References for Mike Rhys

Flo X

At last Mike and I managed to find time to shoot together.

Last year we missed each other at the Erotica London exhibition I visited where his prints were displayed and for sale. His erotic work was the best on show. From that moment on, I knew I'd work with Mike without meeting first. There was no need.

I was very flattered he hadn't changed his mind and offered to shoot me at mine.

We got on straightaway and his ability to show me our shots in B&W on a large laptop after each set meant I was convinced this was a man with a great erotic eye, an understanding of a model like myself and had a rare talent at framing a shot.

Composing an erotic image, whilst being so close in such artistic fashion without any vulgarity whatsoever is very rare and very difficult to pull off.

Most images we created will need very little (if any) cropping in editing, he has a gift at capturing the essence of a pose taking the time necessary. More than half what we shot was to very high standards. My standards are high. So are his.

If and I say if (because I assume he might have done equally well with other models) any of our work is exhibited one day, would be a dream come true for me.

Thank you Mike for showing me a different way of working, slower, each shot was shot with true intention. Our work is what I would classify as 'Adult work' yet it is of the highest erotic intensity. Timelessly done. I am very proud of what I saw. And I hope many get to see it one day.

BexWhite

It was lovely to shoot with Mike again after a gap of several years. This time I joined Mike and Lottie21 for some duo images, and can honestly say I absolutely loved some of the results I saw on the day. I loved Mike's work before, but even more so now. The shoot was great fun, and the time flew by. I would very much like to work with Mike again in the future and would recommend shooting with him without reservation :)

Lottie21

I worked with Mike at my home just under a week ago now for the first time and I had an absolutely lovely shoot with him! Organising the shoot was quick and easy and communication was excellent! He booked me for 6 hours and the time flew by! We also did a duo shoot for the last 2 hours with Bex White which was fantastic!

Very respectful and professional photographer and takes stunning photos!

I would highly recommend Mike and really hope I get the opportunity to shoot with him again! Thank you for a lovely shoot! :)

Bobbi Castle

I have worked with mike previously in the UK at my local studio. that shoot was great so I was really happy when he asked me to come to his studio in Hamburg. He also offered for me to come stay in his home during the duration of my stay. He picked me up from the airport which was really nice. I felt totally comfortable and relaxed both staying in his home and shooting with him. We shot for two days at his studio. we shot a mixture of nude and fashion with his friend franco. I loved all of his ideas and for me the both days just flew by. I really enjoyed it and cant wait to shoot again. I would recommend him to anyone.

Jezebelle

Mike flew me over to Germany to work at his studio and do another day creating epic photos with him - he is the perfect host, cook and has a wonderful studio!

His knowledge and talent was apparent all the way through the 2 days, setting up his extensive lighting collection like a pro and the beautiful scenes too, capturing images that look perfect!

This fantastic photographer is highly recommended by me, a fun and creative experience that I could do again & again :)

Thank you for a fabulous weekend!

Karo Kat

It was my second shooting with Mike, and we already planned the next one.

This time we used a couple of different stylizations from my and his garderobe.

Thanks also to Anicka, who was our hair and make-up artist that day, we achived a few different fashion nude sets. I love the pin-up effect!

Atmosphere was pretty relaxed as we know each other a bit already. It was anyway easy to work with Mike from the first shooting.

The studio Mike rents is quite big and well equipped. He has also quite a few costumes, make-up and hair cosmetics, so the conditions to create some cool stylizations are great.

I'm looking forward to our next collaboration!

Keira Lavelle

I’ve worked with Mike several times before our most recent creative encounter... Some occasions; he’s visited the UK, others; I’ve popped to Germany and there’s always been no end of flow in the way we work together and a fantastic model-photographer relationship in the image making process. So when Mike expressed his interest in joining on the latest Arts Voyage trip hosted by myself and Renaissance: I was really excited to be working together once again... But this time in the beauty of the fabulous destination that is the island of Crete! The locations we had waiting for us was enough for any creative to be excited about: but when you’ve worked together so many times and consciously know how well you bounce off each other then it really is hard to hold in the ecstatic feeling for the productivity that lies ahead! :D

Mike was, as usual, a star in the communications side of things. Because with the trips we have overlapping weeks and specific travel plans to work around: we work closely with attending photographers to try and work best around everyone. Mike was amazing in his speed to get back to me in the planning stages and wonderfully helpful with flexibility in slots. It allowed us on this end to get things organised efficiently for the trip and coordinate flights, plus all the other complex aspects that requires careful attention with such an event. We had our usual pre-shoot chats about what we’d like to achieve with the one-to-one and duo two-to-one shooting time - just like any other shoot! Mike was concise and informative with garments he wanted myself and Renaissance to bring which ALWAYS helps with abroad work... Especially an Arts Voyage event where we might still be pushing the luggage weight limit even with 3 big cases between us for a mixture of solo and specifically designed themed work! :P But then he’s always had this very professional and constructive approach to his shoots which makes him so easy to shoot with. He was appreciative of the way we worked things on the event too.

During our shooting times, there were multiple location options available for the photographers to do their individual work: but Mike and Paul (the other photographer present on the first week) worked so well in conjunction with each other that we agreed to mix up the time for more duo work with both photographers preferring to work harmoniously together and then still having the opportunity to grab independent ideas where we saw fit. It was Mike that proposed this/discussed with Paul, and it was such a lovely team atmosphere when we did with everyone getting along beautifully. It’s nice to have this option available for photographers to decide together how their work their time... After all: Arts Voyage trips are all about the focus on good rapports with schedule and location guidance but giving flexibility too. Mike used brilliant intuition in this which allowed us to grab so many sensational picture opportunities which we may have not achieved otherwise!

The creative yield we achieved almost requires a whole separate reference of itself! Endless production of absolutely mega photos! We utilised the lovely villa in which we stayed to epic potential, and really left no stone unturned with the further out locations too. Mike came tremendously well prepped to take on various different lighting scenarios: he makes balancing flash with natural, available light look like an absolute doddle! We encountered quite a few different light conditions during our week-long trip together but Mike has superb technical thinking mechanisms to take on every possible challenge thrown at him. From sensual, glamorous girl-girl shots to artistic landscape nude work to innovative fashion! I can’t stress enough how many top quality shots were bagged during this week... It was also Renaissance’s and Mikes first time working together: what I saw of the work they created - wowzers!!

A genuinely nice gent who respects the models and their limits working in good alliance with the models with an exceptional eye for photography. It was a pleasure having Mike join us in Crete and certainly look forward to future opportunities of working together: no matter where in the world! What a fabulous week with an abundance of laughter and social value too! Recommended as always!

Thank you so much Mike!

Keira

Wendy Louise Howard

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Mike for a whole week on our Arts Voyage Photographic holiday in Crete :D

Mike is a true delight to work with. I knew upon meeting him at the Airport, we were in for a fun packed week with plenty of laughs.

Mike is great Fun to be around and has a great sense of humour. Our personalities instantly gelled and I felt like I was catching up with an old friend.

Photographically Mike knows what he is doing. Knows his angles and gives great direction to get the best out of the Model.

He works easily in all types of locations and adapts well to all challenges :D creating memories that will last a life time.

The results are absolutely Stunning and its proving really hard to pick my favourites... Even a couple of weeks after the trip and viewing them daily haha.

Thanks so much for coming on the Trip Mike.. It was awesome to work with you and I look forward to coming to Hamburg to work with you in the near future.

If you get the chance to work with Mike, jump at it. You will not be disappointed!!

A classic 5 stars *****

Highly recommended by me and I look forward to next time.

Thanks Mike and see you again soon.

Renaissance xx

Karo Kat

I've had one shooting with Mike as far. The content was art and fashion nude.

It was good. I hope for more.

Mike was patient with my posing, meanwhile showing me the results on the screen of his tablet.

The atmosphere during the session was chilled, wich made me feel relaxed. I find it quite important.

He was not telling me exactly, what to do, but corrected my poses. That worked well for me, as I know my limits best (applies moslty to the flexible poses).

Also, he picked me up to and from the station, which is nice.

I think we have managed to produce a few really good shoots.

Thank you, Mike!

siggy

While on tour in Germany, I was lucky to work with Mike.

Mike is absolute pleasure to work with - professional, creative, fun, full of great ideas and wonderful person.

Thank you so much for great shoot and im very happy with result :)

Highly recommended.

Loiiis

Mike hosted me during his studio day in Hamburg, he is friendly and reliable photographer who cares about model safeties, all the participants were respectious and nice.

We also did a private shoot together and I can't wait to see the results.

Mike and his wife are lovely hosts, we had a nice chat and wonderful barbecue, they make you feel at home!

Highly recommend to models, will be my pleasure to come back

Alice13

I ha a great first shoot with Mike. Pre comms were excellent and he arrived on time ready for the session. There were some great ideas and photos captured during the shoot. A kind and friendly photographer who I would love to work with again sometime. I look forward to seeing the photos. Thanks Mike for a wonderful shoot. Danke!

Toxic Innocence

I had a fantastic shoot with Mike. Communication was excellent, and he is a friendly and professional. I really enjoyed myself and he also took fantastic images. I very highly recommend.

Natural Happy Woman

I had a cool shoot with Mike where we worked on some groovy cool abstract nudes and boudoir style images in his hotel room.

Pre-communications good.

He's got a good eye, and is easy to get on with, friendly and respectful.

I'm totally happy to recommend him and work with him again.

Ashley Monroe

I had an excellent first shoot with Mike. He was a pleasure to work with and had some great ideas for the shoot.

Unfortunately we had slightly less time than planned but we worked quickly and Mike was very professional in order to achieve the shots he wanted.

Highly recommended and I hope to work with him again soon.

Helen Stephens

I had the pleasure of working with Mike during a Photoclassic workshop with Keira Lavelle and Scarlot Rose.

I’m so very glad Mike attended this shoot, he’s wonderfully chatty and so easy to get on with. I felt totally relaxed around Mike from pretty much the moment I met him.

Mike was always considerate and respectful of all the models comfort (some of the conditions were a little unfavourable to say the least!).

Not only is Mike a wonderful person, he is also a fantastic photographer and some of the images produced are breathtaking.

I would happily work with Mark again in an instant!

My highest recommendations!

Keira Lavelle

A combined shout-out for this lovely gent in relation to my latest shoot with him (the PhotoClassic Art Nude In The Landscape workshop in Scotland) and also our last fabulous 1 to 1 shoot plus hosted studio day from my European tour late last year! :D I always love working with Mike and I can only reiterate that again and again... We always have wonderful shoots with wonderful yield and have a good blast in the process!

*European tour/stop-off in Hamburg*

Late last year I took the plunge to finally do a European mega-tour whereby I would include several different countries over a 10-day period. It was my most ambitious tour yet and involved lots of careful planning to make it all flow nicely... Mike booked me at the back-end of this tour so that we had both a day to do our own shooting 1 to 1, and then also a studio-day at his studio with the usual local photographers whom Mike hosts/provides really helpful lighting assistance to if required. The studio days always run so smoothly, Mike is on hand with biccies, tea/coffee routinely and is such a star with time-keeping the slots too because when you're physically in the flow of shooting it can be challenging keeping a check on everything when there are only a few minutes in-between slots but Mike runs it so well. :) I'd always recommend to models thinking of doing a studio day at Mikes studio... the place is a truly sensational space equipped with quality facilities as well as gorgeous natural light. You'll never run out of ideas, that's for sure! :D

When we shot ourselves the day following the studio-day, as always: we had a list of cool ideas to work through. Though what normally happens is, we invent equally cool ideas as we go along too and then when we look at the list at the end of the day there are still things we haven't managed to do! :P That's just what happens when you work so well as a team and bounce off each other letting the creativity spiral. I hadn't even realised where the time had gone: Mike had purchased some beautiful seamless tights especially for a particular idea... We even decided to go with a totally different hair/makeup style to mix things up a bit and make it special for this particular set, but we hadn't even noticed the dead of night setting in and what time it was! Fair play to Mike when he was still game to shoot that final shot before we left because it's straight-up evident that when he checks the time/is exhausted from the day then you automatically know you've already created an epic volume of material because his concentration both technically and creatively bears champion endurance. It's so easy to think that shooting away is a doddle for the photographer, but given that he was shooting stills/video and constantly working the lights... That's some mega skills! Since I normally stay with Mike and his lovely wife Claudia, we normally get to review the images properly at the end of the day and there was the same stunning high standard as has always been in the many concepts we have shot since our very first shoot together. :) What's really nice is to see how, as a creative team, you work like clockwork and almost finish each others way of thinking when you're going into tackle a shot. Over several shoots I can honestly say that I value the rapport I have with Mike very highly and have so much credit for the level of passion he puts into the photography side of things to create the most artistically beautiful images he can, whatever the style/genre.

I have stayed with Mike and Claudia at their beautiful home (and also shot there too!) on multiple occasions now. It's totally like my second family in Europe now! :D They are the nicest people you could meet and always go above and beyond to make the models feel comfortable, safe and well looked after. It's routinely a good laugh, I consider then dear friends and it's always nice to catch up on the latest of everything. In the past we've got out for dinners, but they also cook the yummiest home-cooked food too! :P Plus we tend to have herbal tea fests as well... We know how to party! :D It was really was the most smashing end to my European tour. ♥

*Easter Art Nude In The Landscape Workshop*

Every Easter for the last few years I have modelled for a awesome workshop hosted by PhotoClassic which is held up in the Scottish Highlands and focusses on all the aspects of shooting nudes out in the wilderness. It's always a nice workshop to get away over a whole weekend and visit some spectacular places which are just awe-inspiring to have as part of an artistic model image. There was just one space left when Mike and I spoke about it so I was over the moon when he confirmed he was coming along because we did our own stunning nude in the landscape shots some time back along a beautiful stretch of beach and countryside in Northern Germany, some of my all-time faves we have done so I was so chuffed that he was able to make it to Scotland for the workshop. He was ace company on the event as ever and even brought the adorable Bert the turtle along to enjoy the lovely scenery! :D The weekend is made up of serious shooting time, and talks-made-fun and Mike brought some great knowledge and discussion on board for some of the things that were getting covered. In the past we have only ever shot 1 to 1 so this was our first group event as such and Mike is a really brill person to have as part of a group too. He's super social and always game for lots of nattering/sharing of ideas. In the evenings when everyone was winding down we had such a laugh about all-sorts and that's what you want from such an event. :D The people you're with make all the difference.

Once more, beautiful shots! Mike was even able to do some edits as we went along and show them during the review sessions. He's a superb photographer who will always take on all the challenges he is met with on any kind of shoot... And that weekend we had snow and everything try and test us!

Extremely high recommendations from me, as always! :)

Thank you Mike! Until next time!

Keira x

PhotoClassic

Mike recently attended our Art Nude in the Landscape Workshop and it was great to have him on board. Mike is a very experienced photographer who brought great enthusiasm and an eye for a shot that allowed him to create some superb images. He was always respectful of the models and used his knowledge and experience to make the most of the opportunities the workshop presented. I would have no hesitation in recommending Mike as someone models should jump at the chance to work with.

Bobbi Castle

Mike Booked me in my local area for a full day at the Harbour studio.

We traveled there together and chatted about the shoot, we where shooting a mixture of lingerie/fashion/nude and some slightly erotic stuff.

The time flew by and all the images i saw on the BOC looked really lovely.

I would recommend Mike :)

Jezebelle

Shooting with Mike was a very fun affair, he booked me for a full day recently and his super personality was an absolute joy to work with!

He is a very respectful and easy-going gentleman of an individual, who has an awesome way around camera, using the scenes in the most beautiful way and he is truly the king of angles!

I really loved working with this fantastic photographer, he is wonderfully creative and we nattered about so much, he is a truly amazing person with those extra cool ideas :)

Em