Porcelain dark beauty and 360º VR ballet video!

Good evening, Steemians! As you can imagine, in a year of posting here, I’ve shared a lot of my favorite work. Some days, I do find myself looking in to the obscure shoots from a couple years ago; other times I’m beside myself that I’ve somehow missed my absolute favorites! This is one of those shoots!

In February of last year, I worked with an incredibly talented, beautiful Minnesota model named Maria. She’s incredible gifted in dance and contortionism, which started turning my gears for a shoot concept. I have another friend in the Twin Cities named Abbie; a gorgeous model and a classically trained ballerina. I began concocting this idea of two ballerinas in a desolate and abandoned place. They’d look like porcelain dolls, beautiful and sad, sharing an outdoor picnic.

I rarely have a chance to do shoots of my own concept. I’m a full-time freelance artist, so I produce the work that the client requires. Fortunately, in my line of editorial fashion, most of my clients trust my judgement and taste. These kind of shoots, though, only happen once or twice a year. In the industry, they’re called “TF”, or “trade for”, shoots. They’re artistic collaborations for the sole sake of art […and expanding our portfolios or bringing a concept to life]. 

The team was Abbie and Maria, and my good friend Kira McCarty of On Site Muse. We we’re able to pull props for the picnic scene from OnSolidGround, a vintage rental house that specializing in weddings. Other friends chipped in with baskets and blankets. I scouted locations around Minneapolis and found an abandoned park hidden from the freeway, complete with overgrown rocks and stone benches.

Kira did an unbelievable job with hair and make-up and brought the porcelain doll look to life. Abbie and Maria’s hair even had lengths of raw cotton woven in to the braids! At the zero hour, I was able to connect with my friend Joy of Joynöelle and borrow sample wedding gowns from her boutique. Rarely, shoots like this just fall in to place, but this was one of them.

One of the most exciting parts of this shoot was that I had a chance to test my new THEAT S 360º VR camera! I mounted the camera on a monopod in the middle of the picnic and directed both models from behind a rock, connected to a live display on my phone via WiFI, so that I could see them but wouldn’t appear in the shot. Absolutely crazy technology. It was mind bending for a guy that has spent the last 20 years shooting still photography and traditional video.

*Requires compatible browser or phone to view in 360º

The girls are total pros and we captured some breathtaking photos. These are the kind of shoots that reaffirm I was in fact, meant to be a visual artist. It satisfied my need to express and execute a concept, create images that will last long after I’m gone, and experiment with new technology and how it can be applied to art and fashion. 

Thanks for reading! Follow me at @kommienezuspadt for more art, photography, writings and thoughts.

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Two beautiful models in exotic setting.
Do check out the artwork by my autistic son
https://steemit.com/art/@positivesteem/my-autistic-son-the-emerging-artist

That's a great post, @posirivesteem! My son's half brother has autism as well.

This is absolutely stunning in a subtly dark, macabre sort of way.

Thanks very much @seanengman! That's the vibe I was hoping to achieve.

beautiful pictures. nice idea!! keep going!

Thanks @jhonny-galaxys. I wish I was able to set up shoots like this more often. I think in a couple of years, between Steemit and Patreon, I'll be able to do more shoots like this and still make a living.

I like this last image... very cool :)) I like it

Thanks @foxkoit! It's a little more saturated than I usually process my work, but it was a special set of circumstances.

But it is ok.. I like it :)

Wow! This is great stuff. Pushing boundaries is such a great way to learn new things and be creative.

I really love this last photo the best. Mixing dusk with candlelight, how cool! It makes me think of Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.

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HOLY SHIT @trevorlyman! I can't believe that you referenced Barry Lyndon. I have that movie on my iPad Pro for reference, both photography and illustration. It's a masterwork. You have no idea how much of a compliment you just paid me! Followed! :P

nice...u deserve resteem and upvote...

Oh, man! Thanks so much @lautenglye! I really appreciate it!

u r welcome...dude...

That first image had me thinking this was a vampire shoot.

Great pictures, beautiful models, and that video was pretty cool! Nice job on all of it!

Thanks @ats-david! Yeah, I kind of wanted a subtle vampire/undead aura. Abbie kind of reminded me of Kirsten Dundst's character Claudia from Interview with the Vampire. Cool! Glad the VR worked for you. It's such sick technology!

Wow these are seriously breathtaking. I am in love! And loved the dancing. :D Followed for sure!

Thanks so much @lauralemons! I'm really happy people are in to the ballet 360º.

Quite chilling atmosphere at this shooting… but well done nonetheless.

Thanks @photo-trail! Yeah, it achieved what I was hoping for I think. I wanted to images to be beautiful but make the viewer a little uneasy.