2009 Mission Beach, Australia

“This is me signature powse!”

Talk about an amazing week! I had an incredible time working with some fantastic models and also got to meet and spend time with group of incredible fun and creative people.
Zoe, thank you once again for letting me attend this year event, I hope it will only be the first of many!

Wow! what an amazing week. It is my favorite week of the year. I feel newly inspired and driven to keep creating amazing images. It was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. I am delightfully exhausted from all the goings on. Many thanks for all who were there and laughing at my antics. Hope they were mostly entertaining. Next year – new shadow puppets! Zoe, my eternal gratitude toward you for getting this event located every year. It makes my life so much richer! I am so sad it is over. MUCH LOVE TO ALL!!! xoxoxox

Unfortunately due to all the shooting and fun at OzFest (and lack of internet connection) I’ve not had time to post anything since arriving at Mission Beach….I plan on posting little essays about significant events, shoots, and images once I return (boo hoo) to the US…..Thanks to Zoe and Mick and Stephanie (for the entertainment) for another fantastic experience… I loved renewing old friendships and meeting new ones. This is the closet to heaven on earth…thought that last year…and it remains true. I got to experience shooting with some new models that I had not before. So to Bink, Soph, Stephanie and Claudine…thanks so much for expanding my horizons with your talent. For those I have shot with before (Rebecca, Vassanta, and Joceline), thanks for the opportunity to expand our experience together. I really feel like a took anoither creative leep being around so many talented folks. To the photographers…..WOW….i think I learned something from each of you during the week….thanks for sharing your work and talent…..more to come!!!!

I’d like to remind all of you that in a land of “bitey things” not all of our six-legged compatriots are trying to drive us away; in fact, some of them just want to go for a drive.

Following a shoot with George this morning, I came across a new friend who had planted herself on the car and was waving her front limbs at me as if to hitch a ride.  I could not resist inviting over this visitor.  Back at Eco Village she is blending in perfectly with the rest of the models in our group–chilling in the shade, climbing trees, practicing new poses, lying still for long intervals.

I spent the morning jealously examining her slender proportions and absent waistline, the graceful flexibility of her thorax, her ease with the natural environment, the serenity of her compound eyes, her indisputable legginess.  If I had six limbs my posing repertoire would increase exponentially!  Climbing rocks would be a breeze with six feet upon which to distribute my weight!  With one sticky claw instead of five fingers I would be much more capable of hanging upside down from the branches and never fear losing my grip before the photo is taken!

I am overcome with inspiration!  Thank you for your lessons, new friend!

Then, sitting on the porch in the midst of envious reverie, I am interrupted by a glimpse at my neighbor Joceline, another leggy creature of a very different sort.  The human curves on this exotic specimen remind me instantly that a Stick Insect–no matter how compelling–is not a good role model for a figure model.

Well I am back in Alabam’ now and feeling very tired. In fact I almost fell asleep at a red light and dreamt I was in the left lane. Yikes!

First of all I want to thank Air New Zealand for getting me there so nicely and I also want to say f u for the itinerary home, 12 hours in SFO? I mean really! 40 hours from Mission Bch to Birmingham. Wow!

Now I am going to work on posting some images.

Evening… almost nite.. over..almost over.. Zoe! Thank you! Love that! love it!