And they want candy.
Badly!!!
Category: Beauty
Steph and Jennifer Make Work Fun.
In my recent post “What if it really did happen.” I mentioned the different women Steph and I had approached to shoot during the weeks that followed up to our shoot with Iya. One of the girls she mentioned was an old friend she had gone to school with. When she sent me a link to Jenn’s Facebook page I thought “She’s pretty but…..” I saw a really sweet woman but I didn’t exactly see the fire. However, I found that very intriguing. One of the signatures of what has become “My Style” is the fact that I work with real people. There is nothing I enjoy more than portfolio building or hearing someone say “You made me look and feel beautiful.” or “I never saw myself like that.” Jennifer was the perfect example. When we spoke she told me she was nervous and very self conscious. I could tell she was very down to earth and sweet. That alone, made me want to work with her. The challenge to take her out of her shell and show her a side of herself she may not have seen before. Yet, after several cancellations I had a strong feeling it would never happen. Maybe she was just a little too shy for something like this. I really couldn’t blame her.
Then I got a text from Steph. “Jenn and I are ready to shoot on Thursday.” That morning Jenn arrived a few minutes before Steph which gave me a chance to talk and perhaps make her feel a little more at ease.. As we started to talk I realized she was becoming more and more confident and whatever insecurities she may have had were quickly fading. Soon Steph arrived and we were on our way. We moved slowly and before you knew it I was seeing Jenn in an entirely new light. Jenn has big, expressive eyes and beautiful lips. I can not say enough about her in terms of beauty or presence. At one point she told me her age and my jaw dropped. I thought she was maybe ten years younger. Needless to say her beauty coupled with that of Steph’s made for easy work. In the two couple sessions I’ve done with Steph I’ve noticed the calm, nurturing aspect of her personality. She’s an absolute pleasure to work with. She’s smart, fun, grounded and brings me plenty of referrals. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.
Steph and Jennifer Extras.
As I started to set up the lighting for this part of the session I had a specific idea in mind. I was inspired by some of the older Black & White film photographers from the 50’s and 60’s. As a kid, long before I even picked up a camera my Mom always had old photography books around the apartment. I would gaze at those books for hours on end. It was storytelling at it’s best.I always wanted to capture that look and feel. Though I’ve been exclusively shooting in digital over the past couple of years I have been told that a lot of my digital monochrome images look and feel like old Black & White print film. Which, to me is one hell of a compliment. By setting the lights and messing with the cameras settings I came pretty damn close to achieving my goal. As for boudoir photography…. It’s something I’ve become very comfortable with. It beats the hell out of awkwardly positioning the model on a cold. hard floor. I can also get amazing angles and and position myself in a way that does not kill my knees or give me back aches. (Yeah, I’m getting old.) Another thing I really look out for is keeping it loving and attentive as opposed to dirty or sleazy. My Mom reads this blog and I don’t want her to think she raised me to be a smut peddler. I’m posting more pictures than usual here but if you only knew what it was like narrowing it down to this amount.
What if it Really Did Happen?
I had all but given up on an idea that had started just months ago with a somewhat anonymous email from someone on Model Mayhem asking me if I could photograph her with another, yet to be picked woman. At the time I was intrigued by the idea. Yet, time passed and after a few close calls nothing ever materialized with her.
Weeks later I brought up the story while photographing Steph. I wasn’t eluding to anything. It was just small talk. Something worth bringing up in conversation. The idea seemed to intrigue her. Later she noticed a picture of Iya and said “She’s beautiful. Can you ask her if she’d shoot with me?” Her question was like that of a kid in a toy store eyeballing the biggest and most expensive toy. I thought “what the hell” and asked. Iya seemed curious and within a few days the three of us were in the planning stage of it. The day of the shoot I had everything ready. Chock full of ideas, energy and that James Damion angst. Then, less than an hour before the shoot Iya canceled. I don’t remember the reason but it was pretty serious. As big of a let down as it was the girls scrambled to reschedule for next week and my hopes were again high. The next week it happened again. This time it was Steph whose son came down with a fever. It was as if someone was playing a cruel joke on my emotions. In the weeks that followed it seemed Steph was more focused on making it happen then ever. While Iya seemed to be losing interest quickly. Me, I had all but given up. Different women were approached. Each one falling to the side like casualties on a battle field. Cancellations are a big let down. You’d be amazed at how hard it can be at times to get two naked women in the same room at the same time.
That’s when it happened. Steph calls and tells me they set a date. It would all take place the following weekend. “Sure, Sure.” I thought. “Don’t expect me to get excited.” I’d been there before. I’d been down cancellation road one too many times before. A few days before I confirmed with Iya and set a meeting place to pick her up. The day before I sent a message to confirm again. Last minute cancellations happen time and time again. Steph got back to me right away but Iya was nowhere to be found. To make things worse I had misplaced her number. Expectations were low but I’d go and wait at the time and place we set to meet. This time of course with a back up plan. I sat and waited with zero expectations for Iya to arrive. Already set for a day in Brooklyn. Suddenly, out of the mist of Avenue of the Americas I see a familiar face walking towards me. It’s Iya and she’s right on time. Shit was about to happen.
I give the word “GO!” to Steph and head back to meet up with her at my place. Within minutes Steph arrives and with child like glee asks “Are you guys excited or what?” Now, up until now I’ve been uncharacteristically calm and “Steady Spaghetti”. But as I realize this is about to happen I start to feel those nerves. Steph and Iya spill into the bedroom and begin the task of picking out what they’ll be wearing. Like the scene in ‘A Bronx Tale’ my mind wanders “Stay calm James” “Don’t lose it James” “Don’t Blow it.” “They’ll think you’ve got no heart” I take a breath and all is well. Within a few minutes Iya pops her head out of the bathroom. “James, you’re out of toilet paper!” I reply “Oh My God.” “You don’t have to take a shit now. Do you?” My true geek self revealed. Things are going to be just perfect.
Here were two women who had never met in person before. Two women from opposite sides of the world chirping and laughing it up like old friends. They immediately meshed and I reminded them. “Don’t worry about me.” “I’m just going to observe.” “I’m just the voyeur.” I wanted their exchanges to be natural and honest. I didn’t want them to be playing for the camera. Now, you might think getting two beautiful, sexy women together for a photo shoot is dirty. Something for dirty old men to take with them to the bathroom. Or a priest to gaze upon in between taking confessions. That’s your deal. What I was witnessing was two complete strangers in a very loving and tender exchange. They were laughing, joking and being intimate. You could tell they were very much in the moment. My favorite shots were those where they were just laughing and talking or sharing the pictures I had just taken.
Spikey Takes on NYC.
Though we had never met. Jessy and I have maintained an online friendship for years. When I heard she was visiting New York city late this winter I was hoping I’d get a chance to meet her. She had mentioned that when she finally came to visit she definitely wanted to be photographed. That made me more than happy. There was the initial back and forth through emails and texts while she was here. The time passed and to be honest I didn’t think it would happen. It was her first time in NYC and as you can imagine there is so much to see and do. Every minute counts. Monday came and while in the midst of a shoot I got a text. “Are we going to do this today?” “How do I get to you?” With my can’t miss directions she made it over without missing a step. As I met her at the PATH station I was taken aback. All these years and all the pictures I had seen of her had me thinking she was 5’9 or 5’ll. A tall, lanky Amazonian. Yet she was small in stature.
We talked and joked like any old friends would. There was none of the weirdness you’d expect when trading an online friendship for a face to face one. I showed her the main spots in town and we went to my place to take some pictures. Jessy is pretty damn awesome. We talked about everything from tortoises and her experience as a Park Ranger to life a Roller Derby girl. She promised to bring her skates and helmet the next time she came up. Jess, if you’re reading this. It was a pleasure to finally meeting you. I feel like I’d met my long lost little sister. Love you.
Zoia in Black and White.
Zoia Returns (In Color)
This Saturday I had a chance to take care of some unfinished business. Back in June of 2009 I had the chance to work with a beautiful woman named Zoia. She had contacted me recently to tell me she had been keeping up on my work and was impressed with my growth. I took that compliment as my chance to finally take care of unfinished business.
At the time of our prior session I was doing pretty good work but I was still in this phase where the real confidence wasn’t there. The shoot started off badly when I made a rookie mistake of forgetting the camera battery. I had charged it that afternoon but when she came to pick me up for a short drive to the Monroe Center I completely for got to take it out of the charger. We were half way there when I realized and had to turn back. Once we did manage to get started everything was fine but I was killing myself for that mistake. “She must think I’m complete nob.” We got some nice shots at the Monroe Center and headed back here to finish up with some studio work. Again, the work was good but somewhat rushed. She never said anything but I felt as if I left a bad impression with my amateurish mistake. Fast forward almost two year and I’m ready. “Battery? Check. Lights? Check. CF Card? Check. Model? Check.” I fire my first shot and nothing. My Photo Wizard II is not communicating with my Genesis lights. No Flash, whatsoever. In the past when something went wrong I would panic and lose it. But I’ve learned that, as corny as it may sound, every problem has a solution. I tried everything. Everything was working but for some reason they weren’t communicating. Time was ticking and I’m thinking “I’m cursed” “Nothing is working and I’m going to have to send this woman home.” Finally, I ran to the bedroom and got my backup camera. Connected the flash and fired a test shot. Alas, I heard a pop and saw the light. “I can live.” “I have been spared the certain shame, humility and doom that would surely follow my failure.” Once we got started it was magic. I finally got to tend to that unfinished business. Zoia and I did great work together.
The red head from the former Soviet Union is now a Brunette and in those two years is even more beautiful. Later on I found out that is wasn’t the cameras hot shoe as i had briefly suspected. It was the setting. I had used it at a concert a week ago and disabled the flash. Just forgot to reset it. So yes, I’m still kind of a dork. I’m a little clumsy and forgettable. I’ve got a heavy case of ADHD but I’ve come a long way in that when I’m given a problem or hit a road block. I’m able to see it through. Find a solution or a way around it.
Monday Session with Abby.
As the snow continues to fall and my toes dance on the border of numbness and frostbite. I turn my attention to Monday’s session with Abigail. Abby as I call her, is a model from West New York by way of West Africa’s Ghana. Her smile and laughter are contagious and make working with her more like hanging out with a good friend. Blessed with a sweet demeanor and mannerism that seems to have become a thing of the past. We both enjoyed the experience so much we were talking about setting up a follow up before we were even done shooting. I enthusiastically look forward to it.
The Gift.
My Mom has always been a pretty cool lady with eccentric, yet classy tastes. As a kid we had Vargas paintings in our apartment and she was always pretty cool about having Playboy magazines around. So a few years back during a visit to her home in Florida I bought her this piece . I don’t really remember the details but to this day I think it’s a pretty awesome gift to give your Mom. I got to spend the holidays with her this year and stayed in the room where it’s proudly displayed. Just thought I’d share it with you.
A Thin Line.
I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen since April a few weeks ago. As we talked about what one another had been up to since the inevitable question came up “So how is the photography coming along?” I began to detail the various things I had been doing including some of the nude work. I told her I was looking to go outside the lines and take new chances. She looked somewhat shocked and for a moment, even speechless. Then she said it “Oh my God. You have totally crossed the line.” I laughed it off but then found myself explaining and even defending the change. Later that week I had drinks with a long time friend who by all means knows me as “A good guy”. We talked about said conversation and some of the opportunities I’m being offered. She loves me and my work. So I totally trust her instinct. She said “You could never be that guy.” meaning I’m no smut peddler. There isn’t going to come a day when I wake up and decide to forgo portraiture to go into the Adult Film industry. Though I enjoy shooting nudes and have no issues with it (growing up in my home my Mom had Vargas paintings and still has pinups and nudes in her home.) but I want to keep it artistic. There’s a line and it can be a thin one at times. I’ve pretty much decided what side of it I want to dance on.
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