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 😉
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.
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 😉
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…
Shooting dancers is a blast, but also tricky…like the dancer with music, it’s all in the timing. This particular set was done during at a group shoot in CT which Ron Compton was kind enough to host in his studio. We took turns shooting jumps…our lovely model must have been exhausted after that one!
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 