[this is good]

Vox is closing

Even though I haven't been very active lately, for those of you who would like to follow me, even after Vox closes down, I can be found in many places.

My self hosted WordPress blogs:

Fountain Pens and Handmade Paper

Soup-Tacular (not safe for work)

I will happily help anyone setting up a self hosted WordPress blog. This situation is exactly the reason why I'm not willing to give up on my self hosted blogs, even though I can be found at many other places, and lots of content is imported from other places.

I have a Facebook Page:

Morgaine LeFaye

Lately I've been very active on Amplify:

Morgaine
Relationships
Digital Curation
Learning without thought is labour lost
(e)government

And I also still love all my Soup accounts:

Morgaine

I will not list all of my accounts, but if you're interested, give me a shout.

Singer

Singer

What's

with all the freakin' spam ?

Stamper

Stamper

Alexandra Romanov - The Last Czarina

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Alexandra Romanov - The Last Czarina - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Alexandra Romanov – The last Czarina of Russia (1872-1918)

The last Czarina of Russia, Alexandra Romanov was born in Germany. Converting to Russian Orthodoxy upon her marriage to Nicholas II of Russia, she became a passionate convert. She was unpopular with the Russian people, because of her German birth and her notorious relationship with Rasputin. Russia withdrew from WWI and the accompanying Bolshevik revolution forced the Tsar to abdicate and the family went into house arrest.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair

Lighting:

Key light: 1000 Monoblock, softbox camera left

Fill: Monoblock, softbox camera right.

© Alexia Sinclair

alexiasinclair.com

Catherine the Great - The Enlightened Empress

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Catherine the Great - The Enlightened Empress - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

The German born princess emerged from obscurity when she was chosen to become the wife of the future Emperor Peter III. Changing her name to Catherine, she read widely and familiarised herself with Russian conditions and values. Her fervent embrace of both the Orthodox faith and Russian culture, won her much love from the Russian people. Her husband Peter, on the otherhand, was said to have the intellect of a child. Once he succeeded to the Throne, a group of conspirators, headed by Catherine’s current lover, proclaimed her autocrat. Shortly afterward Peter was murdered.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair

MUA/Body Painting: Leeby Sotherine

Model: Chadwick Models

Lighting: 600 monoblock camera right, 1/2 power.

Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

alexiasinclair.com

Marie Antoinette - The Extravagant Queen

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Marie Antoinette - The extravagant Queen (1755-1793) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Marie Antoinette was the Queen of France during the French Revolution. Born in Vienna, she was sent to Versailles at the age of fourteen where she was married to the future King of France, Louis XVI. At this time, France was the most powerful nation in Europe, and the royal palace of Versailles, the most opulent. Four years after her arrival she became the Queen of France.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair

Lighting: Softbox camera right & left (of model), key and fill respectively (1 stop differentiation).

Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Elizabeth Báthory – The Countess of Blood

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Elizabeth Báthory – The Countess of Blood (1560-1614) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

A Countess in Transylvania, Elizabeth Báthory, was known as the "Countess of Blood" and is considered the most famous serial killer in Slovak and Hungarian history. Báthory is also credited along with her relative, Vlad the Impaler, as the two historical figures upon which Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula is based. According to legend, Báthory struck a servant girl and drew blood when her pointed nails raked the girl's cheek. When the blood touched Báthory's skin, she became convinced that it had improved her complexion. The Countess reasoned that if she bathed in the blood of young virgins and drank their blood, she would rejuvenate. The killing spree commenced. She began to roam the countryside by night, hunting for suitable girls. Elizabeth is said to have bathed in their blood in a huge marble bath.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair

Lighting: Softbox camera right & left (of model), key and fill respectively (1 stop differentiation).

Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Cleopatra - The Seductress

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Cleopatra - The Seductress (69 BC – 30 BC) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra VII was the last Pharaoh of Egypt and the last of the Ptolemaic line. After the resolution of rivalry with her siblings and her alignment with the Romans, seventeen year old Cleopatra became the Queen of Egypt. It was said of Cleopatra that, when Gaius Julius Caesar marched upon Alexandria, Cleopatra, had herself smuggled to Caesar inside an oriental rug. When the rug was unrolled, Cleopatra tumbled out. It is said that Caesar was bewitched by her charm and that a scandalous love affair commenced that very night. After Caesar's assassination Cleopatra realigned herself with the Roman general, Mark Antony.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

MUA/Bodypainting: Leeby Sotherine & Sahra Bull

Lighting: Softbox right (key) softbox left (fill) 1 stop difference between the two.

Model: Melanie P

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen (1533-1603) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

The daughter of King Henry VIII, Elizabeth was born into royalty at Greenwich Palace near London. Henry, hoping for a male heir, declared Elizabeth illegitimate, accused her mother of adultery and had her beheaded. Succeeding her sister to the throne, Elizabeth ruled with the knowledge that effective rule depended upon popular support. Advisors urged the queen to marry to strengthen ties with allies and to produce heirs to the throne, yet Elizabeth chose instead to marry England. Strategically aligning herself with the catholic figure the Virgin Mary, Elizabeth secured a shift of power through her embodiment of symbolic virginity. Purified, she was transformed from an illegitimate protestant woman to ‘the virgin queen’. Her purification began with a physical transformation by cutting off her hair, whitening her skin and adorning herself in pearls; symbols of purity and wealth.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

Hair: Illustrated

MUA: Leeby Sotherine & Sahra Bull

Lighting: Softbox left (key) softbox right (fill) 1 stop difference between the two.

Model: Louise Van de Vorst, Chadwick Models

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

Rings, Orb, Sceptre, Pearls and Crown & Chess set all composites.

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Agrippina - The Poisoness

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Agrippina - The Poisoness (AD 15-59) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Julia Agrippina II was a Roman Empress. Born into nobility, she was the sister of Caligula and great-niece to Tiberius, niece and wife of Claudius and mother of Nero. Agrippina’s infamous reputation was that of an Empress and a poisoness.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

Arch: Triamphal Arch, Volubilis, Morocco (Roman Ruins)

Lighting: As the lion was shot in a circus cage without strobes, the model was shot to look as natural as possible next to the lion. Softboxes camera (key) left and (fill) right not much differentiation just enough to all most flexible use of the model in post.

Model: Kate T, Chadwick Models.

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Boudica – The Celtic Queen

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Boudica – The Celtic Queen. (AD 26 - 61) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Boudica was born into a royal family around AD 26 in modern day England. Growing up, she attended a warrior school, learning to use a sword, spear and shield and her weapon of choice, the chariot. Boudica married Prasutagus of the Iceni tribe and they had two daughters.

The Romans had invaded England in AD 43 and brutally humiliated Boudica and her daughters. Sources say she was publicly stripped and beaten whilst her daughters were raped. Infuriated, Boudica became the leader of a violent uprising against Roman rule. She led an army of 100,000 against the occupiers, slaughtering some 70,000 Romans.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Eleanor of Aquitaine - The Eagle

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Eleanor of Aquitaine - The Eagle (1122 – 1204) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Eleanor grew up in the court of her father, William X, developing a lifelong love of music and literature. Her inheritance of her father's titles made her the most eligible heiress in Europe. Louis VI may have been King of France, but his land was far less wealthy than Eleanor’s vast realm of Aquitaine.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

Lighting: 600 Protofoto compact through softbox camera right directly on model.

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Isabella of Spain - The Catholic

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Isabella of Spain - The Catholic (1451 – 1504) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Isabella I of Spain, also known as ‘Isabella of Castile’ or ‘Isabella the Catholic’ was born into the royal family of Castile, Spain. Her marriage to Ferdinand V of Aragon helped unite Spain and they supported each other with their joint motto of equality; “They amount to the same, Isabella and Ferdinand”.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.

Model: Merette Gearin, Chadwick Models.

Location: Toledo, Spain.

Lighting: Key light softbox camera left.

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com

Olympias - The Sorceress

Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page

Olympias - The Sorceress (376 BC – 316 BC) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.

Olympias was the wife of the Macedonian King Philip II and the mother of Alexander the Great. She was suspected of involvement in the assignation of her husband, amongst many others, to secure her son’s leadership. Wielding great influence within Macedonia, first during Alexander’s long battle campaigns, Olympias enjoyed periods as mistress of Macedonia.

Photographer: Alexia Sinclair

MUA/Body Painting: Leeby Sotherine & Sahra Bull

Model: Melissa Ambrosini (London)

Lighting: Key/Fill softboxes camera left & right respectively with 1 stop differentiation.

Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair

© Alexia Sinclair

http://alexiasinclair.com