The Starlet Package for Two

The Pinup Studio experience was nothing if not unique. Arriving at what looked like (and, as it turned out, was) a bohemian fantasy household in deepest Lambeth, I was surprised to be greeted by a young and cheerful blonde lady, Jessy, who was to be my photographer for the session. Jessy and her makeup / hair artist, Charlotte, made sure my boyfriend and I were settled with a cup of tea before we began the mammoth makeup application and hair coiffing that is the essential part of any pinup photoshoot.

I was put totally at ease by both women, and we chatted over tea and makeup brushes while Charlotte painstakingly applied individual lashes to my eyes and piled on the necessary foundation and powder combination needed to make skin look flawless under harsh light.

The venue for the shoot was quirky and interesting, although a little spartan; a couple more comfy chairs would have not gone amiss. However, the room served perfectly well for a small individual shoot and I was quickly put at ease by Jessy's encouragement and professionalism behind the lens.

We started with a few fully-clothed shots in a pencil skirt and feather boa combination, which worked well as an introduction to boost my confidence and start getting a bit more of my kit off, as is the time-honoured pinup style. Naturally, this started off awkwardly, with me getting used to moving my body into more suggestive contortions than I am generally used to...

In my second 'scene', dressed somewhat skimpily in a red bra and knickers and with a parasol as a prop, I began to warm up under the lights and started to really enjoy myself. Jessy's continual encouragement and gentle instruction really helped me get the most out of the experience. I found that bringing your own outfits helped make the photos more individual, but if I had wanted more there was a selection of clothing and underwear at hand.

We shot several different outfits and before I knew it, we had finished. What can I say, all that laughter and cheesecake posing made the time go by pretty quickly.

When I received my photos printed and on disc, I was very happy with the results, particularly with two of the images Jessy had digitally retouched. What a much-needed confidence boost!

I would be happy to recommend the experience to anyone who's sick of seeing those naff modern studio photos from places that rip you off and stick on the soft focus, and fancies doing something a bit different. You will not be disappointed!