New work coming very soon...

I can't believe I haven't posted anything for almost three weeks!  I have been manically busy - setting up the studio, shooting Quality Knitwear's new look book, testing in the studio and working on my new (and currently on going) project, which is really fun to work on and I am sure something people will love...more on that soon!

When I get a moment to get the edits ready I will start posting - expect Quality Knitwear photos to be hitting the blog on Monday.

Until then I hope everyone's out showing their opaque skins to the sun...

A beautiful find...

I was just going through some old photos and I found this scan of an image I took back in 2008.  This was in Mulmur, Ontario, and the truck was stationary at the side of the road - with no one around.  It was eerie and beautiful and an incredible piece of machinery.

I had my big old Pentax 67II with me and took some shots... when I just opened up this image in Photoshop my heart fluttered, I realised I really need to take out my Pentax again and shoot some medium format film.  Nothing compares to the depth that you get on film, and on a big negative, on a 6x7.  Well, at least digital doesn't compare...

I can't wait to get shooting on film again, I've really missed it.

A walk on the Heath...

The weather took a turn for the better last night and I went for a walk on Hampstead Heath to clear my head after staying holed up all day shying away from the damp outside, what a beautiful evening it was.  In my rush to get out into the outside world I neglected to bring a "real camera" with me, but, to quote Chase Jarvis, the best camera you have is the one you have with you.  Amen.

Here's to my iPhone and it's rather average camera (it's a 3Gs), for being there and enabling me to capture the beauty of the Heath in silhouette...

New studio test shoot, going back to the 80's...

Last week I went back to the studio with some friends..........and some wine.... and this is what came out (there will be more to come as I get through the edit).  We had so much fun, except for when we realised we are subconsciously stuck in the late 80's / early 90's...

Hola my beautiful friends and thank you for being such great and willing models!

A nice little nod on the All Walks blog...

Thanks to the lovely ladies at All Walks for the little intro on their blog piece about the Snapped event a couple of weeks ago...

http://allwalks.org/?p=1932

NME awards...

Last Wednesday was the NME awards at the Brixton Academy, and I was lucky enough to be there shooting for IPC Media along with Red Bull and Carling.  It was an absolutely amazing night, and got me all "fangirl" over PJ Harvey, Warpaint, Liela Moss, Juliette Lewis and of course, the incredible Dave Grohl.
Actually I did thankfully managed to suppress my excitement so as not to embarrass myself, but, it was a room full of greatness in my eyes!

I was able to have access to the tables where all the guests were sitting which ensured a good view of the stage when there were performances - great to see PJ, Crystal Castles and The Foos playing - it also meant getting crushed in amongst a heaving mass of sweaty musicians - everyone was having a great time and it was good to see a distinct lack of egos in the room, everyone was just there to party and have fun.

The best moments had to be getting a great shot of Juliette Lewis and Dave Grohl together - both of whom are incredibly nice people, and of course watching the Foos play an enormous 2 hour set and seeing every body going crazy dancing on tables.  I was shattered by the end of a 6 hour photography stint but it was well worth it, here are some shots from the night...

ALL IMAGES © ANNABEL STAFF PHOTOGRAPHY 2011.  NO REPRODUCTION PERMITTED.  Thanks!

Rob Zombie...

Well, could work get more varied than this?!  Last week shooting a brilliant and beautiful night for All Walks at the National Portrait Gallery, this week huddling up with 30 other photographers in the pit at the Brixton Academy to shoot Rob Zombie!

After a 12 year UK hiatus Rob returned to England for a sell out show, not only that, I believe that this was the first time that Rob had brought over his entire stage - which was, frankly, a mind-blowing spectacle!

The stage, and all us photographers, were in a heavy cloak of smoke from the start - which was simply impossible to shoot through, but somehow it didn't matter since I was in awe of the whole thing!  We were warned prior to the show that Rob loves red lighting - and he didn't disappoint - which was another hurdle to over come, as anyone knows who has to shoot under red (or blue) gels, it does not translate well in camera...

The pyrotechnics were so fierce I could feel the heat permeating around me, the whole set up was really incredible - the outfits, the make-up, the stage, the GIANT metal robot with glowing blue eyes - which Rob came out of to start the show, the grotesque skeleton mic stands, video projections... I could go on for ages.

But, as they say, a picture can tell a thousand words...

(oh and Arsenal beat Barca - what a night!)

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT ANNABEL STAFF / REDFERNS / GETTY IMAGES