lizzusev

Why I am NOT an Intimidating Photographer!

Posted on March 8, 2015March 8, 2015 by lizzusev

I will get into many undignified positions to get the shot…seriously…

I will probably forget to take off the lens cap at first…

You will be rocking out to the music of your choice!

You can pose with a bear sword if you want!

I will explain why I have a bear sword in the first place…

I know the good angles!

We will style you to look like you at your best, or play dress-up!

If you don’t like a shot, it gets deleted…I’m here to make you look good!

If I need to entertain you by dancing on a chair, I have and will do that!

Oh…and I might put goldfish crackers on you…or something equally ridiculous 🙂

Niomi and Goldfish…NO photoshop! The light reflected the couch color on her skin…

Modern Renaissance Woman

Posted on March 8, 2015 by lizzusev

I love going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by myself and getting lost there for hours. I had been wanting to try some photos that look like something that would have been painted during the Renaissance, so when I met Mikki here, I knew she was the girl for that. She had the wavy hair and more importantly comfort in her own skin.

Tea Party in the Attic

Posted on March 7, 2015 by lizzusev

Ok…so, my mother-in-law gave me a tea set which included small pink cups with heart shaped saucers. What happens when you give me a pink tea set with heart shaped saucers? Uh…this:

I couldn’t help it. I had these ladies over to shoot when I first moved to CT (lived there about 5 years), add the hideous couch in the background with a game of Candyland, and the rest is history…I glad they shared my twisted sense of humor.

….yeah

Four Models in One

Posted on March 6, 2015 by lizzusev

Favorite thing to do when working with a makeup artist? Turn them loose and let them have fun! These shots are all of Heather, from the same shoot. We went to visit MUA Theo Faulker and he spent the afternoon transforming her. After this, people were surprised to learn that Heather’s real hair at the time was long, straight, and black. My husband and Theo’s brother also made an appearance, the two gents in suits. Careful! If you hang around during a shoot, you might get drafted to be a prop!

I encourage fun, and experimentation whether you’re the subject, stylist, or just happen to be standing around at the time!

Film vs. Digital

Posted on March 5, 2015March 5, 2015 by lizzusev

I did some portraits of a woman for her online dating profile. The goal for that sort of thing is to make sure to capture the person the way they really look when they are feeling good! Sure, a bathroom selfie can show that, but…let’s get the lighting right! Anyway, this particular person went on to find someone she really loves online and credits me for that. I told her, no way, that was all her…her beautiful and interesting self…just lit properly 😉 I cant’ share those here since that was a private session, but trust me, she was very cool!

On a completely different note, a question I encounter over and over is the old film vs. digital debate. I mostly shoot digital these days, since I can deliver a much faster turnaround time and don’t have to charge as much. However, I do feel that film has a certain quality that digital still has not reached. I used to spend hours in the darkroom…I miss that, but not the harsh chemicals. Here are a few shots done with film.

Portraits – Up Close and Personal

Posted on March 4, 2015March 8, 2015 by lizzusev

Ready for your close up? I LOVE eyes. Faces in general, really, so sometimes I get up close and personal. “Pretty” doesn’t always have to be the goal. Sometimes, the gritty ones are the most interesting…

Dusting Off The Old Work

Posted on March 4, 2015 by lizzusev

Oh man…I’ve been going through shoots that I did when I was starting all this, over 10 years ago…I’m not sure whether to crack up or cringe when I look at them! Can’t believe I’m showing you guys these, but we all started somewhere, right? These gorgeous ladies were troopers. The technical aspects, well, yikes, but they represent the start of a huge part of me, so I love them…call me sentimental 😉

Vulnerability

Posted on March 3, 2015March 3, 2015 by lizzusev

I’ve begun seeing the beauty in vulnerability lately, after tackling some personal issues. I know many of my subjects feel vulnerable, especially first timers who are not accustom to being nude in front of others. Once they settle in, however, they tend to find the experience very freeing, therapeutic even. Since I wouldn’t ask my subjects to do anything I wouldn’t, here is my act of vulnerability…as someone who feels wayyyy more comfortable behind the camera! An older shot, taken with film and a timer.

Dress it up!

Posted on March 2, 2015March 8, 2015 by lizzusev

Know what’s fun? Playing dress-up well into adulthood. It makes me happy to give people the opportunity to put on an outfit, a costume, anything that lets them play around with who they want to be in that moment. Part of the fun of shoots is sorting through wardrobe and seeing what we can come up with. Sometimes it reveals things about the subject that they didn’t realize before…while others are well aware 😉

Leaving Home

Posted on March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 by lizzusev

This was an emotional session as it was the last shoot I did in my childhood home. I better introduce Heather while I’m at it, as she’s a dear friend and the model I’ve worked the most consistently with. I recruited her to help me with this project…get by with a little help from your friends, etc. We ended up having a blast doing this so I’m glad I did. Especially since this apartment was used in a horror movie…I’d like to immortalize the space in my own way, thanks!

Author: lizzusev