The ideal of calm, for me, is found in the comforts of total liberation.

Tayler as she is.

Remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be.

Kat in the mirror.

I love capturing natural beauty. Some find it boring, or go about trying to cover it up. Personally, there’s just something special, something raw, something real, about capturing natural beauty. Perfections and imperfections are all subjective, but in the end they present a uniqueness about yourself. This should be embraced, and celebrated, way more than it has been. For a model, it takes confidence to present yourself, as you are. This in itself makes the shot feel very intimate. There is a lot of truth, and trust, in a pure natural shot. 

Xian au naturel.

Without sunlight, she still shines bright.

Simply Sydney.

Misa hits me up and tells me she thrifted a really cool vintage bridal dress. I immediately suggested we go play. Potential story ideas started to churn in my head.

The story I brewed up was one of a stranded, or a runaway bride. I figured the mood and the emotions involved would be perfect for either scenario, and Misa, being the amazing model she is, would be able to naturally bring my character to life.

The shoot was fantastic. The shots were amazing. We loved the results. We had tons of fun. Unfortunately, it’s now years down the road, and I still haven’t been able to present the story. I’m so fussy, it’s a problem. In my battle with striving for perfection, I’m left with memorable work sitting on the sideline. I love this set, and I’ve told myself, I’ll lay it down one of these days.

It’s always good to take in and assess what you’re going to shoot, before just randomly snapping away. After establishing a good rapport with your model, which is one of the first things you should do, get them out in front of your camera. 

Use a clean backdrop, or a simple wall if you’re outside, figure out what makes them look their best. Keep the elements simple before adding too much right away. Most of the time if you’re shooting an experienced model or a model you really want to shoot, that’s all you’re going to need to make your shots stand out. Don’t overthink it. Take it from there as the momentum of the session should progress and build.

Here’s a shot of Liz in front of an egg shell colored backdrop in my living room. All natural light to her left coming through my window. I usually have a reflector on the other side of her, but I didn’t use one here. The shadows are a bit more imbalanced, but this is fine for what I was trying to figure out.

“May your heart always be joyful. May your song always be sung.” -Bob Dylan

It is the foundation which compels truth and transparency. It should be applied to all aspects of your work, as well as yourself.

The gal with the coolest name, Pyper America.

Check out the latest article from our friends over at Photography-Raw.com. Some tips from talented, seasoned photographers, that might help you on your journey. Thanks for including me too.

https://www.photography-raw.com/18-top-photographers-on-beginning-photography/

Understated sexiness reveals more than the explicit. There is a time and place for both. Figuring out which to use depends on the context and the message you want to present.

Heather on deck.