Sorted out

Photographed by Kounelli Photography

Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia - October 2010

If I owe you an email, I promise I will get back to you soon! I experience Tuesday twice next week, once in Australia and another time in the United States. My week will be spent recovering from jet lag, catching up on emails, and maybe even getting some details for my big winter time adventure sorted out.

A couple of days this week were primarily spent in studios or at outdoors shoots, but I had the afternoon off today and got to explore Newtown. I believe I now know what area of Sydney really suits me.

Animals

Photographed by Adam Robertson

Mission Beach, Australia - October 2010

My wildlife experience on this trip has been an interesting one. Up in Queensland a young crocodile smacked me in the face with his head, I fed some kangaroos and a wallaby, heard the kookaburra's laugh, saw the legendary cassowary, pet some dingos, and as of today, curled nude around a couple of birds that had washed up on shore having not survived their long migration.

It is official - my trip here is much too short. I depart on Tuesday - what remains is my quest to see more of the "cute" areas of Sydney, try the Morton Bay bug, have a few good drinks, and of course, do more shooting.

Sydney

Photographed by Rod Kenny

Geelong, Australia - October 2010

After a morning of shooting in the waterfalls of the Blue Mountains a couple of hours from Sydney, I indulged in an evening performance of Verdi's Rigoletto at the Sydney Opera House. I may be running around shooting far more than seeing the city and surrounding suburbs on this trip, but I am doing some tourism right - a bit of nature, a bit of culture and a bit of your average bloke's evenings out.

Australia

Photographed by Tim Pruess

Chicago, Illinois - June 2010

Internet is not as readily available in cafes in Australia, but friendly people, beautiful nature and new adventures are around every corner.

I still have another week remaining in this trip, and I am already planning my return for January 2012. (Planning in the loosest sense of the word of course.) Australia is fabulous. Even the vegimite down here does not bother me (I learned how to prepare vegimite and toast properly, the Australian way.)

Zoe Fest...and chocolate

Photographed by Mel Brackstone

Mission Beach, Australia - October 2010

Take the chocolate away from this model!

I have just been introduced to Haigh's chocolate and it is a very good thing for my physique that the United States does not have such fine chocolately goodnesses.

Melbourne is known for its food, and rightly so. The meat pies (I had a chicken and leek one), breads, tropical fruits (experienced when in Mission Beach), coffees, sea food, and desserts I have put in my mouth have been amazing. I am convinced America needs to instate flat whites as our standard coffee fare.

Last night I attended a birthday get together for none other than Zoe of the Artnudes network, where I met up with friends I recently met at Mission Beach as part of our community fine art festival, and was introduced to models, photographers and friends in the Melbourne area. The mussels I dined on were simply amazing, and the company great fun.

Which finally brings me to the event that brought a group of models and photographers from around the world to Australia this October. I had planned on doing my first international modeling trip this year, and decided Australia would be a comfortable place to start. After doing some research (always essential), I learned Zoe Fest 9 was being held in Mission Beach, Queensland, Australia and I was invited. For 10 days a group of about a dozen photographers and another dozen models lived along the beach in houses, spending time in artistic collaboration and discussion, touring, eating and relaxing (or in my case - trying to learn how to do this). Being able to work with and meet photographers and models from around the world whose work I have admired was an experience I am so fortunate to have been a part of. Thank you everyone who has been a part of the community - I look forward to seeing you next year or hopefully sooner.

Sunny Day

Photographed by Alan Bean

Carmel, CA - August 2010

The rain has gone, the sun is out. I spent the morning running around the beach with a beautiful sunrise at 5 am, shooting an hour later, eating delightful eggs florentine, and shooting again shortly after on a nice nature trail. Then I came online to find this incredibly gorgeous photo in my inbox. Today has been a good day, and has only begun.

Australia, thank you for sending me the sun today. (The past week has been marked by more showers and clouds than many of us would have preferred for shooting and walking.)

I'm ready to consume some tropical fruit and coffee, and go for a walk in this fine weather.

OZ

Photographed by DPX

Oklahoma City, OK - October 2010

Yup, I'm in Australia.

Trenary Toast

Photographed by KMann Photo

Model in foreground - Georgia of Seattle

Seattle, WA - September 2010

A friend of mine thinks I need to blog food, coffee, drinks, people and general travels. I spend enough time on the computer setting up my schedule details when not actually at shoots that my nomadic modeling lifestyle is truly full time. If I wanted to find time to go to the gym and get into trouble there would be no time for this additional blog.

But if I had the time, I could introduce you to the Upper Peninsula's culinary specialty, "the trenary toast." A cinnamon toast crunch (as in the cereal) flavored food, that does not stand up against sogginess when chopped into pieces and mixed with milk (yes, I tried this), and would not be my choice when given the option of a toast or a crumpet.

I would also discuss my newfound love of rye manhattans.

However, I would avoid any mention of fashion, as my quirky style may suit me well, but perhaps is not for everyone.

And to think I keep being greeted by photographers who remark, "you're so much nicer than I expected."

Procrastination

Photographed by Mark Haskins

Modeling with Brooke Lynne

Munising, MI - September 2010

Photos by the amazing Mark Haskins. I stayed with him, his wife, and art model Brooke for almost a week up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The weather was less than ideal, but my time there was superb. Evidently I earned the positive camper award, as I got up with a smile after Lake Superior smacked me in the face during the creation of the lower image.

I seriously could not have asked for a better week. All the hiking, well thought out shooting, cute cabin atmosphere, good music and did I mention the food? The last night we gorged ourselves on mussels and fondues. Thank you so much for this lovely experience.

***

Anyone want to guess what is my number one method of procrastination?

Yup, you all know the answer.

Blog writing.

Tomorrow I head to Australia, which means today I pack.

Guess I should do that, eh?

Oklahoma!

Photographed by Jon W. of Illinois

Detroit, MI - September 2010

Gathering up some funky wardrobe and heading to Oklahoma.

I'll be couchsurfing with the same people I met a year and a half ago when last in town, and shooting with a really fun photographer from Kansas. My timing has me deposited right in the middle of a party based on the Beirut music video for Elephant Gun (I had never seen this until a moment ago, but it sure looks entertaining). Responsible me will have to put in earplugs and call it an early night even with the festivities around. Showing up to shoots exhausted is not my style.