Right now, Twitter is abuzz with posts and photographs embracing the holiday season, as well as favourites of the year and decade reviews. Taking my inspiration from my 10-year anniversary and the spate of #DecadeinReview posts on Twitter, I’ve decided to post my Decade in Review here rather than Twitter to mark both milestones, with one self-portrait for every year of Love Hate Sex Cake.

With over 730 images between this blog and social media platforms, the process of selecting one self-portrait to represent and embody an entire year has been an interesting one. Some years are no brainers – the images leap out crying, “Me! It has to be me!” Others have been a challenge. The process has shown me how I’ve grown and developed with and through this medium, the years where I truly hit my stride, the turning point with my DSLR.

Rather than wittering on, I’ll let the images and my short reflections speak for themselves. I hope you enjoy the stroll down (my erotic) memory lane with me…

~ Minx x

2009
Hum
Shot in 2009 with my Nikon COOLPIX compact digital, Hum was posted in March 2010 as my second self-portrait for HNT (the predecessor of Sinful Sunday). While a little noisy/grainy, all these years down the track I’m still really pleased with the light and framing – and the long, inquisitive line of my legs.

2010
Silver
Another compact digital shot in monochrome, I adore the contrasts in this image: the harsh spotlit gleam of the curved metal bed frame against my body in a state of partial undress; the teasing juxtaposition between the lace and cashmere and the supple globes of flesh…  

2011
Prowl
The transition to DSLR and my beloved Nikon D7000… While this shot isn’t the first in this regard (it’s #7 in this tag on the site), it definitely marked a turning point for me. If I had to nominate a favourite self-portrait of all time, this one would be it by a mile. Everything about it still speaks to and of me; everything about it embodies my sexuality, sensuality and style, as well as my love of monochrome noir. (It also happens to be my most stolen image of all time, regularly pilfered on Tumblr, Twitter and other social platforms.)     

2012
Bloom
I couldn’t quite settle on an image for this year. I toyed with a number for quite some time, but invariably returned to this image – the colour and the pose were ultimately the deciding factors. Once again, it’s more sensual hint than bare revelation, the softness of the warm glow accentuating the outline of the rosy peak beneath the sheer paisley silk and the barely parted thighs silently calling for the tender touch of strong hands…

2013
City Lights
This self-portrait marks a definite and exciting first – the exploration of other spaces and interiors. Up until this point, I had exclusively photographed myself in my own home. Travelling with my DSLR and a tripod opened up the possibilities and allowed me to push my boundaries, both artistic and erotic. The wicked and sensual exhibitionist in me soared as soon as the sun set and the city lights glittered and glowed.

2014
Instruction
Another exception to my photographic rule – the close-up. Very quickly during this review, I realised I mostly shy away from this framing, preferring a medium or long shot to capture the space, the light and shadow, and the line of my body. At the time, I was so pleased with the framing, the muted light and the tentative touch on my shivering skin, that I couldn’t resist taking a chance. Now, I’m very glad I did.

2015
Once Upon A Time
During my travels in 2015, I struck gold with my Manchester digs. With high ceilings, tall windows and wood panelling, this generously proportioned room provided the space and light for some of my best work. While the accompanying prose speaks of the sadness and melancholy I was feeling at the time, the painterly quality of this unedited image – the naturally sepia tones, the shadowy line of my nakedness emerging from the background, the texture of my skin, the artificial starkness of the rumpled bedding – embodies time’s past, the faded glory days of the majestic hotel, the ghosts of lovers who continue to live and breathe within its walls, unable and unwilling to forget the intoxicating ecstasy of sensual and decadent pleasures.

2016
Soft and Hard
Originally posted on Twitter and Tumblr as an outtake, I soon realised this image was the furthest from second rate and more than worthy of this virtual home. In my characteristic style, I opted for the suggestion (in the shot) and the suggestive (in the title) while dressed to kill and thrill in a beloved piece of finery.

2017
Ecstasy
This self-portrait is as close to going viral as I’ll ever get. With over 17,000 notes on Tumblr before my page was marked as sensitive and its contents hidden, this noir-inspired image is true to my desire, sexuality and hunger unlike any other. On this sweltering summer’s day, I set the interval timer and slid between the sheets, surrendering utterly, passionately, shamelessly, to the molten heat…

2018
We Float
The same picture window, a different year…

In the five years separating City Lights and this image, my exhibitionism had grown in brazen leaps and bounds. With my nakedness and cheek (in every sense) pressed against the glass in the full glare of light, I was set free to float, to soar.

2019
Seating Arrangements and The Invitation
Highlighting two images for the decade’s concluding year is something of a cheat. But it would be remiss of me not to incorporate both since they’re companion pieces – the former posted on Twitter then on the site and the latter exclusively on Twitter. A celebration of a naturalism I’m embracing more often of late, this duo represents the development and maturity of my photographic style, as well as my enduring fascination with the eroticism of both shadow and light.