Third shoot with Mari, and hopefully there will be many more! My cat butts in on shoots like you wouldn’t believe, so I made him his own instagram account: @slinkythecatmodel.
Silk
I’ve put this silk scarf through a lot over the years! Here’s a lovely dancer ensconced in color…you can view and download the set over at patreon!
Heather, Corset
Butterflies
I’d been planning this look for awhile. There’s a particular trail at Saint Edwards State Park that leads you down until you’re completely submerged in nature. It’s narrow, but not too difficult…unless, of course, you’re dressed like a nature goddess or lugging cameras. Challenge accepted. Heather was a trooper as she hiked down while mosquitos feasted on her, plants stabbed her, and the butterflies did their best to jump ship as they snagged on branches. I worked around the sneakers.
Don’t worry….she made it down in one piece. We ended the shoot at the bottom and relaxed near the lake and watched a bird of prey soar level with the water. It was a nice day.
Tudor Fairytale
Tudor time! Celeste of Poppyseed Roll Clothing and I got together with Jordan here for a royal, Tudor inspired shoot. Celeste made this entire outfit, once again blowing my mind with her attention to detail. Jordan made a perfect Tudor model, and don’t worry, managed to keep her head attached to her body. We shot this at Saint Edwards State Park, one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest…the first shot is actually part of a playground…work with what you’ve got, right?
Interested in your own fairytale shoot with a custom outfit to go with it? Contact me here to discuss details: Book a shoot
Instagram Print Giveaway!
Instagram giveaway time! Now’s your chance to win an 8×10 print of Brittany here, on gorgeous metallic finish paper! Here’s how to enter: 1. Follow @lizzusev 2. Like the giveaway post with this image. 3. Repost the giveaway post and make sure to use hashtag #lizzusevprint.
The winner will be selected 5/10/17 using a random number generator. You will need to provide a shipping address…but shipping is on me!
Good luck!
Russian Style Fairytale
Sometimes the stars align and you meet the right people. I was completely delighted when Celeste of Poppyseed Roll Clothing reached out on instagram to discuss working together. She hand makes all her designs, and I was pretty blown away. I recruited Lyz to model, Celeste invited Michelle, a wonderful makeup artist, and we got together to create these Anastasia inspired Russian Fairytale Princess images. We had originally planned to shoot in a park, but Lyz suggested the Suzallo Library, and I’m glad she did.
I would have been happy enough with the results, but when a team has so much fun working together, all the better! And my cat tried to get into EVERYTHING during prep. Of course.
Interested in becoming a princess/fairy/zombie/Tudor/whatever you want yourself?
Get in touch with me here! Book a Shoot
Glimpse
Ok, so yesterday was reaaaaally fun. I worked with a team for the first time since moving to Seattle, and they were an absolute pleasure to work with. We went with a Royal Russian Fairytale theme, and the outfit was completely made from scratch! Sorting through images now, and I should be posting more tomorrow.
Why I Do This!
I just received the most beautiful testimonial from Heather…it perfectly sums up why I do what I do. I’ve been photographing her for years and it’s been an amazing journey growing together. Thank you, Heather! Check it out below…
Testimonial:
Dearest Liz,
Thank you from the deepest part of my spirit for:
Letting me be who I am, and also whoever or whatever I felt like being depending on the day without fear or judgement…
Teaching me that beauty is found in the most unexpected ways, and so I learned to try things I never would have chosen myself…
Sparking a sense of adventure in me in spite of anxiety because I knew it would turn out amazing no matter what crazy places or poses or props we used…
Showing me that I don’t need the elaborate trappings of costumes and makeup to be beautiful, but letting me happily play with them anyway…
Seeing the beauty in my changing body, and encouraging me to embrace those changes instead of hiding them…
Helping me break away from a past of body-shaming and bullying…
Giving me a safe place to explore finding my own beauty with love and respect but also humor…
Letting me see through your lens the beauty I could not or would not see with my own eyes…
Showing me that my own body is a work of art…
Giving me tangible proof that I am strong, sexual, and beautiful…and giving me permission to be proud of it and to share it…
All of those things I learned modeling for you, and I am forever grateful. I wish that anyone who struggles with issues of shame or self-image, and also anyone who makes hateful comments about your work could read this and understand the healing that can take place by working with someone like you. No matter what we all look like on the outside, we all hurt deeply on the inside when we do not love ourselves, and I don’t think I would have come so far on that without your help. I was absolutely terrified that first shoot, but by the end I just felt so comfortable. I don’t think for one minute that would have happened with just any photographer. It is a special gift that you have, to be able to see the beauty in people, and capture it on film while making a safe space for them to express it, and then helping them to see and BELIEVE that beauty is there.
Love Always,
Heather
Limited Edition Print
I’m only printing 10 of these…ever! They will be printed on absolutely gorgeous 16×20 metallic finish paper…this deluxe quality archival paper has a subtle shimmer to it that brings out the colors and depth in the image.
This image feature Ballerina Brittany Cavaco in the Meatpacking district of New York City. Each one will be signed by myself, and numbered.
Get yours here! Limited Edition Print
LizZusev 