refresh

After a longer than usual pause (two and a half months) without photographing a model, the muse returned last weekend. I spent a good part of the day with Iona Lynn, with a couple of hours of that time devoted to taking photos and most of the rest to talking about photography and things related.

We shot at one of my favorite marin locations, in a sustained moderate rain. I'm back in a medium format mood for now, so it was all tripod work, with an umbrella over the camera. I only shot about 4 rolls, 48 frames. As I sometimes do, I gambled and tried a film/developer combination I'm not really accustomed to, and while I'd nudge things a bit this way or that next time, it worked pretty well. There are quite a few good ones to pick from, and one that really pops. Always the perfectionist, I wish there was just a bit more shadow detail in that tiny area under that iron ring on the wall...

The important thing is that I'm ready to shoot again, finally. Since I'm returning to the Bay Area in less than two weeks, I've started scrambling a little to set some things up, since my once long waiting list of models there has dissipated from neglect and moving to other places.

There was already one possibility in place, someone who corresponded in mid-trip last time but too late to fit in that time... a nice counterpoint to the darker ones I usually work with, she's blond and not afraid to make crazy faces. I like her attitude, so hopefully the timing will work this trip.

Then Hana came out of nowhere, one of my favorite models ever, who I'd lost track of and haven't seen since sometime in mid-2005. She called me this morning, and I think we just might make a shoot happen soon. Nothing is ever sure with Hana, it's like trying to hold onto the wind or the fog, which is exactly what makes her so awesome to shoot with. it will happen if it's ready to happen.

Before that came about I posted a casting call. I always cringe a little to do this, because while it draws a surprising number of quality responses, it also draws some people... well, I should be careful what I say. Not my usual type, let's leave it at that.

So as I sometimes do, I specified nudity... sometimes I do that just to scare away the wannabes, although this time it's real, something I do really need for this particular concept. And this time... two interesting responses. One very tall and very alternative; and one a little more glamour-like than I usually accept, but attractive and, I think, with enough range to do what I need.

Suddenly I have more possibilities than available time, so I'm relying on the fact that it's not likely all of them will actually happen, it would would be surprising if at least one didn't need to at least wait til a future trip. Sometimes one will just disappear after the first message exchange. So let's see who stays interested and who falls by the wayside, and go from there.