Nici at Kuuz Studio in Prague
Love this photo so much, I posted a color version below. I think I prefer the black-and-white though. What do you think?
I have a few models I work with whenever I visit Prague. It’s a city I often like to begin my trips through Europe in. There’s something about the setting, the atmosphere, and my favorite studio, Studio Kuuz, that gets me excited to take photographs. And the models are phenomenal. Beautiful, creative, and enthusiastic about shooting. They help me do my absolute best work. I stress the importance of working with the best people you can, and my model Nici, in this set, is one such person.
This was our second time working together and I feel like we improved dramatically over our first session. Don’t get me wrong, the first shoot was great and I felt I improved as an artist. But I feel like we really raised our game even farther with this set. One thing I like about working with her is she understands posing and positioning so well. Not a finger or toe was out of place whenever she would pose, then pause in order for me to get the picture. She always knows where the light is and what angle she should be at for the best results which makes my job so much easier. I have to do considerably less directing and can get in a flow of capturing photographs as they occur naturally. It’s a very freeing experience and one of the benefits of working with experienced models over, say, regular people who will often need more directing. It’s also one of the reasons, I only shoot professional models for nude work. Who has time to deal with the awkwardness, insecurities, etc. of the average person who wants to pose because they think “it will be fun”? When you work with professionals they know themselves, they have experience, they understand what you’re trying to achieve, and everyone’s working to serve the photograph, not their individual vanity. Or at least that’s the environment I foster on my own shoots.
I would argue nude modeling is much more difficult than posing with clothing. Not to dismiss the hard work of fashion models, but posing nude requires such a higher awareness of where your limbs are. A misplaced hand here or there may still work in an image with clothing, but ruins a nude photograph. You can even hide limbs with clothing or accessories like handbags or some other prop the model can play off of. When posing nude, you don’t have that luxury. You have to play off of the space itself, be aware of the light’s position, and pay attention to your entire body. Plus hair and other anatomical parts for the women. It’s a skill not every one has and takes time to get better at. Not to mention, most people are uncomfortable posing nude altogether. It isn’t for the shy, prudish, or faint of heart.
A big thank you to Nici, who has helped me grow as an artist every time we’ve worked together.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this series!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Nici @rici.pic
Studio: Kuuz Studio kuuz.studio_kosire
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 85MM f/1.4 GM II AND SONY FE 28-70 f/2 GM LENS
IN CLOSING
Whenever I do shoots like this, I end up with thousands of images. These sessions last about 2-3 hours and I’m shooting nonstop. I’m not a spray and pray type of shooter, but when you work with such a great model, they’ll give you so many amazing opportunities to capture a great photograph, it makes sense I tend to shoot more than normal. This series is just a small sample from our shoot. There are many other images that work as either a series or as a one-shot, so I’ll be sharing those over time as well. It’s great to have options.
Equipment wise, I went with my trusty Sony A7RV, the new Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II (My favorite 85mm lens of all time), and the Sony 28-70 f/2 GM. The 28-70 is a beast of a lens, but I prefer its improved light gathering capability, sharpness, and character over the standard 24-70. The new 85mm is fantastic. So sharp and detailed with such a perfect rendering of faces. It is by far my favorite 85mm lens and one that stays in my kit for all shoots. I can do practically all my work with this trio of lenses. I’ve been so enamored with Sony’s lens offerings lately that I’ve sold all my third-party glass. I’m all in with Sony these days and I feel my creative life has been easier and more peaceful as a result.
I’ll be back in Prague next month and will probably shoot with Nici again. She’s essentially my muse there so you’ll be seeing a lot of shoots with her going forward.
Thank you again to Nici and Studio Kuuz. You bring out my best!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
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