Madison is a local college student who does a little modeling on the side for some spending money.   We arrange for a first sitting.  I have to admit that I'm a bit conservative during first sittings with a model, for a lot of reasons:

• Even though I may have seen photos of the model, I really don't know what she looks like.  A good example is Leona -- she looked nothing like the pictures I had seen of her before we met.  Also, I don't know how a model moves or how she reacts to the situation I set up or even how well we work together.

• Even after photographing dozens of women, I do get nervous.

• And it's a bit overwhelming to adjust the lights, figure out exposures, carefully adjust focus (my eyes ain't what they used to me), all while putting the model at ease.  Further, I like photographing people while there brains are working, and to do this, we need to carry on a conversation while everything else is going on.  Believe me, a photography session is a three ring circus.

In Madison's case, I had seen a few pictures, but for this sitting, she had put some streaks in her hair, which she called a "mistake".  Well, I would have preferred that she didn't have those streaks -- they tend to date the photograph as something modern, but I have to admire someone who experiments with themselves, and tries some ideas that may or may not work.  As an artist, I could stand to do some of that myself.

In these pictures, note that the background on the right side of the photograph is lit.  Madison's side is also lit (on the side away from the large soft box).  In particular, look at this last picture & the small line of light on Madison's right side.  That's the value of adding additional back lights & background lights to the main soft light (something I didn't do during Leona's Soft Evening Light sitting).

Assessment:  Madison is a very good model -- she has a quiet grace, lovely skin, and a flexible body.  I'm liking the textures we are using, with the chenille throw, the velour that covers the stool, and the canvas background.  We'll continue to utilize textures during this sitting.