Katrina White Photoshoot

Katrina White, Livermore, 2025Following in my rapid sequence of photoshoots, I got together with local model Katrina White. Despite the forecast most of the day was a bit gray and rainy. We did take an opportunity during a break in the rain to spend a little while shooting outside. Due to her schedule our session was a bit later than I usually shoot, and we ended up shooting until after dark. We got a nice variety of images and it was great to make the acquaintance of another local model.

[o] [More pictures on my Photo Blog]

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Cassandra Spencer Photoshoot

Cassandra Spencer, Livermore, 2025While I had been a bit overwhelmed at the end of the year with the number of photoshoots I had in 2024, I’m starting 2025 at a bit of a fast pace again. For my second photoshoot of the year, in less than a week, I got to work with semi-local model Cassandra Spencer. I had been following her work for a while on social media for a while I decided it was time to reach out and try to schedule something. We had a nice session together (although it started a bit early for my taste). We created a nice variety of shots, and I look forward to working with her again sometime.

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Vivian Cove at the Yurt

Vivian Cove, Yurt, Santa Cruz, 2025For my first photoshoot of the year, I got together with local model Vivian Cove. She had rented a yurt in the mountains north of Santa Cruz. While it was a cool grey day we were able to get some nice pictures around the property as well as in the colorfully decorated yurt. It’s a bit of a trek down there, but it was enjoyable to get away from home for a bit.

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2024 — A Year Of Ups And Downs

Me, Livermore, 2025This year really had its ups and downs. Overall I’ve been very busy, getting to do fun things and accomplishing a lot. On the upside I’ve done more 1-on-1 photoshoots than I could have imagined in a year, even after having to cancel 3 for different reasons for the first time ever. I also had a great trip to a new country (Spain) and a new area of a country I’ve visited a number of times, visiting Tulum, Mexico. This year I also tried to broaden my artistic scope by shooting with a male model on one of my tours. It has been great meeting and working with new collaborators, but I am now embarrassingly behind in my editing.

It’s the first year that I’ve ever had to had to cancel photoshoots, and pay the price$. The first big kink in my plans for the year happened with getting chosen for jury duty, which consumed almost the entire month of April. It was challenging and stressful but it was important to have done it. But it also forced me to cancel out on a couple of photo shoots I had already booked in advance. Then on my tour in Utah, I developed a back problem which became so sever I had to cancel out on almost half of the planned shooting locations. The last kink was having booked 4 photoshoots in the first 3 weeks after returning from Spain, only to get Covid on my return forcing me to cancel one.

In addition to fun stuff, I finally managed the “Herculean” task of painting and reorganizing my office, which has been a disaster for a decade. I also got a major refresh to the outside of my house, which although unplanned at this time it managed to accomplish major things on my ToDo list that realistically would have taken me years to finish. So I guess I traded $$$ for time, never an easy thing for me to do, but I think the result is a good thing. As my age progresses that seems like a more intelligent tradeoff.

I took more than 32k pictures in 3 different countries, on 2 different continents, working with 36 different models from 12 different nations. This year I had way more opportunities to do 1-on-1 shoots with models who were new to me, as a number of models I had never worked with before continued to reached out to me when they were visiting the area. Still, I need to learn to say no more often. I’m slowly still trying to improve the set design of my shooting spaces to allow for more interesting and varied photos. I still have a goal to continue to have pictures published in the coming year.

The theater side of my activities fell off of a cliff this year. I only saw one play locally, and I didn’t make any Shakespeare related trips to Oregon or Colorado this year. On a sad note, CalShakes which led to me to my love of Shakespeare and whose annual seasons I’ve attended for more than 35 years announced that they are dissolving. On the other hand, Bob dragged me along to see 3 classic operas this year which meant my culture didn’t completely snuff out.

The highlights of the fun parts of my year include

  • Visited 1 new country (Spain)
  • 26 1-on-1 photo shoots (20 at my house, 5 local area, 1 international)
  • 1 US photography tour with 2 models (1 female, 1 male)
  • 2 international photo retreats/tours, 1-on-1 shoots with 15 different models
  • 1 local photo workshop with 2 models
    • shot with 36 different models, 22 of whom were new subjects for me
  • had a photoset published, and 1 photo included with a prestigious publication
  • 1 live play (Shakespeare)
  • 3 visits to the opera

The less-fun parts of the year included

  • Jury Duty on a serious 1-month case
  • Major downtime from pinched nerve in my back
  • Getting Covid after returning from travel
  • 4 front teeth crowned

Next year I already have some travel and photography plans on the books.

My battle to improve healthy aspects of my lifestyle continues. I’ve unfortunately bounced back in weight (initiated after the down time while sick), and I definitely need to redouble my efforts this year. It’s clear that as the years pile on, keeping a focus on health is a necessity. I’m grateful that I’m still able to be active and pursue my interests to the degree I have. I’m looking forward to a new year of interesting travels, creative opportunities and new friends.

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The Final Photoshoot Of 2024

Jennifer Jones, Livermore, 2024I got together with Jennifer Jones just before the end of the year for one more photoshoot. This was the fourth time we’ve worked together this year, and the second time at my house. We experimented with some holiday themed colors as well as incorporating some Christmas lights and my fireplace. We created a large variety of shots, and Jenn is always a stunning poser. This wraps up a year where I have had more one-on-one photoshoots (by 2) than in any previous year. I need a bit of a breather to catch up on my editing, but it has all been fun.

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Another Photoshoot With Vivian Cove

Vivian Cove, Livermore, 2024Winding towards the end of a year of an unprecedented number of one-on-one photoshoots I spent some time creating with local model Vivian Cove with whom I’ve shot with number of times this year, both one-on-one and on a couple of international photo retreats. We took this as an opportunity to explore some experimental ideas. Vivian has a background in dance and movement, so we again explored some shutter-drag type photos which have a more abstract feel. We did some shooting inside (with one of my new backdrops), and even though it was a pretty chilly day we spent some time in the garage trying some of the lower-key abstract shots. A very fun day during which we created a number of interesting images.

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Fighting Through Nature’s Destruction For A Photoshoot

Auroraa, Boulder Creek, 2024For the 4th time this year I had an opportunity to work with Utah-based traveling freelance model Auroraa (formerly known as Dasha U). She had arranged to stay with a friend in a beautiful house in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In all my years in the area I have never been in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The night before the photoshoot very strong storms started in the area. I had lightning and thunder where I live. The GPS on my phone guided me along a windy mountain road which was covered in debris from fallen tree limbs and large rocks which had fallen from the hillsides. Eventually as I was almost to the house the road was marked as closed. I had to turn around and find my way there by an alternative route. SO instead of getting there 10-15 minutes early, I was 40 minutes late. The skies were gray and it rained pretty much the entire time I was there, but we still managed to get a good variety of shots. Coming home the GPS wasn’t fully cooperating considering the road closures. Cleanup of fallen branches and damaged trees also slowed my return trip which took much longer than under normal conditions. All and all a good day of photography, but a little too much wild nature to make life easy.

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Kisa Hues Photoshoot

Kisa Hues, Livermore, 2024On a nice Fall day I had a chance to work with semi-local model Kisa Hues for the first time. She used to be based in Oakland but has relocated to further north in California. An interesting aspect is that she is deaf (not from birth), so she speaks normally, but she uses a real time voice translation app that allowed her to see what I was saying. When shooting with flash, she could tell when I was shooting, so if was virtually the same as working with a hearing model. When I wasn’t using flash, we had to find a rhythm where I would catch her in each pose. She is a very good model, and I hope to work with her again.

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First Photoshoot With Liz Ashley

Liz Ashley, Livermore, 2024Only a short two days after my last photo shoot I had another session with traveling model Liz Ashley, who is based in Houston. Liz is very experienced and has been broadly published. She tends to lean towards glamour work, but also does artistic. I was glad to make the connection. We were a bit too chatty and I took significantly less photos than during my previous session. Nevertheless, I think we managed to make some beautiful and interesting images. Now I’ve got a couple of weeks until my next shoot, which gives me a needed period to catch my breath.

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Photoshoot With Barbora Aria

Barbora Aria, Livermore, 2024I had a nice photo shoot at my house with traveling Czech model Barbora Aria. I was unaware of her until she reached out to me while I was traveling in Spain. Due to where she ended up staying in south SF she chose to take an Uber to me, which I think is a long Uber ride. I ended up taking a lot of pictures even though the weather wasn’t really cooperating and we stayed inside. A nice day to enjoy some creativity after my construction project was done.

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