September 21st, 2023
My apologies to those I’ve kept waiting for an update.
It’s been a rough month of September with the passing of two loved ones. My husbands mother, and a dear friend who was the witness at our wedding
to whom I also used to be in a dance company with.
My heart has been heavy and heartbroken.
And while my heart heals with time grieving, there comes a time where I need to release that energy into something creative.
I am hopeful that this next month will be a cathartic month of healing as I will be in Seattle for the month of October.
Creating and accepting new models for photoshoots.
BOB MIZER Foundation and the Reinstatement of “Pictorial Physique” Publication Autumn 2022 Volume 10/1/22
A Physical publication of my work next to some top tier photographers in my eyes. 🙂 A true honor this was ! I was selected amongst 6 other photographers. 8 page spread and an interview were included. Visit bobmizer.com for a copy of Volume 62. However here is my portion of the interview.
Q: First, we ask everyone: Height and zodiac sign?
A: On the inside I’m 6ft 2. In reality I’m 5ft 7 and an Ares.
Q: When did you first pick up a camera to make art? Are you self-taught, or did you train?
A: Technically speaking… In 2010 when my boyfriend at the time (RIP) gifted me an iphone for my 24th Birthday. I’m a self taught photographer. I think the camera on the iphone was my training in composition, light and color. Ironically my first professional camera was one that was gifted to me by my husband’s family for my 30th Birthday.
Q: Do you only shoot male subjects?
A: Currently yes. However, a collaboration with a female friend of mine is in the works.I think it’ll be interesting to see how my style translates onto the female form. I definitely look at women from a gay mans eye, more of an appreciation of beauty rather than an erotic one.
Q: You seem to do your share of self-portraits, too — what have you learned from inserting your own image into your work?
A: I think what I’ve learned from inserting myself into my own work is I try to give myself the same experience as I do my models. Re-insert myself into what their experience is. It’s a way of learning how to better express myself to the models of what I look for. Simultaneously it’s hard for me to photograph myself as I am instantly looking at the pics I take from a very critical eye. Trying to take my own advice in a way when I say to a model ” try not to judge your own choices, be kind to yourself and allow yourself to explore “.
Q: I read on IG you do themes each month. What are some you’ve done, and how do you choose them?
A: My themes come from a variety of inspirational areas. I think of one concept for one model and then see where I can tie in that concept into another physical space for another model. Sometimes the themes are inspired by color, an article of clothing, a scene, or even fetish oriented like my theme “Everything…But the socks”. It was a nod to a realization that a man just wearing socks and only the socks was a fetish of mine. I didn’t anticipate for it to be a lot of people’s shared experience from all the comments I received in my dm’s on instagram. Another more recent theme of mine was a quote from Devil Wears Prada “Florals…For Spring, Groundbreaking”. I was essentially making fun of myself for choosing florals as a theme. There is one annual theme “Red October ”. It’s a theme thats enticing, erotic, bold, erie, and passionate and remains my most popluar to this day.
Q: Your models look earthy and real to me — no idealized Adonises. Is that what you’re going for?
A: I think I’ll start by saying that in my other profession as a contemporary ballet dancer / choreographer there is something called the “idealized body type”. One might also call that an adonis. When dancers walk into my audition I might be physically attracted to the body in the room with an idealized body type..However, can that body dance and show me an insight into their lives? The translation into my photographic work is the same. A pretty body is a pretty body but if they can’t relate to being just a human first, no one is going to connect with that image, let it resonate with them, make them curious or slightly arouse them. I tell my models to be authentically themselves when giving directions so that I can capture a glimpse into how that body moves through the world and has been moving. We all fidget, or take off our clothes, take a shower, brush our teeth and hair. These very simple gestures…these intimate moments and how YOU do them is what I like to capture. I guess the short of it is. It is
ABSOLUTELY thats what I’m going for. I love to promote both body positivity & age positivity.
Q: Do you think shooting men like you do encourages men to be happier with themselves? Have models said so?
A: I’d like to think all the men I photograph come out with a positive experience. I certainly hope they are happier with themselves afterwards, also. There are those who have certainly have expressed gratitude with the process and outcome. One of my more recent models, embarking on his 53rd Birthday, posted a photo from the shoot to his instagram and below the image reads “The photo made me really look at myself and accept that I am not perfect and that’s ok. That’s actually beautiful… It was cathartic..” – Matthew. Another model wrote to me in an email “I’m really proud of the images we created. You’re a true artist and I’ve never felt more beautiful!” – Danny
Q: How do you find models, and is it usually hard or pretty easy to get them to agree to posing nude?
A: Back when I was first starting out it was much much harder to have a model agree to pose nude in front of me. It was like pulling teeth. I would book 5 shoots and 4 of them would cancel on me the day of. I was trying to find models via various websites such as “Instagram” “DudesNude” and “ModelMayem”. It’s much easier now after that first year. Building and creating a website helped tremendously. Currently my main source of finding models is honestly instagram. Reaching out and talking to followers.
Q: My favorite is the guy with the construction neon jacket, from behind. Do you have a favorite image you’ve taken?
A: Ohhh! You like Patrick , eh? He is such a natural at modeling. His hands are so expressive. My favorite is a toss up. It’s either Finn in the theater seats only wearing socks and sneakers or model Cocoa in the shower with the vibrant pink lighting.
Q: What’s a favorite location or type of location?
A: Ooo… Great question. I would have to say vast outdoor spaces are my ideal location or type of location. The sky can be home to a very dramatic backdrop to an image.
Q: Favorite body part? Though it seems like you do a lot of full-body images.
A: ( Blushing ) Which word can I use that can make it to print?
Q: How elaborate — if at all — is your lighting, and do you do much post-production?
A: Oh man, ask any of my models and they will tell you that lighting is a full out production with me. I will obsess and obsess and obsess over the correct lighting I want for a shot. Post production just depends on if the shot was correctly lit or not. I do like to play with color though so sometimes I will definitely do a lot in post production.
Eroticco Magazine Feature with Finn Harding 3/5/22
Finn has started to become a close friend of mine. Enjoyable to be around. Open and honest. It’s always an adventure with him. We set on on the train tracks in the SODO district of Seattle WA. We went to a few places sneaking onto the rail yard where we caught a majority of our photos. Got caught a few times, and even a warehouse worker ended up bringing a little too much attention to us by yelling out “Theres a naked guy on the tracks!” Haha! So we kept moving found an epic scene with a long corridor of trains. Thankfully we were just about finished when got caught for the last time and a yard worker found us just as Finn was pulling up his pants into a new outfit and asked us politely we need to leave. Politely!
Did I mention its kinda illegal to be on a rail yard if you don’t work there? ha! I’m just so happy we didn’t get arrested. Oh and the shots turned out amazing ! 😉 Find them in the gallery 😉
Eroticco Magazine Feature with Brent Corrigan 2/5/21
February 5th 2021 marks a significant leap in my journey as I woke up to a post by Eroticco Magazine on my instagram. They messaged me directly with the link to my work to say I had been published and featured on their site.
My nerves had been tense with so much anticipation since submission of my work the week prior. The shoot features local Seattleite and friend Sean (A.k.A porn star Brent Corrigan ) this past summer out in a patch of reeds I found on Lake Washington. I remember being excited for the shoot as I had thought it was going to be simple and elegant with his naked body in the water. Then when Sean showed up for the shoot he styled himself in a white cutoff romantic era styled shirt and a beautiful gold fig leaf crown. The sun was out, it was warm and well you get the picture. Images from the shoot are here on the site and are also available for purchase or viewable in the gallery.
