PHOTO SHOOT RECAP: Bo Zhang and The Crew @ My House

Already a pic!!

Maddy doing the damn thing in her first outfit
My first outfit, with lightning bolt Warren in the background

The polaroid from my house party that inspired it all. (Just wait until you see the pics we did like this!)
Start to finish, Warren makes a piece of art out of anyone! (Me wearing a custom made Booshie tee)

Artist at work

Artist at work.

xoxox Warren

Ms. Booshie herself, Ginger and I
Warren the McGiver's secrets reveled, A TEA BOX!

The culprit. Who knew a tea box could be so fierce?!

They say when you love what you do, you'll never work a day, and last night's photo shoot exemplified that. Great people and a great time!

Where to begin... the whole 'family' was there, Bo Himself, his assistant Joey( he also helped Bo in the jungle shoot), Ginger (Booshie Design), the artist formally known at WarrenBe, and newbies but goodies: stylist and new found neighbor, Natasha and model/new friend, Maddy. What a great, and talented group of people to work with- A true honor!
Warren (who's b-day is tomorrow!!) did both Maddy and I's hair, and make up, so he was busy making us into pieces of art, while Ginger and Natasha were a great team coordinating complete and cohesive looks in my guest bedroom. This shoot elucidates how attention to detail takes good to great. Each person, a master in their craft, put the time and thought into this shoot, and I really think it will show in the pics! Well, the first set we did was a two girl shoot with Maddy and I and the above chair from the polaroid in my backyard. We covered everyone with bug spray, played some fat beats on the ipod player and went to work. It was a fun experience because neither Maddy, Bo or myself have ever done a two girl shoot together. But Maddy's really cool, and Bo was great with direction, so it was a fun, and different experience. Then Bo did individuals with each of us, and on to the next outfit. The second looks were individual shots (the above is an example) with more emphasis on motion, and Ginger's dresses worked immaculately!! After seven hours, we finally wrapped about midnight. I found myself in sweats, sprawled out on the couch with a Natural Light beer in my hand and a tea box in my hair. A success :) Stay posted for Bo's pics!

Booshie Meets DURKL Photo Shoot

Me and my darling Ginger, designer of Booshie (We are both wearing Booshie... Duh :)

Mi amore, Ginger, lead designer of Booshie Design called me yesterday and said get on a plane Saturday because she's flying me out to DC for a huuuggee shoot on Monday!!! :D I love her! She said she has the amazing Tony Veloz on board, who I have worked with before (see blog post here, and an example of our work together below).Ginger also has photographer, Paul Seegars whom I've never met, but am looking forward to working with booked for the shoot! Ginger scored the 18th St Lounge in the posh Dupont Circle area for the location to shoot (see below pic).
Modeling for the shoot will be:
1. Juelles (below wearing Booshie)
2. Ms. Booshie herself, Ginger (below wearing Booshie)
3. Me (below doing the final pass in Booshie's first ever runway show, wearing the same above dress :)
Along with a few other female models! When I heard what a talented group, and location she had set up I was elated, but I knew we could make this even bigger... ;)

I wanted to bring on the best in hair and make up, so Warren (see the many times we've worked together here). And below, Warren on hair and make up, with me wearing Booshie:


Me and the man, Warren himself doing his magic (I'm of course wearing a custom Booshie Tee ;)
Warren will hopefully be on board, but the beautiful, and talent Aja (see blog post here) is definitely booked, can't wait!! Our work together for PR and Partners below:
And where ever I go my side kick, and one of my best friends, Viseral Photography (ie my entire runway portfolio here is done by him) will be there too!!

Below me at the Fashion Fights Poverty runway show, shot by the great Visceral Photography


But I had one more idea, that would take this shoot to epic status... DURKL.

Backstory: I went to a runway show months ago in DC and saw this men's clothing line. In short, they blew my mind. Chill, confident, casual yet fashionable, and I fell in love instantly. Not to mention, the designer came out on the runway with a Corona...that sealed the deal for my love of all things DURKL! I follow their awesome Twitter, and always have them in the back of my mind, hoping that one day they will do women's clothes. But when this shoot came up, I thought this is a match made in heaven, and the perfect opportunity to work with DURKL!! (Not to mention DURKL got second place and Booshie got third for DC's Best Local Designer!! Check it out here) Thus, they two shall meet. Lucas over at DURKL is so nice, and easy to work with, I'm really stoked they are on board, and think they will really gain from working with all the great photogs involved!

DURKL model and designer modeling their designs. Love it.
When I booked DURKL, I had my friend, and fellow male model Gabe (below) in mind. He has, what I think is the perfect Booshie meets DURKL look, (see his portfolio here and see what I mean). He and I met at the Fashion Fights Poverty runway show (see pics here) that Visceral Photography shot. Since that was so much fun, Gabe and I did a shoot (above) with Visceral Photography, so I know Gabe's a great up-and-coming model with a lot of talent, and hopefully will benefit from working with both DURKL and Tony Veloz Photography.

Gabe and I at the model's after party for the above runway show (photo also by Visceral)


So there you have it, an epic photo shoot in the making!! So stay posted, because this is going to be the biggest, best, collaboration DC has ever seen, I'm so thankful to be part of it!! :D

One last pic, one of my fav of me wearing Booshie. Many more to come...

Photoshot Photoshot Photoshot

Three photo shoots in five days. It's been a busy week. :) But oohh so much fun. The first photo shoot I did was on Saturday with Li (his work). We did a wedding dress, and some head shots. I had a makeup artist scheduled for two weeks, and the night before she called out. Ugh. So I had to do the makeup, we'll see how that turns out... I'm excited to see them, they will be great to diversify my portfolio. It was a somewhat fun photo shoot. It's interesting because all three photographers had completely different styles. Li was very hands on. He would come and physically move me in a pose and he wasn't just a quick shooter. He would have me hit a pose then he would tweek it until it was just right, have his assistant comb my hair, or fix the dress, then he would take the picture. Every image is completely thought out. I look forward to seeing the pictures.

The second shoot, the photos above, on Tuesday was with Renee, (examples of work here) and make up artist and hair master, Warren (examples). This was one of my favorite shoots! Renee does amazing work and is a master with lighting. She is quiet and an INTJ like me, so I feel like we clicked. It was an interesting shoot because most of the time was spend in the make up chair. I really liked her photography style, she would shoot for maybe ten minutes just snapping away letting you move however, and when she felt she got the shot she was looking for, we we're were done, next look. Awesome. But if you're good, you get the shot, and that's that, and she is that good. Then after the shoot I asked her how long before the the pics would be ready, and she looked at her computer and said, "Three minutes." :) Fucking awesome. Fuck waiting a month, three minutes is where it's at!! She burnt me a CD right then and there of all the pictures we just did. Amazing. Warren was really nice too. Very professional, on time, clean, not obnoxious, used all wonderful MAC makeup. And when he pulled out this tuff of hair and molded it into the piece of work on my head seen above, I knew he was a true artist. He was great. And I really feel like the pictures show the collaboration between the three of us, it was a true team effort and a really enjoyable experience!

The third photo shoot was yesterday with the super versatile, Kendal Carr (his work). If you look at his portfolio you'll see advertising, glamour, high fashion, art etc. When I saw his work I e-mailed him to say I'd really like to work with him. A few days later I got an e-mail from makeup artist and hairstylist Michael Reyes (his work) saying he saw me on someones profile and he really wanted to work with me on his portfolio for an agency submission. I said sure, who's the photographer, and for what agency. Low and behold Kendal was going to be the photographer, and he was submitting to T.H.E agency in Georgetown! That's really exciting, the agency is going to see pictures of me, taken by an amazing photographer, before they ever meet me! They better love it, and hunt me down. :) So the shoot went well. We only did one look, baby doll, which I just did in Orlando, but it was great to make the connection with Kendal. I hope we can shoot again. Michael said he'd send the pics in a week or two, so we'll see. Stay posted for the pics!

Viceral Photography's Photos Of 'Art In Fashion' Runway Show

Me in Booshie Design custom made tee and boy shorts (that's a tee I threw into the crowd in my hand :)

Great example of the hair and make up artist I worked with, Warren's versatility
(see the hair piece in my hair in a totally different way here)

Closing piece for Booshie Design

Heydari's uber comfortable tunic and leggings (check out Chris laughing at me in the bottom right :)

modeling note: three words- double sided tape or you might have seen some nip on this one!

Wearing Emore J Cotour
The most fierce PVC pipe and a lamp shade I've ever seen.
Corjor design

How wonderful is that hair and make up?! Get it Warren!!

Muuaahhh! Me taking my job very seriously during the last pass.

Ahhhh I love these pics! You can click on each one, if you want to see them bigger. See more of me, and the rest of the show at Viceral Photography's website under the 'Galleries' click on 'Artomatic 2009' tab. Which outfit is your favorite? : )

RECAP: Artomatic's 'Art In Fashion' Runway Show

(left to right) Chris, Bo Himself, Me, and Dr. Danny

Warren and I

Ali and I after the show
Viceral Photography's Pic of Chris BORED ahahah (don't worry that's not me on the runway :)

Crazy picture of me in Emore' J Coture

It's events like this that make me realize how fortunate I am. Fortunate to be asked to be involved in events like this, and fortunate not only to get to work with some of the most talented people in the industry, but to get to call some of them my friends :)

That being said, I had a fucking blast last night! The day started early at Ginger's (Booshie Design) helping get things together for the show. Once at Artomatic, if you haven't been to there, it's awesome, nine floors of diverse art, all free to the community! Make up artist extraordinaire, Warren was sweet enough to agree to do come and do my makeup, and hair but ended up a.) getting mobbed, and b.) putting on a clinic for everyone. He is so flipping talented, we worked together in my 2nd photo shoot ever (blog post here) and I've been dying to work with him again. For some fluke he agreed to come, but he was such a big hit, and after models saw my make up, they started to crowd him, and stand around watching. He's a master. Not only does he do make up, he's a hair artist, and was so sweet to check in with me after each pass and touch up my hair! Can't wait to work with him again, before he gets swooped up by someone like Beyonce :)

The show's designers kinda felt like a Washington White Party reunion, all my favorite's were there: Heydari, Emore' J Couture, and Mr. William's collection, Corjor. I was privileged enough to be asked to be in all of their passes again and Booshie Design!!(you can see me walk in Emore's collection from the white party here) Danny, who has seen me walk in every runway show I've done, said it was my best runway show yet! Not to mention I received 5 snaps from people after the show (ex "you were fiieerrrce girl" snap* snap*) There was a great turnout, Viceral Photography taking pics, a beautiful runway, and Bo, Chris and Ali were all there to watch :)
Stay posted for Danny's pics!

PHOTO SHOOT: Bo Zhang

I MEAN BUSINESS!
Hahaha that's what I call this look. I look like a sassy accountant. Bo thinks it looks like an H & M add... I have been looking to working with Bo for a super long time. I saw his work on on the wonderful makeup artist, Warren's Model Mayhem page, and instantly fell in love with his work! So different and edgy (kinda like me. :). His just moved back from the UK, and you can see it in his work, it's fresh. Well, that being said, I begged him to shoot me, and thankfully he agreed. Initially we had planned to use Warren again, but he has started a job at a salon where he works 6 days a week. :( But some how Bo found Chontae. (I don't know, maybe she fell from heaven?!?) She was an absolute pleasure to work with. Native DC'er we hit it off from the start! And she even doubled as a stylist- helping pin dresses etc, and tripled as a photographer's assistant holding the fan on me (those pictures later). That being said, I've got to work with her again.
This shoot was the most fun! First off it was three blocks away, awesome. And it was a studio apartment studio, meaning it had HEAT. That's the first shoot I've done with actual heat, not a portable heater. I.e. we were all comfortable, didn't have to wear coats, I wasn't shaking between shots or turning purple. So that was nice. What else was nice was Bo bringing breakfast. How awesome is that?! He brought donuts, bagels, juices, it was soo nice! He also played techno music... what more could you ask for?
The first look was more natural makeup, in a gown, with more emphasis on hair movement, (fan blowing in my hair). We didn't spend too much time on this look. The second set was outside. Yes, I said outside, in 20 degree weather. But Bo is a gangster. I was in this super thin leopard print gown, so Bo shot in a tee shirt (just to be fair)! That's gangster. Chontae and I took the opportunity outside to take a cigarette break, smoking between snaps of the camera. I'm really excited about these shots. Bo is a master at shots on location. Really, master. And I was doing fun stuff in a dirty alley with snow on the ground. :) You'll see.
The third shot was the above pictures. When I first knew we were going to work together, we had to do something edgy, so I put together the 'suit' above. I was hoping Bo would like it, and he said he loved it! This was a fun set because I could really move around. And earlier I had dragged this huge mirror so I could see myself as we shot (which is always helpful, for both parties) so I think we got some strong shots. Bo's funny, he seemed almost surprised and my ability to maneuver in such high heels. Little does he know I wear heels everyday. :) I really admired how, while we were shooting, he periodically referenced pictures he had, just to keep ideas and concepts in mind. I think that's a great idea as a photographer. Especially if you're trying something new, or have a specific idea in mind.
Well, all in all, super fun shoot with great people. I hope we can do it again! You can read Bo's side of the shoot on his blog here. And stay posted for pics of the other two looks. :)