Oh my gosh. The shootfest was INCREDIBLE, you guys!
SG events are always a little full on, but walking into a beautifully designed house that was already packed with babes was actually super intimidating! It's weird when you recognise every single face but half of them you've never met before! I kinda hit behind my ipad in the corner of the kitchen and took a couple of breaths before I launched myself into hugs and hello's.
But yes, incredible. Just mind blowing. Everyone was there. It was great to finally put voices to the faces and names I've seen around the site. Sydney was hot and humid which made it feel a bit like a tropical holiday for me. It was lovely, as soon as I breathe that humid air I feel my lungs relax and let go.
The whole thing was a bit of a whirlwind. The first day I helped @exkyu shoot a new girl who'll be a hopeful on the site soon. We only had one shoot that day because the check in time was so late and the other girl we were supposed to shoot cancelled last minute. Which was actually alright because I got to socialise a bit. Fuck the neighbours though, they complained at around 8:30pm (on a FRIDAY) that we were making too much noise. So we just went down to the pub for a drink instead.
On day two I assisted with shooting @electra in the garden (mosquitoes yay!). Then we shot @miabelle. We started out shooting in the garden for that one too, but then Sydney did it's Sydney thing and it started raining so we relocated to the balcony. Then it was @sunflower in the shower and then my turn! I shot on the stairs. After that we shot @aubreyx on the fancy Eames chair in the living room. By that point we were all starving so I heated up some of the lunch I'd made for us and we ate a bit of that while we worked. Then I ran off with @Puffin and modelled for her while @exkyu shot @opheliacreep solo. I managed to finish up first and came upstairs to watch the last of that shoot and that's when the huge group shots happened. I was so tired after that I'm not sure what happened then.
Though there is one story that's pretty funny. The POLICE knocked on the door and were met with poor @victory who had to ensure that yes, we were all naked and that was okay. Apparently someone had complained about nudity? Probably the neighbors again. The police were fine with it, though. They were just worried that we didn't know that people outside the house were able to see us. I'm not sure if it was the balcony shoots or the backyard shoots that got us, but yes. The police were assured that yes we DID know that everyone could see us and yes, we didn't give a shit. Then they tipped their caps (I don't know if they actually did tip their caps, I was upstairs helping shoots happen) and left. Random. I'm glad they spoke to @victory though. She looks very responsible and cute.
Then the next day we shot a huge group multi with @christina @puffin @miabelle @pebblezink and myself. It was around a huge marble table which we almost tipped over at one point! I had a look at the shots just this evening and they actually look really good. I found 92 images that I like and are useable! After that @exkyu shot @vorpal in the upstairs bedroom and I helped out with reflector duty. Then I had a bit of a break before we shot @pebblezink in the bath tub, @amaryllis on the coffee table and @stardusst in the garden! Phew!
I think the best way for me to do this is to just stick a bunch of photos in here and chuck some random commentary in with them. I don't think I could possibly go through every single moment for you guys. There were so many.
This is @vorpal teaching me how to pout, basically. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but in my photosets I mostly just smile. I like my smile and my mouth seems a bit uneven when I just look at the camera with no expression. So yeah. This was right after @exkyu and I shot her set. Which is awesome, by the way. I had also shot a set with @exkyu and with @puffin that day which is why I'm all dolled up.
This was right after @exkyu had shot a set for @opheliacreep (we realised at this shootfest that she's shot SIX sets already for the site, come on guys. Make her pink already) let's see... @tails_ @vorpal @opheliacreep me @twitchling @vinture @tonks @varga and @verde_. Sorry about the weird shadows. The light had basically gone by this point so we just grabbed the LED lights and pointed them directly at the girls so that the image wouldn't be blurry.
This was midway through shooting @amaryllis. I was on reflector duty which was actually pretty good because the lighting was so even all I had to do was sit on the couch and point the reflector in the general direction of the shoot. But yeah, halfway through we stopped for pictures with @pebblezink as you do. I am so tired in this photo. @Amaryllis was the second to last shoot during the shootfest for me to assist on so yeah. Well and truly OUT of energy.
This was right before I shot my set with @exkyu. No glasses!! The photos have turned out lovely, I haven't edited them up yet though. So much editing and prepping to do for all these shoots. It's insane. I have a spreadsheet.
@Puffin hard at work shooting @harvest's butt. I think this was day 3? I'd say I'm sitting at the table in the background staring blankly at my laptop. I did a bit of that.
This is Mrs @trickett shooting @amaryllis on the stairs. I didn't take this photo, @exkyu is amazing though, right? What a rad behind the scenes shot! I think while this was happening I was downstairs at the table staring at my laptop. Haha. It was so nice to meet the tricketts. They're really cool people and their photography is going from strength to strength. Hopefully they get some sets bought soon because I want them to stick around!
@atlanticlungs. I really wanted to have a chat with her but didn't get a chance. Boo. Next time.
@puffin shooting @verde in front of the fancy stonecladding. Verde is so beautiful, you guys. When she first arrived she looked as shocked by the milli0ns of girls in the kitchen as I did (only she hadn't met ANYONE yet) but she's a brave one. She was friends with everyone by the time the weekend was done. I hope you had a great time, lady. I can't wait to shoot you one day!
Here's @exkyu taking a selfie right before @vorpal shot her set. This is mostly what I saw of him the whole weekend. I think he had that camera in front of his face more than not. Such a hard worker, but his stuff is incredible. I'm so glad he's finally a staff photographer. Well deserved. Wait till you see what he's come up with from THIS round of shoots!
So tired! This was after the second day, I think? Some of the girls went out and partied but I was just too pooped from shooting. I'm sitting next to @puffin on the couch and shortly after this she gave me a shoulder massage which has to count as one of THE highlights of the shootfest. Puff is the best, I love her.
Ooh! This is me shooting a set with @puffin. I reckon I scored myself the best spot. That stone is so beautiful and that couch too. And frame-less glass windows leading out to a garden behind me. I can't wait to get a squiz at this set, I haven't shot with puff for YEARS and this is going to be incredible, I can just feel it.
This was right at the beginning of the shootfest. Me with @pebblezink and @christina. I love these ladies. I know I keep saying that about basically everyone, but that's because it's true! We are so blessed to have such a chilled out and friendly bunch. Everyone is mates with everyone and we all cheer one another on both in life generally and here on the site. There's nothing like the women on SG. There's just something about us. And when a new girl comes along she always just slots in like magic. It's beautiful and I'm so proud of all of us.
Me shooting. The camera in the foreground was set up to just take a photo every 10 seconds in order to make a timelapse? It's going to be really cool, I think. And that's @vinture helping out with reflector duty. Important to keep my butt evenly lit.
Oh I am MEGA excited about this set. We shot @aubreyx in the same corner of the house, but on the Eames chair! She wore this glossy black lingerie that matched the chair perfectly and we had so many reflectors on hand that the lighting is flawless throughout. I've already prepped this set and I would have submitted it already, but SG doesn't seem to want to accept my upload at the moment. I'll try again in the morning when there's less traffic on the Aussie internets.
Okay this set I have submitted. We took this group shot right after we shot @sunflower in the shower. THAT SHOWER was incredible. No screens so it was totally open to the room which meant we could get whatever angles we liked. That set is something else. I mean, they all are. But that one gosh. I love it. Anyway, the pic features @harvest myself @aubreyx @unicorn a very wet and cold @sunflower and @ambra
Another behind the scenes of my shoot. My shoulders look so square. It think that's from crossfit. I've never had shoulders that square, but I really like it! Hopefully by the Brissy shootfest I'll be even more lean and toned. I am liking what the exercise is doing to my body. Also, how nice is that white leather couch? Someone got pink marks on it from their hair (coughpuffincough) but I think it all came off eventually. It was funny... everyone all like 'who has pink hair?' and actually having multiple candidates for that. Only on a shootfest would that happen.
Me and @puffin shortly after shooting my set. I like this picture but I wish I was turning around more and looking at the camera. Puff is such a pro and I'm just there like 'wtf camera?' That green wall was probably my least fave part of the house. It turned out okay in all the shoots, but in reality it was the same colour as the plain-packaging cigarettes we have here in Australia and that's kinda gross.
Me and @christina in front of the same wall. It had the best lighting because of the skylights above it. Such a cool thing, skylights. Meant we didn't need to light anything artificially. We chose the house SO well. I'm stoked.
Sneaky preview of @aubreyx's photoset. You have no idea how excited I am about this photoset. Aubrey is another one like Ophelia who's done LOADS of photosets. I am thinking THIS ONE will be the one that sends her pink. Look at that outfit, look at that hair. Look at those adorable glasses. Such SG material. Fingers crossed!
Me being a dick during @Amaryllis' shoot haha. And you can see @pebblezink going through her photoset and picking which images she liked and didn't like so I can edit it faster.
This is in the kitchen. We stuck up our hashtags which you can check out on Instagram and I also stuck up annotated copies of the makeup and hair guides of the SG model guide. I hate how little circulation this document gets because it is SO important to follow! Without it, chaos. I hope everyone had a read of it and followed the guidelines. Most of the makeup I saw was perfect for SG.
I think I've run out of photographs. Boo. I'll sum up. If you missed this party you're a dummy because it was amazing. There was so much love in that house that it was basically flying out the windows. I don't think I've hugged so many beautiful girls in my LIFE! The art we all made is breathtaking and belongs in an art gallery. Perhaps one day it WILL go in a gallery, who knows. I'm so proud of all of us for making it such a smooth running couple of days. The photographers all made way for one another, the models were all on time and shot amazing sets, @pebblezink did an incredible job organising and yeah. I can't say how happy I am and how grateful I am that @missy started this website and all the other things that have happened in order for me to have an amazing weekend like this. I think that between the five photographers in the house we shot around fourty girls. And to think that three years ago there were about twelve hopefuls in all of Australia!
I love you ladies, you're all amazing and I can't wait to see you at the Brisbane shootfest later on this year.
xoxo
