And a bit of money for charity too.

Blogging, tweeting, and all the rest of it, are great ways low-cost ways for a small or start-up business to get its name out there, start talking to customers and meet like-minded professionals and new suppliers.

Heck, it’s worked for me.

But with that particular media’s emphasis on ‘social’, it’s often a good idea to show people who they are talking to.

Put a ‘face’ on the ‘book’, as it were.

So in conjunction with a recent Scary Women event on just that very subject, I am throwing open the doors of the studio on Wednesday 29th February and offering professional-quality head and shoulders shots for a minimum £10 donation to Kids Company.

They will be quick 20 minutes sessions, either on a plain studio background or in a naturally lit room set, and you’ll get a couple of images emailed straight to your inbox all ready to upload.

The ‘Scaries’ have had first dibs on the slots, so they are filling up fast, but if you’re running a small business in Warwickshire and would like to book a place, please drop Lisa a line at lisa@scarywomen.co.uk

Hope to see you there
RS x

Apologies if you haven’t received one, the chances are I don’t know your old-fashioned postal address, but please feel free to print out this blog entry and stick it on top of your mantelpiece.

It’s another of Mr Spivey’s creations and beautifully works in the two Rs of the Raquel Rouge logo while the Vamp makes for a suitably sassy Christmas angel.

I first met with Miss Von Vamp when she came in and modeled at Pencils and Pin-ups in May, though rather than take a fee for her appearance she requested a shoot with me instead. It has taken a good while, and I hope she thinks her final set of images are worth the wait.

That's why the lady is a vamp

Once the easy shot for the Christmas card, (and a delightful team lunch) was out of the way, we found the time to take a few slightly more sensuous pictures away from the plain background. I’m really happy with the film noir look we managed to achieve. The black and whites look ace, but there’s also something nice about Von Vamp’s red hair against the red velvet curtains.

One dangerous dame

Miss Von Vamp is quite the rising star of the burlesque scene and manages to fill her diary with lots of appearances around the country alongside studying for degree. She’s a great gal – really positive about everything and lots of fun to be around – although we did go all out to create some moody images that lived up to her name.

She’s also a much more prolific blogger than I am and wrote about her experience in the boudoir here.

Lovely shot taken in the mirror

It’s nice to be winding down for Christmas now. I’m really looking forward to the break (although I do have a wedding on the 29th!) and having a bit of breathing space to reflect on the year just gone.

And plan for the next one.

To say 2011 has been hectic would be an understatement. I’ve done more weddings than ever and, although the burlesque scene has marched even further into the mainstream and brought more competition jumping on the bandwagon, the boudoir business has been as busy and enjoyable as it has always been. Even the commercial side of things has taken an upturn this year. Landing the Nokia job was great and I can’t wait to tell you about a some cool packaging work I have done with Jump To that will hit the shelves in the Spring.

Big love to everyone I have worked for and alongside this year. It’s been an absolute blast, though if you don’t mind I’m now going to retire with a glass of mulled wine and the telly remote.

Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year!

RS x

Lucy’s boyfriend Ben is a Leading Seaman and, in true pin-up tradition, she wanted to give him something special as a keepsake to take on his long tours away from her. Rather than hide them away in his bunk though, they’re so chuffed with the results, they’ve agreed to show them off here too.

Ahoy there!

I first met Lucy at one of the Garter Lounge shows at The Assembly and then again when the Evening of Burlesque came to the Royal Spa Centre last year. She’s a tattooist and recognised mine as a Valerie Vargas from across a crowded bar. We bonded while comparing ink and she swore she’d be back in touch. Sure enough she booked into the studio months in advance and used the lead time to plan her shots and collect together all of her outfits and accessories.

One key shot we wanted to attempt was inspired by the famous Gil Elvgren ‘Ankles Aweigh’ illustration. Nautical pin-ups don’t get more iconic than that. While old Gil is the go to guy for these kind of poses and there are plenty of talented people out there doing great photographic interpretations of his work, for me trying to recreate those images down to the finest detail just becomes a technical exercise, so, with a nod to his set-up, we went about creating the sort of hyper-real image that the Hollywood studios would release as publicity for their new Technicolour productions.

Amazing what you can do with a stock image and a little dollop of photoshop

Ben has done tours of the Falklands and the Gulf and has served on HMS Edinburgh and more recently HMS Gloucester. His uniform cap teamed with a blue and white striped bikini and Lucy’s impressive tats just looked amazing. Vanessa, as always, did a top job on her make up and Sinead created her hair to work with and without the hat – but Lucy was a fab model – confident and happy to pose away while I clicked the shutter.

Ship-shape and Bristol fashion

We took so many good shots it was hard to edit them down and, as Lucy gave us a free rein to be creative in post production, we got to try a few things out. With the whole Navy theme and her tattoos I figured it’d be cool to put her on the Sailor Jerry’s rum bottle…

Yo ho ho!

Lucy put a lot of thought into her shoot and it really shows. As well as the white background shots, we did some richer, more sensuous ones – I love this one of her posing with one of the letters Ben sent her from his ship.

Lucy and her ship to shore letter home

In the space of a few hours we did ‘cheeky’, ‘wistful’ ‘romantic’ and still found time to shoot this.

Sexiest. Pirate. Ever.

Saucy Nancy!

As well as collecting them, Lucy has been a qualified tattooist in her own right for around five years and is currently working at Passion and Pain in Leamington. She cites Jeff Gogue and Claudia De Sabe as her influences but, from what I have seen of her work, seems to be developing a nice style all of her own.

Lucy with Ben and some of her work

I’m so glad that Lucy and Ben are happy with their pics, they were a real joy to do, and if you are the wife or girlfriend of someone in the forces and fancy doing something similar, be sure to mention it to get a special rate on a shoot.

I know Lucy and Ben are looking forward to spending their first Christmas together in the same house after enduring a fair few apart. I wish them both the very best of the season and also hope that those men and women serving in the forces, who won’t get to be home with their loved ones, have an equally peaceful and merry time.

RS x

It covers how I got into photography, the burlesque scene and how Raquel Rouge came about, but if you click the image below a couple of times it should magnify enough for you to read it yourself.

The real thing is available from WH Smiths or direct from them here. It’s a great magazine and I’m so glad that it is looking like it might be a regular thing.

Hats (and other things) off to them!

RS x

In the 10 years since civil wedding ceremonies were first allowed to take place outside local authority-run register offices, many grand houses and stately homes across the land have thrown open their doors to wedding parties. The appeal of such large and impressive estates that look as great inside as they do outside is obvious and it’s their ‘self-contained-ness’ is something that obviously appeals to film makers as it does couples choosing a venue.

One of the most popular film locations I have had the pleasure of working at is the fabulous Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

Anna and Kevin get the best out of the location for their group shot

Belvoir is an amazing place and boasts some awe-inspiring interiors which were used to great effect in the recent movie, Young Victoria.

We had free reign to create some great formal portraits in this opulent room

Shooting inside Belvoir is a dream. It looks great no matter where you point the camera and the colours and textures are just phenomenal – it certainly lives up to the English translation of its french name.

From this state-room set for dinner to the bride's room, Belvoir looks good from every angle

It’s no surprise that the place has been used as a location for a whole host of other movies including Little Lord Fauntleroy, Young Sherlock Holmes, Jim Henson’s Jack and The Beanstalk, and the 1999 remake of The Haunting. It even doubled as the Pope’s summer residence Castel Gandolfo in The Da Vinci Code, albeit with a fair amount of CGI magic.

An impressive CV of movies past and present

Where Belvoir Castle provided a kitchen location for the 1999 version of The Haunting, one wedding venue I have covered on a number of occasions has the accolade of being the star of the 1963 original. Ettington Park Hotel, near Stratford-upon-Avon, was used for all the exterior shots of Hill House and apparently filmed in infra-red film to make it all the more scary.

Boasting some real ghosties some might say Ettington Park was an apt venue for The Haunting

(In fact, Ettington’s spooky goings-on aren’t confined to the silver screen, though that’s a blog post for another day)

Caroline and Stuart in high spirits during their exquisite wedding at Ettington Park Hotel

Though it is not all costume dramas and haunted houses.

Also just down the road from me, Coombe Abbey played the Mayor’s residence in the Coventry-set comedy Nativity, while the Great Hall at Warwick Castle provided a suitably royal backdrop for John Goodman’s King Ralph.

Coombe Abbey and Wawick Castle both beautiful venues caught in the evening light

For most ladies there would be only one thing better than stumbling into Johnny Depp, and that would be stumbling into Johnny Depp having a bath.

Sadly I wasn’t around when he was filming his raunchy bath scenes for The Libertine at Charlecote Park, near Wellesbourne, but even though it is not strictly a wedding venue, this summer I was asked to cover the wedding celebrations the former gamekeepers great granddaughter held in the grounds.

Charlecote Park plays host to Carrie and Tom and their guests

As I have mentioned before, one of my favourite local venues is the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick. It’s no wonder that film-makers fall for the enclosed courtyard of half-timbered buildings, which I imagine doesn’t take much set dressing to transform into a little slice of chocolate box England.

The easy-going and intimate nature of The Lord Leycester really suited Alicia and Tom

As an former almshouse and now a retirement home for old servicemen, The Lord Leycester is rich in architectural detail and is a real one-off.

Blessings and regimental mascots among the fine architectural details

Someone at the BBC is clearly a fan of the place as it not only doubled as Elizabethan London in the Doctor Who episode – The Shakespeare Code – but also featured in their productions Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth one), Tom Jones along with ITV’s Moll Flanders.

What groom wouldn't want to walk in the footsteps of these leading men?

Not exactly a film location, but more of a rock landmark is the very cute Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire. Now it’s a full-on wedding venue, but in the seventies was a residential rehearsal and recording studio and played host to many of the big names of the era, with albums by Led Zepplin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Peter Frampton being conceived and recorded within its mock Gothic stone walls.

Clearwell Castle, an appropriately rock and roll venue for The Suit frontman Neil and his wife Emily

And finally a location that played host to a recent engagement shoot – Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire – which only this summer was used in the filming of the latest Batman movie Dark Knight Rises. A virtual double for the previous Wayne Manor– Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire – the exterior of Wollaton looks like it will feature heavily in the new movie along with a small purpose-built graveyard set.

Dave and Sylvia are ready for their close up in the grounds of Wayne Manor

I’m sure these places have many more claims to fame than those mentioned here, but they are all reliably based on chats with friendly hotel staff and a little bit of Googling (Hurrah for Wikipedia and IMDB).

If I’ve missed any please leave a comment and let me know.

All the copyright of images on posters and such like remain the property of the various studios and special blogger respect and etiquette goes out to www.batman-news.com whose images of Wollaton are included here.

And of course massive thanks to all the couples whose weddings are featured.

OK. That’s a wrap folks!

RS x

Red lips rock! Though the accepted psychology of why varies.

A deeply coloured, pouty pair are a simple, primitive signifier of good blood circulation and the fertility and health of a prospective mate. It has been proven that the more oestrogen a woman has, the larger her eyes and the fuller her lips.

As an erogenous zone they have also have a high number of nerve endings, hence their use in kissing and stuff. Though in some cultures of the world, a woman’s lips are veiled because of their ‘representative association’ with, er… other parts of a lady.

Whatever spin the boffins like to put on it – it’s the red lips in shots like this that give the image its focus and attitude.

I know that, as a ginger with pale skin, I have personally always favoured bright red lips and was a big fan of Chanel’s (bizarrely discontinued) Pirate. I gave Mac’s Ruby Woo a try but found it really dry and hard to wear and I was down to the dreggy stump of my last Pirate that I found in an old handbag, when to the rescue came Ree Ree Rockette, a wonderful lady who I first ‘met’ on Twitter when we both had tattoos done by Valerie Vargas in the same week.

Ree Ree is an ex-teacher and librarian who clearly spotted the gap in the market too and launched her own range of vintage pin-up inspired lipsticks for “ladies aren’t afraid to be seen, and are confident in their own awesomeness.”

And in Rockette Red I found my new favourite.

Having taken the plunge with my own business I asked her what made her go for it in such a big way:

“It had been building for while, and I had been milling some ideas over in my mind. I had been getting progressively more bored at my work (I had finished a big project and would have been coasting), but I still wasn’t quite ready. Then a new and ‘improved’ dress code came around. I handed in my notice a few days after.”

This is a lady who really knows how to work her social-media ticket and, even with her established blog Alternatively Lovely, the profile she has raised for Rockalily in such a short space in time is a testament to her passion in what she’s doing and the power of networking. Ree Ree also runs the ‘Wonderful Women: Minding our Own Business’ network in London and Norwich. Though with all her success and praise from high places her highlight so far is still very down-to-earth.

“I think the first day I started selling was my high point! Up until then it had all been based on theory, and it was exciting to post out the first orders.”

And the product really does justify all the attention it’s getting:

“Our main range features 4 shades; two blue-based reds and one orange-based red and a blue-based pink . The blue-based shades are perfect for ladies with paler skin tones and those who want to enhance the whiteness of their teeth, while the orange-based shade compliments darker skin tones perfectly. The lipsticks have vitamin E in them to ensure they don’t dry out your lips and making them perfect for every day use.”

They can all be ordered directly from her site and at £14 a pop, your lips will thank you.

Ree Ree has big plans for the brand, so subscribe to her blog, like her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter – just keep her on your rockin’ radar.

In the meantime I’ve stocked up on a few lippies for the boudoir – so if you’re due in for a session you’ll get to try them for yourself.

And if you’re not, here’s my resident Make-up vixen Vanessa Reece with some tips on getting the best from your own pin-up pout…

1. Many women fear red lipstick because they feel it may be too overpowering. The key is to get the right shade that suits your skin tone. Always try them in natural light. It makes a huge difference. And trial a bit on your lips and not on your hands – as the skin colour is very different the effect varies massively

2. Grab a red lip liner. There are various ones on the market but one with a smooth application is best. Invest in a good one and you’ve won half the battle with smudge.

3. Lightly powder the lips with a neutral powder and apply the liner to your natural line (top lip bow), and also the bottom lip. There is no need to go right to the outer corners.

4. Apply lipstick with a professional lip brush. This is another good investment and will help your lipstick go further and stop wastage.

5. Blot with soft tissue, and repeat steps 3 and 4 (two – three times.)

6. If you happen to make a little mistake – do not panic! Simply apply a tiny amount of make-up remover on a cotton bud (pinch the top so it’s flat) and wipe off any excess that has gone over the lip line. Use powder again and re-apply with lip pencil and lipstick brush.

7. Practice, Practice… then POUT!

Many thanks to Ree Ree Rockette and Vanessa Reece for their help and input.

Big kisses

RS x

So with hair and make-up, three models, an Art Director and the client in attendance, everyone was present to make sure everything went to plan.

The main image for the South American store campaign

The shoot was for two key images that would form the centrepiece of a retail campaign promoting customized phones in stores in China and South America and, as the images would form part of a window display, the stories they were telling had to be big, bold and immediate.

Vanessa gets Gemma and Tim ready for the camera

The first shot shows a young guy who has had his phone customized with a picture of his girlfriend blowing him a kiss. I like to think that they live some way apart and that he looks longingly at it whenever she’s not around to give him the real thing.

Her bright red hair will leave customers in no doubt that it’s the same girl who has turned up to give him some sugar.

The three shots required to make the final composite image

The second set-up depicts a Hong Kong girl-about-town who loves cartoon rabbits and likes to co-ordinate her outfits.

Model Sam gives it some attitude for the camera

With a shoot like this detail is everything, and it all has to be thought about – from the condition of the model’s nails to every highlight on the product – all the while anticipating the work that will be done in post production. Luckily I’d worked with Craig the Art Director before and know how fussy he is.

The two final shots (cartoon rabbit not shown)

Once the shots were done and approved by the client they were handed over to Vital, who’s creative and retouching team Leigh, Malc and Sue did an amazing job retouching the files and creating all the different elements.

'Like my top?, I've got a phone to match.'

The images will not only be displayed in the windows, but on point-of-sale displays and leaflets inside the stores.

The giant window graphics get one last check from the Vital team before being shipped out

Final visuals of how the shots will be used in the store windows

The Hong Kong store campaign has just hit the streets and the finished thing looks great.

Phew!

Can’t wait to see how the rest of it turns out.

RS x

From simple family affairs to some rather lavish dos, it’s been a blast so far and to give you a little taste, here are some of my favourite images from a wedding I did at Hampton-in-Arden a few months back.

Ladies and Gentlemen please be upstanding for the bride and groom – Mr & Mrs Tetley…

Victoria & Doug Tetley, Hampton Manor, Hampton-in-Arden 26th March 2011

As Victoria and Doug both work in London, the job of finding a photographer for their big day had fallen largely to Victoria’s fab mother – Cindy. She was such a great character and we immediately hit it off when she came for coffee at the studio – then after I’d met Victoria during a recce at the venue, I was really chuffed to be officially commissioned.

I’m often asked to cover the bridal preparations but it was nice on this occasion to go over early and photograph the groomsmen getting ready too. So the first stop of the day was at the family home, near Fillongley, where I captured a few images of the boys making bacon sandwiches and ironing their shirts.

Doug and his groomsmen prepare a breakfast fit for champions and Jack Russells

After an hour or so with the boys I headed over to the lovely Hampton Manor Hotel, where Victoria, Cindy and the bridesmaids were beginning their somewhat more elaborate preparations.

The calm before the storm

I love shooting these moments – people are generally preoccupied and soon forget I am there with the camera and there’s always lots of energy, excitement and emotion, which I think is great to capture.

Charlotte the flower girl was real a cutie throughout the whole day

The three graces

Wedding day moments between Dads and their little girls are always special

A timeless shot of Charlotte perched on the bath

A few finishing touches to the dress from a proud Mum

Once everyone was ready, there was just time to take advantage of the hotel’s tasteful interior and snap a handful of more formal portraits while we waited for the car to arrive.

Victoria's dress was lovely and really suited her – very elegant with some lovely detail and a lace bolero

The ceremony was a short ride away in a small church in the manor grounds. It’s at these points in the proceedings that I really get my exercise, making sure I get there before the bridal party to get shots of them arriving.

Arrivals and entrances are important images that help tell the story of the day

Every vicar has his or her own rules on photography. Some are very strict, others, give you a free reign. Here I was restricted to a few interior shots from a distance and not during the ceremony itself.

Not being close to the action doesn't necessarily mean you miss out on good shots

A suitably chuffed looking bride and groom win an admiring glance from a member of the choir

Once the ceremony over it was back to the venue for the newlyweds and a bit of jogging behind the car for me!

Working up a sweat was worth it for this shot

Generally speaking people book me for my informal approach to weddings, though there are always a few obligatory groups. The key to a good one is a nice backdrop and a loud and forceful best man to help herd all the people who’d rather be in the bar.

The assembled guests in their entirety and Victoria and Clare let off some steam

With the formalities over I am left to my own devices to take candid shots of the guests as they relax and have a drink.

I love how the all the different generations of families and friends get together at weddings

There's something great about capturing people as they really are

Kids always make fab subjects – whether they are running riot or bored stiff

I always snap the little details too – once the cake and champagne are gone, the photos still remain

When everyone is seated, I put the camera away for a while. No-one wants to be photographed while eating, and no-one wants Auntie Flo with a fork in her mouth in their wedding album anyway.

Though once the speeches begin I’m clicking away again to make sure I don’t miss anything.

The classic 'I think I left my speech on the sideboard' moment

This wedding was a real pleasure to do, not least because the Victoria and Doug were so much fun to work with.

Big thanks to them for letting me share their day with you here.

Cheers!
RS x

]]> http://rachelspiveyblog.com/2011/06/28/toasting-the-tetleys/feed/ 0 rachelspivey 00_kissing_bw 01_groom_preparations 02_bride_by_window_bw 03_hairdresser_&_bridesmaid 04_three_graces 05 bride_&_father 06_girl_seated_on_bath 07_bridal_preparations 09_posing_bride_bw 10_arrival 11_couple_stood_in_church 12_couple_with_vicar 13_back_of_car 14_groups 15_young_and_old_guests 16_guests_mingling 17_kids_at_wedding 18_celebration_details 19_top_table_speech http://rachelspiveyblog.com/2011/05/05/my-mister-and-missy-in-magazines/ http://rachelspiveyblog.com/2011/05/05/my-mister-and-missy-in-magazines/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 20:16:59 +0000 rachelspivey http://rachelspivey.wordpress.com/?p=857 ]]> It’s very cool to have pictures in not one, but two, international publications in newsagents up and down the land this week.

Out this month is a great new title – the Burlesque Bible. It’s actually less of a magazine and more of a bumper compendium of all things burlesque past and present, and really is a great read and beautifully put-together. I’m not sure whether it’s set to become a regular thing, but even if you only have a passing interest in the scene, it is well worth a look.

Anyway, out of all the great photos of Missy Malone must have of herself, she submitted one of mine to accompany her ‘Who’s Who’ entry. How flattering is that?

Burlesque Bible by Anthem Publishing

Then there’s the current issue of the world’s number 1 Sci-Fi mag – SFX. Look closely at the article and it won’t be hard to see the connection here!

Bless his little geeky socks.

SFX by Future Publishing

Yes, this is Mr Spivey’s SECOND love.

(At least that what he tells me.)

Big thanks to Dave and Jon at SFX for their vocal enthusiasm for the images – it was a pleasure.

RS x

I didn’t spot that many garters either.

And if there were any, they couldn’t have been on for long.

Darkteaser releases her butterflies

It’s been great to have been involved with Darkteaser’s signature show since the very beginning and see it grow from humble beginnings in Hugglescote Working Men’s Club to the glitzy heights it reached last week.

Word is obviously spreading, thanks in no small part to The Assembly itself, and the promise of ‘a decadent evening of cabaret and retro tease’ certainly helped to drag folks away from their barbecues on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday.

Compere Joe Black performs the guitar solo from Radiohead's 'Creep' on the kazoo

Proper showgirl hi-jinks and chutzpah courtesy of Russian burlesque queen – Lada Redstar

The event’s growing reputation not only provided a lively and up-for-it audience, but even more international acts than before and the attentions of a camera crew and renowned burlesque photographer Neil Kendall. It was a pleasure to meet him and, rather than leading our own dance down the front, we stayed on our respective sides of the stage. While my movement was a bit more restricted than usual, it was more than made up for by the visual dynamics of the performers under the lights.

The golden glow of Missy Malone

Missy Malone and Vicky Butterfly – two of my personal favourite performers

Vicky Butterfly. Like I said, big fan

The show flowed well, with more upbeat numbers and fine comic turns allowing some contrast for the more dreamy, sensual routines that work so well in that elegant space.

Lily Laudanum as Barbara Cartland and Luli Blue gets a bit wound up

Friday Blues plays to the camera and the brilliant comedy burlesque of showcase winner Mama Jenufa

As Darkteaser’s ambitions for the Garter Lounge have grown, so too have her routines. I blogged before about her giant clock, which was in attendance again, but her new Pandora act was amazing with more intricate and elaborate accessories, complex props and storytelling.

The ’Teaser unleashes the darkness

Darkteaser emerges from the clock and the demure show opener – Eliza DeLite

Eliza DeLite – like a Pierre et Gilles photo come to life

You’ll often hear photographers bemoaning the fact that the ‘job’s not all that glamorous’ but they’ve probably never shot the likes of this lot…

Juliette – the showgirl with a dragon tattoo

Juliette Dragon – quite literally lighting up the stage

I’ll be keen to see where The Garter Lounge goes from here, as it must be hard to put on that many top quality acts in such a premium venue and make it pay. I certainly wouldn’t want the job! Though surely the night is a great proposition for a major sponsor to help take it to the next level and help spread the word that little bit wider. (Come on all you brand managers who read my blog, get in touch – I’ll pass on your details!)

Joe Black – he's a strong flavour but I suspect he's a bit of a sweetie

Vicky Butterfly – moody blue

If you missed out this time, or you just want a little bit more, Darkteaser is back at The Assembly on May 14th where she will be appearing with the Urban Voodoo Machine. Tickets on sale here.

After my recent blitz of live burlesque-yness I am still working on images from this show (and Missy’s before it). It’s the plan to put more pics onto my Flickr pages and get copies of shots to all the performers who want them (just drop me a line)

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

I enjoyed taking them.

RS x