Tigers, Leopards and Snakes, Oh My!

Tiger Time

This past week I had the pleasure of working with the most lovely and delightfully fun model, Nanci DoubleU (@ndu1on Instagram) again. Last year our shoot focused on beachwear and other concepts related to the beach. Even though we again shot on the shores of the Columbia River, this year I had the idea to focus our shoot on animal prints. Nanci did a wonderful job modeling the many outfits I brought to our shoot. She's a joyful model who brings a spirited vibe to every shoot. Her poses emphasize her great legs and torso, and she has a myriad of expressions that can change the mood of any shot.

Leopard on the Shore

We shot on a Tuesday and started earlier in the morning than my previous shoots on the island. The forecast promised a high of 88ºF so an earlier start meant we could beat most of the heat during our 4-hour shoot. Since the theme intended to evoke a sense of the wild, the shoot occurred in the woodlands dividing the beach from the access road.

I thought a Tuesday morning would be a better choice for avoiding the crowds that flock to the beach during the summer. Still, by the last hour of our shoot, we had lost several spots nearer to the beach to sunbathers seeking a shady area for their bodies and belongings. We moved deeper into the woods to avoid the curious looks and to avoid people in the background of our shots. For future shoots on the island, I plan to start even earlier if possible.

Expecting to shoot the full 4 hours, I chose to use the RF 24-105 f/4L lens on my Canon R5 instead of the much heavier RF 24-105 f/2.8L. I love both lenses, but for extended shoots in well-lit conditions, the f/4 lens works just fine, especially since didn't need a shallow depth-of-field for the shots I planned. That choice certainly gave my arms a break. The last time I used the f/2.8 lens for such an extended time, my arms trembled a bit toward the end.

Nanci truly gave me some great poses and expressions making the shoot a definite success. If you're a photographer and you ever get a chance to work with her, don't hesitate. I'm sure you'll be pleased no matter the concept you choose for your endeavor.

Sunning on a Log

Check out that Smile

Deeper into the Woods

Dangling Chains

Bikini Time

Butterfly Bikini

Peacock in the Sun

New Locations

Sivonna at Sauvie

I'm seeking new locations in which to shoot and to shoot for their own beauty. The former for my model photography and the latter for more landscape and nature photography. I've asked some of my fellow photographers and my models for suggestions, but thus far I've only received a few that I'll be able to use this year.

One location that I definitely want to visit is Opal Creek and Jawbone Flats. It's located east of Detroit Lake and is about a 3.5 mile hike in from the trailhead. I'm hoping Wanda and I will be able to check it out next Sunday and then perhaps I'll be able to revisit it later in the summer either alone or with a model. I'd love to do some HDR images of some of the old mining equipment and abandoned vehicles at Jawbone Flats.

Another location I'd like to try to visit is the semi-ghost town of Shaniko, Oregon. I've visited one ghost town before (Bodie, CA) and I think it would be interesting to shoot another. Fossil, Oregon is also on my list, but it's more of a very small town rather than a ghost town.  I'm seriously considering a trip by motorcycle through Eastern Oregon to Lake Tahoe in the late summer. That would be a fun and exciting adventure for me.

Given opportunity and willing models, I'd like to explore art and figure nudes on location at Sauvie Island. I've shot there a number of times, but I've only visited a very few locations.  The nude area at Collins Beach is quite large and I think it would be interesting to explore more of the area and photograph the weathered logs, root bundles, and the river traffic. It can get crowded int the summer with all the sunbathers, but it's usually easy to work around the people.

Finally, I'd like to take a trip up to Windy Ridge in the Mount St. Helens area. On the way, I'd revisit Ape Canyon and the lahar area south of the mountain. There are a couple of waterfall that would be wonderful to shoot, especially the one in Lava Canyon and another on the east side of the mountain. The name of the falls eludes me at the moment, but I've visited it before and would love to shoot it in better light.

With any luck, I'll have some great new images this summer in some new locations. I'll wrap up my model shoots early in the summer and then move into landscape and nature photography as the season progresses.

Sivonna - Chains at Sauvie

Summer Shooting

Jenn from Summer 2011

I love late spring, summer and early-to-mid fall for shooting glamour in the Pacific Northwest. While I also enjoy shooting in the studio and in environmental settings, just being able to enjoy a warm day shooting with a lovely model is a real delight for me. The light is more challenging and often the rewards are greater because when you nail the shot you can truly capture the essence of the natural world.

I'm fortunate to live is such a beautiful area of the country, and even more fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive wife who modeled for me for many years, and who still supports my passion for photography with few complaints and much encouragement. I'm also luck to have a good friend who lets me use his property for shoots almost anytime I ask. He often helps me with reflectors, props and by shooting the behind-the-scenes images.

Let's not forget the models. These ladies gallantly hazard stinging nettles, mosquitoes, bees, poison ivy or oak, sand, dirt, gravel, freezing water, and sunburn to help me get great images. Some I've shot with only once, while many of them have become my friends through multiple shoots.

Lindsay at Sauvie Island

I'm winding down my model shooting this year and focusing more and more on different genres. I have a few shoots to complete during the summer shooting season so that I can wrap up several projects. Other shoots are at the request of models that really want to be part of one project or another that they particularly like (yes, Floofie, you will get to be a fairy).  Finally, there will be the shoots that support a model or two in their commercial endeavors.

It appears that this summer will be warmer and drier than last year's so my shooting opportunities will be expanded even if I'll be shooting fewer models overall.  With any luck, I'll get my lovely wife to do a few shoots with me as well.  I've also promised to shoot with a couple of friends this summer and I hope to be able to fulfill those obligations as well.  As the summer progresses, you can watch this blog to see what the lovely ladies and I are able to accomplish.