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NATURAL CLASSIC Women with big feet are a dream come true for me. I love them like you wouldn't believe. A shoot with a woman like that makes me slow the shoot down to where I can really focus on the feet; it's a shoot I try to blink my eyes less often just so my photographic memory truly takes in the sight of her big feet right next me.
We walked towards one another and I couldn't help but notice how tall she was, which immediately made me look down at her feet. Seeing the size of her shoes as she walked made my heart skip a beat. Not literally speaking, but you know what I mean. I was excited, feeling the blood race up to my head, it felt. I've come across big feet before, but not quite like hers. I could not (could not) let this one go. I knew I was going to get her to say yes, no matter how absurd my approach sounded; I was that determined. This woman you're about to see holds two records at the same time: for being the tallest woman I've photographed and for having the biggest feet I've photographed, replacing The Ideal Woman (someone whose photos I posted almost a year ago to the day [during that year's Season Finale]) in both categories.
She was all too happy and allowed me to photograph her feet. She's from Kiev, Ukraine. She is everybody's friend, both comfortable and a pleasure to be around, and you can't say that about too many people without it sounding phony. She loves to play basketball. In fact, she's played it for many years, throughout high school and college. She was given more minutes to play as she got older to the point where she became a regular starter on the team.
She played center for her team, which explains it all given how tall she is. For those who don't follow basketball or know the rules to the game, someone who plays that position is almost always the tallest player on the team. Her primary trait is to block shots, and get rebounds. Of course other skills and attributes are very important as well when playing that position, but, as many coaches are fond of saying, "you can't teach height". The center will play closest to the basket and be playing against the other team's tallest player.
She was her team's best shot blocker, which helped keep smaller players from the other team from getting close to the basket to take easy shots. If the center keeps blocking their shots (like she was able to do), they will stay away and try more difficult shots at a farther distance from the basket. When she proved she can score from close to the basket, she was often double teamed. In that situation, her job was to find a teammate who was open so that she could shoot for the basket. Throughout her years playing in college, she lead her team in points, rebounds and blocks.
She outgrew her tricycle within a shot period of time. She wasn't able to go on kiddie rides at the amusement park. That purple jacket she loved when she was growing up eventually wound up three inches above her wrist. No one wanted to give her piggyback rides. And many of the footwear she wanted didn't come in her size.
Being clever about it, I said, "If I were to measure my face to your feet, which one will win?" "My feet, of course," she said. She found the question lightheartedly humorous/entertaining without really thinking anything of it. "Oh yeah? Let me see." "Really?" "Now I'm curious. I want to see how much bigger your feet are compared to my face." "I mean, what if someone walks by?" Notice how she didn't say no. "We'll just tell them you were trying to wipe the dirt off my face."
She had a perplexed look on her face. At the same time I could tell she wanted to laugh even though she wasn't sure what to laugh about.
I filled in the blanks for her, "Sounds silly, but just go with. Not everything has to make sense when you want to have some fun."
And so she did it. I could not believe she actually did it. She placed one of her foot on my face. And then the other one. Then both at one time before kissing each foot once. I kept them on my face "just a tad bit too long" because I wanted to reward myself for being alive. I'm the type of person who's convinced he's never going to die. But during those moments, I was ready to die a very happy man.This woman was laid back enough to sacrifice realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment. She never placed her feet on someone's face before she did it to me because they have been the subject of mock or ridicule from people. I also love how the insoles of her showed shows signs that that day wasn't the first few times she'd worn them and that they had some mileage in them.
You will see my shadow in the next-to-last image in the gallerie, which gives the illusion that as tall as she is, there is someone taller than who can make her look small by comparison. It almost looks scary, making it seem like someone is going to attack her.
The first name I gave her are from parts from her first and last names morphed into one new one. Pronounced Velalana.
We shared a few laughs. I love her smile and she's just a wonderful girl. She hopes to find a boyfriend who son't be put off by her height, meaning she doesn't mind if you are not as tall as she is. Her openness to try something like this made her day. What a pleasure it was to have the chance to see her feet right up close and personal, all the while being thankful that I have the greatest fetish ever.
VELYLANA'S HEART - Click Here SHOE SIZE - TH1RTE3N (US - Canada), 43 (EUR), 10 (UK) HEIGHT: 6'5''/195 cm
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A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON Central Park was built between 1857 and 1860. It was the first urban park in America, for many years the largest, and one of the handsomest examples of 19th-century romantic landscape architecture.
The first proposals for a park came from highminded and idealistic men, but the project was taken up by New York's politicians in 1851 when the healthful and civilizing mission of a public park became weeded to the practical notion that it would be a good investment. The park would trigger off growth in property values in the sparsely-settled region far above 42nd Street.
Frederick Law Olmsted, co-designer with Calvert Vaux of the winning design, was appointed Superintendent of the park in 1857. He accepted no kickbacks from the Park workforce, and kept local politicians at arm's length. In an age of rampant corruption and blatant stock market fraud, New Yorkers were awestruck at public works of this scale being constructed with integrity. It restored faith that the city could function for the public betterment.
New York in 1850 was divided by class, religion and race, as well as politics. The respectable classes feared rowdiness and violence in the streets. Olmsted saw the Park as a way to educate the tenement-dwellers, and to enhance the sense of community connecting rich and poor, Irish immigrant and Episcopalian Yankee. A nattily-uniformed police force, and a widely publicized set of regulations governing behavior in the park, were successful in maintaining order. There were 7,839,373 visits to the Park in 1866, but only 110 arrests were made.
The Park is no longer quite the terrain designed and constructed by Olmsted. The roadways, specialized play areas and games-fields affords little of what Olmsted hoped visitors would experience: the unfolding of vistas, the contemplative delights of varied landscapes and perspectives.
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NATURAL CLASSIC I saw this woman walking through the park. She had the look of someone who was enjoying the scenery around her, the look of someone who was really glad to be there. Nurturing a love of nature and enjoying the outdoors by herself. She walked in front of me, heading east as I was heading south. I slowed down because I had that feeling come to me all of a sudden that she would make a great subject for me to write about and photograph.
During this shoot with her, it made me think about how heartfelt, emotional or intense it can be when taking photos of someone. I really like this shoot and I'm proud of this shoot. Looking through this gallerie can give you great knowledge or insight to what another person's life is like in their own eyes and through their own experiences, even if her lifestyle, her distinctive and typical style, form, or character doesn't necessarily fit your mold.
Why do I love doing this? I was compelled to answer that question when I took the time to take pictures of her. I do this because it's a way for you to see what I see. I tell these stories for you to see what she sees. It emotes expression. It captures a moment that can later be cherished. In a broad way it will convey how I perceive a vision of her through how she perceives the vision of her life.
I'm glad to have a vision that embraces women with different personalities and still be able to share fun, silly, or meaningful conversations with them, and she allowed me to slow down from the fast pace life of New York City to be able to appreciate each other's company.
When I spoke to her in the beginning, she had an idea of what I was saying but not fully. She's from Madrid, Spain, so English to her was something she could comprehend somewhat, but not enough to carry a twenty-minute conversation. The good news for her was that I can speak Spanish, which gave her a sense of relief because things can be made much easier for her. So the entirety of our conversation was in Spanish.
We walked through the park for about ten minutes, getting to know one another, before we found a spot to do our shoot. That's pretty cool, and it happens with me from time to time: I walk up to a random girl, ask if I can take photos of her feet, she says yes, and then we walk through the park for ten to fifteen minutes while having a normal conversation a couple would have on a typical first date.
It's amazing the phenomenon: shoes having a special effect of matching the woman's outfit and her personality to a tee. I'll get to that later. Right before she removes her shoes, she suddenly remembered that she had a tattoo on each foot. She wanted to know if that would discourage me from doing the shoot. And how thoughtful of her: I don't remember a time before or since when a woman asked if tattoos on feet were allowed in my shoots; they just take their shoes off and we're off to the races. But with this woman, it sounded as if she was ready to apologize to me if the tattoos on her feet would disgust or offend me. She was starting to speak in an apologetic tone, trying to excuse an offense or failure, but I told her that if she was proud enough to get tattoos anywhere on her body, then I was ready to accept her acceptance of herself. That meant something to her and she gave me a nice hug.
She took off her shoes, me not knowing what to expect when it came to what her tattoos were going to look like. Well, I guess I was expecting some abstract art or some word on it. In fact, she even went as far as to make me guess what the tattoos would be "for a million dollars," she joked. Trying to be silly with her (so as to lighten the mood some more), I guessed Judy Jetson and Rosie (the robot). She laughed but was almost astonished, basically saying in Spanish that those were much better guesses than she thought I would give because I had the right idea but was still a ways off.
She peeled off her black socks and revealed two characters from the Super Mario franchise: the mushroom and that flower thing. It made her laugh hearing to how I referred to them before she corrected me to what their names were. I thought I should let you guys know (as I also explained to the woman in this shoot) that I am completely video game illiterate. But she loves the retro stuff and she's very nostalgic about that. So much so, she still has the Atari 2600, the Nintendo set, the Super Nintendo system, and a Sega Genesis. Just like anyone else, I grew up with those things, but this woman may as well start a mini museum with how she collects and keeps these things. She has all of those consoles in her bedroom with "at least 650 games." In addition, she has an NES mini, a RetroN 5 and one or two other consoles that I can't remember the names to.
For me, any video gaming I did ended ... in nineteen ninety two. I did not play another video game beyond the Super Nintendo; I never had an N64, never had a PlayStation, an Xbox, never had any of that stuff (that she still has), nor did I want to. So I'm not the right person to discuss modern video games because all of that stuff is to difficult or strange for me to understand. So when it comes to modern video games, with how they're structured, played, with what the newest and best games are, I am far behind the times. So the tattoos on her feet was her way of paying homage to what started her video gamimg obsession. Putting tattoos of them on her breasts would be disrespectful to them, she feels; putting them on her feet instead made neutral sense to her.
She has other tattoos because, she told me, it involves voluntarily subjecting herself to a painful procedure. Plus, she says, the payoff is often euphoric - seeing the finished tattoo for the first time makes her overwhelmed with joy.
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The words on her shirt is Spanish for World Order. I suppose the Peace sign right below the words, designed in a barbed wire was meant to mean that they (meaning her and people like her) would make the sacrifice of going through war if it meant that absolute peace could be achieved at the end of all the bloodshed and tears. When I told her about my interpretation of that symbol, she said that that was certainly a good way of look at it. It made sense, considering that the shirt represents one of her favorite bands, and it also gives you an idea of what this woman is about.
I had some time to listen her kind of music as I was putting this very gallerie together. I must say that you need a lot of patience to understand why the musicians in that band are impatient. That kind of music is not an easy thing to listen to (which is something I'm sure she'll take as a compliment). Their songs are all in Spanish, so I was able to understand the message that group is trying to send out. This Orden Mundial (World Oder) band plays what can be described as unadulterated distorted hardcore punk. The words "unadulterated" and "distorted" are the key words here. Their guitar sound is unhinged with an insane tone over a relentless drums/bass and a vocalist who manages to get his point across firmly. Their message is clearly anti-authoritarian with most lyrics questioning dogma and painting a bleak picture of our lives. Urgent music for urgent times, which is music to her ears.
Because of the music she's influenced by, she is the type of individual who believes that some covert (but influential) organizations are responsible for circumstances or events, going on to claim that some powerful group is either secretly running the world, or on the verge of gaining such control (implying that if they do, the end is near). She's convinced there is a secret society working behind the scenes for world domination or some other nefarious purpose, that there's an emergence of a one world totalitarian government. The thought of that makes her rolls her eyes in disbelief and she won't rest until that threat disappears. She went into what some of her theories were while doing an excellent job of stopping herself just short of going on a tangent. Hearing her talk about it almost sounded as if I was listening to someone talk plainly about what they plan to do for Christmas. She sounded level headed the whole time.
Her shoes have that look of matching the personality of herself nicely. Combine with how she dressed on the day of the shoot, I really like the casual look. It also has the style of someone who's ready for some little anarchy. If she was the leader of a hardcore punk band where they play bruised music, that's how someone like that would dress, along with those shoes.
Her feet looked a lot better than I thought it would, as that's always a good thing when I'm pleasantly surprised like that. I'm usually not a fan of tattoos on feet, but I'm going to make an exception here because those tats made shooting her feet more fun. Her toes were well cared for and her soles are really to die for. There are certain women who I shot who had the type of feet (soles in particular) I can easily lose my heart to and never kick out of bed. This woman had feet just like those.
After she talked about how she thought the world is corrupt, I massaged her feet just to take the load off of her. And it worked. I brought myself closer to her feet so I could get a more spectacular closeup of them as I massaged them. And she had no qualms about it. It's a pretty simple act to do, but it's always feels amazing each time it's done. It felt amazing to her, the massage did. She was less talkative and way relaxed totally. She said something along the line of how the massage can sometimes remind her that the world can be a very nice place, too. Pure and genuine feet like hers so close to your face during a massage. I even went as far as to sneak my nose between her toes three or four times. For her it was like, whatever. The idea of that sounds good idea for anyone. I can tell you first hand that it was.
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ANOTHER LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL PARK
The map is a facsimile of a survey showing the land incorporated into Central Park, made in 1856. The tract of land, running two and a half miles north from 59th Street, between Fifth and Eighth Avenues, was rocky, very swampy and pestiferous.
New Yorkers delighted in the varied entertainments offered by Central Park. In summer, there were outdoor music concerts. In winter, there was skating, illustrated in a Currier & Ives' lithograph (first photo below), although such an easy elegance was not always attained (second photo below). There was always the option of simply watching the "fashionable turn-outs in Central Park" (illustrated by Currier & Ives in 1869, third photo below). "Fast women" - prostitutes with thin waists and pretty faces, sporting the finest fashion and expensive jewelry - were to be seen (last photo below), but for decades the park was viewed as a triumph of social order and competent management.
It began with One woman (Dalhous). Now it has grown to include some more influential women, women who are icons, legends, whose lives have left an impression on us through their stories and photos. These are women who defined their time ... and redefined the future of this establishment. These fantastic ladies will earn their spot in history, to be immortalized in the pantheon, and to inspire all that will follow.
The most glamorous event on the Natural Park calendar has arrived once again. Welcome to the most esteemed night of the year, as we honor the women who have graced the pages of this thread. Tonight, those women will take their rightful place in history. Welcome to the 2019 class of the National Gallerie Hall of Fame of Women.
THE NATIONAL FASHIONISTA THE HEADLINE INDUCTEE
This was one of those encounters that happened away from Central Park. I met her in the train. She sat next to me and asked for directions. What started out as something as simple as that wound up with her walking with me to Central Park about forty-five minutes later. She was so nice about the time she gave because there was somewhere she wanted be. She had the right attitude for what a woman with proper manners and class would have: stylish, respectable, and lovely. One of the overarching traits about her that really stuck out to me was that she always used refined language. She doesn't swear or use crude expressions. Profanity to her makes her less lady-like. She uses non-profane expressions instead, which helps her becoming more specific, more expressive, and more interesting with what shes does say in place of those dirty words.
The Fashionista is particularly attentive to the needs of the elderly and remembers that nobody is beneath her notice. She is always polite and does not say anything hurtful or offensive to other people. If she has to confront someone or put them in their place, she will speak the truth as she sees it, but in moderate language and without recourse to shouting. No one has ever caught her loudly smacking her gum, cursing, or rolling her eyes. A consummate professional.
One of the straps on her shoe that she uses to fasten to her foot broke. It may have been coming off the seams as we made our way to the park. But at sometime during the shoot, she broke it off to find a new method of molding that shoe so that her foot would slip off as she walked. She loved the extended foot massage I gave her after the shoot.
An eventful afternoon that was. I thought that shoot was fitting to begin the Central Park journeys and the story that was involved with it: meeting her in the train, me making one or two work-related stops along the way, she a came along for the ride in all of that. Those are my earliest Central Park moments and I was convinced that that was going to be a new permanent home for my adventures.
STACEY DATESEY
Stacey was a 26-year-old hostess at a restaurant when these photos were shot. She would greet customers as they enter the restaurant, take their reservations or would put them on a waiting list, gave them menus and showed them to their seat. She also handled phone calls and customer queries about the restaurant and menu, and assisted various restaurant staff whenever it was necessary. Stacey was also single.
I spotted her lying on stomach on the lawn as she was listening to whatever music it was in her headphones, minding her own business - something right out of the playbook on picturesque situations on where to meet women. I figured, Beautiful sunny day on a Sunday afternoon. Why not? When I approached her and sat down next to her, she changed her position to match mine and sat on the grass as well. And we started talking to each other.
She wanted the status of that came with being in a relationship and not be the odd one out of her group of friends who had boyfriends or fiances of their own. "Why does dating have to be so hard?" she asked. "Ugh!" I don't know why, but I get a kick out of hearing a woman giving that sound of disappointment, that sound that lets you know they're not happy with their dating lives. After she made that sound, she extended her arms out a bit so she could catch herself falling backwards onto the grass. She was intentionally overdoing it in her theatrics, but it was funny watch. She looked up into the sky, "The trails and tribulations of dating life in New York." It sounded like she wanted to write a book about it, maybe sign copies of it at a Barnes&Noble one day. My condolences went out to her. For a moment there I felt like I was watch an episode of Sex and the City and that I was somehow featured in it.
You woman cannot be a hostess of a restaurant if she isn't upbeat, outgoing, and positive. Three words I would use to describe Stacey are upbeat, outgoing, and positive. So what gives, she wondered?
She talked about the date she went on the night before. From how she described it, she wasn't holing out any hope that he was boyfriend material and, in fact, wished he had walked in on the shoot. "If the guy from my date walked by and saw what we were doing, he would be, like, so ... jealous!" Her most famous quote. She was having more fun with me - a guy with a foot fetish who came in from out of nowhere - than she had with some guy the night before.
Her ankle boots were an updated look to the fashion style women had in the early 1900s. I'm glad she wore everything on that day to go with those boots because everything matched well together and it. She's the type who won't mind hoping in a plane or driving away on an impromtu road trip with you. She'll paint you for fun (even though she doesn't know how to paint) or write about you (that she does know how to do) and your memory will end up living forever.
That was one of the more easy and laid back shoots I had. The settings, the comfortable weather, and the nice girl I met in Stacey made for what was nice afternoon in Central Park.
THE COOL CHIC
She was a nice reminder to why I love New York and she was also the reason why I became convinced that going to Central Park was the right move for me to make. The shoot with her was what made my decision official to move away- and to move from Bryant Park. The Cool Chic was a big hit for me and a big hit in this thread during the beginning stages.
She's one of those women who makes you think that women with glasses should not look as sexy as she does. That makes her sex appeal change the dynamics of how men interact with her. Now you know she is near-sighted or far-sighted. Now you're thinking she probably reads a lot. What books must she be reading? She probably watches a lot of TV or movies. What could be her genre? Is she studying to be a psychologist? You see how her wearing glasses changes the conversation? You already know something about her at the very first glance. There is a chain reaction of thoughts in your mind. You're already attracted to her.
A sticking point that made people like her was that she's a dog lover. That's not me saying that other women I shot don't love dogs, but Cool Chic was the only girl who talked about just how much she loves them. Whether she rescues them or buys them, no one can deny that she has a growing heart for them. She shares her food in bed with a dog. Sharing with you won't bother her, even if you don't have those sad puppy eyes. Her pet has also stolen her shoes and reduced them to shreds, and she still loves him. So you know we will be more forgiving if you mess something up ... the small mistakes at least.
She's into classical music and the art scene. Well rounded and well refined.
MAKEUP PRINCIPLE
It was a great thing I caught this woman with just enough time on my side to get all the photos I wanted from her before it started to rain. The small raindrops was what stopped the shoot and we both got out of there before the clouds really opened up. I went straight home, and it wasn't until then that it started to pour heavily. I breathed a sigh of relief for having the time to spend taking photos of a woman who had spectacular feet that no man in his right or his left mind would turn down. Soft and dainty her feet were, just like rest of her that looked soft and dainty. Clearly one of my favorite shoots.
IMMUNE SOAP
Part of the beauty in doing what I do is meeting a woman who is different from the others. I love having to adapt to a different personality and be able to piece together a fair story about what make her her own self worth. These women are different from one another, yet they share the same idea under the same umbrella that letting me take photos of their feet is not such a bad idea after all.
Immune Soap was a very reserved in that she did a good job of keeping her thoughts to herself. I'm certain she had friends, but I don't if she had too many because she could've been seen as someone who was hard to figure out. She's probably more lively in her interactions with people today, but it didn't seem like that back at that time. One thing I can't say about her is that she's not the shy type. What I can say about her is that she is more motivated to make something useful out of her life than a lot of other women her age. However hard she needed to study to pass an exam, she will make certain that that test is passed. What I can't say about her is that she a quitter. I don't think she's susceptible to physical pain. She's immune to being held back. I would've loved to to spend more time with her, but she needed to get home.
She was one of the more open-minded and free-spirited creature I have ever had the fortune to meet. She is the type who is bound to make some kind of mark, even if she only slightly touches you. She has her own set of ideas and they all advocate love and peace. She rejects all conventions and societal rules and she doesn't support strict rules of any kind. Flower believes in open-mindedness, human rights and freedom. She is always ready to help and she will do more for others than she ever would for herself. She is her own leader and she doesn't mind being an outsider. She is comfortable with who she is. All of this makes her someone to admire.
She is the ultimate peacemaker and she would love nothing more than for all wars to end. She can't stand violence of any sort and considers it completely unnecessary. Flower Mood is genuine and positive. She keeps her distance when she feels negative energy within someone. If she chose you, know that she sees something within you. She didn't mind that I wanted to sit next to her feet and take photos of them because, "You are full of positive energy." A smile is her weapon of choice and there is no chance she remains unnoticed. The good vibes she sends only attract more goodness, so she is the kind of person you want to spend your time with, as she radiates positivity around you, too.
Music moves her inside and out. She feels the music. Lyrics are not just words, they all have a deeper meaning. She told me that her dancing resembles magic or some kind of out of body experience. Woodstock Music Festival is still affecting American and world trends to this day and it serves as an inspiration for her as well. She will drag you to so many concerts and festivals that you probably never even knew existed but they will be something you only can experience with her.
She is one of those rare bohemian girls who has the hots for a smart brain. For her, there is nothing sexier in a man than his intelligence. She is smart herself and she likes to be with somebody who is her equal. She likes deep and philosophical discussions. Even if you don't seem to see eye to eye about certain things, she finds these kinds of conversations stimulating.
She supports all sexual orientations and advocates people's freedom to choose for themselves. Having a great sex life is important to Flower Mood but that doesn't mean she will jump into bed with just anybody. She has to have a deep intellectual, spiritual and emotional connection in order to be that intimate with somebody.
She is like nobody I've ever met before. Everything about her is something new and unseen.Flower Mood is one of the most simple girls I have ever met but at the same time, the most extraordinary creature I have ever met.
SEVENTH CREED
It was the coldest day I can remember taking photos of someone's feet. I could not believe I was in the park that day, and I was that close from going back home. Then I saw her sitting on the grass. She was very polite about it when she gave me the green light to go ahead with the shoot.
She's very religious and loves to study up on anything that talks about how Jesus is her true lord and savior, telling me that, "He's one cool duuuude." She took the time to talk about him as I took my time taking feet pictures.
If there's anything else you should know about Seventh Creed is that superficial trends, like fashion or the latest buzz word, doesn't really impact her, let alone make her feel like she has to follow suit. As to how she looks, appearances are all about portraying individual traits, rather than any concern with being society's version of perfect. She takes pride in her appearance but understands that, ultimately, it's not her best asset. She knows she doesn't have to wear a full face of makeup on every date to get the guy she wants. In fact, because she embraces her looks and respects her own sense of style, she's often the one looking like a natural, in the midst of carbon-copy, 'high maintenance' women.
It's easy for her to accept people as they are. On that topic, she said, "When you judge others, especially in a way that makes it seem like you're better than them, it stems from something within yourself you don't like." It doesn't really make you feel good, either. It's just that, for a moment, she can excuse her own perceived flaws because someone else apparently has them too.
I don't know how she was able to withstand the cold throughout the entirety of the shoot. Any other girl would quit after ten minutes (except for Immune Soap), but she took the punishing cold like a champ.
DOTTIE PINK
She's one of the easiest women I could joke around with. A great way to spend a late morning/early afternoon is to share laughs with a lady who is tanning outdoors and who doesn't mind it when you wind up playing around with her feet.
If I had to think about a group of women I shot who could be classified as those who don't take themselves or life seriously, Dottie Pink will be the first who comes to mind. She sees life as beautiful, amazing, short, and that we only get one. Just because she doesn't take her life overly seriously does not mean she's without motivation or ambition. It doesn't mean she doesn't care about things. Because of that, she lives a happy life. Dottie makes a concerted effort every day to see the positive things in her life, appreciates them, and be happy and grateful for the people she has in her life. She is someone who takes the time to be silly and enjoying the small things.
It felt as if I was being cooked alive under the soon during the shoot with Dottie. But I was able to cool off when she allowed me to play with her feet towards the end.
INVINCIBLE WOMAN
If she was able to climb to the top of that steep rock by herself, in those shoes, while being 35 weeks pregnant, instead of taking it easy by sitting on one the millions of benches in Central Park, then she's invincible. Bullets ricocheting off of her, blades breaking and cars flipping over against this lady. Withstanding fire, ice, acid, punches, kicks, shark bites too ... all while she's pregnant. Things a normal person would get injured; but with Invincible Women will be just fine. Then she goes home after a hard day's work and she's tired, exhausted. That's okay - because she would be back at again the following day. If there's one thing that made her vulnerable, it was the foot massage I gave her afterwards.
VIVIEN NICELY
Vivien had very cute feet. It never seemed out of the ordinary for her that I would take pictures of her feet as she was studying for a course she was attending in university. She was very fun to work with and she had the style and attitude that played well into the vision and story quite well - a story about herself that tells that she is serious about making the best of herself in life, that she is so much fun to be around, and that any type of person will naturally be drawn to her and easily find that there are many things he or she has in common with her. Vivien is so nicely that even if there aren't too many things that are of common interest between the two of you, you will still like her immensely and she'l like and praise you about that as well.
Her hair was short, her feet were on the smaller side, but the love she has for the people closest to her and the passion she has towards whatever focus she wants to accomplish in life shows that she has a big heart. She had the cutest Toms shoes and one of the cutest feet I've seen. She is the quintessential woman to want to spend a Saturday afternoon with, whether that'll be shopping at the market to buy thing so she can assist you when it comes time to cook in your kitchen, watch a baseball game at the stadium or hanging out with your friends.
Another word that can be used to describe her: warrior. She has a fighting spirit and a winner's mentality. Vivien was the first woman in the Natural Park thread to be recognized by someone. When asked if he was certain it was her, he was one hundred percent certain. She takes boxing lessons. The story goes that Vivien was in the ring to compete in an amateur boxing match (I think it was in New Jersey) against his (ex)girlfriend. She - the ex girlfriend - got knocked out in the fight. When he said knocked out, he meant that Vivien knocked her out. Nicely hopped into the ring with a one-two, one-two, shot to the chin and knocked her out like ten shots of vodka and gin. I can only imagine how the bell at ringside sounded the second that happened.
That's Vivien for you, Nicely done. She is someone I will never forget.
SPECIAL KAYE
She keeps herself in fantastic shape and has a well-planned detail notebook on how she intends to maintain her healthy diet and the exercise routines she plans to endure through. All of that made me think her favorite cereal is Special K. She gets that name because her name is actually Kaye.
It was amazing that the shoot turned out to be pretty good considering that I wasn't supposed to be there at that time. I was supposed to be in a train, heading downtown, to hand over some very important paperwork (work related stuff) and it had to be there by a certain time. I was not going to get there by that certain time and I was willing to take whatever heat I was going to get for that; Kaye looked too good to pass up on. Even though I knew I was going to be late for that thing, I also knew I couldn't stay there too long because there'a a difference between getting into some trouble and getting fired. This was rushed because of that. She wasn't being rushed, but I had to operate a little faster than what I normally did, and that ruined my experience of this shoot ... and none of it was through no fault of her own. Even though I did not have the time I wanted (or needed) to execute the shoot more to my liking, it was still good enough for me to label it a Natural Classic.
In terms of overall appearance, if I never saw her feet, she would still be pretty hot. But considering that I was as close to her feet as I was, I will say that they were fantastic. They were long, lean, with a perfect tone of natural suntanned skin. I was unprepared for what I saw when she removed off her shoes. Perfection is a difficult concept and it's something you can't prove rationally or convince someone else of, nevertheless, as far as I'm concerned, the feet that Kaye had were absolute perfection. When I saw them bare, their curves and contours, their long elegant toes, their nails lacquered in blue (not my favorite choice for women to use for toenail polish, but that's beside the point), when I witnessed the intricacies of some bones, some veins, and her skin, I knew they were the feet I've been looking for my entire life.
ALLURE ICONICA
If a woman can take care of her feet, that means she can take care of everything else as well. In a nutshell, that describes who Allure Iconica is. This woman had the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously gorgeous and fascinating. Her feet - regarded as a representative symbol of why female feet can be beautiful ... and why her feet in particular are worthy of veneration. Her feet had the aura of magnificence to them that I had my breath taken away from me; I was rendered speechless (!) and I hoped I wasn't drooling. The passion she has towards a goal she has set her eyes on - maintaining her looks, keeping her feet looking as immaculate as they are, or even owning a business, inspires other women. That's exactly what makes Allure, an Iconica.
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LEGEND GIRL INDUCTEES The National Gallerie Hall of Fame of Women is introducing a new category called the "Legend Girl" wing. Inductees in this category are from the days I spent in Bryant Park, dating back to before I made the move to Central Park.
THE FOREIGN DENIM
The shoot with The Foreign Denim was the first one I posted that became very popular. I remember enjoying this shoot just as much as the people were who viewed the gallerie. That was a pretty neat way to spend a Saturday afternoon, doing a shoot of her. I forgot what country she's from. Even though she didn't speak or understand English all too well, she knew only that I wanted her to take pictures of her feet. She was flattered with the request and went for it. That shoot would may not go over too well if I had shown it today for the very first time, considering how the photos looked and the way the photos didn't look that organized. But that shoot was what made a connection with people - the first one they raved about. It's funny looking back on it all, but times were different back at that time.
SERIAL MANIAC
She was ... quite the character. That connotation can be positive or negative, but never neutral. She was not the typical woman I usually came across and neither was she politically correct. She was the type of woman who would say and do things people not not expect, but not in ways that made them uncomfortable. That's why I gave her the name Serial Maniac, as a complimentary way to say that she was weird in a likable way. She said things during the shoot that made me shake my heads in befuddlement, smiling while I do it. Other people may describe her as being quite the character as an insult for the same reasons I explained for what makes her who she is. It depends on how the person views her, but I like women are Looney Tunes in that they are crazy in a humorous way. Talking with her was the most strange or unusual conversation I've had, especially so as to cause interest or amusement.
CITY GIRL
The longest she could stand playing dress-up growing up was fifteen minutes. And if she wears makeup, it's usually a mess. She wouldn't even know where to start with exfoliating, toning, moisturizing, and all that other stuff. That's just not a part of her life. She instead does what she feels is right, regardless of what others say or think. She follows her own conscious instead of the crowd.
There was a thirst in me that wanted to know how her feet looked and the naturally pure state they were in when I saw that they were absorbed in her dirty shoes. The organic molecules on her feet that was withheld within those shoes. I wanted to know. Such is part of the beauty of having a foot fetish and she was at the right place at the right time for me to enjoy my fetish. She got to spend some time with me and say whatever was on her mind, which was a good release for her because we learned things about each other.
She's just a regular girl. A simple, ordinary woman that men can see themselves relating to. If you're the type who loves to go to fancy restaurants, then she's not for you. She would be perfectly happy if your idea of a date with her was to invite her to eat at a fast food restaurant after a night of bowling than if you take her to the finest restaurant in town after seeing a Broadway musical.
A pretty cool chick in a pretty nice day in a park. And she was totally down with me having a foot fetish and taking pictures of her feet that came straight from her shoes with no socks in between. That's what I call quality time.
ALOE VERA
I could not believe what I saw when I saw just how spectacular Aloe's soles looked. She had the look, from head to the bottoms of her feet, of someone who seemed impossible to imagine could ever exist. She was the reality that proved to be better than fiction, the true form of complete beauty that superseded what anyone's figment of imagination could ever conjure. Her feet were truly amazing, her feet were truly moist, and Aloe Vera herself was an incredible woman to look at, and an even more incredible person to talk to, making the conversation all the more worthwhile as she talked about know what her interests and aspirations were.
The shoot I had with her was probably the first time I felt I had the shoot of my life. If I had to put together an All-Time All-Star team, I would put her in that lineup.
THE BARBIE A girl from Norway with nice hair, nice face, nice feet. I couldn't help but to think of the Barbie doll with how beautiful she looked, resembling her in some way.
Cherry Coke has one of the sexiest feet I've seen. I don't remember this shoot lasting too long, but it was very nice nonetheless. Cherry Coke is given all the credit for being the inspiration for shooting pictures of women's toes in the way that I do - having the women kind of point their feet towards each other. Up to that point in my journey of taking photos of totally random women't feet, I did not take any photos of women's toes. Or if I did, 1) one would have to search high and low to find them, and 2) that shoot with Cherry Coke was the very first time when I saw the value in including toe shots into a shoot, which was something that never happened if I had taken pictures of other women's toes before Cherry. Cherry Coke gets credit for making me realize that I should incorporate the toes into the shoots more often and to take them more seriously.
I never told her how to pose her toes - just that she puts her feet flat on the chair. How she posed them the way she did was her own call. It was that moment that gave me the sudden brilliant, creative idea to shoot their toes with their feet positioned like that. Whenever you see shots of women's toes, it all goes back - all of it - to Cherry Coke. I think of her every time I have a woman pose like that. Every time. I do it as an honor to her and as a way to commemorate the loyalty I have in keeping her memory alive. That pose will forever be known as the Cherry pose in recognition of her.
I gave her the name Cherry Coke because the toenail polish application was well done combined with the fact that whatever lotion she used to apply to her feet before she left the house that morning made her feet smell like cherry. I put those two together and looked at her. It wasn't until I did that when I thought to myself that she looks like someone who would be on a 1950s poster of Cherry Coke. I know that flavor wasn't in soft drinks back that far, but if they were, she is how its poster girl would look like.
SLEEVESKIN
She was one of a kind. I spent enough time with her during the shoot to get the photos I wanted, although I wish I had spent more time with her. I wish I can run into her again to do another shoot because there is a lot I would love to learn about this woman. A pretty neat stat: I would make more references to her than any other woman I've shot during conversations with other women in their shoots. That's how much I liked Sleeveskin, and it truly speaks to just just how much of a fun and fantastic person she is that she would leave that kind of impression on me.
Sleeveskin is the type of person who takes the time to learn about other cultures, loves that there are many different cultures other than her own. She thinks about the positives of different cultures and how surrounding herself with diverse groups of people can enrich her life. She didn't know very much about geography or history but by mingling and mixing with people from other backgrounds, she was given the opportunity to possibly learn about the geography, the religious beliefs and customs of different countries.
Everyone has a story. Everyone has issues, struggles, and happy times in life. Being a tattoo enthusiast like she is, she just chooses to wear them proudly on her skin! There was something about her tattoos that made me want to be around her even more. The tattoos have personal meanings to the her. She is expressing herself in some ways through her ink. She has an idea of who she is and what she wants to present to the world, even if it means literally having it on her sleeve! She is proud of her tattoos. People evolve and change. Tastes can change, beliefs can change. For every milestone or strong conviction her life, she finds is a reason to get a tattoo. I would be honored if she got a tattoo about something that would give her a memory about this shoot. In fact, I'm willing to wager money that of all women I shot who had at least one tattoo, Sleeveskin would be the only one who would add such a tattoo to her body, as a token to remember me.
I think she was on her way to the gym when I spotted her. We had to wrap up the shoot because she didn't want to be any more late than she already was to get her workout session in.
My favorite quote from her: (When asked why she decided to let me take photos of her feet) "It was such a random request, that I HAD to say yes!" She was, without any doubt in my mind, one of the coolest women I've ever met during my entire journey.
THE FOURTEENTH WONDER
If you were to extend the list of Wonders of the World, you will find this woman listed at Number Fourteen. She is the Park's most spectacular natural wonders, as she is the most remarkable woman I've ever photographed. The number fourteen also represents the number of qualities one must have to be as extraordinary as she is. Those qualities and values are: Commitment, Courage, Discipline, Friendship, Heart, Ingenuity, Karma, Knowledge, Leadership, Luck, Perseverance, Strength, Teamwork, Trust. Those are the fourteen words I use describe her, words I would use to associate her, those are the words she breathes, sweats, and bleeds by.
Fourteenth Wonder was a certified CrossFit competitor at the time I took photos of her. She would travel across the country to compete in these extraordinary athletic events to push her opponents and herself to the limit. The CrossFit Games is an annual worldwide competition that consists of a series of workouts designed to determine the "Fittest on Earth." What's unique about CrossFit competitions, and what makes them quite challenging to prepare for, is the combination of disciplines (such as Olympic-style weightlifting, gymnastics, and endurance sports) into what's often referred to in the CrossFit world as the "unknown and unknowable." In other words, when she's training for the Games, she (nor anyone else) doesn't know exactly what it is she's preparing for; she just knows that she's going to be competing over several days in a series of events that could include an open water swim, heavy weights, pull-ups, or any combination of those elements.
She could do (at minimum in all these exercise routines) twenty pull-ups, ten strict pull-ups, three bar muscle-ups, handstandwalk for twenty feet, front squat 150 lbs, bench press 200 lbs, and deadlift about three times her body weight, among other feats of superhuman display of strength. How many men reading this can do any of those things?
She was visiting New York to attend several events that pertained to CrossFit and decided to have herself a rest in front of the New York Public Library. For someone who can exert and withstand great force or pressure, for someone who has the force to move heavy weights, this woman had quite the soft feet when my hands molded them as I gave them a well-needed massage. I was pleasantly surprised.
She is the strongest, most formidable woman I've photographed. She is the ... the Fourteenth Wonder of the World.
MARRY FAITH
Indisputably one of the best photo shoots I've ever had in my entire life. Without any question. I would've died a happy man if that turned out to be the final shoot I ever did. And Marry Faith is an even more wonderful human being. If I ever have a daughter, and I wanted her to take some life advice, on how to conduct yourself like a lady, on how to live a more serene lifestyle, on how to stay out of trouble and not make so many terrible choices so many young women do, and how not to find herself in a compromising position ... if I had to pick one woman - and *only* one woman - who I want my daughter to take life advice from, it would be Marry Faith. I don't believe I've said that about any other women I've photographed, which is saying a lot when you consider that Dalhous is my One and Only.
It was not too long after breakfast time on a Sunday morning in Bryant Park. There were not too many people around(the park started to fill up as the shoot progressed). The lawn there is as long as a football field. I was at one end of the lawn and she was seated at the other, seen with clarity as if this was meant to be. She was sitting on one chair with the soles of her feet resting on a neighboring chair. My heart was beating too fast, pumping too fast, and I felt it in my throat. I was excited that a view that glorious was presented to me.
She had all the time in the world to let me take as many photos as I wanted. If I wanted to extend the shoot for another hour, she would've let me. It was one of the most relaxing shoots I've ever experienced.
Marry Faith is always positive, calm, and confident in herself. She would not try to bring you down. Marry Faith - happy with their achievements, though she continued to strive for bigger and better objectives. She is proud of who she is, even if it means accepting some ridicule. She shows respect to people with an open heart; she doesn't take anyone for granted and she has a knack for showing people that she has gratitude. She's a role model and not just a "teacher." She's constantly learning, challenging herself to get out of her comfort zone and surrounds herself with people smarter than she is. All in all, she is one of those people who possess the qualities we would like to have, and she is one of those ladies who can affect people in a way that makes them want to be better people.
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And that concludes the ceremonies for this year's Hall of Fame celebration. Thank you all so much, and I hope you people truly enjoyed reliving the moments that has made what I've done for you guys very special.
WHITE RUSSIAN The White Russian is a riff (or change) from the Black Russian. This drink originally came about several decades ago, but was made famous by the movie The Big Lebowski starring Jeff Bridges. If you watch closely, he drinks about nine of these throughout the whole movie.
2 oz./60 ml voda 1 oz./30 ml Kahlúa 2 oz./60 ml of cream (half and half or heavy whipped cream, depending on your preference)
You can build this drink right into a rocks glass. Pour the vodka and Kahlúa into the glass before filling the cup with ice. By the way, there are plenty of other coffee liqueurs out there, so it doesn't have to be Kahlua. That's the most common one you're going to see, though. So stir for ten to twenty seconds to bring the liquids down to room temperature and to help add some dilution to the drink. Shake the cream for ten to twenty seconds before slowly pouring it on top of the drink, giving the it a layer where the cream sits on top of the drink.
HOT TODDY Toddies have been hailed as a cure-for-what-ails you for hundreds of years. This drink essentially comprises a spirit, hot water, sometimes citrus or spices, and a sweetener (often honey, or maple syrup in Canada). I don't think a hot toddy should be reserved as only a cold or cough remedy (though many people swear by it for that purpose). Made well, it is a delicious cup of comfort to be enjoyed all winter long. And the hot toddy is being seen more often, in different iterations, on upscale cocktail menus.
Most versions I found varied only slightly between a combination of whiskey or brandy, honey, lemon juice, and hot water. Some versions contained herbal tea, but I prefer to keep my toddy pure and simple. Tasters preferred toddies made with brandy (though bourbon and Tennessee whiskey also worked).
Be sure to measure the water after boiling it, since even in the short amount of time it takes to boil, you will lose some to evaporation. In addition to the lemon slice, garnish your toddy with a cinnamon stick.
1.5 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey (or any dark spirit, including aged rum or cognac) 1/2 ounces honey or maple syrup 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 to 5 ounces boiling water Garnish slice of lemon and cinnamon stick
Using (bar)spoon, stir all ingredients together in warmed mug until combined and honey has dissolved. Garnish with lemon slice and cinnamon stick and serve.
BLACK APPLE OLD-FASHIONED For most drinkers of a certain age, Jägermeister is the unofficial source of many bad decisions. But here it acts as the base of a nice-warming drink that combines the herbal notes of the liqueur with apple brandy for a decidedly adult way to fortify oneself after a day out in the cold.
1.5 ounces Jägermeister 1 ounce apple brandy 2 dashes apple bitters Garnish orange twist
Combine the Jägermeister, brandy, and bitters in an ice-chilled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
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... Hold on, let me get a drink here. I have a drink here with four ice cubes in it that'll water down my drink if I'm not careful.
*takes a sip*
Mmm. My goodness! I have to celebrate. I told you guys that this is the season finale of this thread. I'm not just celebrating today; I'm celebrating all week long. Every night is going to be a party this week. I've worked my ass off to organize the things being posted this week. So as a reward, it's going to be a party, especially when I'm with you guys. C'mon, you gotta have some fun! This is my release. And it is your release as well, with a combination of great women, compelling photos, stories with meaning, a drink in your hand. Not that's entertainment!
YEAR IN REVIEW This year was a time when I started to turn a corner (in particular the second half of the year). I began to change the ingredients at play, starting to change how I presented my work. This was the change that ushered in The Natural Evolution Era. The beginning of 2019 was a different product than what it has turned into at the end of the year - quite the change that no other single year has seen from start to finish.
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Ten shoots of 2019 that stood out to me. That's not to say I didn't like other shoots, but in giving out a list of ten shoots I particularly enjoyed are the ones listed below. The women are listed in the order in which they appeared. The names match the photos from left to right, from top row to bottom row. *Just for the record, this list does not take into account the women I'm showing this week.*
SOFIE MAY I went out with her multiple times while she was visiting New York from Australia. It was certainly an emotional roller coaster ride. What started out as me visiting the park like any other typical day, ended up being a night that will hard for me to forget about. Sometimes the memorable moments are those that were never planned out in advanced, and anywhere we went or did was an ultimate thrill ride.
NIKKI BRIANNA Nikki could very well be the woman I owe this entire thread to. The only other woman I can say that about is Dalhous. Without that shoot with Nikki at the time it happened, this may not be an active thread today.
AIMEE YOUNG Probably the Shoot of the Year for myself and for the people who are avid followers of my work. The people let their voices be heard because they also knew that that was one of those shoots that looked and felt special. She meant something to people based on the reactions she got. Aimee Young means so much to me, that I'm thinking about naming an award after her.
NIENE DOORNVELD A big, healthy woman who loves the outdoors also to play rough. Spending my time with her away from the park made me reflect on how lucky I am to be that person who is behind this thread, how grateful it has been for me ever since I made the move to Central Park. She reminded me in a very good way of why life is about adventure and fun that can be found at the spur of an unexpected moment.
ANNA SOFTINOVA One beautiful woman. I loved her feet so much. One of my five longest shoots I've ever had (this one went 2:22:00) and this was one of the best shoots I've ever had in my life. It's not a question of if this shoot belongs in my own Top Ten; the question is where in my Top Ten does it belong. I can never get tired of repeating her name.
GEMMASWEETS I couldn't help but think I knew her from somewhere. I asked her about it. She didn't seem to think so. It was that piece of conversation that opened up the flow of the shoot and the conversation I had with her. While other people were having brunch in Central Park on that late Sunday morning/early afternoon, I was also having a good time here with Gemma.
DR. KAREN DESSAUER I'm not sure why, but I thought fans of my work would view her as just another face in the crowd. However, she caught on fire with the audience and has gotten over organically with the visitors of Central Park. The genuine nature of her personality, her love and compassion for pets, taking care of them when they're sick was the selling point that tapped into the compassion the readers have for the well being of animals as well. Karen Dessauer is the 2019 National Inspirational Woman of the Year.
BETSY AWESOME A huge hit that burst onto the scene, turning Betsy into an Awesome sensation. What started out as me saying hello to her, turned into a fun relationship between the two of us. She checked off all the boxes (and I mean all the boxes) of what someone would look for when wanting to walk up to a random girl and ask if you can take photos of her feet. Not including her in this list would make would defeat the purpose of this list.
ALLISON DAWSON A great woman through and through. She's a registered nurse at a hospital in Houston, Texas. Doing what she does for a living, she would have to attend to patients at the time of diagnosis and during the recuperation or recovery phases. Allison would be responsible for explaining reports to patients, administer medicine, conduct medical tests, and interpret test results. She is constantly on her feet, stretching, bending, and standing. Therefore, nursing can be a strenuous job for her. Beautiful cute toes, very beautiful soles that were soft and moist to the touch.
DAUGHTER'S LOVE Someone who would make for a nice partner to go Christmas shopping with and share a hot cocoa with as the two of you keep each other warm in a cozy apartment during the holiday season. An interesting story with her shoes is that those were her mother's. She had her mom's permission to use them and they fit the daughter like a charm. She pulled off the look quite fashionably.
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Central Park in the Dark is an orchestra composed in 1906 by Charles Ives. You can find the song on YouTube if you're interested in listening to it. The next few shoots I'm going to show sparked a bit of inspiration in my to approach women for photo shoots in the dark.
In the music composition, we find Ives as a young man in a light-hearted contemplative mood, observing the goings-on of the Park while sitting on a bench by one of its ponds. This sort of immersed, nature-inspired reflection was just one of the ways in which Ives' transcendentalism -- the set of ideas, attitudes, and questions -- reared its head.
The very existence of Central Park in the Dark can be traced back to Ives' Transcendentalist ideals: following his graduation in 1898 from Yale, it was with the belief in the holiness of hard work and self-reliance that Ives moved to New York and began working for The Mutual Life Insurance Company in New York City. This decision was further bolstered by his realization that since there was no money to be made in his brand of experimental music, it would be best to concentrate on business without having to sacrifice his voice as a composer for the sake of money. While New York offered Ives an ideal environment in which to focus on his rise up through the insurance industry, it was an artificial setting which undoubtedly left the Nature-loving Ives feeling stifled.
Central Park is, for many, the deep inhale which makes the breathlessness of its surrounding madness possible. It is precisely due the starkness of that contrast experienced in the Park (and especially the park "in the dark") which allows for such dramatic and profound interactions with Nature, rivaling for some those encountered in more famously "natural" environments. Even with the earth and air being "monopolized" as they were with the sounds of "the combustion engine and the radio," Central Park is today still the place where people go to experience that which the City does and can not offer.
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I want to give a lot of praise to the ladies who allowed me (a complete stranger to them at the time of the approach), to take the type of photos that are intended for a mature audience. We had a lot of fun and it really opened up our creativity in those collaborations. In the dark, I my creativity was up against a wall and I needed to figure out a way to push into new boundaries that shooting during the daytime would not offer. The challenges of shooting in complete darkness gave the impression that both myself and the women were in the middle of nowhere with a compass that didn't work. Very quiet with people practically nowhere to be seen. These are the settings that fit nicely into the characteristics that makes the Natural Evolution Era as special as it is.
It's the dark that makes people think differently. It's the darkness in Central Park that made myself and the women behave differently. I would like to welcome everyone ... to Central Park in the Dark.
The viewing of those galleries begins tonight. Hope you're here with a drink by your side.
This was one of those days in the park that was real slow for me. It was looking like it would be one of those days where I was going to leave the park having achieved nothing as a result of the few hours I've spent there, and it was starting to get dark outside. This is an example of how when you think nothing interesting is going to happen, something else can happen at any moment that could change your fortune.
I spotted her walking from seventy feet away, perhaps. At first I wasn't too inspired to approach her. Part of it was because considering it was getting late, I had mentally clocked out, so the energy or enthusiasm to say hi to her wasn't quite there. But I decided to move closer to her to get a better look at her face anyway. It was a little different: different in that I don't know how to explain it or why she gave me a reason to see things that way.
Her shoes made her look like she had just landed on Earth from the moon. And she walked around the park as if she was surveying this planet, to investigate her experience or to record the features of Central Park so as to construct a plan or description of it for her friends back away from Earth. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible as to enhance her appearance because her mannerisms made her look ... unique and adorable, I suppose, although I'm not sure adorable is the word I'm looking for to describe her. I will say that, if anything, getting a sense of the type of woman she was, seeing how she looked - her face, hairstyle, outfit, shoes - everything about her was "right" or appropriate for that particular woman, her purpose, and situation ... precisely because it was starting to get dark. I saw all of this as the opportunity to take this challenge on and make the best of it. To showcase her in the elements where she was going to look her best, be her most self: when the moon is out.
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She was hesitant at first, which was not an unusual reaction to such a random request. This was probably one of the worse approached I ever did that still resulted in her saying yes. With this one, I almost blew it, probably because I was a bit tired or exhausted and she sensed it in my delivery. And I saw it on her face, her hesitance to choose between yes and no. It was a great thing I paid attention to that, corrected myself and made my pitch to her again, and sounded a little better that time. She was still on the fence, which meant I needed to push it just a bit more because I sensed that it was well within my reach that she was going to say yes. It was one of those things where I knew she wanted to say yes ... she was just looking for a good reason to say yes.
"The moon is about to come out. It's a perfect match." "Okay."
And that was that. I told her the moon would serve a purpose for the shoot, and that one line was what she sold her on it.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing we'll call Ametrine. Born, raised, and still resides in Moscow, Russia. Her favorite movies are The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolution. She loves how, in those Matrix movies, there's the unreality of being in a place that is at the same time specific and vague about the time it is in. She likes that there are cellphones and dial up phones about. She loves the technology being sketchy and how the "reality" is off. She thinks the movies were well paced, acted, and how the stories were told in superb fashion. She appreciated how those three Matrix movies delivered on so many promises, and how it is an entertaining watch even after multiple viewings.
She also talked about how she loves to seek knowledge of the future or the unkown by supernatural means. That was not how she said it, but that was the point she was trying to get across. That may explain the tattoo she has on her right forearm. She reads up on material on how to use power gained from the assistance of the spirits. She loves learning and understanding all the nuance that comes with all of that. When asked if she likes to put evil spells on people, She found that question amusing before answering no. That tattoo she has made me think about how she slayed dragons with old passages from black magic manuscripts she found in a cabinet ... written in Arabic.
She's into industrial metal and dark trance type of music. I mean, everything about the conversation I had with her, and learning about who she was made for a perfect setting for a photo shoot of this caliber in the darkness of Central Park. Had this shoot taken place at two in the afternoon, there would be kids running all over the place, adults sitting on the grass and sharing meals in the open air, the place being packed overall. At the time when this shoot took place, it was dead. Dead silent. The flashes from the camera would be the only thing that would stand out to anyone who happened to walk by. Ametrine was completely comfortable in the elements, comfortable with me having a foot fetish, totally fine me being there.
Here we have this lady whose feet were made of dough. They were easy to mold, compress or to fold; Not hard in your hands when you hold.
Her feet has a pleasing quality involving a subtle effect rather than sharp definition. They were smooth and agreeable to touch. They were sweaty as well when the shoes came off of them. And they make for great comfort when you bury your face into the soles of her feet. Her hands were beautiful. The colors she painted them fit her personality: I can't see how anyone else I photographed paint her nails the way Ametrine did and be able to pull it off just as effectively with the same meaning.
She looks like the type of person who can play the role of an underground dark super hero, living in a post-apocalyptic city, trying to lead a normal life while eluding capture by government agents. Either that, or a role of a mystic character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.
This is what happens when you think nothing interesting is going to happen: something or someone can show up from out of nowhere, changing the complexion of what will happen next.
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