Sometimes you have to get out of your normal setting, ditch your lighting setup, and go for a walk. Straight up a mountain. I think poor Heather was devoured by mosquitos that day…what a trooper.
Corsets!
I loves me some corsets. I don’t loves me wearing them for too long…I do love shooting them though. Makes for beautiful lines, and not to mention, posture. I’ve been fascinated with them since I was a kid. I remember seeing Meet Me in St. Louis on Broadway, and getting to go to the dressing room of one of the actresses. She was absolutely wonderful to me…I remember the dress she had to wear on stage…that thing weighed a ton! The corset she wore underneath was authentic to the time period of the play. Later in life after trying my first, I was thoroughly impressed that she could sing in that thing! Anyway, corsets do tend to pop up in my shoots pretty often, and I notice the models attitude shift into a slightly more badass mode ;). Don’t worry, never had a model pass out on me.
Natural Light
Sometimes I like to ditch my big power flash and just use natural light. This one was shot with film and window light. Kinda funny, with the blue wig and the dress, this was supposed to be more of a glamour shoot, but when I saw the way her coloring looked by this window, I scrapped that idea. Sometimes it’s the last minute decisions…
Oh, and I really miss having blue hair! Maybe Heather will let me borrow her wig…
Cats and Photo Shoots
I’ve been asked several times if I ever want to publish a book of photography. I’m not sure yet, but if I do, I have all the material right here: cats interrupting photo shoots. Every cat I’ve ever had has done it…clearly it’s a theme I should run with…
Modern Renaissance Woman
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.
Four Models in One
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!
Dusting Off The Old Work
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 😉
Leaving Home
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!
The Beginning
This is a dear friend from high school. I was interested in photographing her before photography itself. She hated having her picture taken…really hated it! I thought she had the most beautiful face, so I talked her into letting me take a few picture of her, with a camera I had since 5th grade. Guess what? She modeled for me several times after that, and even did a little professional modeling on the side. I love making people understand that they’re gorgeous, especially when they don’t know it…
Hi…I’m Liz
Hello and welcome!
I am a New York based photographer who absolutely loves taking portraits. My interest in photographing my original muse actually preceded my interest in photography itself. She’s a beautiful girl who didn’t know she was beautiful, so I decided to prove it to her. I enjoyed the experience so much, I decided to continue. I took one film class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I graduated in 2003. I learned with a film camera and darkroom, an experience I am grateful for, despite all the harsh chemicals. I continued shooting wherever life took me, from Chicago to Japan to NYC once again. I’ve done head shots, catalogue fashion work, and product photography, but nothing compares to watching someone come alive in front of my lens, inhibitions shed, truly being what they want to be. It’s a very therapeutic process for many.
LizZusev 