Alt model since 2003. Makeup artist. Shapeshifter.

Mythril Countess-Charmaine Auburn (Countess-Grotesque)

Countess is a Muse; a source of inspiration, a guiding spirit and at times a source of amusement and much more. She is also a top alternative model, make up artist, stylist and she has been published in many alt magazines.

I remember taking a young model who admired Countess’s work to her a few year’s ago. Without any reference photo, 30 minutes later the model was looking like total dynamite with cat’s eyes that suited her purr fectly. The result was some we produced some of the best images that we made, even though she and I had shot many times.

On top of that Countess does her own hair, styling and make-up, plus puts an awesome amount of talent into selecting and customising her outfits and props. I remember one technicolour shoot, where Countess selected cute little green ray guns to go with her stunning multi coloured, nicely tight bikini top and futuristic green heels.

Another time she arrived with a huge lollipop and transformed the shoot with that simple prop. Other times she arrives with the most out-there outfits from top designers. She arrives fully prepared and ready to shoot.

And there is more. She attracts outfits from the best alt designers and she is also very good with Photoshop. As a result of that, we were able to do a shoot using a fabulous PurPur [i.e. the Gothic clothing, Soviet Totalitarian Style designer] futuristic Cyber Goth outfit, which ended up as an eye catching poster, complete with planets, and the tag line, ‘taking over the universe, one planet at a time’ thanks to those abilities.

There are not many top alt models that can do that. She is the total creative package for photographers, designers and models.

One of her favourite quotes is:
"I'm a creation of my own imagination” - Countess Grotesque.

And that imagination is fertile. As a photographer, I give her a concept and she improves on it. Improves? She makes the concept an awesome reality. For example, I gave her a simple idea. ‘Let’s make a female tree!’ I had done my Google images research and did not find many. She added her costumes, concepts, make up and modeling in a mini shoot one night and before I knew it, I had the awesome 'Tree of Death' images, plus the amazing bonus of 'Takito' the stick insect, terrorizing my model! :) Takito is Countess's pet.

Another of her faves is
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” ― Oscar Wilde

She lives in a world of her own making; a world beyond our world; where we might fantasize, she does. Fantasy become reality is a beautiful thing to see. You can see some of this in the photos on these pages. I believe we need more of this in our lives. Examples of our dreams taking form in the real world.

And finally, on a lighter note, another of Countess’s quotes, that I can attest to, as can her many friends.

"There's a heart beneath the boobs and a brain beneath the wig." ― Dolly Parton

Countess is an amazing creative; I think of her as producing loving art with a sharp 'edge' that she expresses in her shoots. She packs so much into them. I hope I have painted the picture for you.

Countess is high value, and more than that, she can help create the images and experience that we have and have not yet dreamt of.

Mike - Publisher/Photographer Alt Life Magazine

I have been involved with photography in some way or other for over 45 years!!

I am still a devotee of film and what is now quaintly called “wet” photography, i.e. film and darkrooms and chemicals and all sorts of cool stuff, laden with toxic overlays blah, blah! However, all the images here are digital!!

My concepts are quirky, bizarre, whimsical and definitely odd ball. This is but a sample of what I do and this is how I do it!

I don’t use a studio, I don’t use lights and I don’t use seamless backdrops. I use daylight for all my setups and location work when I do location work. I don’t use reflectors and I don’t have a team of MUA’s, assists and stylists. I absolutely love the randomness of daylight and all the variables, cloudy, sunny, dull or bright, it is an essential element of my compositions and I do like surprises and being kept on my toes by the subtle changes as the sun rises and sets and the model gets cold, tired and grumpy. Some of my best shots come towards the end of the session. I use flash on camera for all the stuff I shoot at night. I don’t smoke any more but would like to.

I am reasonably across the bits of Photoshop that I use to enhance my work in ways that would have been at home in a darkroom, printing exhibition quality black and white prints, dodging and burning, graded contrast paper and a lot of test stripping, all ancient techniques from the age of witchcraft, or so it seems.

I construct my sets for a shoot; I have a fairly diverse collection of props, costumes. Gadgets, gizmo’s and crap that I use extensively and I have a warped view of the world and the bits of it I interact with. I am working with some fabulous models and have worked with a few duds as well; no drama, that is just the way of it, always has been, always will.

If you want to shoot something quirky with me then drop me a line!

I am lousy at the business side of things… hopeless!!! I never know what to charge and I always feel I am under charging for a solid day’s shooting!! Don’t really mind, I love what I do!

Peter Kelly

September 2012