Ladies and lights continued.

This is a shoot that I did on the same night that I took the shots of Liz [my last post covers that]. This is Andrea, she has modeled for me previously and has been in one of my past posts. [such as here!!] Andrea also has an incredibly natural beauty. I have gotten tons and tons of compliments about how beautiful she is just based on this shoot alone, and ton more including the first shoot I did with her. She has the kind of beauty that seems to be almost universal, everyone who sees it can understand it and appreciate it.
In this shoot I tried really hard to create very solid and deliberate lines by contrasting light and form. I think this image was particularly successfully in creating really powerful lines, especially across her face and down her neck and shoulder. That strong sense of line keeps the focus on the center of the piece. I also love how the shadow causes the skin to almost taper off, as if she was slowly vanishing. This image is also a lot about texture, mainly focusing on the skin, with parts that show a great amount of texture and other parts that are completely smoothed out by the brightness that is being reflected.
This was also an implied nude shoot. Focusing on that tension and anticipation of almost revealing everything, holding in that tension by keeping it under wraps. With these pictures I also wanted to play with different kinds of lighting, and figure out how I could make the lighting most dramatic even though all I had was a simple night stand lamp. This light was achieved by having her crouch over the lamp. We kept the lamp shade on so the light would have more direction, enabling me bring more focus to her face.
I like this shot a lot because it feels a lot more natural than the other images. It's the only one in the set that I actually kept some color in, although it has been desaturated a bit. At this point we had actually set the table lamp back on my night stand and she was about to sit up. This moment was actually, as far as I know, candid. The light hit her in such a perfect way, it even lightened her hair to more of a blonde than the brunette she actually is. Her hairs just seems to perfectly layer over one another to create this little wave of yellow that highlights her face. And her expression is so soft and relaxed... really exposing her natural beauty.
It was a pleasure working with Andrea again, and I hope she continues to have enthusiasm for modeling for me. :)

To see the rest of this set please check out my flickr site:

Here!

Shining bright.

I did this project at the end of this summer. It ultimately spawned from just a few friends and I hanging out and thinking it would be fun to take some pictures. I ended up shooting with two of my lady friend, emphasizing the play with light. This was my first time shooting Liz [pictured above]. She is awesome. In all ways. She is totally gorgeous and has a really natural sense of how to work her body.
I have to give mad props to this girl because those lights she had on her were HOT by the time we had finished shooting. At the beginning of the shoot she tried to play it off like it was no big thing, but after awhile she started sweating, haha! I actually love, love, love! that she started sweating because they made this beautiful reflection of the light, it actually really helped in illuminating her body. It took a normal portrait and made it much more intriguing and beautiful in my opinion. I think the little details like that are what really make a picture, what bring out the true beauty. We ain't doing no air brushing here people!
I know that using these lights seem kind of cliche, but gosh darnit, it was fun and I like the images that I got from it. I have seen a lot of other photographers use this technique for lighting. The thing is, is that every single person is going to go about it differently, so even using a similar concept or even the exact same one, is going to yield different results. It's a lot about the individual perspective and execution!
As you can probably tell by now this shoot was implied nude. I completely adore the human body, LOOOVE it. I think everything about it is beautiful, the curves, the valleys, the textures, the imperfections. True beauty, in every single body. I don't have much experience doing nude shoots, but I have done a view implied nude shoots. I think there is something very sensual and mysterious about almost revealing the body in its entirety. In my art history class last year we were discussing a certain statue of venus and there was a sheet drapped across her body that was on the very brink of falling from the tip of her breast about to partially, if not fully, expose her. That anticipation and expectation to soon have the whole body revealed was much more sensual and powerful then just giving it all away. All the implications of the sensual human form beneath the sheet was what made it so stirring. Liz was my venus on this day.

This is one of my favorite shots. It gives off this feeling of the isolation of beauty. How true beauty can be realized even in complete darkness and chaos. I know that sounds cheesy, but that is how my brain works! hehe. Liz always reminds me of a modern day marilyn monroe. I also like how the sheets create these line that lead into her that draw the eye right to her face. Such a soft, yet vacant expression. You gotta be wondering what she is thinking. probably "These things are f'ing hot, hurry the butt up Havana!" heh.

Working with liz was amazing, and I hope that she will model for me again.

To see the rest of this set please check out my flickr account:

HERE!

And also here is a link to Liz's blog:

The Liz Blog!

She is a fabulous person, friend, model, chef and gamer.
Check her out.

<3

Owls.

Here is a drawing I did for one of my final projects in Drawing II.
I am completely obsessed with owls.


hoot. hoot.