Invasion

 

 

This image was a 'difficult birth'. It's for a competition and I had this idea in my head, but when I tried to find the right stock images for it, I couldn't. :-( So, I had to re-think my approach.

I wanted to do something that shows more than just a few aliens 'invading earth', but different layers of invasion: the usual 'war' invasion, the consequences, the rape, murder and torture. I've tried to keep it simple and use symbols like the towers (Martello tower I captured at the Suffolk coast), the wires into her back the ivy (a most invasive plant that will deconstruct buildings), the wounds and cracks to indicate the destruction of people during an invasion, etc.

I've used a lot of my own images in this one, including my own crack brush, ivy, sky and wire images, flag etc.

Credits

Model

• Parts - 25 by mjranum-stock
• Model - Candace Nirvana
• Photographer - Marcus Ranum

Stock

• DAS007-Barbed Wire by Andre-S-C-Stock

Textures

• Another Mixed Bag Texture Set by Shadowhouse
• Rich Tones Texture Set by Shadowhouse
• Photo Tints Overlay Set by Shadowhouse

Brushes

• Bird Brush Pack by Shadowhouse
• Hair brush set by para-vine
• Light Rays by spiritsighs-stock

All other images/textures/brushes etc my own.

 CN: CU939-R83WG-JWWU1

Street Life I and II

Street Life I - Window Shopping
Taken today walking home from town. Collage of 5 of my photographs plus textures by Shadowhouse. I love the colours in this one. The images were of Indian ornaments and hangings in a shop window and a graffiti image of a heart on a skip. :-)

Credits

• You'd be surprised texture by Shadowhouse
• Photo Tints Overlay Set (Harvest) by Shadowhouse
• Square Texture Set "3 New Ones" (Square 70) by Shadowhouse
• Square Texture Set 19 (Square 182) by Shadowhouse

All other images my own.

MCN: CLHF6-284FR-ULLX2

Street Life II - Graffiti

Taken today walking home from town. Collage of 5 of my photographs plus textures by Shadowhouse. I love the energy in this one. The images were of several graffiti paintings on a wall under a railway bridge and a graffiti image of a heart on a skip. :-)

Credits

• Photo Tints Overlay Set (Harvest) by Shadowhouse
• Square Texture Set "3 New Ones" (Square 70) by Shadowhouse
• Square Texture Set 19 (Square 182) by Shadowhouse

All other images my own.

MCN: CKWLX-1PSJ7-3JQ7W

Cambridge Rock Festival 2011 Diary

Last weekend was the Cambridge Rock Festival 2011 - if you weren't there, shame on you, especially if you live in the Cambridgeshire area, it was a fab event. Even if you couldn't make it, you could have listened (often live) on Cambridge 105 - who were the only radio station broadcasting (mostly live) from the event starting Thursday night all the way through to Sunday night.

The weather was mixed but apart from a deluge on Thursday night the skies were mostly clear with only a little shower now and again. Perfect festival weather. (It's not a festival if you don't need wellie boots.)

Here are some pictures to wet your appetite for next year's event.

 The crowd was spellbound from Friday to Sunday - from little ones to 'rock' granddads and grandmas.... 

The bands were fabulous - from the rock 'pixie' Chantel McGregor with her bluesy rock and fabulous guitar, to John Otway who never once fails to amuse, to Larry Miller whose joy at playing live is so strong that it causes sparks in the audience to Caravan who had the audience swaying and singing along, to finally the up and coming bands playing in the 'access to stage' area, gaining confidence and fans.

Notice the rainbow over the broadcast van? (You can't see the van, only the fantastic 60 foot mast.) ;-)

Here are a few snapshots of the team that brought this even to you - if you were listening. Kipper the Cat Show (hosted by the Shellac Collective) played live (and was broadcast live) from the craft tent, and many of the members of Cambridge 105 turned up to help with all the technical bits and to broadcast live from the festival with one cool show after the other, which included interviews with the stars of the festival, live feeds from the stage, freshly prepared mushroom omelettes and rocket power coffee (the crew had to eat and often there was no time to run to the lovely food stalls), and, of course continuous rock all the way through. To find out about the latest events join Cambridge 105 on Facebook or check out the website.

All photographs © Sybille Sterk, credits to Daniel Box for his Instagram actions for Photoshop.