Lou - I intend to sing and dance my way through my life. And you should too!

I live by 2 rules.

1- Don’t do harm to yourself.

2- Don’t do harm to anyone else.

As long as I’m living by those rules then I’m happy that I’m doing ok in life. I’ve spent so much of my life, NOT doing things, in fear of upsetting other people. Some people may not like what decisions and choices you make, but is it harming them; or is it just that their opinion might be a little different from yours? As long as you’re not causing any harm, then why not do what you want to! Life is too short! I’m not here for a long time, I’m here for a good time.

As Alan Watts once said, “We thought about life by analogy with a journey, like there was some destination we were trying to get to, but we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played”

I intend to sing and dance my way through my life. And you should too!

If you’re thinking of trying modelling, then at least try it before giving up. So many women of all ages, and all sizes, are beautiful, you just need to see it for yourself. After all, in life, we only ever regret the chances that we didn’t take. So take the chance!!

Photographer: Glossypinklipstick

Teenage period - dreams, role models?

I’ve always been outgoing and adventurous. When I was a teenager I was very much into music rather than fashion. I was a tomboy, girly girl. When I was around 6 years old, I remember going home to my mum and telling her I wanted a crewcut because that’s what all the boys wanted. When she told me that a crewcut meant cutting all my hair off, I didn’t want a crewcut anymore!

I loved Madonna in my early days. I would spend hours roller skating up and down my road with cut off jean shorts and my Walkman on, singing away to her Immaculate Collection album. I absolutely loved Boy George. I was lucky enough to grow up living near Richard Branson, he held a party each year to celebrate Virgin Records birthday which we were invited to regularly. When I was around 9 years old, Boy George performed and I totally fell in love with his uniqueness. He was himself and he didn’t care if anyone judged him. He was doing his own thing, enjoying life just being himself. He wore his own style of clothes and wore makeup. People laughed at him but he just did it anyway. He was his own person doing his own thing and I admired that as a young girl, and I loved his music! Music was always a big part of my life growing up.

As I got older, I liked to experiment with makeup and doing my hair nice, but I had my own dress sense, carving my own path and not following the crowd. Baggy hipsters, combat trousers and trainers, with a crop top or T-shirt, they were favourite outfits of mine. I was very rarely seen in a skirt or dress.

My brothers were my role models. They were much into music which inspired me. I got my first set of decks when I was 18 years old, a set of DLP3 Direct Drives. Then I spent the best part of the next 4 years learning to mix, initially Happy Hardcore, and then Trance. I dedicated my time to becoming a DJ; however, it wasn’t until I was 35 years old that I actually got to play out in a club. I even got to play at Ministry of Sound in London a couple of years ago. I had lived the dream!

Very much like how I feel now really. I have always been complimented on my figure and bone structure, my eyes, and my smile. When I was really young I remember saying, “I want to be a model or an actress when I grow up” but music took over, like most teenagers, I wasn’t at all confident in my body during my teenage years, in particular, my long legs, hence the baggy trousers. Ironically, my long legs are what I would class as one of my best assets nowadays and I love them!

Photographer: Jason

Can you recall your first photo session ?

I separated from my daughter’s dad a few years ago after being in a long relationship. I wasn’t happy and wanted more for my daughter and myself, so I went out to get it. I had been unhappy for sometime and was suffering with low self-esteem and anxiety so began to seek help. I wanted to be me again; bubbly, happy and enthusiastic about life. I began to research about the mind and thoughts, which led me on quite a spiritual journey. I learned to meditate and about self awareness. I learned about chakras and what foods were good for me.

I had spent some time working on myself as a person, so I decided to have a shoot to help me gain some body confidence at a local studio. It was a boudoir shoot with a makeup artist and they went all out.

The images were stunning. I had never seen myself in this light before and it made me see myself totally differently. I am a beautiful woman and I had failed to see it for so long. It was really hard to decide which images I loved most as there were so many good ones. I had three images printed as a gift that I had on my bedroom wall, each day I looked at them I gained more and more body confidence. I learned to love myself and the skin I am in.

Then one day, out of nowhere, I realised I was happy being me again! I decided that I wanted to see how modelling would go and 4 months ago I had my first modelling shoot with @jake41jake41 who is an amazing photographer. We worked through a few sets and the images we created are still some of my favourites! I was totally blown away with how good they were. From there, I set up my modelling page with the images and the rest is history. I’ve been on quite a journey these last few months and I can honestly say I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time. Each shoot I have I can see my confidence growing more and more. I see myself as a strong woman now who is loving life and very much living it..... a far cry from the woman I was just a few years ago. I feel like I’m glowing, and if I can help other women feel more confident in themselves then I’ll be a happy woman.

Photographer: Jason

You are into lingerie photos. People still look at lingerie art photos like something cheap. What is the reason, what do you think ? At the same time, mainstream media is full of cheap nudity.

One thing I always joke about to my friends is, on a summer holiday I could walk around in swimwear, a costume or bikini, and no one would blink an eye, however, I put on a bra and knickers and all of a sudden it has a whole new meaning, but why? Women, and men, all over the world model underwear and swimwear for retail purposes, without it, we would all buy our undies without knowing what they look like on. It’s mad because you would never take the rubbish out in your bra and knickers at home, but on holiday popping the rubbish out in your bikini may not seem like such an issue.

I do appreciate that some lingerie images can be more erotic at times, but there is a market out there for so many different styles of images these days, things are very different now from what they were say, 50 years ago. It’s inevitable that mainstream media is going go be full of lots of things we do and don’t want to see.

I really love lingerie shoots. They can be so sensual and moving. I love creating images that would leave the person wondering, ‘what happened next?’

I can’t comment on why some people wouldn’t want to see a lady in lingerie. We all like and dislike different things and that’s what makes us individuals.

Someone once said to me,

“You could be the juiciest, ripest, most sweet-tasting peach that ever was; but not everyone likes peaches”

Photographer: Effsixteen

What kind of lingerie do you like ?

I like all sorts of different lingerie. I enjoy wearing stockings and suspenders with a nice pair of heels as I feel very sensual and sexy when I’m wearing them. When I’m in my thigh-high boots or a harness, I feel quite powerful or submissive. I also like long socks with undies as I feel super cute and cheeky. I wouldn’t like to say that I like a certain style in particular as I enjoy wearing lots of different types of lingerie. I think that comes across nicely in my images.

Some people have commented about sticking to one style of modelling, and others have commented on how versatile my modelling is. I like that I’m into so many different styles of image and I think I’m going to continue to be versatile. In one outfit I can be sexy, and then cheeky, then dark and mysterious and so on, every set of lingerie is like a new adventure.

Photographer: Jason

Photographer: Brian

Photographer: Sweetpea

Photographer: Glossypinklipstick

Photographer: Jason

Photographer: Jake41

Photographer: Sweetpea

Photographer: Dan

Photographer: Jake41

Nude art photos. You have done beautiful ones. How was the reaction from people close to you? Do they understand that kind of art?

Celebrating the body as art should be a normal thing. People are still very judgmental when it comes to nude art. How do you feel when you do nude photos?

Thank you!! It's really nice to hear that you like my art nude images.

It varies between friends I guess. I’m really open about my modelling with my friends, some are really supportive and follow my journey, and others choose not to. And that’s absolutely fine. I respect that they don’t want to see it, and they respect that I do it. As I said before, everyone has different likes and dislikes.

You are a product of your environment. If you’re bought up to believe that your body is to be covered all the time, then your views on nude may be somewhat different from someone who has been bought up to be more open about their body.

I’m most happy when I’m in my skin and nothing else. I see art nude as exactly that... it’s art. I love shaping my body and creating something from it. When I look at images of art nude, whether it’s an image of mine, or someone else’s, I don’t see a naked body, I see creation, a piece of art. Some art nude images can be extremely powerful.

Photographer: Brian

Photographer: Jeremy

Photographer: Jason

Photographer: Sweetpea

Photographer: Dan

Photographer: Brian

Photographer: Jeremy

Photographer: Jason

Photographer: Brian

BDSM theme photos. Can you tell us more about that process of photo session?

The process is no different from any other photoshoot. Just the ideas may be slightly different. I still see this as art. Just in a different form. Some of my favourite images are that of the BDSM style. It’s a little bit of me that I get to express in picture form, Again, it’s not for everyone, but I enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoy dressing up and playing the role, enabling me to create something special. I also like erotic and fetish style images. An image can speak a thousand words.

Shibari (Rope) is my absolute favourite. Rope for me is like a big hug!

There are different kinds of rope. I have worked with different riggers, (people who tie rope), and they all work differently with different styles and techniques. To be able to create rope images within my modelling is an absolute pleasure for me.

When I’m being tied, I like to float away. Close my eyes and feel the rope as it goes around me. As it passes through and is pulled, you can hear AND feel the rope, it’s very therapeutic. Not everyone gets the rope. I like to meditate so it’s easy for me to float away when I’m being tied.

Tying rope is a skill and should be carried out by someone who knows what they are doing. There is also a very high level of trust needed. As well as health and safety that should be adhered to.

Some people look at it as sexual and erotic, BUT, it doesn’t have to be. Rope can be really pretty and detailed. People get different things from the rope in their own way.

Photographer: MartinQ (rope MartinQ)

Photographer: DawnQ(rope by martinQ)

Photographer: MartinQ(rope MartinQ)

Photographer: MartinQ (rope MartinQ)

Photographer: MartinQ (rope by dawnQ)

Photographer: DawnQ(rope by martinQ)

What would be your advice to all the models who would like to do photos like you are doing, but they are afraid because of - what will people say? How to liberate yourself from “what will people say” state of mind?

I live by 2 rules.

1- Don’t do harm to yourself.

2- Don’t do harm to anyone else.

I intend to sing and dance my way through my life. And you should too!

Photographer: Brian

Plans for 2020?

I’ve got some amazing shoots booked over the next few weeks and I’m really excited to see what we create. In March I am taking part in the UK Calendar Girls competition which I’m really looking forward to. 2020 is already looking really good! Im just going to grab every opportunity that comes my way. Grow, and continue to learn.

Nothing lasts forever so I’m just going to enjoy the good moments while they’re here!!

I’m really enjoying my modelling journey and I’ve had the pleasure in working with some amazing photographers. I don’t know where 2020 will take me, but for now all I can say is, I’m really looking forward to it!!