WE'VE GOT AN ADVENTURE BASH TOMORROW!

We're shooting at an old mine.  It is really going to be fun.  Watch for photos!

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MAJOR UPDATES TO THE STUDIO

We've made some major improvements to the studio.  We now have three couches, three beds, coffee tables and we have repainted two of the major sets. We have more upgrades planned.  Come and check it out!

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WEBSITE LAUNCHED FOR STUDIO RENTAL!

We've got our website up for the rental of Studio "B."

Check it out at:  www.eistudiorental.com.

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WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL EVENT THIS SATURDAY!

This is so special, I thought it deserved a blog entry.  For the first time on Saturday, we are going to pair up with a model and provide a dedicated event.  This Saturday will be "Jessika Dorian and her friends."  That is literally what it is.  Jessika is bringing the girls and the ones that are listed are the ones that will be there.  We don't expect any "no shows" for this event.

This event will be hotter than normal.  We have six girls that are totally comfortable nude and it will show up in how the event is run.  You can check out all the details of the event by CLICKING HERE.

You won't want to miss this one!.

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WE'VE UPDATED OUR DEFINITIONS FOR LIMITS

One of the problems we have always have had is accurately defining to our clients the limits for models at particular events.  We have spent a great deal of time updating the information we are now providing.  Rather than trying to come up with terms that try to explain the style in which they will pose, we have instead concentrated on level of exposure.  Style is very, very subjective.  Please CLICK HERE and you can read in detail the new descriptions.

These limits will now be posted for all future events.

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OUR SECOND SAN FRANCISCO STUDIO IS OPEN!

In case you haven't heard, we've gotten a second studio in San Francisco, in the same Bryant Street building.  It is much larger and much, much nicer.  We're going to start using it for events in a few days.  Keep watching, we'll have a studio website up and running shortly.

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OUR FIRST LOCATION SHOOT IN SF IS COMING!

Actually, it isn't San Francisco but San Jose', but we are going to be doing a hotel shoot with the gorgeous Jessika Dorian and her friend Amanda.  This will be a lot of fun!

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ADAM CHILSON WORKSHOPS ALL SUMMER!

Now that we are moving over to Gremlin's studio for the summer, we thought we'd expand and offer you more.  We have been sponsoring the Adam Chilson workshops since he started doing them there.  Now we've taken the next step.  We are coordinating our schedule so you will be able to enjoy two-day events at a discount price.  Any time you sign up for a Glamour Bash and a Chilson workshop, Adam will give you a $25 discount for the second event.  This is a great way to spend the weekend shooting and having a lot of fun.  Keep an eye on the schedule.  We will be updating our schedule shortly.

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NEW DIGS FOR THE SUMMER

Our lease is up on Denby so it is time to move on.  The question is where?  There is one thing we know for sure, we need a better home for the summer.  It was way too hot last year.

While we sort things out, we've decided to move the Bash over to DM-Gremlin's studio for the summer.  Most of you know that I have a close association there.  Gremlin was one of my dearest friends and I have a close relationship with Wendy.  I've done a lot to help her keep the studio going.

For those of you who are concerned, it is actually going to be a lot of fun.  The construction is complete and there are two, good, working studios there.  We're going to set studio "A" up with a standard drop and set studio "B" up with a different theme for each event.  We are also going to be shooting out in the yard which will be a lot of fun.  We are able to shoot swimsuit, lingerie or themed attire.  There are some great walls and wonderful graffiti out there.

Gremlin's studio can easily accommodate thirty people (models and photographers) when properly configured, but we are going to shift to the "Elite Bash" format for the summer.  Our events will be limited to fifteen photographers for all events in June and July.  We will have from six to ten models.

We've booked the studio up to 5:30PM for each day so you will be able to do after shoots, just as you are doing now at no additional charge.  Reservations will be required for Gremlin shoots so we can keep the numbers accurate.

More importantly, Gremlin's studio is air conditioned.  It will work out fine.

I'll keep everyone posted.  We will be in the Denby studio right up until the end of May and then we will be moving the event.

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ARE YOU FOLLOWING US ON TWITTER?

Yes indeed, we've entered the 21st century.  If you aren't doing it already, follow us on Twitter at:  http:/twitter.com/groupphotoshoot

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WE HAVE A NEW NOR. CAL. STUDIO!

It's official, we now have a new, larger, Nor. Cal. studio.  The studio is about twice the size of our current unit meaning that we can run two sets at all of our events right in the studio.  We're also setting the unit up with a permanent couch, bed and desk so that the second set will no longer be seamless or a muslin.   We're going to offer a lot more variety in what we shoot.

The other big news is that our new studio has a parking lot!  You heard me right, a parking lot!  There is more than adequate parking for everyone there.

The next big it of news.  The new unit has both heat and air conditioning.  Once again, you heard me right.  This unit will be comfortable all times of year.

Finally, the new studio is only three blocks from the Metro and nine blocks from BART.  It's also right at an on-ramp for the East Bound Bay Bridge.  It is perfect in terms of transportation. 

The studio is located near 2nd and Bryant.  The address is 340 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA  94107.

We'll be holding our last event in our old studio on February 3rd.  All events after that will be held at the new studio.  Stay tuned for more information.

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AN EVENT TO REMEMBER!

When I was young I saw the movie "A Night to Remember."  The movie, of course,  was the story of the Titanic.  What struck me the most was how everything went wrong.  In the end, it was a disaster.

I left the hotel in Castaic expecting the best, it turned out to be an event to remember.  Five minutes from the hotel, we hit traffic.  Not just traffic, but traffic ... traffic ... traffic.  You've got it, Los Angeles was on fire and we were caught in it.

We thought about canceling, but ... well, we couldn't do that.  Instead, we had oh, so much fun. 

For Skye, Krizia, Jasmine, Bonnie and I, we were in for a long ride.  We left before 8:00AM and didn't arrive at the studio until noon.  It normally takes less than forty-five minutes.  The good news is that Krizia had never seen Ventura.  Oh yea, Ventura is about seventy-five miles out of our way.

I started getting telephone calls from photographers and models.  Orange county freeways were closed, there were problems getting up from San Diego.  The I-405 was closed.  It was a mess.

Despite the disaster, a dozen photographers were there at 10:00AM along with four models.  Talk about reliable, I will never complain about a model again.  They started shooting without us.  My best friend Norm showed up and kept it all rolling along.  Roger had to go because it was his daughter's birthday, but you guessed it, by then there were more closures for the fires. 

We showed up at noon with four more models, but wait, the drama wasn't over.  One model got a call from the hospital, her sister had been rushed in.

We made the best of it.  We turned it into a nearly all nude afternoon.  Krizia, Bonnie, Skye and Jasmine decided that they didn't need no stinkin' wardrobe.  Krista and Patrycjya decided to join the party.

We extended the event for another hour and gave new meaning to the word "Glamour."  I couldn't photos of the entire day because, well, I wasn't there for the entire day.  I did post photos from when I was there.  It was fun.

We stayed until 7:00PM doing private shoots.  From what we thought was going to be a disaster, we had one of the best events of the year.

I want to thank everyone for their patience and thank all of the models who showed despite the problems.  And thanks to Bonnie, Jasmine, Skye and Krizia for being such great sports.  We left the studio at 7:00PM and drove right back to San Francisco.  We got back at 3:00AM.

We'll be back on the 6th.  We're taking a week off for Thanksgiving.

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EVENT SIZES

You may have noticed that I changed the event page format as of the last Bash and now you will also notice that I am featuring less models on the page.  Don't worry, there will be plenty of girls.

There are three things at play here.  First, we are getting better at predicting who will come and who won't.  That was reflected in the new way I broke down the site the last time.

Next,  I have help running the events so I have someone staying on top of the girls better.  We have a better barometer on what is happening.

Finally, we are trying to target for 8-10 models.  That seems to be the optimum number.  The problem isn't space, it is Pocket Wizard channels.

We can actually re-arrange the studio, to allow us to have a lot more sets.  In the end though, Pocket Wizards only have four channels.  That means we are limited to four sets during the open event, (although we can have up to six with sync cords for the after shoots).  If we go beyond ten models, we either need to go to three rotations or have two girls posing together.

So based on your comments,  we are going to target 8-10 models for each event and use  two set rotation with each set twenty minutes, like before.  That will maximize the number of sets you get to shoot with each model. 

In the end, we'll need less models on the site, but you will be able to count on more of them showing up, plus on Thursday night, we will update you as to the status of your favorite models.

Thanks for the great feedback and helping me make it a better event.

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WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM ON THE EVENT PAGES

I decided to try something different on the event page.  This evening, Thursday, I broke the talent down into two groups.  The top group are those who have re-committed as of this evening.  That means that in the last seventy-two hours, we have spoken to each of them and they have committed to being at the shoot on Saturday.  The second group are those who have committed but have yet to re-confirm.  That means that we spoke to them when we booked them, and we may have spoken to them since, but they have not responded to our calls in the last three days.

What that means is that the girls on the first list are more likely to be there and the girls on the bottom list are less likely.  Undoubtedly, however, there will be girls on the first list who have something come up and there will be girls on the second list who will come to the event without re-confirming. There is no science to this, but ... I thought that by providing you with an honest, up to the date status on the girls, photographers would be able to better plan for the event.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new format.

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WE'VE STARTED A MEET-UP GROUP ...

We've had a lot of requests for a mailing list.  I have been looking for some solutions and came up with something great.  It is a website called meetup.com.

At meetup, we can announce all of our events, and by signing up, you get automatic e-mails of everything we are doing.  It is really quite kewl and it is free.

To find out about our meetup group, go to the "Events" page by clicking here and then scroll down to the bottom of the page.  You will find banners to check out our Los Angeles and our San Francisco meetup groups.  Sign up for one or both and get onto the mailing list.

Meetup.com has a lot of great features.  Give it a try and be in the loop!

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Talk about an incredible model ... !!

There is no doubt about it, Mayra was an incredible hit yesterday.  She has to be one of the hottest models we have had for a long time, and she wants to come back! 

I know that some of you were a bit disappointed that she had to leave early yesterday.  For those of you who didn't hear the real story, in the middle of the event, she got a call from a producer and had to rush off for a meeting she didn't expect.  I haven't heard the result, but she was really excited. 

She really didn't want to leave.  She was having a great time and has promised to come back.  I expect her to either be at the September 21st or October 4th event, schedule permitting.  Watch the site and we'll let you know when she is available. 

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OOPS, WE'VE MADE A SLIGHT CHANGE!

A couple of weeks ago, I announced that we were going to start doing VIP events once a month beginning in September.  We had our first event planned for late September.  Our last Glamour Bash went incredibly well and I was asked to put on one more in September before we go to a VIP schedule in October.  I was also asked if I could do the next one on a Sunday again.

So by request, we'll be doing our next event on Sunday, September 21st in the studio.  After that, we plan on beginning monthly VIP events.  So there you go, I actually listen to your requests and try to respond.

We'll see you on the 21st.

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WE HAD A LOT OF FUN TONIGHT, YOU MISSED IT!

Gee-Golly-Gosh we had a good time tonight!  We brought in Leila, we painted her gold and had an incredible shoot.  It was something I will remember for a long time!

Every time we do a shoot up in Nor. Cal. it just gets better and better.  Shooting in small groups just brings out a lot of opportunities to do things that are a lot of fun. 

Have you joined us in our Nor. Cal. studio yet?

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A FACE YOU COULD JUST KILL FOR!

We had a little bit of fun at the Teen event yesterday.  Can you see it in Noelle's face?

Maybe Noelle's face was the fun?  the one thing about working with great models is that they are great models!  Noelle is no exception.

I can't wait to shoot her again.

She's really cute, isn't she?

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TAVIA IS COMING!

Yes, you heard me right.  Tavia is on her way back to the states and she has just committed to do the Bash on October 4th.  For those of you who have never shot her before, you don't know what you are missing.  For those of you who aren't coming on October 4th, you don't know what you are missing.

Tavia will be doing Playboy Style Nudes during the open event and will be available, like always, for private shoots afterwards.

Tavia has done the Bash before and she is always a hit.  I will start posting the event shortly.  Sign up early. The event will sell out!

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BIG NEWS, WE'RE CHANGING OUR FORMAT!

So how does the saying go, "Times change and so do I?"  Well, times change and so do we!  Did you enjoy the VIP event we held with Roger last week?  We're making it a regular part of our format.  It was an experiment that went well and was very popular.

Here is what will be happening.  Starting in September, we're going to cut back to one studio event a month and instead have one location shoot with well known models.  We've lined up a lot of great models as well as great locations.

As a regular customer, you're going to get a break as well.  Our last location event was priced at $200, which will continue, but there will be a price cut for the monthly Bash if you attend both.  It's a great deal.  If you come to the VIP event at full price you'll be able to come to the next Glamour Bash for only $30!  We're making our special events more affordable for everyone.

So watch the schedule.  I'll have the VIP models up on the site and full details shortly.  A new format and even more fun.  We'll see you there.

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SO WHY AREN'T YOU SENDING US PICTURES TO POST?

As, I am sure you all know, our shoots are non-release events.  You guys are all great about that and we really appreciate it.

I am also sure you all know that after every event, I post some sample photos on the site so that everybody can see what we did.  It also brings back memories for all of us.  Did you know that you are welcome to send me pictures and I will be glad to put them online with the event photos?  It's a great chance to share the moment and show off your work.

When the models sign up for our events, they are fully aware that I showcase images from every event on the page within a few days.  All models sign a release allowing us to post the images.  So, while these events are "non-release" there is an exception for our webpage.

So what are you waiting for?  Share your best and share the fun.  It is a great chance to show off your work and we will credit you for the images.  Nudity is allowed in the images you send us.  If there is anything we think will be inappropriate for the model, we'll just pull the image from the post group, but generally it isn't an issue.  You may send us images either from the open event or private shoots.

Send them on up!  We'd love to post them.  Send your images to groupphotoshoots@gmail.com

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SKYE IS GONE AND I AM BACK IN THE SADDLE

Things are finally calming down for me again.  I put Skye on a plane this morning and it is time for me to get back to work.  It is also time to get back to blogging.  I need to thank everyone for making this a great week for Skye.  She had a great time and loved all of the events.   Thanks to all of you!

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UP AND COMING TALENT - LEIGH

Is it time for a cute, innocent blonde?  I think so!  It's time for Leigh!

I shot Leigh a couple of days ago and she is ready to head down for a Bash.  You can expect to see her down in L.A. on September 6th!

So what do you think of her?

I think she is adorable!

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SKYE IS COMING ON SUNDAY - OH MY GOSH!

I haven't blogged for a couple of days, but it is time to get back into the groove.  The news is just too exciting.  This will be her fourth trip out here, but Skye is on her way back.  If you don't know her, she has to be one of the most incredible models I have ever worked with and she will be here shooting for a week!

Skye is the best.  She always surprises me.  Whether she is sitting nude on the bed or is made up to the nines on a cyclorama, she is always perfect!  She has the range that most models can only dream of.

More importantly, she is back.  This is the first time she has been to California for more than a year. Of course, we are going to have her at our regular Bash events in both Nor. Cal. and So. Cal.  We're having a Glamour Bash in So. Cal.  We are also having a Mission Glamour event up in our Nor. Cal. studio as well on Wednesday.  Skye will be at all of them.

The good news is that I am also shooting her myself while I am both in Nor. Cal. and So. Cal. so I have decided to invite you along for the fun.  On Tuesday, August 19th and Friday, August 22nd, we'll be having one-on-one events with Skye.  On the 19th, I will open my studio up in one hour increments and you can book her for Playboy Style shoots.  On the 22nd, I'll be shooting her in a jacuzzi suite in So. Cal.  She'll be available to shoot there as well.

The really cool part is that Skye normally charges $150hr to do Playboy Style Nudes.  For these special one-on-one events, the rate is just $100hr, with no admission fee and no charge for the studio or the suite.  She just wants to shoot a lot and meet photographers while she is here.  And me, well I always share.

Check out the events page.  It tells you everything about it! 

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I PULLED THE FASHION EVENT  FOR SATURDAY

I just pulled down the Saturday fashion event because we have Skye coming into town.   Skye was a last minute addition.  We just bought her plane ticket this morning so she is absolutely, positive, for sure.  We're going to have one-on-one events with her starting Monday, a Glamour event on Wednesday, a hotel event on Friday, a Glamour Bash on Saturday and a Fashion Bash in So. Cal. on Sunday.   I need time to organize it.  I promise I will re-schedule the fashion event for Nor. Cal. very soon.

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UP AND COMING TALENT - DANA

Time to move from teen models to models who are a bit older.  Dana is an incredible, 5'9", eighteen year old model.  She wants to do fashion, but I think she can do, pretty much, whatever she wants.

I shot her a few days ago and she is ready to do a fashion event.  I will have her in the studio in early September.  Get prepared for an incredible shoot.

These pictures were taken just a few days ago in the studio.

Keep watching the blog, I have a lot more to say.  I'll be posting again right after the Bash this weekend.

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A LITTLE SAD NEWS

I just heard from Naomi and, due to some family issues, she has now returned to live in the UK.  She promises me that she will be traveling back to Cali often to see us and to shoot.  I am sure that we all wish Naomi the best!

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UP AND COMING TALENT - KRYSTAL

So you might have noticed that I have been shooting quite a few new teens lately.  We're getting ready for a major teen event up in the Bay and I'm lining up talent for the shoot.  I never realized how many great teen models there really are out there.  Krystal is no exception.

I shot her earlier today and this was her first studio shoot.  She has a great look and I know she is going far.  Krystal is a fifteen year old model whose dream is to do fashion.  I just love her smile!

These pictures of Krystal were taken earlier today in my new, Nor. Cal. studio. 

Krystal is going to be at our next teen event as well as our upcoming park event too..  You're going to enjoy shooting her as much as I did!

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UP AND COMING TALENT - NOELLE

Noelle is another one of the new teens I have been shooting lately.  She's going to be at our next teen event, although she isn't up on the site you.  She is an adorable cutie.  I don't know what more I can say.

Noelle is fourteen years old.  Her braces are about to come off.  In total, she is just really, really cute and a lot of fun to work with.  In a few months, when the braces come off, she is going to be an incredibly popular model.  You heard it here first.

These pictures of Noelle were taken last week in my new, Nor. Cal. studio. 

We're planning on having Noelle at our next teen event, plus we have set up some special "one-on-ones" for one of our out of town clients.  If you get the chance to shoot her, you won't regret it.

If you're not in Nor. Cal. you are missing out on a great model, but we did want to share a few images.

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DID YOU GET A RELEASE?

As most of you know and understand, unless it says differently in the flyer, the Glamour Bash is a "non-release" event.  What that means is that you can use the photos you take in your printed portfolio, but you can't publish the pictures you take or post them online without the model's consent. 

Much to the credit of our clients, we rarely have a problem with a photographer posting pictures of our models on the net without their consent.  Even more importantly, our photographers have been good about respecting the models' limits.  I want to thank you all for that.

My question though isn't so much about photographers bending the rules but to ask "Did you get a release?"  If you didn't, "Why not?"

While it is true that the Glamour Bash is generally a non-release event, did you know that most of the models will be happy to give you a "non-nude, promotional release" if you trade them for a CD of some of the images you have taken.

The models love to get pictures and they love to be seen.  While some of them are reluctant to have their nude photos circulating around without knowing how they will be used, most are happy to have non-nude photos freely posted.

So if you aren't asking, next time do.  If you find a model you like, take a moment and make the trade with her.  You get to post the images at places like Model Mayhem or Glamour Models and they get a CD.  It is a great deal for both of you!

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I LOVE ASHLEY!

OK, I just had to say it.  She is cute, adorable, reliable and so fun to shoot with.  Most of all, though, I love her smile.

Here is an image I shot with her privately after a Bash one day.  She'll be back to the Bash on August 10th.

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TEEN MODEL - KELSIE

Kelsie is another example of a great young model with a lot to offer.  I have been shooting a lot of teens lately and Kelsie is someone I really enjoy working with.

A lot of photographers are reluctant to work with teens.  To those of you all I have to say is that you are missing out on some great shoots!

I think Kelsie is great.  What do you think?

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PIRATE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Q:  What is a Pirate Photographer
A.  A photographer that shoots during the paid private shoots but isn't shooting a model he has hired.

Are you a pirate photographer?  Think about it, if you were the one who hired the model, would you want someone else shooting the model you were paying?

I have had a few complaints lately about people shooting during the paid portion of the event, and quite frankly, I think that people just don't understand.  If you would like to take a picture of the model, or just what is going on in the studio, the right way to handle it is to ask.  Most of the photographers we work with are great guys.  If you are only talking about an image or two, they will probably be happy to let you snap, but you should ask.

There are reasons why they might say "no."  In some cases, a model will do nudes for a specific purpose but not for the open event.  The model may not want you to have a picture of her nude.  There are a lot of photographers that simply don't want to be in pictures.  You may or may not realize that, when I am shooting behind the scenes, I never get pictures of photographers that you could identify unless the photographer has consented in advance. 

So don't be a pirate.  If you want to take a photo after the open event, ask first.  You'd be surprised how easy it is to get someone to say "Yes."

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UP AND COMING TALENT - JESSICA

Every now and then you come upon a model who just takes your breath away.  This time it is an incredibly talented teen model named Jessica.  Although just fourteen, she is tall, poised, talented and has the ability to come alive for the camera.

There is this tendency on the net to be afraid to shoot teen models.  The truth is that teens are the mainstay of the fashion industry.  There is also much more to photography than glamour.  While I make a lot of my income from shooting glamour, I am finding myself doing more and more fashion as well as a lot more teens.

These pictures of Jessica were taken in my new, Nor. Cal. studio.  They were also taken at a teen fashion event.

I am expecting some great things from Jessica.  She'll be coming to some future shoots and we've also arranged some private bookings for her.  We're thinking about bringing her down to L.A. for a fashion event as well.

If you're not in Nor. Cal. you are missing out on a great model, but we did want to share a few images.

You can check her out on the site by CLICKING HERE

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LAST WEEKEND'S EVENT

We had a great time last weekend.  The trend is continuing.  I am casting models differently, and as I expected, we are getting a great turnout.  We had fourteen models show up and twelve of them shot.  Two models asked to come back next time, which worked out well for all of us.  So there are no secrets, one had a plane ticket to see a sick family member in Chicago and was a little bit shaken.  The other had a casting earlier in the day and arrived late.  The point was that they did show and they were responsible.  I am happy to accommodate a reliable model.  We did fine with twelve models and the shoot was great.

We had some interesting things happen.  First, the group of girls was unusually good.  We expect that again next time as well.  Second, two of our models, Lelah and Carmen S. (listed originally as Tiphani), decided to try something that we had never done before.  They called it "Fashion Nudes."  Neither one had shot full nudes before but both had done implied.  What they decided was to try to create nudes in the style of "Vogue."

I didn't have access to the lights when they did it.  It was for a private, after-shoot, but I did snap a few with the on camera flash.  Tell me what you think of what they were doing.