brave girls

San Francisco: It broke 90 in much of the Bay Area today. We're not accustomed to this on the coast, especially in spring. It's dead outside, it seems everyone just stayed home. Those who are out aren't moving quite as quickly as usual.

In the morning I get on an airplane to Chicago, where it isn't nearly that hot... not yet.

And I'm trying an experiment. A new series of photos, yeah, I do that a lot. I'm in the mood to work with some fresh talent in addition to a few of the old reliable friends, but not in the mood to deal with girls who are afraid of their own bodies. So I posted a casting call, and very clearly stated that topless-level nudity is a requirement.

The responses so far... it's only been up about a day and a half... have been surprisingly positive. Out of about 90 views, four have responded, and only one of those is an absolute no-way-I'll work-with-her. Another I'd shoot with if the timing worked, but she gets into town a few days too late. The remaining two are local, and they both really do interest me. One has agreed to a time and place, the other just posted, and I haven't had time to respond yet.

They aren't what I'd consider edgy/alternative, not at all. But they aren't hopelessly vanilla, either. They're both capable of being serious, I think. Both have an interest in fashion, which is fine for this concept, actually an advantage in a way; although both are, in the usual unfair way of the world, too short for fashion. Neither has any nudes posted, neither says anything about the matter in their profiles. I wouldn't have guessed they'd say yes, but they don't scream go away, either.

They're young enough and new enough at this and mainstream enough that the no-show or bail-out risk is higher than what I typically encounter. I'll take the chance, and if this continues to screen out the hopelessly inhibited girls, I may try it more often.