As I've mentioned in a few other posts, I was working in a Marriott Hotel when I discovered a passion for Photography. I had a lot of supportive friends/co-workers that were excited to help me practice. In particular, Anastasia was keen to help. I was such a little kid when I bought the D90. The day I purchased it, I actually brought it into the hotel to show it my co-workers, seriously…like show and tell. I was excited, I guess. In fact, Anastasia, was the first person who saw the camera. I placed it on the front desk and she replied:

"Wow, that's nice. Now we'll have to take pictures together."  She said it in the most beautiful accent; Anastasia is from Tomsk, Russia. 

It took our schedules a while to get in sync but we finally created some photography at her apartment one afternoon. Anastasia had a few ideas already in mind.  She is a fan of fashion, photography and looks up to classic beauties from the 50's and 60's like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.  The session ended up with some pin-up influences, as well as some contemporary/modern influences.

I hope you enjoy the set, but I’ll say one piece of trivia/preface a few of the images quickly: 

I usually like to create from precedents, previous influences, or have some kind of pre-visioned plan or idea before going into a set. But sometimes, I’m improvising on the spot and that has two results: something cool and unexpected happens that I am proud of, or something totally nonsensical and random happens and I wish I hadn’t thought of it.

I’m saying all of this because there a few images in the set of Anastasia holding a martini poster close to her face, and it was definitely on the “totally nonsensical” side of improvising. I have no idea why I told her to hold an awkward rectangular poster next to her face. No idea at all. But the saving grace, the only reason the images are included in the set is that I liked the light source off of camera right. I liked the warm glow and spill. Okay, that is all…

I wish her nails were painted for those last few of her holding the phone cord, but overall I really have to give Anastasia a lot of credit for her effort on the day.  She wore/changed into six different outfits for this session and she did her own hair (in three different varieties) and makeup fully.