Photographing My Muse And Favorite Model Sylvia

Why is Sylvia my muse? It is probably best to ask my pictures not me but one thing is for sure I could not ask for a more enthusiastic model.

Or one with more incredible lips, deadlier eyes, depth and drama to her look and her personality.

Also because she trusts me, even if the setup or concept does not seem very promising she always have faith in me and the final pictures. We both know that not all ideas turn into gems but it is great to have the chemistry and support of the model from start to finish.

She also happens to adore me and I cannot seem to do wrong in her eyes – the inescapable result is that we end up with photos we both love.

So it is just natural that we took my most favorite photo together: shadow of a hand over model’s face in Album 3.

Night Photography With Chinese Japanese Mixed Ethnicity Model

The streets and night lights of Waikiki Beach, Hawaii provided the urban backdrop for my second photography session with Chinese Japanese fashion model Cassandra Loh.

Many thanks to BERTA – sprkl(at)hawaii.rr.com – for creating the makeup of Cassandra and for her assistance with lighting!

My super high tech lighting system was made of alley lights and one Nikon SB-800 Speedlight flash on a Nikon SC-29 extension cord which was held away from the camera by BERTA.

Amateur Chinese Japanese Fashion Model Photography

I had my first chance to test out my new Nikon D80 digital SLR camera during a fashion photoshoot with amateur Chinese Japanese model Cassandra Loh

Besides a previous agency test shoot this was Cassandra’s first modeling photoshoot.

It is always exciting to photograph new faces, you can read more about this subject in another post here: Why I Love First Time And Amateur Model Photography.

Having good chemistry between model and photographer and a relaxed set are key ingredients to produce effortless natural photos like the first image. Of course it is equally important to have an open minded, intelligent, confident model. This portfolio photoshoot with an amateur model turned out to be a great success!

Sarah Gerber Fijian Fashion Bikini And Swimsuit Model

The first photo is my favorite from this photoshoot, it simply captures the moment and the face of a beautiful model.

The moment was a natural one, meaning no direction was given to the model, things were just unfolding.

The pictures below were taken for Sarah’s modeling portfolio and website.

Beautiful Mongolian Model Photography In Budapest, Hungary

I was very happy to have the opportunity to shoot with experienced Mongolian born model named Ocsi who lives in Budapest, Hungary.

I am the greatest fan of Asian models and having lived in Hawaii has given me several opportunities to do Asian themed photoshoots at exotic places.

Using a different location virtually for every project has its challenges and benefits.
We used the most interesting characteristics of this apartment in Budapest, really different setups, the great clothes Ocsi brought and her natural beauty to create a nice variety of photos.

The first photo is my favorite from this session. The quiet beauty, simplicity, the lines and colors all fall into place telling the story. The pastel colored wall was one of our lucky breaks in this apartment, it had no pictures or shelves, just a blank canvas waiting to be used as a perfect background.

Behind Palm Tree Leaves – Portrait Of A Chinese Girl In Hawaii

As I was shooting with my beautiful Chinese model Sylvia near Hanauma Bay we found some dried out palm tree branches and leaves stacked against the lava rock walls.

Right away it seemed like a great prop worth exploring and experimenting with. In fact it was some leftover “landscaping trash”.
The model’s face was placed behind the leaves and very little direction was given regarding posing or mood.

Sylvia has been my muse since our first photoshoot, she has excellent features (inside and out); I call her eyes in this photo the “silent killers”.

In “real life” this normal smiling beautiful girl can transform into a very dramatic model.

As always I love my photos from this shoot with her, they always have an interesting story and much depth.

Creative Photography: Black And White Rainforest Portraits With Sylvia

Three beautiful black and white portrait photos of my favorite Chinese model Sylvia illustrate three different ways to use natural light to achieve very different looks and moods.

The above photo was taken between “setups” so it is a snapshot in a way.

We just arrived to a new location, Sylvia my favorite Asian model sat down and looked back over her shoulder; the rest just worked out by itself.

The middle of the face is overexposed but it works with the rest of the image. There are several details in this photo which happened by luck.

Wicked Shadows – Chinese Model In Creative Rainforest Lighting

More photos from the exotic, lush and quite accessible Pali tropical rainforest just outside Honolulu, Hawaii where I always find something new or unexpected.
The model once again is my muse the Chinese-American beauty Sylvia.

There is no shortage when it comes to fantastic locations and opportunities in a tropical rainforest setting. Not only the textures, shapes and colors offer endless variety of setups but the lighting as well.

The safest and most pleasing results come if the model is in the shade or if the sky is overcast providing soft diffused light like a studio soft box would.

But when the sun is out one must be careful about unpleasant shadows on the face or blown out highlights where the sun touches the skin.

All this can be used for our benefit of course when “tamed” and used for the appropriate theme.
I noticed some dried out tree branches that I though might provide interesting shadow patterns. They were giving me a spooky vibe.
Fortunately it worked out even better than how I visualized it: the effect of the shadows on the model’s face adds mystery, tension, drama and danger to the photos.

Minimal direction was given to the model, her personality, current mood, the atmosphere and the location naturally took care of the emotion of the photo. Also Sylvia and I have great model – photographer trust and we can have fun exploring a wide variety of themes and have fun with them.

Black And White Photos Of Asian Model Wearing Trucker Hat

These black and white photos were taken at the Zanzabar Night Club in Waikiki where Jenny my beautiful Asian model is a Go-Go dancer.

I selected a few versions of Jenny wearing a red and white trucker hat and a white wifebeater with short shorts just to show how I like to improvise with angles, lighting, composition and how I utilize props and locations.

When forced to use one on camera flash as the main light source the harshness of the illumination cannot be avoided. It can be harnessed though to create paparazzi like invasive look and add drama to the photos.

This photo has several lines created by the trucker hat’s visor, the flowing hair and the fingers which lead the eyes of the viewer towards the model’s beautiful face.
Because the flash is on the top of the camera a shadow is created under the visor of the trucker hat which in turn hides one of the model’s eyes creating an edgy look.

Japanese Fashion Model Photos At Hanauma Bay, Hawaii

Jen is a beautiful Asian fashion and swimsuit model who I found through ModelMayhem.
Her exotic look really compliments the raw beauty of Hawaii.

Her body is athletic because she is a surfer and she has a “not so typical” Japanese face so I was looking forward to capturing unique images which would spice up both of our portfolios.

Warm tones dominate this photo; taken behind the famous Hanauma Bay Crater, called Portlock. Jen’s strong beautiful legs look fantastic and because they are shot from below they create long lines which lead the viewer’s eye up into the picture to explore more.

Two Halves – Japanese Beauty Glamour Photos In Hawaii

The location for these slightly unusual portraits was lava rock walls near Hanauma Bay a famous half submerged volcanic crater on the East a.k.a. Windward side of Oahu.

There was plenty of soft light in the open shade on a very bright day when shooting in the midday sun was too blinding for the model.

Jen has a very symmetric face, great skin and beautiful hair. She may not look “obviously” Japanese nevertheless she is and her exotic look perfectly compliments Hawaii as photoshoot location.

I say unusual portrait because I am not a big fan of chopping heads in half but I actually used this photo on web promotional graphics, it is simple, beautiful and eye catching image for that purpose.

On Tropical Location: Black And White Bikini And Fashion Model Photoshoot

I love black and white bikini and fashion model photos which are taken in exotic and dramatic locations. The lack of color brings out shapes and textures adding much drama and class to these photos.

The Pali rainforest is one of my favorite Hawaii locations, it has provided me with a wide variety of photographic opportunities due to its diversity landscape and lighting wise.

The Pali rainforest being up in the mountains means there is often soft light from overcast sky because the rain clouds that the Hawaiian trade winds bring in get trapped. This means occasional rainfall especially during morning and evening hours plus a healthy dose of mosquitoes but the end result, great pictures and great fun is always worth it.

Tamara is one of my favorite models, she is truly exotic due to her mixed ethnicity one of which is Hawaiian. She is a beautiful model and a very nice person with self confidence, intelligence without being spoiled.
One might say what is all that got to do with being a bikini model? The answer is everything!
It takes the mix of these internal and external characteristics to deliver such beautiful, nicely posed (but not posy) relaxed, smart, confident set of photos which are listed in this post.

Spite the cold rainforest stream Tamara delivers this gorgeous picture; nice in color as well but a real knock out in black and white:

Rainforest Raincoat Fashion Photoshoot With Asian Bikini Model

Rain in the rainforest is not surprising but it can definitely put a bikini photoshoot on hold. The beautiful bamboo forest just before Manoa Falls provided the location.

Instead of packing up and going home the model’s own rain jacket was used as the wardrobe.
Adopting to unexpected situations, improvising, being flexible is the surest way to get unique and interesting photos.

Admittedly we had to cut the shoot short and unfortunately the usual several hundred shots were not taken but if one memorable image is captured, the photoshoot was productive!

Jenny has an amazing face and the diffused light from the overcast sky provided excellent conditions. The following picture is the final Photoshopped version of the best shot of the day.

Rosy Asian Touch – Portrait Photos Of Chinese Beauty In Hawaii

I felt the soft rosy effect added an innocent, sad, pure, dreamy feel to this photo. Perhaps inspired by cherry blossom (sakura) flowers can’t really tell why but it felt fitting.

I just sat from across Sylvia and took about 30 pictures whenever something interesting or nothing was happening.

Minimal directions were given to the model, I usually let the location and the model’s current mood establish the feel of the photoshoot at least in the beginning of every setup.

I believe there are some nice lines in the photo created mainly by the hair and the white shirt collar which leads the viewers’ eyes to the model’s face.

Christian Sunrise Beach Photography With Asian Fashion Model

On the East side of Oahu, Sandy Beach Park is a favorite local Hawaiian bodyboarding and sunbathing spot away from the way too crowded tourist trap called Waikiki Beach.

It is fantastic to view the sunrise from here, some people do their morning yoga as the tradewinds are blowing, the waves are crashing and the sun is emerging from the Pacific Ocean.

Sandy Beach Park is a great spot not only for the above reasons but for photography as well. I have done morning, daytime and night photography here, both model photography and sports / action shoots: taking pictures of bodyboarders.

Sunrise or sunset in Hawaii is a great time for photography but these magical light conditions only last a few minutes. So one has to be quick to make the best of this short window of opportunity.

The beautiful Asian fashion model featured in this post is Christian so I came up with the idea that the soft light of the sunrise could be used to add a heavenly, spiritual, glowing feel at least to the first few images of our photoshoot.

With the lens aperture set narrow enough it is possible to create a sunburst effect with rays shooting outwards without having to cheat in Photoshop. So I placed the sunburst in a spot where it looked most fitting behind the model’s head.

Creative Photography Concepts With Androgynous Asian Fashion Model

I like to have fun, experiment and improvise with photography concepts. I had a chance to do so while I lived on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii during an action packed 2-day marathon photoshoot.

This is a cross section of the approximately thousand photos taken. The locations of the following photos are a hotel room with various props, the office of my dentist and the streets of Waikiki at night.

Smokey eyes and slick hairstyle give a retro look to this photo courtesy of New York based make-up artist Roshar.

The androgynous features of the beautiful Asian model are further accentuated by the makeup.
I really like this photo, the lines of the oriental fan really draw in the viewer’s attention by pointing at the main element: the model’s face.

Beautiful Amateur Japanese Fashion And Bikini Model Photos

For a photographer like me who loves to take the picture of first time, amateur or non models it is a real treat when I find a beautiful Japanese girl like Yoko who exceeds all my expectations in front of the camera.

Back in the old days I used to ask friends and acquaintances who’s looks inspired me to pose for my photoshoots. Ever since I’ve always enjoyed the beauty and innocence of non-models which can be fully explored in travel photography of course .. but that came years later.

These pictures are from 2004 but I am writing this post in 2009 as I am sorting through CDs that have been kept in storage. This gives me an interesting retrospective to examine what has changed the way I relate to photography, beauty and what has stayed with me throughout the years.

Meeting Yoko in person you would never guess that she is capable of such an intimate and captivating portrait. I do not mean this a negative way, she just has that bubbly, silly and fun personality that suggests she could not stay still or remain serious in front of the camera.

Intimate portrait of beautiful exotic Japanese girl with wet hair