On Thursday I had the opportunity to shoot with Jade for the third time. I first shot with Jade last summer on Sauvie Island using a Bohemian Beach concept. She's a gorgeous model with a look reminiscent of the pinup models of the 40s and 50s. I enjoyed our first shoot, and though a bit reserved (normal for a first shoot with a new photographer), she posed well and gave me some great images. Because of her look, I had hoped to use her for my Xmas Pinup series. Unfortunately, she was not available for several months.

In April, Jade contacted me again, letting me know she was available for modeling work again. In May we managed to put a shoot together in the studio. You can read about that shoot here. That shoot went so well, I told her we'd shoot again in a different studio for a different look. The studio I had in mind, located near my neighborhood, wasn't available so I found a fine little studio on Peerspace that had lovely natural lighting from the large curtained windows. The room had several sets including a bed, a chair with a dressing table, a leather barber's chair, and an actual iron fire escape.

Even though Jade had a little bit of trouble with her Uber, we were shooting within minutes of her arrival. We shot many different outfits across all of the various set-ups in the studio. Jade brought heels for the shoot, so we were able to shoot both glamour and boudoir during our three hours of studio time. There was a bit of noise from the street, but since we were simply shooting still photography, that didn't interfere with us at all. Next time I shoot there, I'll bring a portable speaker from my phone and play some music while we shoot.

After the shoot, we grabbed a cup of coffee from a nearby shop and I gave Jade a ride home to avoid any further Uber incidents. I downloaded and cataloged the images as soon as I got home and from my first glance, they need little editing thanks to the soft light of the studio and Jade's skills with her makeup and hair. I am delighted with the results of the shoot and will be sharing them soon.

Joey the Warrior of Future and Past

I had a great shoot with Joey Darke yesterday. We had discussed shooting my post-apocalyptic concept with her as a model. I haven't shot that concept since July of 2019 when Merrique and I spent a day shooting glamour in the woods and then shooting the post-apocalypse scenes later in the day. I enjoyed reviving the concept, especially with a great model like Joey. She brings joy to every shoot with her buoyant personality and easy smile. 

We planned a second shoot as part of our day. Ever since we did a Celtic Goddess shoot last year with woad designs on her face and torso, she's been itching to redo the shoot with the designs all over her body. As you can see from the images, she did a nice job drawing the designs on her body. She really had to stretch to get some of them drawn, but she did better than I did with the designs on her back. 

We shot the post-apocalypse concept under the bridge over the Muddy River in the Mount St. Helens Monument area. Muddy River is a misnomer. The river is long gone, leaving a mostly dry riverbed of jumbled boulders and sand with steep banks lining its path. Mount St. Helens rises majestically to the northwest of the bridge and provides a splendid backdrop for the images. I've shot several versions of the concept at the spot, but I had new outfits and weapons for Joey to use for her shoot.

Getting to the shoot site took some time due to roadwork along the route. Even though many of the potholes and dips in the road had been repaired since my last visit, one area had sustained a significant washout and a shallow stream still flowed over the road with significant washboards on the other side. We had to take it slow and easy to avoid bottoming out the car. Once there we parked just past the bridge and made our way down to the river bed. Be warned, if you go to this area, you're going to need a Northwest Forest Pass to park in the area.

Once in the riverbed we staged our props, costumes, and equipment under the bridge and started the shoot. Joey had a blast climbing the boulders and wearing the different outfits. She noticed how the shadows from the bridge railings were falling on the rocks below and we shot a series of nudes featuring those shadows playing across her body. We spent about two hours shooting there then packed up, climbed out, and headed to another location for our Celtic warrior shoot.

I had noticed a number of turn-outs on our way to the first shoot site, so we headed back down the road and picked the first path that seemed like it would provide a good location to shoot. Not far down the dirt road, we found an easy place to pull off and once Joey had applied the woad to her face and torso, we got started. As she removed more of her outfit, we added more woad designs and for the full nude shots, she had designs all over her body. This portion of our shooting day lasted for about an hour.

The smart lady that she is, she brought plenty of makeup removal wipes to remove the woad from her body and soon we were off for home. Unfortunately, due to bridge work on I-5 and massive traffic as we approached Portland, it took us twice as long to get back as it did to get up to the mountain in the first place. Joey managed to get a nice long nap on the ride back though, and I got to listen to some good tunes while she slept. 

I'll be sharing many of these images on Instagram and Deviant Art, so if you're not following me there, you'll miss some of the best images from the shoot. 

I'm a bit late writing about my last shoot. Isabel and I shot at Nicole's place just before the 4th of July, but since I was preparing the family for a road trip to Arizona to see my grandkids there, I had little time to write a new post. Now that the trip is over and I have a few minutes to myself, I can tell you about the fun I had with Isa. 

The shoot plan featured a picnic scenario and barefoot glamour with colorful dresses from my collection of costumes and props. Since July 4th was close, I also brought an appropriately themed bikini to use. 

The morning turned out to be chillier and cloudier than we both expected. The forecast was for a warmer, sunnier day, and we didn't start shooting until 10 am, so I was surprised that the morning cloud cover lasted so long. Isa handled it like a champ though with nary a complaint. She relished the times when the sun broke through the clouds to lavish her with some warmth.

We started with the picnic shots, then moved on to the other concepts I had planned. Besides the colorful dresses, we shot in the greenhouse, on some great wooden stairs, with pearls, with a hat, with a lovely crystal dress, and some other items. I got some images from the shoot, and I think Isa was pleased with the results as well.

As soon as we wrapped up shooting, the clouds drifted away and the sun came out to warm the air and chase away the morning chill. Yep, sometimes life's just like that. 

Every year during the warm months when I can shoot outdoors, I usually dedicate a portion of my shoots to a patriotic theme. I don't do it with every shoot, but I do get enough images so that on the 4th of July I can create a montage of images to share with my followers on Instagram, Twitter, and Deviant Art. I've been doing this for at least a decade, perhaps a bit longer. 

I enjoy the 4th of July. I usually have a cookout at my house for my family and friends where we cook hamburgers, hotdogs, wings and serve salsa and chips, salads, and for dessert, banana pudding with red, white, and blue sprinkles. It's my favorite holiday. 

I usually don't inject politics into my blog posts, but I'm feeling pretty down about the holiday this year. With the recent Supreme Court rulings, I fear for democracy in this country. Given the current Republican ticket and proposed 2025 Project, I just have a tough time celebrating. Nevertheless, hope remains and we'll have our cookout, I'll post my photos, and I'll vote my conscience come November.

Here are some shots that I hope brighten your day: