Behind the Eyes of Eve

Before I left for Costa Rica, I found myself in the basement of D-Structure on Haight St. in San Francisco, sitting on a stool behind a shelf of clothes, getting my face done up in gold powder. Racks of clothes, stacks of boxes, and dozens of shelves towered over the cold, cement floor. It was the underbelly of the store, that was for sure. And yet, the space was somehow inviting. I have to accredit this to the amazing women who were involved in the photo shoot. There was Linda, who was doing my makeup and gossiping like the hairstylist she is. She had the kind of wit and sarcasm that could keep you in stitches. It was quite a challenge not to double over in laughter as she was applying my makeup. The risk of getting poked in the eye, however, helped keep me composed.
A woman named Sam was the photographer for the evening. She knew just how to direct the models and walked that fine line between bossy and nice. I definitely like a woman who can take charge! And so much better coming from a woman than a man... for obvious reasons.
And, of course, there was Dee Kennedy, the woman behind it all. The shoot was for her gemstone line, "Eyes of Eve"; sparkling gemstones that could be worn as bindis and faux piercings, among other things. Dee is quite the innovative woman. She's one of those people who has a million ideas swirling in her head- and she actually does something about it. She models, is the executive director of VAGABOOM! (a children's art educational non-profit in San Francisco), is in the band Think 13, is a tour organizer (her tours to Egypt are definitely worth checking out), owns the Eyes of Eve jewelry line, and is also a High Priestess. Yeah, pretty amazing. Oh, and not to mention that she's both gorgeous and super nice. The camaraderie during the photo shoot reminded me of hanging out with my girlfriends when I was 15; lots of giggles, zero pretentiousness, and an embarrassing amount of girl power. As well, I was happy because I got to model with my sword. And I love modeling with my sword. The more pics I have of me and that sword, the better! Because a girl with a sword is just so bad-ass. Especially when she's wearing Eyes of Eve.
Photo Credit: Sam O'Connor

Belly Dance Pin-Up

I love posing nude for the same reason I love to dance: self-expression. Belly dancing and artistic nude modeling have more in common than you would think. Both require poise, endurance, and playing with facial expressions. And more importantly, both emulate the beauty of the female body in a non-derogatory way.
A few weeks ago, I did a photo shoot with West Side Photography. When being photographed in the nude, it is important to find a photographer with whom you feel comfortable. I’ve responded to plenty of ads that were requesting an “artistic nude model”, only to discover that the photographer really just wanted to shoot some porn. If that’s your cup of tea, then that’s great. It’s just not mine. And no matter how much sweet talking you do, you're not going to convince me that it is.
West Side Photography is a safe haven when it comes to feeling comfortable in front of the camera- no porn, no creepiness, no hidden agenda. Just beautiful shots of strong, empowered women. Now that’s my cup of tea.
When I talk to people about nude modeling, many exclaim that they do not have the confidence to take their clothes off for the camera. For me, it has been the opposite: posing nude has given me confidence. It is so empowering to embrace your body and bare it all to the world in a way that highlights your strengths and not your flaws. Plus, there's always Photoshop.
There is also a surprising result that occurs from seeing yourself in nude photographs. Even while looking in the mirror, I am not able to truly see how my emotions are reflected in my body language or in the expressions on my face. But after looking at a series of 400 nude photos, I can’t help but notice how much my body reflects how I feel inside.
I did my first nude photo shoot while I was recovering from a traumatic event. Despite the confidence portrayed in the pictures, there was a faint trace of frailty in every shot. Juxtapose those pictures with the ones from my last shoot, and the contrast is striking. At this point in my life, I am stronger and more confident than I’ve ever been- and it translates in the photographs. Although, I’m sure holding a sword had something to do with me looking so fierce, too.