Steamy

I really like working in the shower, but it is difficult.

The space really is tight.
There's only one logical place to set up the lights.
While it is warm in there, all the surfaces are hard, which can be hard on the models.
There are only a limited number of places to position the camera.
Water & electronics don't go well together.

When I work in the shower, I always start with everyone dry. Later, we can get the models wet, but when we do, I tend to get wet, too. Remember, this is a steam room, and it's designed to retain steam. When you run hot water in there, the lenses tend to steam up.

I don't remember ever having two models in the steam room at the same time (although I've had a few folks take a steam bath together).

I like how Krisha is nestled between Ashley's legs.

I also like that I can include everyone's entire figure, from head to toe. And it is fortunate that there's enough light bouncing around to light Ashley's face.

I now have two digital camera: a serious DSLR for these serious sessions, and a point & shoot for casual photography. I like that the P&S camera has a live preview, pivoting & tilting LCD screen that facilitates utilizing unusual perspectives. The DSLR, however, insists that the photographer's head is behind the viewfinder -- this can be problematic in tight spaces like the steam room. I do have a gadget that attaches to the DSLR's viewfinder to provide that pivoting & tilting (& detachable) LCD screen functionality, but I haven't figured out how to get it to work yet. So, to get images like this, I have to position the camera, guess at the composition, trust the camera's autofocus, and hope for the best. You'll note that some of the images (like this one) aren't perfectly horizontal or vertical, but that's part of the charm.

Like before, I ask for a back to front positioning. And I'm glad I was able to include the entire figure.

Working on the top of the bench is certainly more comfortable for everyone, but I've noticed lately that the light, when the models are on the floor, is much nicer. So, before we get folks wet, we work on the floor. I experiment with the positioning of the camera (high, low, etc.).

Here's a low angle image (which means I'm guessing at the aim).

So, time to get the models wet. You'll note that as soon as we turn the water on, the whole room gets steamy. If you look closely, you'll notice that the steam softens the light nicely, but the steam soon condenses on the camera lens.

It's an interesting effect, but it soon drives me out of the steam room.

I did this with Valentine, a few weeks earlier. The steam room has a glass door (to the right of this image), and I position the light right by this door. Adjacent to the steam room is my shower, and that's where I position the camera, opposite the glass window to the steam room. Instead of railing against the steam, we close the door & let the hot water flow, which keeps the steam room just steamy enough. If the models are close to the window, you can see them, but as they move away, you lose detail.

Look at Krisha's arm -- it's interesting the distortion from where her arm is pressed against the glass window. Note, however, that Ashley's face, just inches away from the window, becomes less distinct. That's due to steam & the condensation inside the glass window.

The far wall of the steam room is lost. There's actually a white sculpture on the wall, but with the steam & the condensation, you can see only a white blob.

So, for the rest of the sitting, we keep the models wet.

It's an interesting effect when Ashley slides her hand through the condensation on the window.

Some of these images are simply amazing.

Just for fun, we arrange for Ashley to lean her back against the glass window. Those are Krisha's toes at the bottom of the image.

You'll note that I started these outside-the-steam-room images by including the tile that surrounds the glass window, but I soon decide that the images are by nature abstract, and that abstraction is enhanced by excluding the tile frame.

Lots to love with these images. Enjoy Ashley's raised hand with me.

I like that there's a lot of stuff going on in these pictures, but you can't really see it. The best images are the ones that fire up the viewer's imagination.

The models move around again, and resume kissing. I like the light on both models' faces.

With the steam room door closed & the hot water running, it's difficult to communicate with the models. But I knock on the door and suggest a new position for their posing.

Earlier, we made some fine images with Ashley posing behind Krisha. Now it's Ashley's turn to be in front. These are some of my favorite images of the day.

Now that's a pretty steamy picture. This is a favorite.

One last image, the last image of the day.

I am quite specific about the amount of time I schedule for each of these sittings, and I try very hard to keep to that schedule. Sometimes, it's a challenge to fill up the scheduled time. Sometimes, there just isn't enough time.

In any case, our time is up, and we made hundreds of exposures. So, I'm happy to turn Krisha & Ashley loose. They clearly had a good time, too.

To be honest, during the sitting, I wasn't sure what these images would look like as we were making them. It took a little while for the two models to warm up to each other. I wasn't sure that these images would project real physical passion. But I am definitely pleased by these images, and clearly so are the models. Soon afterwards, Krisha creates a profile on a modeling site & uses several of these images. Ashley also includes several images on her profile, too. Both profiles become very popular, and the images receive lots of favorable comments. So, go figure.