Today’s Post by Joe Farace
A muse is a woman or a force that’s personified as a woman and who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist, or in my case a portrait and glamour photographer.
I only got to photograph Erin Valakari from October, 2017 until November, 2018, yet we literally made more than 4,000 images during that time and I had some of the most creative and most fun shoots when photographing a model in a very long time.
Over the year or so we worked together, we were able to showcase all of her many different looks in many different styles as well as using all kinds f=of photographic gear and lighting techniques to capture these images. She was truly one of the most wonderful models and human beings that I have ever photographed. But now…
When testing cameras, lenses and lighting equipment, I am casting female models who are interested in posing for the kind of photographs that you see scattered throughout this blog. To accomplish that goal, I’m looking for models to pose for these projects I’m especially interested in finding a new muse. No experience is necessary and I prefer working with women from ages 21-45.
All shoots will be on a TFP basis but for assignments for print or corporate clients I’ll pay the model an hourly rate based on the her experience. Sessions typically run two hours and are scheduled during the day Monday through Friday in my home studio that’s located near Parker, Colorado. Saturday morning sessions are possible for exceptional models. Except for film shoots where we have to wait for processing, the model will leave the session with their choice of a flash drive or CD containing all of the photographs that we make together. Images from film shoots will be shipped to her in around two weeks. No matter how the model receives the image files, they can be used anyway they like including sales or on sites such as Patreon, Bentbox OnlyFans or others,
If you have a friend or maybe yourself who would like to be my new muse, please contact me through the Contact page or e-mail me at joefarace at gmail dot com to schedule a test shoot.
How I made this portrait: For the featured intimate portrait of Erin Valakari, a Lastolite Distressed Paper collapsible background was used as backdrop and was leaned up against another background that was hanging from my JTL background stands. Lighting was from a single Paul C Buff DigiBee DB800 with a Plume Wafer HexOval 100 (37.5 x 27.5 by 12 inches deep) attached and placed at camera right with a 32-inch reflector located at camera left. The camera used was my Panasonic Lumix GH4 with G Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 43mm and an exposure of 1/160 sec and f/6.3 and ISO 200.