I'm 52 this month.  It's only taken me half a century, but I feel like I've  finally finished my practise round in life and I'm now ready to start it for realsies.  I've done the experiments and trials, tried different things, and now I kind of know who I am, and what and who are important to me. I have mentally and emotionally grown up.  I'm not saying I am totally wise and mature, (that sends shivers down my spine for some reason), but I've learnt a few things and now I'm ready to try and do life properly.......
Except my aging body disagrees.  My mind is ready to do the new adventures with a wiser head on my shoulders, but  my body is saying,  my head is rather heavy, it is too tired, not flexible enough and is particulary achey when it starts to rain. 

WHAT IS GOING ON BODY!!?? I'M SERIOUSLY PROTESTING THIS AGING THING!!!
The old lady image in the mirror does not compute with my brain.  I get a shock everytime I see it.  This is not what my brain thinks I look like.
My brain is ready to jump up and do stuff on a whim, but my body has to get up a certain way so as not to tweak something.  It is hobbling for at least the first five steps because of it's dodgey knee.  I have started pilates to try and combat the seizing up.

I DON'T LIKE IT, I DON'T LIKE IT, I DON'T LIKE IT.
I have vented to family and friends. I am traumitised. 
I have had the lovely advice to embrace the aging, to enjoy it, to be thankful you are still alive, and when I'm hearing this advice, my face is smiling and nodding.
BUT, in my mind, I have flung myself on the floor and I am having a full blown tantrum.

This month I was able to try out some costumes I had made from cheese cloth.  I was inspired by River colours.
Working with Kym Tapsell and her team of make up artists, we created some River Women characters and I was able to do their portraits alongside the Waikato River.

Here a few of my favourites.

​Korio (rapid water)

Raupo ( a river reed)

I had a lovely time this Friday, working with SRA academy.  I got photograph ball portraits in a locations nestled amongst the tall city buildings in Auckland.
Here is some of my favourites.

I love photographing vintage pin up girls.  The era they are inspired by, had gorgeous hair and makeup.  The dresses were so feminine and pretty, and I love the old hollywood style photography from back then too.  When I first saw Miss Patty, she reminded me of Katharine Hepburn.  The photo shoot was originally going to be in colour, but when I met her, I knew she would be gorgeous in the black and white too.  

Here are my favourite photos:

I would say that I'm not growing old gracefully.  No I'm not embracing it.  I am protesting it all the way.  The mind still feels the same, but I still feel shocked when my body doesn't bend and jump the way it used to.  When I drop something on the floor, I genuinely have to think whether it is worth the effort to pick it up. Everything is sagging.  I need to grab some photos before I become toothless and melt into the ground.  One last protest.

I themed the photo shoot around the decade I was born.  Black and white photos, sparkly eyeshadow, platforms and beads, with my favourite flared jeans.
Maybe when I reach my next decade I will look  back and laugh at my aging phobia.  Until then, here is some photos of someone born in the 1970s.

Make up and platforms are a go!

This month I heard from an old friend who is a makeup tutor in Auckland teaching at Samala Robinson Academy.  She wanted to know if I was available to photograph her students work for Bridal Makeup day.
YES!!  I am really into beauty shots at present, especially with my 50 faces project, so I jumped at the chance.

These students were really talented and I had a really enjoyable time with them as well as a yummy late lunch after at a French cafe around the corner.

Here are some of the photo highlights.

Romeo Joe had so much personality.  He kept poking out his tongue at me, wanted to eat the flowers I bought, and when he did eat an apple, he tried to eat the whole thing in one mouthful.

We did get some lovely photos of him and his human between the antics.  This was a fun photo shoot.

Third in the photo series: Horses and their Humans
​Mister One is his show name, but he answers to Coco.  He is one very handsome horse.  He is very attached to Charlotte his owner and also loves Lady, the first pony in this photo series.
 
​These were taken at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, New Zealand.

The next in the Horses and their Humans series.  This is Charlotte with her horse Tom Hanks.  This was done in March 2021 at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, New Zealand.
Here the photos I have chosen for the series.

My new photo series has started. Horses and their Humans.
This first shoot was done at Lake Rerewhakaaitu, (yes that's how its spelt), 
New Zealand.

This is Emily and her pony, Lady.  
Done on a cloudy autumn morning, it soon warmed up, which was good as I was standing in the water, thigh deep, for some of the photos.

​Here are the pics for the series