Surfer girls

I met Karin the other day at Kewalo Basin. I approached her and her friends to ask if I could take a photo of them. I was working with my 4x5 camera so they figured I was for real. She agreed but as I started to pose her, the Hawaiian sprinkle rain came down and I had to close shop.

I gave Karin my business card and told her to look at my site to see what I do hoping I would run into her again. I hate to approach anyone, especially women, and ask to photograph them without identification or something of the sort. People weird out and think I'm a perv but with a 45 camera and the likes, I look like I know what I am doing. It actually takes a bit of nerve for me to get the guts to approach anyone. You just never know how people will react when you ask to take their picture.

About a week later, Karin calls me telling me she'd be out at Kewalo and asks me to come out to photograph her. She saw my site and loved work and wanted to be part of my project.

I was very happy to have a chance to meet and shoot her again as she has a strong surfer chic's body (as do most real surfers...all that swimming, balance, and the likes really makes you tough!) and wanted to do my best to capture her. She was positive, strong, and definitely has that "je ne sais quoi."

As I was taking the photos, i quipped to her that her natural pose reminded me of Venus de Milo or Botticelli's Venus.

Art as an archetype becomes apparent when I do this type of work. I didn't pose Karin or ask her to do anything other than move her surfboard around a bit. She naturally fell into this pose, whether it was intentional or not, she fell into a beauty archetype that is as long as history.



As Karin posed throughout the four sheets of Tri-X and one polaroid, she pulled it all together. Her pose, her body language, all of it, really says something. The curve of her hips, the slight of her legs, the length of her arm..it all created a part of history, this archetype. She really put it all together and in a way, became a part of a long traditional history of beauty.

It was a great moment.




This image was made on Polaroid T 55 positive negative film. This film is probably destined to be discontinued as Polaroid has stop making lots of their products. They stop making 665 PN. I would buy loads of that film if they still made it. Its hard to get film developed here in Honolulu as labs here just aren't making money in development. Digital is king.

The next images is shot on 45 color film...Kodak 160NC to be exact.

I forgot the name of the English girl but she was fairly keen to be photographed. That afternoon, I set up at Diamond Head beach and waited for surfers to exit the water and walk off towards the showers. I had been setting up around sunset just to get that golden light and shadow play on the figures. It works really well.

Alina and Mina had just finished a surf session when they walked up the beach. I convinced them to pose but sadly, Mina shifted during the shoot and was out of focus. Alina stood rock solid still. Her image came out really nice. She has another type of sexiness and strength in her pose and her face really carries loads of power.



The pommy made for a great picture. The curve of her hip, the slight scowl on her forehead, the shadow play on her figure. Another shot for the series...