This was the first nude shoot for this remarkable woman who was scheduled for a double mastectomy later in the week.
She arrived at the studio with her mother who patiently waited in the lobby for what turned out to be a somewhat lengthy session. It was a bit of a collaboration. She forwarded me a number of fine art nude images that had a look and feel that she wanted to reproduce. Some of them were very physical and challenging. She embraced the experience and just did a fantastic job of hitting the poses.
Doing this kind of shoot, especially as a first shoot, requires a certain level of vulnerability and she was completely willing to go to that place. But vulnerability is power because living from a vulnerable space requires tremendous strength and incredible courage. Ultimately the experience is an empowering one.
We had to use multiple lighting setups to get the looks she wanted, so this was a good challenge for me. By the time the shoot was over it looked as though the place was ransacked. But I’m just delighted with the results and I think she looks just absolutely gorgeous in these images.
