Home Is Where The Heart Is With Ariel Jean (Patreon)

There is a select and very small handful of people that I will always work with. That same handful are some of my closest friends. There is something vastly different to me in capturing someone whom you have an intimate relationship with versus casting someone of whom you do not know at all. Now, I am not saying those images of strangers cannot be powerful, but it just simply inspires me to work with my close friends.

This is one of those shoots that does that very thing for me. This day, was one of those days that inspired me and tickled my creativity. Ariel and I speak often, every day if not every other. It had been some time since we had last shot with one another and during the morning we decided that the very next day would be the next time we created together. I had to work late the night prior to this shoot, so I packed my things before heading into work and had them right by the door so I could run in, grab Kylea, the bags and hit the road down to Orange County. Arriving just after 1 A.M., I walked in and was soon after greeted by a doberman puppy named Ozzie. Kylea is his very best of friends and it hurts him to his core because she wants little to nothing to do with him. As I settled in, set up the couch for slumber and sipped on some late evening whiskey, Ozzie kept getting in Kylea's face and she would quickly let him know she was not open to the affection in the least. Ariel soon after woke up with all of the commotion between the dogs which then then gave me a hug, chugged a glass of orange juice and went straight back to sleep. I followed suit soon after to only be woken up every other half hour by Ozzie and Kylea.

The next morning began in a haze with a sprinkle of confusion and worry. Over the early morning hours, someone had broken into Ariel's car and stole everything that was inside. Her wallet, clothes, Christmas presents and even her daughter's school things. Why exactly someone would need a little girl's backpack and some 'color in the lines' worksheets is beyond one, but there we were with an empty car and some high strung emotions.

A short while later we were on our way to drop her daughter off at school and get the most important piece of the morning puzzle, coffee. With caffeine in our hands and a slow but steady uptick in energy and alertness we headed back to Ariel's home to truly begin our morning with some cameras and film. While Ariel showered and washed away the morning stresses, I sipped my coffee and walked around taking photos of her beautiful new space to create a soft and beautiful story on Instagram leading up to revealing who I was shooting with.

I used to shoot 'progressive' style in where the model will start clothed and slowly but surely ditch their garments. I have strayed away from this shoot style mainly because it does not tickle my creativity any longer. I would prefer to just get right to the point of the shots I have in mind and not trouble myself with things I will not be fully enthused to work on in post. Ariel stripped away her towel and hopped into her bed. I chugged down several gulps of coffee, picked up a camera and we were both ready to create.

The next piece that comes to mind is a little harder to put into words. We ended up shooting this very same spot for quite some time. Switching between all of the cameras and formats I had brought with me. Time seems to melt away while I am in the zone with someone I feel safe with. Less focus on getting 'the shot' and more focus on simply having a good time and capturing what we capture. It is the feeling of it all that matters, that is what translates to the photos for me. Ariel and I are very close, I feel some sense of need to take care of her when we are with one another in any way I can. I am very gentle with her in every aspect of our friendship. I think that the love we have for each other shows in this set. She told me that she would never truly be able to trust or feel comfortable with someone besides me capturing her with no make up on in her own home and room. That means the world to me.

Enjoy.

- AW Media

 https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ealnmcupsexi8q/AACEc25E8QqpfdxGiSJ7pP6aa?dl=0