Sunrise (Patreon)

It’s wild even looking at my right hip in these photos. The lack of tattoos is a staunch reminder that this was indeed, about a decade ago. It’s baffling how time flies.

This shoot still holds some truly wonderful memories. Aside from the photographer being extremely kind and helping me feel very at ease, the whole shoot was really an exploration of self and surroundings.

At that time, I had a cousin living in Dallas with whom I am very close. So any time I wanted to get down that way to book some modeling work, I’d often stay with her and her family. It was a great way to get some family time and make some money.

This photographer, we’ll call him “R”, booked me through the ol’ Model Mayhem website. I DO NOT recommend anyone use that site now, as it’s become insanely scammy. Hell, looking back, it was scammy even then and full of creepy guys known in the photography community as GWCs, (guys with camera) because they were only in it to get to see women naked more or less. Anywho, my ass just...I was about to type out “got lucky”, but I don’t think that’s actually true. I believe the universe protected me in those days because I really put myself in some risky situations. Anywho, I did my research on R, made sure he had worked with other models who were established and all that jazz, and went out for this early morning shoot.

He wanted to shoot at sunrise, and at that time I was game for whatever. We met at an old abandoned building that I think he said used to be a hospital or something. It was pretty run down with lots of big holes in the walls and whatnot. It was also fenced off, but we went in anyways. (Nowadays, that would be a big hell naw!)

I was stoked wandering around in there as we ventured up to the top of the building where he wanted to shoot for sunrise. Once you see more of the pics, I think you’ll get why!

I brought a couple pieces of lingerie, but in those days the clothes didn’t stay on for long. I’d take maybe 10-20 shots before I started stripping it off. Sometimes I regret having done that so fast because I have tons of gorgeous photos that I now can’t share. I mean, I CAN, but I have to censor them like these. Lol 

Also, I find this pic hilarious. Did I need to pee?! 😂

The weather that morning was a little brisk, but not bad and the wind made for some lovely movement in my hair. The top of the building was missing what would have been roof and walls in many places. I felt very free and very in my body. I wasn’t as great with posing at that time but even now when I look at these shots, I can tell I was really feeling it.

i mean... not sure what this pose  was, but sometimes it’s hit or miss! 

(btw, i edited only my nipples. The rest of the flare is natural from the sunrise!)

After we shot for a half hour or so up there, we wandered back down the stairs and did some shots in other parts of the building, like the elevator (again, STUPID) and the stairs.

Pretty sure I didn’t wash my hands after this shoot. 😣😝

I think he’d hired me only for an hour or two, so even though it was quick, we got tons of gorgeous shots.

When I think back to a lot of my shoots, I can remember how the photographers made me feel and this one I think might have been an angel of sorts. R had such a calm demeanor, but still quite playful. Didn’t give me attitude. Let me pose myself and only had a couple shots in mind he asked for. Those were the kind of photographers who I think truly helped me blossom as a model. Having the room and permission to explore my body and how it can move is priceless and in many ways, I do miss it. Obviously not enough to go back to it...haha. I am forever grateful to photographers like R.