“They all float down here, and when you’re down here, you’ll float too!” To those of you who have never read Stephen King’s “It”, or saw the terrible made for TV movie, those words may not make much sense. To those who have seen the movie you will undoubtedly be reminded of the eight foot tall sewer clown.  This project was an obvious tribute to one of the scariest books I’ve ever read. We initially saw a still shot from Stephen King’s “It” and got inspired to recreate it in our own unique way. Stephen King has long been one of my favorite authors, and his book “It” was always my favorite of his. I had originally read it in the sixth grade and it scared me so bad I stayed up for weeks. When I saw we had a chance to pay a little tribute to my favorite book I jumped at the chance!

As explained in our first blog entry one of the ways we keep our creative juices flowing is to take on projects. These projects allow us to take our time and experiment and give us complete control over the final outcome. Since doing extensive experiments on paying clients isn’t ethically feasible for us as a business, these projects are essential for the training we have to do to always assure we are bringing you, the client, a superior product.

To begin a project like this we had to find a scary clown. For most people that would be a problem, but fortunately for us we get to meet some pretty interesting people in this business. Mr. Boyle, our scary clown, had thoroughly victimized us at the Haunted House at the Whidbey Roller Barn, and we knew he would be perfect for this!

Finding a model to fit this role was another matter entirely, in fact we searched for over a month before finally meeting Sharon, (AKA Opposable Model) not only was she eager to participate, but brought a lot of creative ideas to the project as well.

Ashley from “Make-Up Your Mind” brought it all together with her amazing skill, and with the team assembled we were set!

The following account was written by Opposable Model:

Victoria and I started planning, she got a wig from Gothic Lolita, I got some shoes, and it all began to come together. The day we settled on was a Friday and the night before that I was already going to be in Seattle for a shoot with Brady Hall so I stayed there for the night and drove up to Oak Harbor the next morning. When I got to her house, Victoria informed me that her faithful friend Ashley (the wizard behind Make-Up Your Mind) would be over soon with her adorable daughter in tow. She offered me coffee and brownies (both of which were amazing!) and we hit it off right away, chatting, laughing and sorting through the wardrobe items I had brought to figure out what would work out best.

Ashley arrived with the most extensive makeup kit I have ever seen and went to work right away doing all sorts of things to my face I don’t even know how to explain. One of them was an airbrush thing that made me look like I was made out of porcelain, and then there were the false eyelashes (top AND bottom!), lipstick, eyebrows and all sorts of other things that you may never even think of but are important in achieving the desired look.

The make-up looked fantastic, and the wig Victoria had bought just tied it all together. We packed up our bags, loaded everyone up and drove off to the location. On the way there we definitely caused a few heads to turn. Imagine, if you will, a procession of two cars, one of which has a porcelain doll in the front seat and a back seat filled with black and red balloons, and the second of which is being driven by a clown. Definitely one of the weirdest things people saw in Oak Harbor that day.

The location that Victoria had found was perfect for the shoot and even though the day was sunny, the house was so gloomy and old looking that it didn’t really matter. We trotted over to it and started getting set up. Now I’ve really got to hand it to Brian, because there is a huge difference between dressing up as a creepy clown and BEING a creepy clown and he took being a creepy clown to a whole new level. He ran, he jumped, he danced, he lurked, he slunk, he crept, he did everything possible to make himself as terrifying and photo worthy as he could.

Victoria started shooting and after a while gave up being angry at the sunlight and just started being delighted about how the shots were coming out. I remember at one point she looked at her camera and just started laughing and declared, “This is so %$#@^&* amazing!” That was when I knew it was going to turn out fine.

We shot in a couple different locations around the house, including an old outhouse behind the main building and a tree in the side yard. Originally we thought Brian the clown should climb the tree and be up there staring down at me, but it was slippery and the bark wasn’t easy to climb so we changed ideas and he boosted me up onto the limb where I had a ridiculously fun time clinging onto a tree branch for dear life while he jumped up and down on the ground underneath trying to tear my shoes off. Seriously, this is the part of modeling that I love more than the makeup and the beauty and all of that stuff. It’s being able to be lifted up into a tree looking like a doll and have a clown jumping up and down under me trying to grab at my legs knowing that the person behind the camera is going to capture something amazing and that in that moment I am a part of something so cool and so fun that people will see it and think, “I want to do a shoot like that!”

When it was all said and done everybody was happy with the way that it turned out and we parted ways after some hugging and letting our balloons float away into the sky (shhhh, don’t tell anyone we littered!). We drove back to Victoria’s house she took one last head shot of me with the wig and makeup and I changed back into my street clothes and headed back to Bellingham. I had kept the makeup on because it was just so pretty I couldn’t bear to take it off yet and on the way home I got a sudden craving for a sweet, icy coffee drink so I pulled off at a Starbucks and got one. I remember pulling back out onto the freeway; drink in hand, thinking to myself, “This is the life. My face looks fantastic. I’m drinking an expensive drink, driving down the highway (in my friend’s car) and I just got to be a part of one of the funnest shoots I’ve worked on to date.”

~Sharon a.k.a. Opposable Model

The low down on how Ashley did the make up:

I first want to say that I am so excited that I got to be apart of this shoot. I had originally told Victoria that I had a doctors appointment and couldn’t make it. I ended up canceling the appointment 2 hours before the shoot and came to the makeup rescue. (can you tell where my priorities lie?) Of course I had heard a little about the shoot idea, but I didn’t know much else about Victoria’s vision. I can honestly say out of all the shoots I have done with Oni, I was least prepared for this one. (As far as knowing what direction I’m headed in regards to the look and feel of the shoot.) So when I met Sharon I was still trying to piece everything together in my head. In the end, I just let go of trying to plan everything and let the creativity flow. I knew I wanted a dark eye, something exaggerated, beautiful, but verging a little on the creepy side. That is where the white eyeliner came into play on the bottom waterline. It gives the illusion of a larger eye. Then I topped that off by over exaggerating the black liner under the eye, and used a pair of eyelashes on the skin under the liner as well as a pair of upper lashes. The effect turned out amazing! I couldn’t have been happier! Sharon was so paitent and let me do whatever I wanted and took it like a champ! She even let my 2 year old sit in her lap while I was working and managed to keep her occupied while being so easy to work with. I loved everything about this shoot and am so happy with how it all turned out, and look forward to working with Sharon again someday!

~Ashley, Make-Up Your Mind

 

Thats all for now dear constant reader, I want to say thanks to everyone involved. Sharon for being so versatile and flexible. Brian for being the best damn creepy clown I have ever met. Ashley for being a master of your craft. And of course Johanna for handling that crazy clown and being my right hand at the shoot! 

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Maternity sessions are not what they used to be. With a variety of photographers available today and their unique styles any mom-to-be can select the type of photo shoot that will match her personality and comfort level. Before, maternity sessions used to be somewhat one-dementional, when now you can go as creative or crazy as you would like.

Creating your own package can be so much fun. From choosing between fantasy, pin-up, glamour or boudoir styles to picking a location. Would it be in the studio, your own home, a park or a garden, or a luxurious hotel room. And then there is the dress-up part… what girl does not like that?

When our long time model and friend Jenn, became pregnant with her second child I knew right away that I wanted to write this blog and be able to explore all the possibilities of the maternity shoot. I wanted to show the variety that any future mom can explore at Oni Studio. Few months ago I wrote about a pin-up maternity session. This is a little bit different.

“Shooting with Victoria at The Palace Hotel was absolutely sensational! There was a very sophisticated yet historical aura in the atmosphere.

Shooting at over 6 months pregnant was a very sensual experience for me, and I really wanted to capture that attitude in the photographs; and, I believe shooting in that hotel amplified that objective. It’s a very provocative place, and I wanted my photos to have that identical sense, which kind of goes against the grain with “traditional” maternity photos. I couldn’t be any more satisfied with her winning shots!”  ~Jennifer B.

I invited Jenn for a few short sessions. One was at The Palace Hotel in Port Townsend, another one in the studio and outside in the orchard on a sunny day. Her husband, a military police officer, was able to join us for one of the shoots as well and we took some great shots of mom and dad.

I hope you enjoy the photos and get inspired for your own shoot!

What’s new at Oni Studio? Well, we have been working hard on expanding our prop closet. Our clients would still provide their own lingerie, shoes and other personal items, but we want to be able to add really unique pieces to any shoot. Now we have a variety of wigs from Gothic Lolita, ear wraps provided by Feather Heaven, and amazing head pieces are on their way hand made by Rachel over at Posh Fairytale Couture. We also have masks, gloves, hats and other goodies. During the consultation we can go over your outfits and what we can add to make the look complete. So don’t wait any longer and book your appointment today.

 

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This past week so much have happened. We’ve been so busy, and I want to tell you all about it!

 

Last Saturday Oni Studio was a part of The Ultimate Ladies Night at Element Nightclub. Oh, what fun we had! There were Appetizers and Desserts, Drink Specials, Door Prizes and FREE Gifts! A lot of our passed clients stopped by the table to say hello and talk about the ideas for the new shoots. I’ve also met a lot of girls that confessed thinking about doing a photo shoot, but for one reason or the other talked themselves out of it. I was able to answer many questions and hopefully made the decision easier. Ladies, you all know who you are and I better see you in the studio soon!

This event was sponsored by local, women-owned small businesses and I was honored to be a part of it.

Crista Holt was there to show off Mary Kay’s new make up and fragrances. Zaneita Williams displayed the most popular styles of handbags from Thirty-One Gifts. Melissa Fritch filled the air with romantic scents from PartyLite Candles.  Charity Schwegman had so much sparkle from Lia Sophia that I could not walk away from her table! Yvette Dwonch-Esparza represented her 24-hour North End Fitness and Jennifer Christianson-Blansfield showed off Body by Brazil fitness wear.

But the person who made it all possible and got all these local vendors together is

Jen Roberts with Sugar Studio!

I met with Jen at her studio few days after the event to talk about her business and this amazing hair removal technique, sugaring.

 

Jen had a crazy idea five years ago and decided to open Oak Harbors first studio dedicated to Hair Removal. A licensed cosmetologist, she was trained in the art of Sugaring by Lara at the Sweet Spot in Seattle. Jen opened Sugar Studio in October of 2006. It’s her goal to make every woman comfortable in an otherwise awkward situation, to provide an efficient and quick sugaring, and to empower and awaken confidence in women.

“Have you ever had a Brazilian before? And no, I’m not referring to a hottie from South America! I’m talking about sugaring away all the hair “down there.” At Sugar Studio, Brazilians are what we specialize in and our technique of Sugaring is superior to waxing in so many ways. How can this be possible? First, there is no element of heat involved with Sugaring which contributes to a less painful experience, secondly we deliver 30% less breakage than waxing which means you stay smoother for longer! Lastly at the end of your treatment, the Sugar residue washes off easily with a soothing warm washcloth leaving you silky smooth.

Along with providing superior hair removal services, Sugar Studio is happy to offer Paraffin dips, Glitter Tattoos, *Vagazzling* and Airbrush Tans. We are available by appointment only but happy to accommodate our clients schedules.” ~ Jen R.

To make your appointment call Jen directly at 360-540-3687 or visit her website.

Another project that I have been working on for the last few days is building a new “Vintage Bedroom” set. It took five weeks to get the “Candy Sticks” wallpaper in from Backdrop Outlet and I thought the project would go smoothly after that, but the hard work had just begun! Thanks to my wonderful friends that came in on their day off and helped me finish the set in time. The very next day I had a model in to try it out. I am proud to say that the set-up looks so much better than I envisioned and photographs look magnificent!

There are few minor things that I would like to add, but that’s the beauty of it… the set will change from time to time. Some things will be added and taken away, just to keep you all on your toes! =)

 

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Inspiration comes at all times of day and night.
The smallest things can trigger the imagination.
Dreams, fantasies, legends.
Sometimes those ideas are rushing to get out and demand to be brought to life.
Others materialize slowly and stay hidden for some time, growing in strength, changing, evolving… waiting for the right time.
Like this one.

I wanted to do an interpretation of Shiva for a while. Thought of how I would position the model, what colors to use, and how I would edit. The idea was always on the back of my mind, but when I met with Alicia to discuss a shoot it just grabbed me. I knew Alicia would be able to pull off the look I imagined.
My husband edited the picture of four-handed goddess. We talked about the idea so much that all I had to do was to show him the files and he knew exactly what to do with them.

It was also a learning experience. There are few things I would do differently to ensure a better edit, but the idea came across beautifully.

These are some other great shots from the series.

Alicia used to take belly dancing classes, so she knew exactly how to move to communicate seduction through camera.

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