Angel and Jade -- Beach Duo

For my second shoot with Angel and my eighth shoot with Jade, we shot a duo glamour session featuring both models in contrasting outfits. I chose a beach location with plenty of driftwood logs so we had options for sitting and standing poses. The models had a similar build, worked well together, and were excited about shooting together. 

We started our shoot with a couple of slingshot bikinis, then nudes with straw hats, and then full bikinis. I shot them together and then individually, and even before we got to the third set, the girls were well synced. Their abilities made the shoot smooth and easy. They knew what I wanted and quickly segued from pose to pose with each set of outfits I brought to the shoot.

They had great fun with all the different outfits and props I brought to the shoot. We did fourteen different changes, and we were laughing and talking the entire time. Not every outfit worked, but we had fun shooting them anyway.

We wrapped the shoot at two hours. We managed to shoot all the outfits, and besides, it was beginning to get quite warm. A most successful shoot, and I plan to get these two back together for a future shoot in studio.

First Shoot with Astrid

Astrid and I had our first shoot yesterday. I had been following her work for a while and we had been discussing shooting for a few weeks. She had recently moved to the Pacific Northwest from Atlanta, and when I mentioned that I grew up near Atlanta, she knew exactly which town I mentioned.

I kept our shoot simple. I try to do that for first shoots, especially if I haven't met the model beforehand. We used minimal props, just a hat and a few pieces of jewelry. The primary focus of the shoot was the model's face, body, and poses. That way, I can better learn the model's best positions and expressions.

We shot at a spot well populated with driftwood logs on a sandy beach. The location also had easy access to woodlands and a field of grass, so we had plenty of options for backgrounds. The river made a nice background as well, and I included it in many of our shots.

Astrid has years of modeling experience and it showed in her poses and expressions. We worked well together and we easily conversed during the entire shoot. She segued from pose to pose with ease and elegance. Our two hours passed quickly and we got many fine images from the shoot.

Free Spirit and Animal Magnetism with Joey

 

At least once a year, I take a trip down to the Siuslaw River Valley near where the river flows into the Pacific to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and work with my friend, Joey, in the area where she lives. I always pick a theme for the shoot, and in the past, we've shot fantasy glamour, autumn glamour, 4th of July, and even a mermaid shoot. For this trip, it included animal print and hippy girl themes. 

Every year, Joey finds us lovely new spots in which to shoot, and this year she found us a steep, fern-covered hillside to start the animal print portion of the shoot. I had to shoot from the top of the hill with my longest lens to get the right perspective. At my age, I certainly wasn't climbing down that steep slope either. After shooting there and at a spot across the road, we continued the shoot in a few other locations.

A small beach along the river was our next stop. We had used it before for a previous shoot, so I felt it would work well for several of the outfits I had planned for the day. We spent a good hour there, moving from spot to spot to find the best light for each of the sets I had planned.

Afterwards, we broke for an early dinner and waited for the light to change for the better in the open fields we planned to use for the next portion of our shoot. Joey recommended a Japanese fusion restaurant, the Pono Hukilau, for our meal.

An excellent choice, the restaurant served a delightful mix of Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine and had interesting decor that included full-size surfboards suspended from the ceiling. 

After a delicious meal, we headed back to the river. On the way back, we stopped at a field of foxglove to shoot an outfit that Joey had picked for the shoot, along with some nudes. The road along the river is not well-traveled, so shooting nudes in a field adjacent to and in view of the road was no problem. 

For the final portion of our shoot, we used the field behind Joey's cabin. Full of wild daisies and surrounded by trees, the spot made the perfect location for the concepts I wanted to shoot. Joey had a blast with the outfits and really got into character; not hard for her since she has that hippy persona as a natural part of her personality. We continued shooting until the light faded away and twilight reigned.

Fifty Shoots of Floofie

Floofie and I completed our 50th photoshoot together this morning. Shot in her backyard and studio, we had a fun session with a mixture of boudoir, barefoot glamour, and celebratory cake. Rather than bore you with a bunch of words, I'll let the photos speak for me. 

The End

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. 

Rachel Leigh at Sauvie

Goddess of Green

Rachel and I had our first shoot today. We'd been planning to shoot for several weeks, and the weather and our schedules finally coincided. The morning dawned cool and clear with no rain in the forecast, a near-perfect day to shoot despite the morning chill. 

I met Rachel and her husband, J, at the Tri-met lot on the island and they followed me to the shoot site on the northwest side of the island. Getting my usual fall out of the way on the trail between the road and the beach, we quickly got set up for the shoot, a mix of fantasy and glamour. I started the shoot with outfits that provided more coverage, saving the skimpiest items for later in the morning when it warmed up.

J assisted Rachel with donning the costumes and provided assistance to me by handling the Photoflex reflector I brought along knowing I'd have his help. The river flowed high this morning. During my last shoot on the island with Daniel, it had been several feet lower. This necessitated shooting closer to the tree line, but we still had plenty of sandy beaches left for the shoot.

Rachel's experience as a model was evidenced by her poses and expressions. We quickly knocked out a series of poses with the first outfit. Rachel quickly became accustomed to my shooting style and by mid-shoot, she could anticipate my different pose requests. The two-hour shoot passed swiftly while we shot almost every outfit I had brought (I tend to overplan).  

While we were shooting, the day quickly warmed and the beach began to fill with folks anticipating a hot afternoon sunbathing nude on the beach. Some beachgoers provided positive comments, but we were otherwise ignored. An excellent shoot, with a fun model and her helpful husband, made for a delightful photo adventure. 

Crystal Goddess