A few months ago I traveled to Joshua Tree, Salvation Mountain (weirdest place I think I’ve ever been) and the Salton Sea for an opportunity to expand my portfolio.

Normally when I’m shooting a subject, I’m going about it in my own artistic way but always with my client’s vision as the priority. It has been ages since I did a photo shoot where I had complete freedom to decide how I wanted to photograph it. I was able to try out new things and experiment with fun posing without any concern for if my client would like it. I was my own client!  It was like being a kid in a free candy & puppies store! (I can’t imagine a better store, can you?)

I gained a lot of appreciation for modeling after this. They were rock climbing barefoot and getting scratched up by thorns, standing close to a tarantula while I was able to escape by using my telephoto lens (heehee), walking up insane inclines in 6″ heels and standing in the white hot sun for hours on end. It was a great reminder for me on how exhausting it can be to be in front of a camera. But even more so, it was a reminder of how important it is to have a great connection and energy between myself and my subject in order to keep them going/create stunning results.

I love the connections that happen and that result in beautiful imagery.