#1 Professionalism: I don’t care how stunning a model is in her looks, if she is not professional the beauty means nothing! What good is a model that is almost flawless in her body and looks, if she doesn’t show up on time or at all, is obnoxious, has a “diva” complex or is just down right rude and disrespectful to the people she works around? I have seen a few… and usually I try to cut them off at the pass and hopefully prevent them from even stepping foot into my studio.  If you consider the talent out there with “super model” status, you would be generally hard-pressed to find those bad traits I mentioned above in them.

#2 Complete Beauty: I wrote the word “complete” before beauty because I have found that most models will posses an amazing body and “ok” face, an amazing face and “ok” body or unfortunately neither.  My heart will usually skip a beat when I come across a model that has both of these qualities.  I was watching an HD show that had women in bikinis posing for a shoot on the beach.  I just laughed as they presented these women with hard bodies and blah-looking faces – complete with close-ups of their sad, blotchy, pimple and make-up covered faces.  Yuck! They even had one woman posing topless, which reminded me of another peeve of mine.  Sometimes women will automatically expect I will want to work with them because they are willing to pose nude.  I don’t blame them for this expectation, but rather the GWCs (Guy’s With Camera) that are so desperate to get a woman naked in front of them that they will accept and pay anything.  Doing so lowers the standards for everyone else in the industry, pushing photographers to hire someone who is lacking the “quality” because they will remove their clothing.  Some may think I am being too critical, but keep in mind when someone tags themselves as a “model” they are inviting a review and judgment from everyone and anyone.

#3 Open-mindedness: Ok, so I have managed to line up the most amazing model – the pre-shoot details are set, the shoot is scheduled, the model is booked… my creative juices are flowing like a river and ready to be captured on film.  Great!  Model shows up and then proceeds to lay down the law – I won’t do this, I don’t like this angle, that makeup is too much, I need 10 bathroom breaks, lots of this…lots of that… My creative license has been pretty much revoked or stifled before I even shoot my first frame.  Point is… if a model is not going to be open-minded enough to embrace my creativity and professional movement to ultimately create some fantastic images, I say “why the heck are we here?”

Fortunately, this industry is a scalable one, so there IS work for the masses and less than perfect specimen.

Scope:

The calendar will contain images of women who have at least 50% Native American heritage.  I will be shooting outdoors, on location, in four different areas of the country (Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Central, East Coast).  Three women from each location, will represent tribes from that local region.  I could have went the route of having each woman wear specific tribal accessories, but I decided against it.  There is enough media content, whether it be images or movies, that stereotype the “American Indian” and I just won’t subscribe to it.  Instead, I’ll keep the intensity and focal point on the model’s beauty – presenting Native American women as sexy, strong and most of all empowered.

Charity:

I have decided to donate $1 for every calendar sold, to a Native American charity.  Still need to find a charity that will embrace my calendar and help to promote / sell it once completed (since they would have something to gain from the sale too).  If anyone out there wants to recommend their favorite charity, please let me know via my “about” page.

Casting Details:
Now shooting for 2012 glamour calendar featuring Native American women.  Yes, 2012 – I plan on distributing / selling starting early next year.  Must be comfy posing up to implied nude.  Shoots will take place outdoors so must be able to endure possible sudden weather and temperature changes.  MUA and hair stylist definitely will be provided and present. Lunch and expenses paid as well.

Please, must have at least 50% Native American background and please be at least 18+.  ALL experience levels welcome.

Send me an email, if you or someone you know might be interested in applying for this gig.

My favorite image is this one:

Lindsay: Sepia Tone

Some others …

Arielle Lee: Black & White

Alania: Black and White

Linda: Black and White

However, one of the side affects of showing my best work is that sometimes prospective clients can feel intimidated by the beauty of the women on the site.  They want to work with me, but they think, “this looks like fun, but I am not pretty, they only shoot good looking people.”  Sometimes I wish I could post the person’s “before” image prior to working with me to show that they came through my studio doors looking just as ordinary as the next person.  Helping to build confidence is part of what I do as I am shooting a person, but sometimes I have to do this even before they become the client!

When I am confronted with a person who is not feeling “pretty” enough, I try to explain to them that I put to use my skills in creating the most flattering, creative  and glamorous images possible – which is exactly why I am being hired.  Most people are not “A-model” material, but my job is to get their images to reflect this as much as possible.   I always use a makeup artist, pose subjects in the most flattering way and afterwards use Photoshop to “nip and tuck” some of the “challenging” areas.

C’mon ladies! Like my “about” page says – I am happy to shoot anyone and everyone – no matter what they look like.  I truly believe I can find at least one unique and alluring feature in every client I shoot; I have not failed yet.

Below is the latest painting my mother did of my younger daughter Alissa:

"Alissa" by Marie A. Laudini, 2010

Personally, the nude body is one-of-a-kind, beautiful, natural and I celebrate this fact every time I photograph a client or model in that capacity.  I have learned that my attitude, as reflected by my mannerisms, can truly impact whether the nude person in front of my camera will walk away with a positive experience.  For example, if during a nude session I am glaring at the client or feeling nervous myself, this will of course make them feel uneasy as well.  Professionalism is extremely important and I always adhere to it, never deviating.  Unfortunately, there are a few in the industry that give the rest of us credible and legitimate photographers a bad name.

My friends and family sometime joke with me and ask how I can shoot sexy and alluring women all day and not be aroused or “turned-on” – am I gay?  No, I am not gay and it is really easy actually to not have these feelings.  The professional shooting environment is setup so that I can capture the best images possible of my subjects.  I have no time nor interest in even considering something other than the main task before me.  Who has time for that? Not me, I am more concerned with making sure the lighting is set right, client posed in the most flattering way and ultimately having my client walk out of my studio feeling confident, empowered and beautiful.  A lot of women have commented to me that they initially had a pre-conceived idea about what it might be like to pose nude.  However after a few minutes, those feelings of uncertainty ebbed away and were replaced with comfort and sometimes even a sense of being liberated.

One of the biggest challenges I face with shooting the full range of glamour (including nudity), is that people sometimes make the wrong assumptions about me and the business.  For example, I would be a rich man if I had a quarter for every time a client assumed that they would be required to pose nude.  They made this assumption based solely on the fact that I had nude images in my portfolio.  If they had only asked the question, they would learn that every client passing through my door is in complete control of what we shoot.  If they want to pose in a winter coat and scarf, with ten layers of clothing on, I will shoot it – though it might strain my creative process.   A similar misconception is that if they work with me and the studio, they will have to have their images posted publicly on the internet.  In fact, by default, a client’s privacy is always protected and extreme discretion is adhered.  The ONLY way I can or will post an image on my site is if I have the express written consent, via model release form, from the client ahead of time.  All of the photos on my site are of models or clients that either requested or were asked by me (we got an exceptional shot) to have them displayed publicly.

I could go on and on, as this topic is truly never-ending, so I leave you with two of my favorite quotes on the subject:

• “To see you naked is to recall the Earth.” – Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936, Spanish Poet, Dramatist, Musician and Artist)

• “In the NUDE, all that is not beautiful is obscene.” – Robert Bresson (1907-1999, French Film Director)

Ciao, Michael

What makes me sad is a lot of times, the woman asking me whether she should go under the knife, actually has beautiful and shapely breasts [not flat or saggy by any definition]!  In that situation I will add, ” you have breasts people are PAYING for when they go to get implants.”  You should see their reaction, usually one of enlightenment, because nobody had ever offered this observation to them.  Of course, not everyone takes my advice, but I would like to think I was responsible for keeping a few from parting with their money for the procedure.

For the ones that still plan on going to get the work done, my only input to them would be to make sure you ask around and get many references from other women that have taken the same path.  Granted, most women are not going to be models or ever pose nude, but still you don’t want to be on the wrong end of the knife.  I have seen some amazing breast jobs and some major train wrecks.

The really good ones are the results of a surgeon who can make those fakes sit on your body in a way that they look almost natural.  Even the perkiest natural breasts droop slightly on the chest and good results can mimic this look.  Surgeons that approach their work almost as artists can even hide the scar tissue in a way so that it is completely invisible, unless you know where to look.

Unfortunately, I have seen some real train wrecks and the women who are pretty much scarred for life.  I have seen lop-sided breasts, asymmetrical nipples, hard breasts, breasts spread too wide, scars that would put a war veteran to shame.  Even with clothes on, a bad job can still be detected – for example sometimes breasts look like a shelf sitting on the chest.

Fake breasts can look ridiculous on a woman, when they are not proportional to her body shape and size.  I blame the surgeon again for not dissuading a patient from getting breasts that are way too big for her.  For example, one of the criteria that defines a great breast job is the size of the breast / cup as they relate to the size and height of the woman.   In my opinion, a petite woman (say 5,0″) will almost NEVER look good with fake breasts that are 38DD, for example.  However, if she opted for breasts that match her frame, say for example going from 32A to 34C they can look amazing and very natural.

I know some reading this will say this is all subjective, and I agree, but I am just saying there is a point where the breasts look stupidly freakish.

London was actually a last minute alternate, thanks to the make-up artist I had hired.  She said she knew a woman that was probably available and was always looking to add images to her portfolio. She called her up, gave her the details and a few minutes later I met London down in the lobby.  Upon meeting her, the first visual impression I had of her was that she was stunning and had such beautiful skin, not to mention those amazing eyes.  Since my time was limited, my assistant got the legal formalities out of the way, such as checking her IDs (to verify she was at least 18 years of age) and having her read and sign the model release.

She then went into make-up and hair, while I sifted through some of the wardrobe she had brought.  After about 75 minutes, we started shooting in the great sunlight hitting the balcony.  It was a hot afternoon in Dallas and boy was I sweating from moving around to get the shots I wanted.  I had London in a white, spaghetti-strapped silk blouse and black skirt.  London was great, very composed and casual about the whole scene.

The nude component was not planned, but more of an optional direction we could take – based on how London was feeling.  If it makes sense, I will generally offer it to the model / client and let them decide.  She had never posed nude before, but after working with me for a while she obviously felt comfy enough to give it a whirl.  She was overall confident with her body, though I could tell one particular area she was a little self-conscious (which I made sure to not focus on too much).

A few months later I learned she had been selected to appear on Tyra Banks‘ America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), Cycle 12.  I was so happy for her, considering the odds, she kicked ass!

Below is one of my two favorite nude shots of her, interestingly neither one was of interest to Playboy Magazine because both breasts were not exposed – hmm, I guess they know what sells.

London Levi - America's Next Top Model ( ANTM )

This next one was shot over her shoulder, capturing the reflection in the mirror.  I decided to keep the round magnifying mirror in the shot to add a little intrigue..

London Levi - America's Next Top Model ( ANTM )

London Levi - Playboy Magazine ( NYSE: PLA )

This shot above is the one that Playboy Magazine decided to publish.

London Levi - Playboy Magazine ( NYSE: PLA )