Revenge of the Jumbees

 (Both pics. snapped on 1/07/16, using a Sony Cybershot and Instagram filters)

I went into this shoot (inside of the shipwreck, Pamead) with the (what I considered to be realistic) expectation of snapping at least 100 - 125 images…unfortunately however - that was not to be the case.

After firing off only a coupla frames, my trusty little Cybershot began to freak out - strange settings screens kept popping up on their own, and then they'd switch suddenly to other screens that I'd never even seen before. I kept turning the camera off and on again, in the hopes that I might be able to set the timer for the next shot - and that did work for a short little while…but once I'd captured the 18th frame, the camera went completely haywire, and so I had no choice but to call it quits.

If I had to come up with an explanation for why the funny glitch with my camera, I would havta say that I think there may have been spirits inside of that shipwreck that didn't want me in there…I know many of y'all out there are probably shaking your heads, and sucking your teeth - because to you such a thing may sound utterly absurd…but that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

This wasn't the first time that something like this has happened to me while I was staging self-portraits in a (possibly haunted?) abandoned place however…to read about the venue that sticks out in my mind the most, please click here

I'm definitely not giving up on someday padding my portfolio with more self-shots made inside of this exquisite disaster piece…I am determined to try and fulfill my goal of capturing at least 82 more self-portraits inside of the Pamead…jumbees, or not.

Spelunker

Found a seabird skeleton in this cave…thought that was pretty neat. I would've carried it back home with me, but it fell apart after shooting with it as a prop for only like 6 frames…blap.

(All pics. snapped on 12/31/15 - using a Sony Cybershot)

My laptop has been acting seriously dumb lately, and one of the things that makes it spaz - is whenever I try to edit my pics. on iPhoto…and because of that, this entire group of photos is unedited, so there ya' go.

Even though I've been to this bay a thousand times before, it wasn't until last week when my kids were here with me for Christmastime, that I went inside of the cave that's tucked into the cliff on the north side - for the first time...and I was positively awestruck by its beauty and delicious natural light! I was however utterly disgusted with myself, because like the dumbass that I can be sometimes, I'd forgotten to bring my GoPro with me. I vowed to come back to try and capture its beauty another day…and the more I thought about it, the more I became fixated with the idea of staging a self-portrait shoot there.

So. After much hesitation and procrastination, I finally mustered up enough determination to make today the day that this shoot would happen. I packed my shitty little camera inside of six sealed ziploc bags, rode my motorbike over to the lookout, wended my way down the track that leads to the sea, jumped in, and then swam across Little Bay - carrying the makeshift waterproof camera-bag as much over my head as I could keep it for such a long distance. I carefully climbed out of the water - trying to avoid stepping on a dreaded sea shooter (or multiple), scuttled up into the cave, set up my camera on its companion Gorillapod, and let myself get completely lost in my work, and this remarkable venue.

Was truly a magical way to end the year…

Happy Old Year's Night to YOU - my wonderful readers! I love you all madly, and wish you all the best in 2016!!!

Just What the Doctor Ordered

(I began this shoot feeling basically like this ^...)

(…but by the time I was finished? I felt much more like this…thaaaaaank goodness)

(All pics. snapped on 12/17/15 - using a Sony Cybershot and edited on iPhoto)



Some people in this world really are just so wicked…yes, even people here on this warm, friendly island (well, at least one for sure that I know of) .

Back when I was living in The States, I became quite adept at shrugging off the negative remarks that folks regularly made about me, and my blogs…remarks that usually only made it to my ears as secondhand information, as most of the people who had such huge problems with my art, and the unorthodox way that I lived my life - were too chickenshit to share their negative opinions of me, with me directly. For whatever reason though, no matter how scathing, I was always able to let the rhetoric roll right off of the thick skin on my back…those naysayers didn't matter to me, see? So neither did their derisive remarks.

Long story short, it's just not my nature to give a shit about what people say, or think about me. So this week, when someone here on Anguilla said something directly to me - something that I found to be so mean-spirited, humiliating, and cruel - I was startled by how badly it upset me…like it honestly made me sick to my stomach.

I couldn't seem to manage to shake off the initial sting of his biting sentiments…matter of fact, the more time that passed, the worse I felt about the whole thing, it sucked pretty bad. But then I thought back to all of those times in the past, when financial woes, or boyfriend troubles, or whatever - got me feeling similarly supremely low…and how sometimes the only way for me snap out of my chagrin - was to go out and stage some new self-portraits. And more times than not, doing so did cheer me up.

So. Yesterday, I decided that maybe I should implement that same strategy, in order to (hopefully) lift my spirits a bit.

I left the secluded, somewhat secret spot seen in the selfpics above, feeling about a million times better than I did when I first got there. And I'm happy to say that I'm (mostly) done fretting over the troubling verbal exchange between me and the wicked scunt.

Before he so quickly switched from being sweet, charming, and polite - to rude, hateful, and mean - he noted that I hadn't posted any new pics. on the blog in a long time…Well? Here ya' go…a new brand set of self-portraits, and a story all about you to go along. Enjoy.



(P.S. Don't kid yourself, you actually are mean…like, REALLY, REALLY mean)

What You See, Is What I Got

(Some seriously bunged-up feet with so many broken toes. Ew.)

(All pics. snapped on 11/23/15)

Haven't tended to "The Big Ugly" for a good little while, sorry 'bout that…I'm here now though, so hopefully we're all square? K, good.

Anyway, I'll excuse my absence by blaming it on my couple (or three?)-months-long renewed love of baking, plus some other interference that's prolly not worth mentioning…today however, I woke up to the disquieting realization that because I am currently without trans (my motorbike won't start), and with only a few measly dollars to my name - I haven't the means with which to get my bike fixed, nor do much else for that matter - like buy the ingredients that I need in order to be able to make more sweets. But despite the fact that lately I've been effectively convincing myself that this whole multi-years-long fascination, fixation, obsession (whatever you wanna call it) that I've had with self-portraiture, is borderline pointless - for some odd reason, today, like on this…particular...day - I couldn't think of any better way to while away the daylight hours, than by going out on foot, with my humble assemblage of shitty camera gear on my back, in search of a place to shoot some selfpics….

The footprint of the house in which these pics. were snapped, is minuscule. But it's tininess has become even more diminished by the vegetation that has grown up and in through the floors, doors and windows…and so I felt somewhat limited in my options for finding much creative diversity within this shoot (plus, being as morbidly afraid of stepping on a centipede in these types of environments as I am, kind of squelches my adventurous nature) - again, my sincerest apologies. What was cool about the resultant images though, was that after having uploaded the pics., and then scrutinizing them (per my usual), I realized that the photos needed very little editing (like none actually, in my opinion)…and for the first time ever in the history of "The Big Ugly", I was perfectly content to post photos on here, that hadn't been tampered with at all…and I have to admit, there's something about that that made me feel uncharacteristically proud…so if nothing else, at least I have that going for me right now. 

Sunday Stroll

 (Snapped on 8/30/15)

I had a positively lovely time this morning, snappin' self-portraits intermittently, while wending my way down the track that leads to one of my favorite spots on this island...

That's a Wrap

(Snapped on 8/22/15)

So after looking online for what felt like freaking evah - I finally found a company who can print my Anguilla images on lightweight cotton voile sarongs, and when my kids came down to visit me last week, they brought me the three prototypes that I ordered and had shipped to their dad's office a few weeks ago. Personally? I think they look fantastic!

I posted a few different images of these same three wraps on my Facebook page (Lauralyn Brickhouse), and also on my Instagram (@thebigugly)…in the event that you may be interested in seeing other snaps of 'em.

If you think you might like to have one, please contact me at: brickhouse333@gmail.com - I'll give you all of the details about which images are available, and answer whatever other questions you may have about purchasing one...or more :)

Muchas Gracias!

I "Shutter" to Think...

…that it's been nearly two. whole. weeks since I staged any new self-portraits...

 

(Snapped on 8/12/15)

…but the thing is - last week marked the climax of Carnival, here on Anguilla - and it was sheer mayhem for days (and nights) on end, as usual (not really my thing, to be perfectly honest about it…could it be that I'm getting too old for such highly concentrated and prolonged partyin'? Indeed.) The good news for an anti-socialite like myself however, is that there were sailboat races on 6 out of 8 days during this year's summer festival, plus loads of work to do to get Satellite (the boat on which I've been crew for just over a year now) all set and ready for the very first race and beyond - and then broken back down again, out of the water, and up to her resting spot under the gigantic mahogany tree up here in North Hill (a hell of a lot of work goes into the Anguillian racing boats, y'all probably have no earthly clue). The bad news though, was that I was so busy with the Satellite, that it never even crossed my mind to tackle a new set of selfpics.

Carnival and sailboat racing season are both now over until next year though, so it would stand to reason that there oughtta be enough of a lull in my island activities, to allow me to spend some quality time planning and executing new self-portrait shoots, correct? Not so. For the last two days, I've been deep cleaning my house, while simultaneously trying to sort out an ongoing plumbing problem, and also making numerous trips to the grocery on my motorbike (I can only carry so much at one time) - all of which is in preparation for the arrival of three of my precious children to Anguilla tomorrow afternoon! HOORAY!!! 

The little darlings will be staying here for one week, which (I predict) will seriously impede my ability to squeeze in any quality self-portrait time. This never crossed my mind until late this afternoon, and when it did - I kinda panicked. I thought, "If I don't take some new pics right this instant - three weeks will have passed before I'll have been able to update The Big Ugly". That no bueno.

I did nothing to my appearance (I almost never bother with all of the elaborate stage make-up that I so heavily applied, and relied on when I was shooting back in The States), I chose a spot that was super close to home, and once there - I literally spent only about 40 minutes snapping the handful of pics. from which the three seen above were plucked. It was definitely a rush job, but at least I have something to offer…something that will hopefully carry you guys through until I can get my head (and my body) back in the game.