer through DeviantArt, i'm not even sure how long ago yet today, as I browsed through deviantArt I knew it was her I wanted to share with you today.
Firstly a few links for you lovelies to find her yourself:-
DeviantArt
Blog
Website

I'm a complete sucker for red hair and everyone knows it. I love the contrast between the hair and her pale skin, the sequined sleeve and netted hair making the model seem like a mermaid, come to life

The use of colour here really creates a striking photograph

I love the contrast between the seemingly almost punk-ish girl due to the 'loud' hair colour in juxtaposition to the soft feminine floral dress and very feminine colouring of the overall composition.