Monthly Archives: December 2013

Boarshill with Chrissie Red

My last blog featuring Elle Black described how cold it was yet the very next day I had a shoot with Chrissie Red and fellow photographer Nicola Sheperd and it was very warm indeed, again a beach shoot only 15 miles south of Tentsmuir at a place called Boarshill Rock.
The sun was out and the small cliff face kept us sheltered from any breezes. The area around the massive rock is a combination of jagged rocks with a grassy beach and a sandy beach, its a little micro world on its own. It’s one of those place where you can return again and again to get different images and still find something new. The rock its self stands between the rocky shoreline and a short cliff face, wind and rain has weathered the rock into a bizzare shape, Chrissie calls it Elephant Rock and that is indeed its shape. The sun was out and it was a lovely day without the light being too harsh, so we parked our gear at the rock and got down to business.

The image below is a FIAP accepted image called ‘Boarshill Rock’
The image below called Red in the Rock won a FIAP award

Nicola wanted to do some ‘Big Dresses’ as she called it so Chrissie brought along some various dresses and got kitted up, The rocks near the waters edge were catching a bit of wind so we headed down, unbelievably Chrissie managed to traverse thru the craggy rocks in high heels. By this time you can see a small squall brewing over the water as if Chrissie is summoning up a storm.

Down where we kept our gear there was a natural inlet to a little sandy beach. The tide came in quite quickly there and some of our gear nearly floated away.

All to soon though time ran out, this location is definitely worth a revisit, there’s lot of little coves and rock formations, and of course the main rock itself. Chrissie as always was a star, she works locations and environments as if she has owned them for centuries, the mark of a true professional and creative artist.

Elle Black Returns

May in Scotland is very changeable weather wise and so it proved this day when I had organized a shoot with the lovely Elle Black, originally we had arranged a morning shoot but it didn’t tie in with a later shoot the same day for Elle so we made it an afternoon shoot. The morning started warm and sunny, a lovely spring day that soon turned horrible by the time 1pm came along. When Elle appeared bang on time it was gray and dull with a bitingly cold wind. I have to say I did warn her that it would be cold and that the sea would be freezing however like a trooper Elle got down to business….just in time for the rain!
The rain stops for a short time to get this beach shot.

Then the wind picks up and gets colder

The image below is a Salon Acceptance called Ran, depicting the Norse sea goddess who captures souls of dead sailors washed upon the shore.

We also did some shots in the water for a very short time but it was simply too cold to do much and we headed for the shelter of the sand dunes, amazingly it was quite warm out of the wind.

Using the debris washed up upon the shore

Finally heading into the trees to get a bit of shelter from the wind

I have to say this was one of the coldest shoots I’ve ever done and Elle did very well to cope with it, she struggled at times when many would have given in but she still came up with great poses and really pushed herself like a true professional. A highly recommended model.