The original plan when we’d arranged for Jinkx to come in again was a mix of location for environmental nude shots, and studio for some urban fashion, but then we found a new location.

A derelict farm offering a mix of dilapidated farm buildings and a machine room that had most certainly seen better days.

When we were working through the final arrangements I was careful to warn Jinkx about the nettles, thistles and brambles, and to pack insect repellent so I thought I had it covered.

I didn’t think to mention the spiders.  Now this was a derelict farm, abandoned for the last 9 years.  You’ve got to expect spiders and their webs, so I never thought anything about the mass of webs everywhere.

Arachnophobia!

Jinkx is seriously scared of spiders.  So every time we moved to a new location, I had to go in first and clear out the webs, then Jinkx would make a close inspection of the floor where she was to stand, or the structure where she would sit to ensure there were no spiders on the move.

You’ll understand then that I had pretty much shelved my plan to have her pose in a machine tunnel that was completely coated in webs as well as pitch dark, but I’d really been looking forward to doing that shot, so I asked anyway.

To say she wasn’t keen is a serious understatement,   but I could see the pride she has in her professionalism fighting with the irrational fear, and after a little cajoling and encouraging, and a lot of clearing out by me, she entered the tunnel.  Iy was entirely coincidental that her cap bore the words ‘No Fear’  – and there was definitely fear, but she didn’t let it stop her.  Kudos to Jinks for a good job in very difficult circumstances.

As it turned out, it wasn’t the spiders that stopped us shooting, it was the cold.

It was a July afternoon with  sunshine now and again, I don’t think it was unreasonable to expect a little warmth, but it wasn’t to be, and with a brisk cool wind blowing, the art nude sets had to be brief and disappointingly rushed.  Jinkx was determined not to let it beat her, but even when the sun was shining she couldn’t get warm, so much of the shoot plan had to be abandoned.

I think we might be revisiting that farm if ever we get a summer.