We have been so busy through the winter months...senior pics, commercial pics, family pics, kids, sports, plays...you name it, there just has been very little free time to even think about doing any personal work.Just something that was totally creative, no time limit, no money, just fun!
So a couple of months ago we decide that Feb. 19th was going to be OUR day. We were going to carve out an entire Saturday for just experimenting, and so set about trying to find a few cohorts to join in on the fun.
First we knew we wanted Sam involved. Sam (Samantha Tankersley) is just a great hair and make-up artist. We have worked with her a few different times and she's just the real deal...talent galore, full of great ideas, and most importantly, she just fits like a glove with us. It just seems like we always just slip right into the same wave length no matter what the idea. Super cool lady!
Next was to find a victim, er, I mean, a great model to work with! We started cruising Model Mayhem with a specific idea in mind...we needed someone we could make 'feel' like a bird.
Yes, that's right, a bird. We had decided we wanted to attempt to bring to life "Lenore", Edgar Allan Poe's lost love from the poem "The Raven". In our version, the raven actually turned into Lenore, so thus, obviously, we needed a model that could look birdlike!
What does that mean?!? Heck, I don't know for sure...I guess more of a thin face, kind of sharper features...I dunno, but I DO know we looked through 100's of models in a 100 mile radius of us and kept coming back to a couple of choices...one being Rachel Amnah. Even though she had limited experience modeling, there was just something about what she said in her profile that made us want to work with her, so we asked, and she said yep! We were set!
We all got to the studio around noon and started talking clothes, props and make-up. Everyone had brought a little of this and a little of that, whatever had popped out at us as a possibility of looking like "Lenore". Heather's great at picking up possible clothes and props as she's out and about and we had a birdcage that Grandma had given our girls, so all combined it didn't take long for the outfit to be agreed on by everyone.Next came the hair and make-up, so Sam dove right in. It's fun to watch Sam work...she's quick, decisive, and before you know it a different person is sitting there in front of you. Just amazing.
Now was the scary part...how was Rachel going to be as a model? If you've never worked around or have tried to model yourself, believe me, not everyone can do it. It's hard work. It's not nearly as easy as some of the top models you've seen on TV make it look. You have to be confident, you have to know how to move your body, hold poses for several minutes when asked to, all while wearing uncomfortable clothes and shoes and make-up with flashes going off and people staring at you.
Not everyone can handle that.
Rachel could! She was absolutely incredible. She became Lenore...moving and swaying...always searching for that different look, different angle...different take on her character. There were several times me and Heather and Sam would just look at each other and shake our heads. Rachel completely blew us away.
So what else can I say...it was a perfect creative day. Great people who gave us the funnest 6 hour, 700+ image photoshoot we've had in a long, long time.
Thanks so much Sam and Rachel!!! Can't wait until the next time...
Jeffrey
