Kristina keeps going...

A couple more of Kristina that showcased on her OMP portfolio... between hers and mine, that's a total of nine from that one 3-hour session. Guess we were on our game that night. Thanks Kristina!

Skin City

Slight change in plans has made a window to do a quick update. The "Skin Art" show last night was a good time... not much for sales, though. (I'm learning that at shows in clubs, people generally only bring enough money for drinking, not for buying photos, plus they don't want to have to carry things around with them.) Was pretty good for networking though. Met several potential models, saw a few of my photographer friends from around town, and finally met the elusive Martin Class, but couldn't have much of a chat with him because the band playing at the moment was just a bit too overpowering. So, thanks to Lucky and Bill for staging the event and inviting me to join the fun.

Nice surprise when I checked my computer afterwards... two shots had showcased on model portfolios. London Andrews with Danaid, and another of Vassanta (aka Kristina). Thank you ladies! :)

Darkness Visible

A couple weeks ago, I did an entry in praise of the simplicity of a nude figure in a striking pose on a simple light background. I'm also a fan of the inverse of that, with the figure surrounded by or emerging from darkness. Sometimes, the more black "negative space" in an image, the more impact it has on me, oddly enough. One of the pieces I have in the Dark Visions show is called "Eclipse" and is just a slice of light on the model's side. (After the show closes, I'll post it here, but why wait? Stop by and see the exhibit!) Here's Alexis and Kristina, the two latest OMP showcases, which futher confirms that there are still plenty of fans of this dramatic, if traditional, technique.

The Beauty of Nothingness

These two shots are good examples of work I particularly enjoy doing: the unadorned nude. No fancy set or location, no elaborate make-up, wardrobe or even jewelry. Simply a beautiful model in a striking pose. Nothing in the way. The top one is a bit enhanced with a tint and some diffusion, but it seemed to fit the languishing stretch. The bottom one is crisp, accentuating the energy and strength of her stance and the motion of her hair. Thanks yet again to Kristina...it's just a pleasure to shoot with her and share these images. She's also a showcase machine...we posted these separately on the same day, and both were recognized on OMP (along with a bunch more on her portfolio from recent shoots with other photographers). I have more shots standing by that I hope to post soon, so stay tuned, but for now, enjoy the nothingness...

Lucky Charms

Here is Kristina once more from a shoot earlier this year. Had the pleasure of shooting with her this past weekend and hanging out...as sweet as she is beautiful. This one might be a bit more revealing than most of her other images, but I just love the simple straightforward beauty of it, and just a hint of bashfulness. Apparently she likes it too, as she posted it on her OMP... our third showcase from that shoot.

The second image is another shot of the lovely Carlotta... I'm still trying to work out details for another shoot with her during her midwestern swing. This is from last year's session which is going to be hard to beat... I just posted this one to keep things stirred up on my OMP, and surprise... another dinger. Both these women have been very lucky for me, and I consider myself fortunate to have worked with them, and hope to do so again soon. ;)

Kristina

A couple showcasers from a set with Kristina I just finished up editing... always fun working with her, she's full of energy and ideas. Her portfolio is full of amazing work with loads of top photographers. It feels nice to be in such good company. Look for more with her soon. ;)

"Naked models wearing clothes..."

Since it's so damn cold out, I figured I'd post a few shots of models actually wearing clothes. Granted, not a LOT of clothes in most cases, but something. From top to bottom, we have Jackie lounging, Kristina in fun fur, Foxy Tigress, Karla Fire, Redemption in vintage, Mandy beaming, AngelD mobster-style, and the charming Mara.

Funny thing is, all these shoots were either partially or primarily nude shoots. But oddly enough, models like to model clothing from time to time, too. Some just for a change of pace, others are primarily fashion/glamour models who are open to doing nude work as well. I've had a model tell me she wanted some shots she could send her mother, and others ask for shots that are "MySpace safe" more and more frequently.

I've seen models work to move away from nudes -- I recently lost two OMP showcases because the model (whose portfolio they appeared upon) removed them. She explained to me: "those timeless & awesome images are death for getting work out here - it's a bummer...economica over erotica." And the images were far from erotic or explicit. The part that puzzles me a bit is that she still has SOME nude images on her portfolio, but they're more glamour nude than art nude, so that must make them OK. I know a model or two who actively quash the nudes in their past, even to the point of claiming they've not done them and being insulted if you ask them about it. I guess it's still a stigma with some agencies and clients, even though Kate Moss, arguably the most famous fashion model in the world, frequently appears topless and nude. Oh well, not everyone can be Kate Moss. Or wants to be.

It works the other way, too. A model will start with a firm "no nudity, no implied, no sheer" stance seeking only mainstream fashion or glamour work, but eventually moves away from that. They might post a covered topless shot on their portfolio, and start getting offers to do more covered work, then they try something sheer, and those offers start coming in, then the right photographer will ask them to do covered art nudes, and so on... Some draw the line, others blur it, some cross it and find an entire new market for their modeling services doing nude figure work. On OMP for instance, these models might have nude images in their porfolio and discuss doing nude work in their text, but will NOT have any of the "nude" checkboxes marked so they will not show up in a search for "nude models," which can be a pretty smart policy. If you find them via their work, they'll consider nudity for the right project, but if you're just searching for nude models, maybe someone else is better for that job.

Then there are the models who start out doing art nude work and prefer it, some to the point of even shunning doing fashion or glamour work. I've worked with a fair number of them, and it's always very refreshing to find someone who greets the shoot as an opportunity to participate in making something beautiful without the nagging feeling that they'd rather be doing something else. As previously addressed, some photographers will only work with this kind of model, and while I prefer it for nude work, I'm not quite ready to rule anybody out, within reason.

By the way, the title of this post refers to the time I was yelled at by the building manager of my studio for having "naked models wearing clothes" outside the confines of my studio space. I knew what he meant, but it's always struck me as a funny way to put it...

My take on Showcases

Here are three more images that received Showcases on the models' OMP portfolios in the past couple days. Thanks to the exotic Kristina (above and in yellow), and Brit - the ultimate "girl next door" - for being such wonderful models.

When I get an image Showcase on OMP, I mention it here because it is "news" of a sort -- a recognition of my work that I want to share, and they're also nice milestones for me as I follow my path. I realize a Showcase is not a Pulitzer Prize, it's not a feature in B&W Magazine, and 500 Showcases and two bucks still won't buy a gallon of gasoline. But as I discussed in my last post, it's a compliment. It's someone at OMP taking a moment to say "in my opinion, this image deserves a closer look." That someone looks at hundreds (thousands?) of images a day, and when an image breaks through the clutter, they take note. It may be that the model looks particularly good, or something about the execution stands out, or that particular someone has a thing for busty redheads or slim blondes. But every form of recognition has its own set of criteria, and by nature, artistic recognition is largely subjective and personal (and potentially influenced by interpersonal politics) -- whether it's someone leaving a comment on a blog, or an editor at ArtForum Magazine, or someone purchasing a print. Ultimately, the process is human -- flawed and imperfect, but it is what it is.

I also recognize that OMP is a business, and that informs their choices, too. They showcase images they believe will help attract new members, and to help photographers attract interest from models and vice versa, in an effort to make them feel they're getting value for being a member. It is far easier for me to book models now than a year ago, primarily because my work is improving, but I think the various Showcases do add a certain appeal.

I don't agree with their choices 100% of the time -- the images they DON'T choose as well as images they do -- but overall, I'd say the gallery of showcase images on any given day is a pretty impressive selection of work. So, I'll continue to do the best work I know how to do, include my favorite shots in my OMP portfolio, and if they get a Showcase, great. If not, my portfolio still has a batch of my favorite shots, which is what it's all about anyway, right?

This just in... Two more Showcases have popped up from Sativa's portfolio, including a shot with Nikki sportin' the other pair of boots. This was such a fun shoot! Thanks Sativa and Nikki!

Three tall drinks of water...

Here's Sarah hanging out, Kristina taking it easy, and Iris basking. Cheers, y'all.

"...and folks remember this is an exhibition not a competition so please, no wagering." -David Letterman

Busted

The other night I was shooting with Kristina here, and started having more than my usual share of technical difficulties. The shutter on my camera refused to give me an exposure longer than about 1/125 of a second, which was not a problem for flash photography, but prevented me from doing available light work during the shoot. Towards the very end of the evening, I started getting the dreaded "Error 99" until I had to wrap the shoot. After some diagnostics, the problem does seem to be isolated in the camera, so it looks like I'll get to send it in to Canon for service. I've only had it for about six months, so it is under warranty, but may be gone for several weeks. I have a couple back-up options, but it looks like it's time to purchase a back-up camera for just this situation, as I have a number of shoots booked during the next month. Not an expense I was counting on right now, but I'm just going to bite the starfruit and make it happen.

Lots of stuff on the agenda for this weekend and the week ahead. Can't believe it's almost Christmas and the end of the year. So much to do, so little time. Wish me luck.