"The heart has its reasons, which reason does not know. We feel it in a thousand things. I say that the heart naturally loves the Universal Being, and also itself naturally, according as it gives itself to them; and it hardens itself against one or the other at its will. You have rejected the one and kept the other. Is it by reason you love yourself?" -Blaise Pascal, "Thoughts"

I want to do work that grabs a viewer by the heart, the brain, and everything down below and doesn't let go. Ideally, I would like to articulate both a photographer's vision as well as my own. For my part, I would like to continue to pursue the emotionally honest track evident within the "Midsummer Magic" and "Living in Poesis" Albums. I appreciate work that is aesthetically pleasing, and I'd like to do more work that articulates and emphasizes the complexities of the female form. Since women's hearts and minds are also quite complex, I would like develop more "editorial" style work, drawing a viewer in with a narrative as well (preferably an unsettling one). I am also a sucker for campy horror-movie cliches, subcultural tropes, and I love exploring new locations to find settings for shoots. You can find a beautiful photo anywhere, if you know how to look.

This is not an exhaustive list of everything I have in mind. If these ideas appeal to you, or if you would like to collaborate and explore other possibilities, drop me a line and we'll talk. I am also open to helping less experienced photographers/make-up artists/hair-stylists build their skill-sets and portfolio, since you would be doing the same for me. I am a little less picky about crafting a "vision" here unless you're open to that - I tend to take things very seriously, and I also want to have a bit of fun with this as well. :D

Caveat re: nudity: I am willing to do full and partial nudity, and I am open to exploring "risque" themes. I would prefer not to close the door on creative possibilities by refusing to do so. However, this entails a great deal of respect and trust on both sides, and would prefer to build a relationship with a photographer before going down that road in order to develop this.

Since I like to mix work and play, I am currently developing a research/collaborative art project; it will include photography, personal narratives, and a critical analysis. I mention it because it may be of interest to any academic-types lurking around here and I may search for participants through this community (pending ethics approval). This awesome project obviously needed a blog, which can be found here: http://disciplinedbodies.wordpress.com/.

In my regular life, I am a "professional bohemian", a Women's Studies/Political Science student, and a yoga instructor. I love long walks within libraries and that "a-ha" moment when everything comes together. Within the spaces between beauty and darkness, where there is nothing like "sense" to be found, I remind myself to breathe deeply so I remember that I am still lucky to be alive. I am passionate, more than just a little bit crazy, and I maintain my commitments (or at least that's what people say). You've been warned.