markvelasquez

Salerno, Pt. 9

Realizing we couldn't have her be topless the entire time, I had Lola pick one of the shirts we had brought and Deborah put it on and proceeded to get it wet. The only word that I could think of as she came out of the water and turned to face me was "ridiculous." 

Her figure was astounding. Probably due to overexposure with the women I work with, I find a woman wearing a tight-fitting shirt more attractive in my personal life than seeing a woman topless, which sounds crazy, I know, but it...

Salerno, Pt. 8

Of course, this is another of my favorites from that day. Deborah was the perfect Italian model, sporting dark skin, prominent yet attractive features. She was tall and intimitdating, yet incredibly silly and goofy, flashing smiles that immediately made you realize that she was simply a kid at heart. She was so happy with the images I showed her on the back of the camera out there in the water that on more than one occasion she kissed me straight on the mouth. I was never sure if this was a sign...

Salerno, Pt. 7

This is one of my favorite shots of that day. It looks so posed, so staged, so surreal. Yet it was a shot taken in motion, with her flickig her hand back, the water droplets frozen in the air as I clicked the shutter.

Images like this make me feel uncomfortably prideful, as though I might actually be decent at this whole "photography thing." Of course, being the self-conscious, doubting Mexican that I am, I quickly force that notion out of my brain and focus on all the flaws of this and all my...

Salerno, Pt. 6

The Mediterranean was all I had ever dreamed it would be. After studying the history and politics of Rome from ancient times through to today over the course of my life, this experience was like heaven. At the time, I remember patting myself metaphorically on the back, thinking "Not bad for a fry cook who is one generation away from field workers."

When I returned home a week later, back to my small room behind my friend's house and my job cooking behind the fryer and grill of the restaurant, ...

Salerno, Pt. 5

Thankfully, the beach was beautiful, Deborah was almost a natural model, and the overall situation was fairly hard to screw up in photographs. Occasionally a hooting bystander would appear, or a passing cargo vessel would trailacross the background, but for the most part, all I really had to do was click away. "Fish in a Barrel Shooting," I like to call it.

Salerno, Pt. 4

Unfortunately, Deborah, not a professional model by any means, was far more shy than most Americans would expect a European woman to be about her body, but she trusted me enough to shoot some bare-back/implied nude shots.

As I was jostled and lost my footing several times in the shallow, uneven shoreline, waste deep in the Mediterranean, my trusty assitant, Lola, would occasionally come out and grab the camera so I could try to adjust myself and find some degree of stability again.

Lola ...

Salerno, Pt. 3

I don't know where Greg had found Deborah, a tall and buxom party girl eager to shoot, but she spoke hardly any English, and Greg wasn't much better. The shoot involved a lot of pantomiming, and I used the patented "speak louder" technique, which all Americans invariably do when they aren't being understood, in hopes that volume will make all the difference.

Salerno, Pt. 2

I was staying with Gregorio, a tall, skinny fan of my work, sleeping on his rickety bed while he slept on the couch, being fed by his adorable mother and exploring the area during the day.

He had arranged this whole shoot. I had told him I wanted a secluded beach and a model, and next thing I knew, we were headed out. 

Salerno, Pt. 1

Three years ago I just about went broke going on a month long trip through Europe. My goal was to work with models in every country I visited, but this plan didn't always work out according to schedule. Thankfully, the last model I shot, Deborah in Salerno, Italy, was exactly what I had been hoping for.

-

Find this full set at the discount $5 Level!

BEGINNERS, Pt. 15

Just as she was becoming comfortable with her shirt off (covered by her blanket the whole time), a couple with their two dogs came bounding onto the dunes, with the dogs heading straight for us. The two furry beasts were so happy and wouldn't leave her alone, and she was torn between wanting to pet them and needing to preserve her dignity. She eventually got her shirt on and I gave her a ride home. Her mom was so proud of her for the attempt, and thanked me for capturing what she knew would be g...

BEGINNERS, Pt. 14

"You want me to take something off...?" she asked, which would always be a welcome invitation from any other model, yet for Elizabeth, who I feel like an uncle towards, I was very uncertain. "You've seen it all before anyway, ya?" she said, and I assured her, yes, I had. So we decided to take a few bare-back shots and then end our shoot.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 13

Here's another effortless beauty shot.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 12

Eventually it was getting too cold for her, so I called it a day. She threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, grabbed her blanket and bag, and we headed back up the hill to the car. But she looked so lovely in the light of the setting sun that I made her stop, but most of her gear down, and pose for a few last shots. Her face should be carved in marble.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 11

The most revealing shot of the day. Though in the moment she practically ran away and tried to hide due to showing so much skin, she relented to me taking a "butt shot," proud of that one attribute she insisted was her best.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 10

This is one of my favorites from that afternoon. Simple, elegant, timeless.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 9

She felt incredibly self-conscious in this bodysuit, but I assured her she looked great, and she reluctantly trusted me on that biased opinion.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 8

With all the restricts she had placed on herself and me, it was a bit difficult to shoot her in my normal style and some angles and poses seem stiff or as though she was trying too hard. Still, it was far too easy to make her look good, no matter what the complications.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 7

Again, these shots were for her, not for me.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 6

Being a Millenial Hipster, she insisted on bringing a bunch of props, hats, etc., and I did my best to be encouraging and agree to whatever she wanted. This shoot was for her, not for me, but she repeatedly insisted "But you can post them!", knowing my large following on Instagram and other social media platforms might bring her some of the positive attention she craved.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 5

BEGINNERS, Pt. 4

She felt far too revealing in this outfit, but once again, I assured her she was being silly. "I know, I know..." she relented, "Just tell me to shut up."

I never told her that, but continually reiterated that she had always been a beautiful person, even as a young girl, and that, despite her perception, I couldn't think of anyone who didn't regard her as a natural stunner.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 3

Of course, Elizabeth was very shy at first. "Could you photoshop out my nipples," she asked nervously, which I assured her I would, mostly. I finally convinced her that the only way to overcome her fear was to confront it head on. She desperately wanted to knw how people would react to such photos of herself, needing to hear good things, and I assured her she would get the desired response.

BEGINNERS, Pt. 2

Oddly enough, I've known Elizabeth since her mother, a talented artist and local educator in san Luis Obispo, became friends at an art opening almost a decade ago. When Elizabeth was 14 years old, her mom insisted she take part in a  Dia de Los Muertos series I was shooting, and since then, Elizabeth has always wanted to model for me since.

Unfortunately, now that she is 20 and in college, she is painfully insecure, and was hoping her first sexy shoot would help her overcome some of her i...

BEGINNERS, Pt. 1

All models have to start somewhere. Here is a test shoot with a first-timer.

-

Find this full set at the $5 Level!