A few months ago, a really good friend of mine Craig van der Westerhuizen asked me if I were to shoot my dream photoshoot anywhere, or of anything what and where it would be.  I told him my dream was to do a boudoir shoot on an aeroplane.  (You see, I have a secret love of aeroplanes – I spent most of my 20’s flying all over the place in search of myself….or it could have been to run away from growing up and having to face adult life.  As long as I was flying somewhere, traveling somewhere I didn’t need to join the masses and have babies,  find the perfect 9-5 job and live in a big house with a picket fence – scary!.)

Several days later, Craig mailed me very casually to say he’d made a few enquiries and organised a plane for me with the help of his friend Anton Kruger….I nearly passed out!  A real aeroplane I thought???? Suddenly I felt a bit scared….I had ideas racing round inside my head….here my dream had literally been handed to me….and I suddenly didn’t know what to do with it.   I couldn’t sleep for nights….a real plane which I’d have to myself to go completely nuts in, and shoot to my hearts content.  Then everything starting unfolding. My mom was like “don’t think about it, just book your ticket to JHB and do it.”  My friend Natasha mentioned she was going to JHB and would have the Friday off if I wanted to photograph her.  So I asked around and Kat Forsyth (JHB photographer) recommended top make-up artist Sam Scaife from Lashline. – who was available.  So with my model Natasha, make-up artist Sam, Kat as my amazing ‘oversee-er’ of the day and a massive 747 AEROPLANE in tow……the boudoir shoot unfolded.

The day of the shoot:

I woke up really early, blasted “Radiohead” in my hotel room and had a good (happy) cry.  Kat fetched Natasha and myself and drove us to the Rand airport where Sam had already set up the make-up area.  I felt sick with excitement.  The walk up the aeroplane stairs felt like a long walk on the red carpet.  Being in a massive aeroplane with no one else in it was quite a surreal experience for me.  Sam started off with a really natural look for Natasha – I wanted something feminine and soft with just a hint of sexy.  Later, since I wanted to bring a burlesque look into the shoot, Sam created a more sultry look.

Thanks to Jean at Sean at The Rand Airport who were so helpful and accommodating….and for letting me have that last…and then last…and then final shot before the aeroplane doors closed.

A bit about boudoir -  wiki -”Historically, the boudoir formed part of the private suite of rooms of a lady, for bathing and dressing”.  Taken from French meaning ‘to be sulky’.  Today woman of all shapes and sizes can have a boudoir photoshoot done – something as a gift to themselves – or perhaps for a partner.  My approach is more fine art – with a mix of gentle and feminine.

You can see more photo’s in the Ocotober 2011 issue of the top selling bridal magazine  “MY WEDDING DAY“  and stand a chance to win your own private boudoir photoshoot with me.

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