Her name was Core, and she was on the run.

San Diego wasn’t a place people usually came to when they were on the run. It was too high profile. Especially for a demon hunter. Of course in another life San Diego would have been right up Core’s alley. Maybe thats why she had decided to come here.

After years of being plagued by a demon, Core had turned into one of the greatest hunters of them.  She had killed scores of them. But no matter how hard she tried,  one of them she couldn’t kill. She had a reminder of him every time she looked at her child, it had his eyes. The demon had taken over every aspect of her life. It was hard to remember what life had been like before it came. The demon seemed to encompass her entire being. It had infiltrated her emotions. It had tried to control her every move. Hell, it even knew her bank account number and email password.

In the meantime she had set up shop. Since San Diego was so disgustingly colorful and happy, their was relatively low demonic activity. However she sensed a high level of activity in the Gaslamp area. The gaslamp area was where the majority of douche bags in San Diego spent their free time, and the demons most likely latched on to most of them.

Thats where she was tonight. She had ubered her way to the gaslamp. She stood outside one of the establishments that played sports on TV with hip hop blaring obnoxiously. She didn’t have to wait long for a douche bag to appear.

Ah damn girl you want ride around in ma TRUK?! Yes, this guy was definitely getting the ax. She smiled and touched his chest and walked with him to his unnecessarily large vehicle that got shitty gas mileage.

She dropped her purse. He went to pick it up for her, they always did. She stepped behind and pulled out her weapon. As soon as he raised up she buried it in the side of his head. Oh god, she hoped no blood got on her Gucci, she would just die.

One down, 1,000 to go. She wiped the blood off the weapon. No blood on the Gucci. This was going to be a good night.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir Instagram and Facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post Succubus in Rapture appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

Introducing Rachel. I’ve known her about two years. We’ve never had any significant interaction. We say “hi” to each other in the hallways, but that was about it.

Rachel probably isn’t the average man’s idea of a model. She didn’t wear tons of make up. She didn’t wear designer clothes.  She wasn’t loud and boisterous.  But I knew better. “How so” you ask?

I knew better because I have seen every 1980’s movie EVER.

In these 1980’s movies their is always a mousy nerdy girl. Then she gets a makeover and BAM!! She becomes hot enough to get the attention of everyone in the room.

With this in mind I asked Rachel if she was interested in shooting with me. She agreed, and then for the next few months we played phone tag.

Then one day I was on Facebook and made an ambush message attack. I was like, “Rachel lets shoot Saturday!” She replied, “I thought you only did boudoir?” I told Rachel that as much as i’d love to have a boudoir shoot with her I was more interested in this film noir kick i’ve been on. However, whats wrong with doing a boudoir session Rachel? Don’t be such a prude!

When Rachel arrived at my place I was shocked. I had never seen her so dressed up. She looked absolutely amazing.  She stepped in front of the camera and brought some serious sexiness. Although she had never posed before, she wasn’t even nervous, she was a natural!

Rachel and I shot for the next hour and a half. We had the greatest time talking about video games, movie nights, and her plans to become a high school art teacher.

Speaking of art, Rachel is a pretty talented illustrator. This is her with her sketchbook. Before I forget, Rachel has a sister that looks like that lady from Silence of the Lambs. She is supposed to visit pretty soon, and it looks like she may shoot with Oni Studio as well!! Totally stoked because that movie freakin ROCKS! Well guys, that’s it for this shoot. Hope you liked Rachel, she says she’ll be back to shoot again so stay tuned!

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir Instagram and Facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

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You all remember the first interview I did with John of Hittwerk Photography?  In the interview he mentioned Jen Rozenbaum a boudoir photographer in New York City. He spoke very highly of her so I went and checked out her work. Turns out she’s not such a bad photographer and I think I wrote her shortly after and asked for this interview.

 Jen has been featured and interviewed by some very high level people like Good Morning America, Entrepreneur Magazine, Creative Live, and the list continues. Just google her name and you can see she has been featured multiple times by many different people.

 Why though? Jen was a wonderful boudoir photographer, but then again so are Sue Bryce, Stacie Frazier, Christa Meola and a whole host of others. Why or how was Jen different? After researching this photographer to the point of creepiness I think I found my answer. In one of the interviews she had done she had referred to herself as a photogratherapist. (I hope that’s what I heard) The point being is this, there are many wonderful photographers out there, but Jen connected with her clients, she listened to them, and maybe more importantly, she knew when to not listen to them. What I mean is that when one of her clients would come in with a ridiculous pose or outfit thinking it was going to work for them, Jen knew when to steer the client in a better direction. She told the client to trust her, that she did this for a living, and that she would be happy with the final images. As a photographer myself I’ve had this happen over and over and it was great to read that Jen had found a great way to deal with this issue.

I hope you enjoy the interview I did with Jen, she was kind enough to answer my silly questions and to supply some of her wonderful images. If you are a photographer and would like to be interviewed and featured on my blog please send me a message.

Why do you focus on shooting in tight quarters?

 Mostly because it’s what I do! My studio is in NYC and there isn’t much space here. 

Do you read the reviews on Amazon for your book? If the review is negative do you feel the urge to respond personally to the person? 

Who would leave a negative review for my book? (kidding… kinda)  

You’re a pretty good lookin gal, have you ever posed for your own boudoir session? Can we see?!

 Lol, thank you. yes I have had a few!

With being an author, photographer, wife and mother, it seems as though all of your time is booked. How do you find time to work out, and what is your approach to fitness?

 I work out 4-5 days a week. It’s not an option, it’s part of my life. Yes, during some VERY busy times I cut it out. Only when I really don’t have any other time to spare (like a week before Creative Live for example!) It’s important for me to stay healthy but also to blow off steam. 

What’s your philosophy with respect to diet?

 I eat really healthy during the week. On the weekends I splurge. There has to be a balance. 

What was your reaction when you found out you were going to be featured on Huffington Post?

I’m always excited and amazed any time someone wants to feature me. 

What’s your opinion on Jewish Mysticism like the Kabbalah? 

 I don’t really know much about Kabbalah to tell you the truth! 

We see you went to University of Albany, what was your lowest moment while attending school? How did you bounce back?

The only low moments I remember were the times where I felt pressured and stressed over exams. I work best under pressure though; still do…. so I guess I never really bounced back haha. 

What type of education should beginner photographers seek out?

 I love love love the book Understanding Exposure. It’s the best book money can buy for someone starting out. 

Have your kids taken you to career day at school yet? How do you think that will go?

My kids understand what I do. I explain to them that I am helping women feel beautiful, worthy and powerful. My daughter is almost 10 and she is the one I have the most heart to heart conversations with about it. 

Do you think it’s advisable to be a multi-genre photographer? For example, trying to be a nature photographer, child photographer, and boudoir photographer?

Personally, no. I am not saying it’s not for some people. For me though, being a specialist is the most important. I wanted to focus only on what I love. 

How did you get the idea to write a book on boudoir photography?

 So I had an idea for a cookbook, I told a friend who told a publisher friend… and the rest is history. I got the idea for the cookbook when posting on social media one day. I always post all the “ingredients” that go into getting the shot. I started thinking – how is this any different than cooking? Bam. Lightbulb moment. 

We listened to your interview on the fireside network, the most interesting thing we heard? You wear combat boots. What’s up with that?

Haha! My point was that being a woman goes way deeper than what we see on the surface! 

What’s your most memorable concert?

 I recently saw Billy Joel on my 40th bday at the last show at Nassau Coliseum before they renovated it. 

The perfect pizza gets delivered to your door, what’s on it?!

 I’m either a purest – lots of cheese!! Or I also like olives and onions. Yumm…

Your website and blog design are great. For photographers starting out how would you recommend setting up sites and blogs? Should they even do it? 

 Yes of course they should have a place to showcase their work (website) and speak their mind (blog). My advice is to keep it really simple and easy to use for you and the viewer.

Sigma or Nikon lenses, and why?

I use all Sigma lenses. They are affordable, quality and have you tried an Art lens?? Like Butta!! 

In high school what table would you have sat at? E.g. geek table, metal table, jock table, ect.

 I was the girl who really got along with many groups but I was a little more on the academic side. 

Do you read for fun? Who are your favorite fiction authors?

 I mostly read business books. Motivational reading. Anything I can really learn from and grow from. Right now I am reading “You are a badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life“.

How bad did Nightmare on Elm Street scare you when it premiered in 1984?

 Enough not to watch it!!! (I was 9)

What type of computer do you recommend for the type of work you do?

  I use a macbook pro

What’s your opinion of the certified professional Photographer CPP certification from the PPA? Do you recommend it?

Although I don’t have it – I highly recommend it!!! Why would you say no to anything that makes you better?

What was the first camera you owned?

Nikon D80

What kind of camera do you shoot with now?

 Nikon D3s and Nikon D750

If you could shoot with anyone in the world, from any time period, who would you choose. By the way, you can’t choose Marilyn Monroe or Harry Potter!

Good question! I would actually want to shoot the women of my family that I never got to meet and the ones that passed away since I have been born. The images I have of them are so few and far between. 

What type of lighting equipment do you use?

Natural light. Profoto B1 strobes and the TD6, Icelight, skylux and flex all from Westcott. 

Bang for the buck wise, what lighting equipment would you recommend for the beginning photographer?

 The Westcott D5 kits

Have you ever been in the military?

 No

Have you worked much in your boudoir business with military spouses?

Here and there but there aren’t too many in NYC.

Who are some other photographers that inspire you?

I gain most of my inspiration from other industries. Music, film, etc….

What type of editing software do you recommend?

I use lightroom and photoshop CC

If you answered Photoshop, what type of plug-ins do you recommend?

I have developed my own set of actions to help me edit quickly.

Was there ever a time in your time as a photographer when you were like, “I don’t think this is going to work, I think I may have made a big mistake”? How did you overcome it?

Um – often. I think we all have the urge to quit now and again. I usually just let myself be in the moment and know it will pass!

Do you ever feel the urge to punch Scott Kelby?

 I don’t know Scott, but I’d only punch him if he gave me reason to!

Portrait of Jen Rozenbaum Taken by Mike from Allebach Photography.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir Instagram and Facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post Jen Rozenbaum, an interview appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

This entry is more directed at my fellow photographers. Many of the more accomplished photographers won’t need the advice. However those of you who are new may find a few useful tips.

The rest of you can enjoy the pics of the hot model. It’s been a little while since I’ve been able to take photos like the ones you see here. In order to do that a bit more effectively

SO lets start how I got the look of the B&W noir photos. First thing, get your ass over to the Paul C. Buff aka Alienbee website. Google Paul C. Buff and usually its the first that pops up. Go to the “accessories” portion at the top and click “softboxes” from the drop down and once the next page loads scroll down  and buy the foldable stripbox. Just so were clear the part number at the time of this writing is: FSB1036

Before I forget, here s short interview I did with the star of the entry, Desi Diver.

Now I know Alienbee’s aren’t the only retailer of light modifiers. I have another striplight made by photoflex which I love and recommend. Now what do you do with those strip lights? Move them to the back corners and aim them at the camera. You can use a third stripbox or beauty dish to light the face. Heres a diagram to help explain:

Notice that you’ll have to move the model out away from the backdrop. Play around with the light placement to produce some cool effects. Look at the photo below for an example.

Now back to Desi Diver. Desi gave me some exciting news as she is now the co-owner of a burlesque troupe called Bless Your Heart Burlesque. I asked Desi who exactly was supposed to be blessing hearts. She told me it was Zuul, the gate keeper of Gozer.

If Desi looks familiar that because she’s been at Oni Studio before. She was the silly model making all the faces at the camera. Also, the writer of the poetry about nailing screws in peoples heads.

The coolest thing Desi did while she was over here? She shamed me for not having an Instagram account. I finally gave in and made one, if the mood hits you you can follow me here.

Desi spent most of her time talking about her new troupes upcoming show. Now allegedly its in October, you all will have to go become friends with the page to stay up on current events.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir Instagram and Facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post Striplight appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

Today is the first time in the 8 year history of Oni Studio that I have finally been able to interview another boudoir photographer and showcase their work on my blog. All the photos you see in this entry are Hittwerk Photography’s, not Oni Studio. I hope you enjoy the interview with John of Hittwerk Photography!

Q. How did you get interested in photography?   

A. I needed an Art101 class in college back in 1973.  Mary Brandon was the beautiful young teacher so Photography was a natural choice!

Q. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name of your studio, “Hittwerk Photography”?

A. Kraftwerk was a very popular band back when I was in college, therefore HITT and WERK tied together my German heritage and one of my eventual businesses

Q. What was the first camera you owned?

A. I bought a Minolta SRT101…and still have it!

Q. What kind of camera do you shoot with now?

A. I use three different ones for specific types of work. I use the Olympus E3, E5 and most recently, the Olympus OM-D E-M1

Q. What advice would you give a person just starting out shooting boudoir photography?

A. Be absolutely sure you are doing this for artistic reasons, only. I say this being a man, working with young attractive women.  If you have a different agenda, get out of the business before you ruin the rest of our reputations.

Q. You create a very sexy atmosphere when you shoot, or so it appears that way, have you ever had a client come on to you?

Yes….

Q. What types of music do you play when you shoot?

A. I allow the models / client to choose their own music. I don’t allow dreadfully depressing country music.  Most often they want me the pick some music and so far they all love the newest Pink Floyd album and David Gilmore’s  Live at Gdansk.

Q. What is the least favorite aspect of your shoots?

A. Wow… I’d say it’s the fact that all good things must come to an end.  Once my clients really become comfortable with themselves and me and my team, the images and emotions just keep getting better and better.

Q. What bothers you most about your clients?

A. I’m very selective with whom I work with, so I never have any issues with my clients.

Q. If someone gave you $357,000 but you could only buy photo related equipment, what would you buy?

A. Since I’m blessed to have pretty much have everything I need, I’d likely visit my alma mater, the University of Alabama, and we would go shopping together!

Q. If you could shoot with anyone in the world, from any time period, who would you choose. By the way, you can’t choose Marilyn Monroe!

A. Wow… that’s tough. As I look at my bucket list of models I’ve planned to work with, there is still one elusive model still there, Rubia Stri, from Belgium..   I think she is stunning and I know we could get some amazing images together!   I never give up…   it will happen someday!  She and I chat every morning discussing our creative work and brainstorming for new ideas.

Q. Who are some other photographers that inspire you?

A. Clarence John Laughlin, now deceased, was a huge influence on me in college. I own some of his original images and have photos of him signing my images in his New Orlean’s home.   I do a lot of ballet work and Gene Schiavone is my dance mentor.   I also invested in some of his work.  Jim Bauer in Dallas is by far to most talented glamour photographer I’ve ever known.  Jen Rozenbaum is my boudoir mentor.  She and my wife were my biggest influences to try out boudoir work.

Q. What type of lighting equipment do you use?

A. I prefer natural light and a reflector for my boudoir work, but I often use a fluorescent, color balanced ring light and Buff Einsteins fitted with various modifiers as necessary. I recently added some of Edward Tang’s Cheetah strobes and modifiers for my on location work.  They are amazing!

Q.  Do you think social media helps with acquiring clients?

A. Certainly!  I never pay for advertising.  I don’t need it.

Q.  What’s your approach to SEO?

A. I’ve been around a long time and have significant name recognition in the field.  I don’t worry about Search Engine Optimization.  I turn away more business than I accept.

Q. What’s your wildest/sexiest photography story?

A. A few years ago I had a return client book a shoot at a home in north Dallas. It started out with her just being playfully flirtatious.  Very soon it was obvious to the whole crew that she was dead serious and very assertive!  She was 20 years old and I was almost 60!  Haha!!!   We stopped the shoot right then and talked privately.   We ended up getting a great shoot in the books and she called a few days ago to book another shoot!

Q. Are you married? If so, what does your spouse think about your career?

  A. I’ve been married to the same creative, tolerant women for over 40 years!   She is the one who encouraged me to take my work to an edgier level and it took off like a rocket!

Q. What is (in your opinion) the best shot you have ever taken?

A. I can’t answer that… I love too many of them!!

Q. When you are shooting outdoors what mode do you shoot in and why? (Aperture priority, shutter priority, etc.)

A. I rarely venture outside since I’m located in west Texas, a very harsh, unforgiving environment. When I do go outside, I’m almost always using Aperture priority.

Q. What type of editing software do you recommend?

A. I’m old school… I recently switched from Photoshop CS5 to CC.

Q. If you answered photoshop, what type of plug-ins do you recommend?

A. I use Nik and Topaz plug-ins quite a bit.

Q. What type of computer do you recommend for the type of work you do?

A. I’ve always used Dell’s and have never had any issues. Every 5 years of so I’ll work with Dell and my IT guru and we decide on a custom set up.  A week later I’m grinning from ear to ear.

Q. What type of photography were you doing when you first started out?

A.  At Alabama, my professor was also a sculpture professor. The University of Alabama and the surrounded areas are ripe with important and exciting Indian and Civil War history.  Most of my work captured the historical sites and landmarks in a very abstract, non-objective image.

Q. How did you get interested burlesque/boudoir photography?

A. As for burlesque, I had an awesome young assistant who was studying to be an actress. Joni asked to try a burlesque shoot one day and soon she and her mom came to the studio and Joni and I had a blast.  Her mom was so encouraging!   Now as for boudoir, I got contacted via FB by a little shy college kid who was attending a very strict religion backed university.  Her fiancé had joined the Marines and had just shipped off to boot camp.  She had a part time job at Victoria’s Secret and got the nerve to buy a few sexy pieces for herself.  My wife and I got her into the studio and gently urged her to accept her body and who she was and soon she was having a blast, savoring every moment.   She came back again for more shoots and her fiancé loved the pics she would surprise him with.  Alyssa eventually joined my team and was a huge asset in bringing in new talent!

Q. What types of lenses do you recommend?

A. Keep I mind that Olympus is a 4/3 system so the lens sized are virtually doubled.  For example, a 25mm lens on an Olympus acts like a 50mm.  I love my 25mm f1.4 Leica for natural light boudoir.  I also use an Oly 50mm 2.0, an Oly 14 – 54mm 1:2.8 – 3.5 Zoom and my trusty Oly 35-100mm 1:2.0.

Q. What type of training or education would you recommend for an amateur photographer?

A. READ, READ, READ!!   Look up anything Jen Rozenbaum does and learn from it. 

Q. Anything further to add?  

A. I tell all young photographers in training to learn another trade!  Haha!!   I see too many young photographers starve to death and finally give up because they can’t make enough money with their camera.   With another trade, they can still eat and pay their bills and hopefully have a little money left over to invest in themselves and still pursue their photography.   It is much easier to do shoots when your rent doesn’t depend on it.   Do the photography as a side job and learn from every shoot. You’ll learn a very little practical skills in a college classroom.

I meet so many jealous new guys with cameras who can’t seem to find many models, yet they see us “old” guys with all the girls.   I assure them that at one time I was in the same predicament.  I’ve treated all my clients and models like princesses and have always gone out of my way to maintain a great reputation and maintain a strong public presence.  I do a lot of charity work and have done so for decades.  I’ve served for years for booster organizations.  I’ve been on the board of directors for various non-profits.   Over the years I’ve enjoyed meeting people, getting to know their families and their lives.  Later I watched their kids grow up and we were all friends.  As a result, now the kids are older, attending universities, planning weddings and are wanting me to work with them, be it portraiture, weddings and of course, boudoir.  Boudoir Books are in big demand and we have so much fun letting them feel sexy and free, even if it’s just for a few hours.  I’ve never had a bad review and have an approximate 90% return rate.  Normally the only ones who haven’t returned were the ones who moved away.   I have a 19 year old coming in tomorrow.  She booked me months ago and has been saving her money.   We will likely just do a cute glamour session for her.  I worked with her a few months ago in a mild pin-up shoot and her dad, a pro photographer, was there.  She decided, with his approval, that she would work with me to expand her portfolio to a sexier, but professional level.   Day after tomorrow I have a professional Russian model flying here for a return shoot (boudoir) before she flies home to Moscow the next morning.  My life is a blessing and I try to be a blessing to others.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post Hittwerk Photography appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

Have you ever heard of the San Diego Zoo? Of course you have. For some reason it’s one of the more famous attractions in the area.

However, less well known is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. From the San Diego area its about a thirty minute drive north to the Escondido area. A standard day pass for adults as of this writing is around $48.00. Children 3-11 days passes are $38.00. If you are one of the many military members you get in free and your immediate family receives 10% percent off. Pretty sweet deal! Before anyone gets concerned about ticket prices, let me assure you this is a great deal. We were at the park for around five hours and still didn’t get to see all of it! That means you’ll have to wade through a part II when we get the chance to go back.

When you visit the website for the park you’ll notice a myriad of different Safaris available for purchase. However we just got a day pass and were content with hoofing it. My fitbit freaks out on me when I dont make my 10,000 steps a day and I definitely made goal! When we went it was one of the hottest days of the year. Having such a high number of visitors the park had water misters which were an amazing way to keep the heat at bay.

So besides the hotness the park was easy to navigate. It was kinda like following the yellow brick road. Around every bend you would see some very nifty stuff. For example, get a load of the awesome bonsai trees!

If you go here during the summer make to take plenty of water and snacks.

So my final opinion on the safari park? Definitely worth the price of admission. So if you are looking for something to do in the San Diego area take a chance and come on out!

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post Safari Park San Diego appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

The vessel had just left Peru. The wizard stood on the roof looking at the open ocean. He was worried he wouldn’t make it in time. He wouldn’t miss it again this year.

After many weeks the ship finally pulled into port in San Diego. The wizard floated off slowly and landed on the ground. This was still strange to him, especially considering his former life as a neurosurgeon.

His mission was complicated. The gauntlet had almost been reassembled, and once it was not even Living Tribunal would be able to help them.

He found his companion and used the Uber app on his phone for a Spanish driver. No sense in stirring up the crowd. He arrived 15 minutes later. He knew it was too late. Heroes from other universes had already made an appearance. Someone was using the reality gem.

Darth Vader’s storm troopers walked down the street. They were talking about getting cheeseburgers. The sexiest rocket raccoon with vampire teeth stood looking at a map. This was going to be a mess.

The worst thing though? It was hot. Desert hot. Who in the hell had decided to have this in a place like San Diego? The people seemed not to mind the heat and obnoxiously blue sky. Maybe it was just him. He had traveled to the bottom of the world to a place called Kadath in the cold waste, and decided when this was all over he would have to return. This place was not for him.

The lady clown stopped him. She called herself Scarlett Checkers and claimed to be from Philadelphia. He told her that California was going to melt her face make up. She gave him a bowl of bite size Snickers and told him she was late for a Cannibal Corpse concert.

The first way to die. Lack of water. Almost no one had any, and so many people with powers. This place was a powder keg waiting to go off.

The main event was being guarded by the watchers. No matter how strong the wizards magic he could not get inside.

Hot, tired and discouraged, the wizard gave up. He would have to wait until next year to try and get inside the mysterious building.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

The post 10 Ways to Die at Comic Con appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

This shoot showcases a technique I had not tried in a long while. Its called “high key” . I had not attempted this technique in quite sometime as I didn’t have the required equipment. This type of shoot requires a lot of light, and an all white background. After ordering the background and getting in my giant softbox from Paul C. Buff I decided to try it out. The first thing I did was go on Pinterest, which is my go to spot these days for photographic inspiration. After awhile I happened on a photo that would serve as a spring board for this shoot. The photo below is NOT my photograph, but the photo I found on Pinterest.

This photo is gorgeous right?!  It was taken by a Russian photographer Vladimir Sagadeev. I thought I would be able to recreate this photo almost exactly. I promptly put out a notice on Facebook looking for a model. Once I got her in the studio and started to experiment with this photo concept I started to run into challenges I hadn’t anticipated. The photo below with the model Desi Diver was the first attempt.

I loved the photo the way it came out, but as you can see its a bit different than what I set out to do. My biggest complaint was on the quality of the fabric, and that it was a bit wrinkled, something I didn’t notice until after I was in the edit process.

The entire studio portion was a basic three light set up. The key light was a large Paul C. Buff soft box, with two other alienbee strobes pointed directly at the background.

 The model for this evening is Desi Diver. She’s a simple girl. Prone to being a stage kitten at burlesque dancing events and bouts of cannibalism.

Unlike some of the models I’ve met here in San Diego, Desi was down to earth, funny, and had not an ounce of annoying divaness.

Desi also brought along her poor man to torture while on the shoot.

Beyond the fact that Desi loves hairless sphinx cats, she was a sadly, a mystery.

Just when you thought it was all serious, Desi takes it to another level.

Desi in her own words:

The post Voodoo Glamour Girl appeared first on Oni Studio San Diego Boudoir Photography.

This weeks entry stars a brand new model. Her name is Amber, and if you are a photographer in the San Diego area you need to shoot with her.

Yes, you heard me right, Amber has never done a professional photoshoot before. Shooting with a new model has its advantages and disadvantages. I love shooting with new models because many times they havent yet reached that diva stage where the ego takes over and the art aspect of the shoot is still foremost in their minds. On the other hand, many new models are still unsure of themselves in front of the camera and haven’t yet learned to free flow pose. You take the good with the bad and work with what you got.

Amber had her poses pretty much down and five minutes after arriving on set, she was ready to go.

Besides getting to practice lighting techniques, my favorite aspect of shoot is getting to talk with new people. Amber brought up a very cool subject. Obviously she’s into fitness, but not just any old fitness, she’s into crossfit!

Now I have never done crossfit, but I have plenty of friends that do. Without exception they all look like they just walked off the set of 300. This style of fitness also has its critics, but I dont know why anyone would get angry over people trying to improve their bodies, regardless of the manner of doing it. Well except for steroid users!

Amber and I have a very similar diet as well. Except she probably cheats a lot less than I do. But basically eat lean, eat several small meals a day, plenty of water, and stay away from bread Simple!

For the studio lighting I went with an alienbee beauty dish, lit the background with an Einstein E640 with a red gel, and filled in the shadow with a photoflex strip.

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

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Heather is an alternative model originally from Ohio. She’s moved around a lot in her life and experienced many interesting things.

More importantly, Heather is a fan of darkness. No, i’m not talking about Eddie Murphy. I’m talking about the dark side of life.

Heather’s more than a fan though. Over time she has become darkness. Or at least a representation of it. She knows what nightmares are made of. She knows whats underneath the bed, whats in the closet, and why that sound you heard isn’t just the house creaking.

In other words, Heather isn’t some dingleberry fan of Twilight or 50 shades of Grey. She’s the real deal.

I had been searching for a model for awhile to collaborate on a project involving the Hellraiser boxes offered by the Pyramid Gallery. If you have never seen the boxes, Heather is holding them in some of the photos in this blog. You can also see them in the photo below.  When I started the project, I wanted a model who would know the boxes, and who was a real fan of Clive Barker. I felt that if I just got another pretty face it would come off as disingenuous.

The going hasn’t been easy. In fact Heather and I have been trying to schedule a photoshoot for close to a year. I even drunk texted her from Mississippi and asked her to come pick me up.

Obviously she didn’t drive across the country and pick me up. I think she texted me back a day later and said, “are you serious?” Well Heather, I was serious when I sent it!

So about the project. Heather and I discussed idea for a few upcoming projects. You can look forward to many more shoots involving the Pyramid Gallery’s boxes, as well as many other 1980’s horror films. Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Evil Dead and of course Hellraiser!

If your still reading do me a favor. I’m trying to get the Oni Studio facebook page up to 500 likes. If you all could share the page, and tell people to become a fan i’d be more than grateful!

That’s all for this week! Become a fan on the Oni Studio boudoir facebook page. Follow Oni Studio on 500PX, Pinterest, and Model Mayhem!

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