Best Laid Plans....

It seems more often than not even best laid plans go wrong and you have to improvise to make the best of it.  I know not every event is going to be a success, hell not every event is even going to take place and sometimes you just have to shoot from the hip. 

Case in point, this past weekend I was supposed to be the subject of an outdoor Steampunk photo-shoot at the historic Ornamental Metal Museum in downtown Memphis.  I was so looking forward to this shoot and I even spent a week or so prior hand building several new pieces to feature in it.  

Day One - Hair & make up done and looking good.  Wardrobe, props, and accessories in hand and off I go to meet the photographer on location.  After a half-hour of standing around being gawked at by visitors I realize, to my horror, that I am A DAY EARLY.  Yep, your calendar is only as accurate as the user.  Trying to be optimistic, I figure, hey, one more day to prep!! Wonderful.  I can clean up some last minute details add a few more bells and whistles!! 

Day Two, Hair & make up done and it looks GREAT!!!  Even better!!!  Wardrobe, props and accessories in hand again and I am on my way.  Half way there I notice the sky is starting to cloud over and the thunder starting to roll…urgh!!!  Hand built accessories with a lot of metal gears, leather and glue do not always work well in the rain.  As I arrive I am on the phone with the photographer who is now huddling under the gazebo with his equipment and I am stuck in the car.  After sitting for a bit we mutually decide the storm is not going to pass in a timely manner and it may be best to reschedule.  Clearly this one was not meant to be. 

 

 

OK I am officially bummed out….but my hair & make up look great!!

So now comes the improvisation.  A quick stop by my house removing all traces of Steampunk gears and swapping my black Victorian walking skirt, tapestry jacket and neck corset (yes it is a miserable as it sounds) for a black and red gothic / circus get up, I grab my personal photographer and off we go in search of a location. 

We went to a great location only to find we couldn't get in anymore due to a new locked gate. Still looking like the effort was for nothing. Finally we were able to find a great old cemetery in a neighborhood close to my house.  The overcast day offered perfect lighting and with some acceptance that I was going to get this dress wet, was able to produce some of my favorite images to date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a save!

 

I am still planning on the Steampunk shoot as a matter of fact we are scheduled to reshoot later this month.  Keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

The No-Show Streak

The NOW Award Winning WWII Batman & Robin
photo by Bethany Brantley

I would first of all like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who has participated in a Cosplay Contest and has experience delays due to a No-Show…Unfortunately, it may be me.

Over the last couple of years my daughter and I have been regularly attending cons and during the course the attendance we are usually approached by staff to enter in the costume contests.  Excited by the prospect we always agree and sign up…AND just like clockwork, each time something unforeseen keeps us from participating in the contest.  It has actually become a long running joke in my house. We put a great deal of work and love into our costumes and feel strongly that we can do well in competition, but fate sometimes has other ideas.  That being said, it was nice to finally break the streak and show up for once.  How it happened is a story in itself.

Pirates photo by Timid Monster

Recently my daughter and I had the privilege to assist a local college photography student with a project.  She had found us through my Facebook fan page and had contacted me asking if we might be willing to pose for her.  Naturally we agreed. We were asked to come in the World War II inspired Batman and Robin costumes we had premiered at the Wizard World con in New Orleans back in February.  For the shoot I brought along a gothic dress I have been working on because I was told Captain Robert Darksoul of the MidSouth Buccaneers would also be photographed at the same time…well blow me down….I love pirates and what a fabulous opportunity to test run my latest creation. 

Over the course of the next couple of hours we discovered that the MidSouth Buccaneers were not only a group worthy of recognition but our participation!  Hell Yeah we were going to party with the pirates!!  So we joined up.  Along with our introduction to the Buccaneers came an invitation to join them at MidsouthCon 32, in full pirate garb of course. 


French Pirate D'elle
photo by Toy Robot Photography

Once again my daughter and I were approached by staff members of the con to participate in the Masquerade (MidSouthCon’s Cosplay Contest).  When I alerted the Captain of the Buccaneers he was quite adamant we participate, not in pirate regalia, but in the Batman & Robin costumes he had seen at the photo shoot.  So we EXCITEDLY registered to do just that…when it hit us…neither of us were prepared to don the Batman & Robin gear.  Not only were we dressed as pirates (not a pin curl or victory roll in sight), but we did not even have the costumes with us! We had come completely unprepared to do any such thing!



Did I mention this was a local con?  Whew….with 2 hours before the kickoff of the masquerade, we drive across town and change our costumes and completely overhaul hair & make up!  We made it back JUST in the nick of time to start the pre-judging.  For those people who have never participated in this type of contest pre-judging gives the panel the opportunity to ask questions about the design and view the workmanship of each costume.  Picture the cast of FaceOff only not as brutal as Glen Hetrick.



Captain Robert Darksoul & D'elle
phot by Timid Monster

We were then moved from pre-judging to the stage.  As we stood in line to go on stage…Scarlett and I started discussing how we were finally breaking our No-Show Streak and wondered if Wizard World has us on a special BANNED FROM CONTEST list…yes we have no-showed that many times…



As we were waiting to go on stage …we discussed how to do our “Action Pose” My idea was to tell her to “look at the flowers” as I acted like I was going to shoot her, but she vowed never to cosplay with me again if I insisted on mixing fandoms.  We also discussed the nearest escape route and debated whether we should we maintain our No-Show Streak and flee the building!



After much laughter and acting out, we decided to stay and actually go on stage.  We strutted across the stage, struck our pose to the cheers of the crowd, and walked away with pride.  The No-Show Streak is officially broken.  And I'm glad we did.  All our efforts were justified and our anxieties about rejection were squashed as we took Best In our Category Without a Skit.  Win number one is now in the can.





Better give up now!
photo by Toy Robot Photography



The original gothic dress from the photo shoot
photo by Bethany Brantley



Just two pirates...shopping for comics
& collectibles...