Justine, Introduction, July, 2003

Meet Justine. We met at a party for local nude photographers & models last month, and we decided to work together. As far as I know, there never was a similar gathering down in the Bay Area in California, despite there being more photographers & models in that area; it was great meeting folks, sharing leads for models, looking at everyone's portfolio, etc. I highly recommend going to the effort & pulling together parties/meetings/clubs like this.

As usual, for first sittings, I don't try anything too extreme or exotic. Perhaps I shouldn't be so cautious for the first sitting, but I really find that I really don't know what a model looks like until I photograph them, even despite seeing photos of them beforehand, and I like to get to know models before trying the more unusual type of photography. Also, while it's okay (with permission) to push gently on people's comfort boundaries, I don't like to make models uncomfortable. An uncomfortable model is a waste of time -- if a model is uncomfortable, it shows in her body language and on her face.

Anyway, I planned on a couple of different, basic lighting set-ups, and we start with this one. When we talked on the phone to confirm our sitting time, Justine asked if she should bring anything. I said no, but I asked her if I could photograph her removing the clothes she wears to the sitting. She agreed.

I love the current fashion of low riding pants, revealing a bit of skin around the lower waist & hips. In a moment, her nice clothing was dropped onto the floor.

I have to admit that the sitting itself is the most intense and the most fun part of this whole process. I don't really care much for the darkroom work, and creating these web pages are sometimes difficult. But the sitting itself is usually great fun, and working with Justine was one of the best times I ever had making pictures. She was very easy to get along with.

My fuzzy old dog, Tundra, wanders over to check things out, and Justine absolutely charms her. Usually during a sitting, Tundra looks on from the next room, but for this sitting, Tundra stayed close by. Such is Justine's magic.

(Okay, let me answer the standard questions I get when I walk my dog on the street: she's a Samoyed with her hair cut off, and yes, she is old -- she's about 13 years old. Most people mistake her for a puppy because she's got big feet and is very friendly.)

Justine has a lithe & youthful body with smooth, clear skin. I also find Justine to be intriguing: she's full of contradictions -- she's a vegetarian who smokes; she's a responsible, reliable wild child. Despite her youth, I find Justine to be wise beyond her years, with a confidence that comes from self-reliance. At the party, she was generous with her attention. And I can't mention enough how much fun she was.

See more of Justine at her next page: Initial Setting Continued.

As I mentioned, I met Justine at a party for local area nude photographers & models. I didn't catch everybody's contact information, but some of the people who were there included...

And more -- look for more new models soon.