Milestones

We're pleased to announce four new milestones this week at the BeautifulYouth Project! Nadia has reached her 500th catalog shot, as has Candy and Kaylin! We are also wonderfully pleased to let you know that Buzz has reached his 750th catalog shot. We're very excited about these milestones and look forward to showing more of the work of these talented models in the future!

Milestones

We're proud to announce two BY Project catalog milestones this week!

First, Hawk (see right) has reached his 500th catalog shot. Hawk has an easy way with the camera, and the most uniquely honey-colored eyes we've come across.

Also, BY Project veteran Kadabra (picture, left) has reached his 750th catalog entry. As half of the Abra/Kadabra twin duo, Kadabra has established his own identity and sense of style.

We look forward to more wonderful catalog additions from both these talented models!

Shooting on Twin Coasts

This holiday, the BeautifulYouth Project added two new shoots... one on each coast! While we vistied the beach with the lovely and talented Shelley, east-coast photographer Dex visited a gorgeous state park in the northeast with Jacob and Bryson.

Shelley's sh

oot was on one of the most lovely beaches that California has to offer (you can see the same beach in Kopa's first shoot)... unfortunately (!) the

weather was absolutely wonderful, so it seemed that half of California's popula

tion had also come to same beach. We toyed with the idea of choosing another beach, but eventually decided to shoot "around" the others there that day (we did get some onlookers, obviously wondering who this was in front of the camera!).

The shoot was wonderful; Shelley was, as always, poised and professional, and having a good time enjoying the weather and the waves.

Back east, our photographer Dex was running into the same fine-weather crowds! Jacob and Bryson were in good spirits, though Jacob admitted to staying out a bit late the night before (which led to some really interesting funny-face

shots!). Dex reported that the shoot went well, and that Jacob and Bryson were fun to work with... even if it meant working around crowds.

Flowers and Fountains

Over the long weekend, we were lucky to shoot with one of our newer (and busiest) models, Olga. Scheduling has always been an activity of give-and-take with the BY models, but this time we were able to get a nice 2-hour slice of time in between shoots for two movies that Olga is currently working on. We met on a pleasant overcast day, in a park a few miles away from the set of one of the movies on which Olga is working. With her schedule, I was a bit worried about overtaxing her, but she arrived, excited and ready to shoot.

We explored some natural rock backdrops and the shoreline of the park's lake, as we worked with sunflowers (one of my favorite props- so c

olourful!). Olga was energetic and had some ideas of her own that we explored as well. From there, we moved to a secluded area that features a beautiful man-made waterfall/fountain and shot with a lovely summer dress that Olga had brought for the occasion.

From there, we moved to a nearby freeway undercrossing for a more urban and sparse set.

A wonderful day of shooting with the very talented Olga!

Hot and Cold at the Coast

This weekend past, we travelled to the sunny (?) California coastline to shoot Lana, Nadia, and Jennifer Valeria. We arrived at 9:00 a.m., and (no surprise), the marine layer of overcast clouds had not yet burned off. Lana and Nadia were scheduled to do a duo shoot, and both were shivering!

We used the overcast light and cooler temperatures to do some nice work in casual beach clothes with hooded light coats... and after about an hour, sure enough, the summer sun did its work and began peeking through the cloud cover.

Lana and Nadia shot together and alone, up and down the beach, in a variety of wardrobes, and throughout the morning the temperature lurched from cool to hot.

By noon, the sun had taken its hold in the sky, and warmed the sands, and we finished with Lana and Nadia. We ate a small picnic lunch, and a short time later were joined by Jennifer Valeria.

Jennifer had requested a beach shoot earlier and was excited, exhibiting her trademark joie de

vivre as we traveled up and down the beach, posed by the bluffs, in the sand, and did cartwheels at the water's edge (well, at least SHE did some cartwheels).

All in all, we had a wonderful day at the beach, and took home some wonderful photos from some very talented models as souvenirs.

Bringing the Heat!

While most of the shoots we've done this summer have been under wonderful weather conditions, our scheduled meet-up with Cameron, Candy, and Kaylin this past weekend coincided with one of the hottest days that California has seen this summer!

All three were troopers, and turned in stellar work, despite the oppressive heat. We even had a break in the action under a cottonwood tree to enjoy some otter pops

purchased from a passing ice cream vendor.

Because of the heat, the shoot was shorter than most, but, what was lost in quantity was more than made up for in quality! All three are so at home in the eye of the camera, the shoot came off with ease!

Lazy End of Summer Days

This weekend we were lucky enough to be the guests of Hawk and his family for an end-of-the summer barbecue. Of course, we combined this with a photoshoot!

Hawk, as usual, was poised and confident, with an easy-going style that is all his own. He had invited some of his school friends for the barbecue, so, as he waited for them to arrive, we shot in the park close to his house (where he could keep an eye on the comings and goings of traffic).

I'm always amazed at Hawk's easy style and mesmerizing honey-coloured eyes... we spent some of the time looking for just the right light to show off his wonderful eyes.

We wrapped shooting just as his friends arrived, and everyone retired to the pool deck for swimming and barbecue. Hawk had previously told his friends that he was a model, and one of the friends that came over was a doubting Thomas! When he saw the last few shots being taken, he commented "Hey, you really ARE a model!" A wonderful shoot to cap a lovely summer!

Super Shoot 2009

This weekend, we invited all the BY Project models to a lovely outdoor setting for a barbecue and "Super Shoot". The idea was to get as many model pairs and groups together for a shoot and afternoon of fun.

Attending the party were: Cameron, Candy, Kaylin, Esther, Leah Sarah, Jennifer Valeria, Kopa, and Shelley. Also attending the party was Cole, our BeautifulYouth Project adjunct photographer (from the midwest, he has been one of two photographers responsible for shooting Bryson, Jacob, and JC).

Luckily, we scheduled the party for the morning and early afternoon, because soon after the morning dew had evaporated, the temperatures went soaring well past 100 degrees.

First up, we paired Kopa with Jennifer Valeria... a challenge, not so much because of the disparity in their ages, but, rather, their height. Both, being at home in front of a camera, and being exquisitely photogenic pulled the set off quite well, with a playful tone that you can see shining through the pictures we took.

Next up, we took the trio of Cameron, Candy, and Kaylin and posed for some nice trio shots in the shade. Behind the camera, Shelley and Leah Sarah were joking around and readying themselves for their turn... we shot them next with Candy thrown in to complete the trio.

Next, Candy and Kopa posed for Cole while Cameron and Jennifer Valeria played around for my camera. Kopa paired next with Kaylin, and Shelley and Leah Sarah (and a few with Esther) set up a nice shoot in the shade.

The day finished up with another round of the Shelley-Leah Sarah-Candy trio in one spot and Esther posed with Jennifer Valeria.

A wonderful day that returned some wonderful groupings... look for them soon (you can see them as they are finished in the Patrons' Area).

Summer Day at the Estate

This past weekend, we were lucky enough to shoot the four models, Abra, Kadabra, Buzz, and Sahara on the grounds of a lovely estate in the foothills that overlooks the American river. In a stylistic homage to ranch living, the trees, grounds, and view provided us with a wonderful setting.

Abra shot first, sporting a new close-cropped haircut that accentuated his physical stature. During the shoot, he related his recent mission trip to sub-Saharan Africa (with his brother, Kadabra). All the while, I couldn't help but think what an incredible, selfless person he has turned out to be, and how much more

wonderful a world this would be if more youth were to follow his lead.

Second to shoot was Sahara, who sported a new, shorter haircut and more of a "casual cool" look

than her classic looks of the past. Giving an aura of being more at home in her new look, Sahara exuded a confident "cool" and poise that was wonderful to see.

Third was Buzz, who, through the years, has become more quiet, yet confident, in his appearance before the camera. Buzz enjoyed himself through the shoot, and grows more poised with every shoot.

Last, but not least, it was Kadabra's turn, and, breaking with tradition, appeared very different than his twin this time. With his hair longer, he evoked the images of rock stars past (and present)... at times seeming to be the reincarnation of poster icons such as Rick Springfield or David Cassidy. Affable and light, Kadabra showed off his book of artwork between sets, showing a keen ability sketching and drawing, and something told me that we may be seeing something from this young man in

galleries before the decade is out.

Sisters in the Country

This past Saturday, we had lovely shoots with Leah Sarah and Esther as we travelled to a lovely local wilderness preserve nestled in an old-growth sycamore grove. Both girls had come from successful auditions for television and web shows earlier in the day, but, rather than being tired, seemed to be more energized and ready to shoot.

The setting sun provided a lovely warmth of light. Alternating the shoots (one set with Leah Sarah, then one with Esther, then repeating), we looked to make good use of the idyllic backdrops. Leah Sarah was her usual poised self,

acutely aware of her camera presence.

Esther, as always, was full of her joie de vivre and had a lot

of fun trying different poses.

We're looking forward to seeing both Esther and Leah Sarah at our upcoming Super Shoot weekend!

Warm Day at the Railway

This past weekend, we had another wonderful shoot with Jennifer Valeria, one of the BeautifulYouth Project's newest models. As the temperature threatened to soar into the 100's, Jennifer Valeria was as cool as a cucumber. Modelling a variety of summer dresses (and a wild red-white-and-blue combo as well), we shot by the same railway siding where we shot Cameron a few months back. Even though the temperature was warm, Jennifer Valeria displayed the same charm, playfulness and poise that she showed in her first shoot (during equally adverse cold weather!) last fall. She is such a natural, and so naturally photogenic, that I'm excited about the results of the shoot, which will be displayed very soon in the Patrons' galleries (and in the element galleries thereafter). We look forward to pairing Jennifer Valeria with one of the other BY models for a duo shoot next month!

Milestone

Congratulations to Lana, as she has reached her 500th catalog entry for the BeautifulYouth Project (see right). We are very lucky to have someone as naturally beautful and talented with the project.

A Lovely Summer's Day

This weekend, we had our second shoot with the wonderfully talented Shelley. Shelley, who came to the project by tagging along on a shoot with her friend, model Leah Sarah, has emerged as one of the BeautifulYouth Project's most talented young models.

We began the shoot on a gorgeous summer morning in a local municipal rose garden. However, something happened that has only happened once before with the project... we were asked to leave! (The only other time this had happened was during a 2001 shoot with Sophie... we had set up to shoot on the grounds of an unfinished shopping mall... we were asked to leave because of insurance concerns). As it turns out, the garden had rules about private vs. commercial photography on the grounds- one of the groundskeepers asked us what we were doing... and seemed a bit confused! The rule seems to have been put in place so that the city could charge (rather exorbitant) "license fees" to wedding photographers. While we weren't shooting "family photos", we weren't shooting wedding shots either. It seems that he didn't know what to do with the "artistic" photo category. So, erring on the side of... well, I'm not sure what side he was erring on, he decided that we should go elsewhere.

Which is what we did... a city park a short distance away served as the backdrop for the remainder of the shoot, which turned out rather nicely. Shelley was wonderfully poised, confident, and was clearly having fun with the shoot. We look forward to another shoot with Shelley later on this summer. Look for photos from Shelley's new shoot in patrons' galleries soon!

The BY Project Welcomes Another Show-Stopper

The BeautifulYouth Project is pleased to welcome its newest model, Tony. Tony is an 11-year-old with theater experience who projects his joie de vivre into each photograph. Tony is also a singer and dancer and currently is a cast member in a regional theater production of "The Full Monty".

Tony arrived at the shoot with his new Australian Shepherd puppy, Ace (yes, we got some very cute shots of them together!). Easy-going, and happily talkative, Tony was wonderful to shoot with! After viewing the photographs, it's looking as though Tony could easily be cast as a younger version of a Liam Neeson character. Look for his first gallery in the Patrons' Area soon!