I have long been fascinated by the suffering and pain that some people can muster in expression. Great actors and people with character seem blessed with a way of communicating that has a depth far deeper than I can ever imagine the source. My life has been largely free from pain and suffering on a surface level but I have a very shallow emotional plateau. I have tears streaming down my face Just writing this blog. My hard shell poorly disguises a soft vulnerable interior. I am very close to the edge sometimes but I have a knack of avoiding the spiral of doom. My life is lived on a level above the norm guided by a freakish positive force that seems rarely to elude me. I’m lucky. I’ve seen many people who rarely surface, let alone reach their potential. Their enduring misery is not the subject of this post however. I want a fictional narrative to provide the shell that protects me from the harsh realities I am not equipped to empathise with. This is ‘Maiden Flight’ and ‘Fallen Angel’.
The working narrative:
A young, beautiful, vulnerable girl leaves/ is driven out/ or abandons her home. The first escape/ exposure to a harsh reality. The pull of the demons within leaves her destitute/ without friends/ abused/ homeless/ dependent or addicted. The maiden has fallen. Her character strengthens, her resolve deepens, she toughens up and surfaces a triumphant yet hardened person. She has identity and discovers herself. She is an artist expressing herself through dance and music. Her expressive talent is a result of the torment and strength her circumstances have dealt her. Her art transcends the intellectual and without academic achievement she achieves greatness. A Phoenix rising from the ashes.
I set out to create a photographic essay that characterises the narrative and here are a selection of pictures from my first shoot with the amazing Lea Reah. Make up for the Maiden Flight section was provided by Vicki Waghorn.

11. The darkness represents the void in the angels life. The emptiness. The external negative devouring the internal soul.
My heart and soul is in photography at the moment. I’m on a journey through the fantasies of ‘Film Noir, Black Swan and Fallen Angel Please feel free to comment on these pictures below.
Very striking series. Do you know of the singer Yolandi Visser of the South African Rap group ‘Die Antwoord’? Her personal style is similar.
Hi Michael,
Thank you. No, I can’t say that I do.
Kind regards,
Damien.
Great to see what you’re tackling for 2013 Damien. For the last few years you have always laid out a new direction that will push you photographically and makes all us follows think more deeply about our photography. It’s great to see you pushing the boat out again for you (and presumably Chris) – thanks for the thought provoking start to 2013…
Hi Bob from Coventry,
It’s great for me to know that my shoot style development is being appreciated. Sometimes the ‘new look’ fails to get the following I think it deserves and I then have to shelve it for a while before reinventing it. 18 months ago I started to shoot Hollywood style portraits and I’ve been dropping them into my workshops and shoots ever since. On Tuesday I reap the rewards of that research when I shoot my first Film Noir workshop. There will be many others but continual development feeds the creative soul and is super fun to do. That fun is galvanised when good people like yourself take the time to wite and thank me.
Thank you :) Stay inspired!
Kind regards, Damien.
Simply beautifull.
Thanks Mike :)