In September 2013, a lovely model and friend of mine, Miss LizBit, sent me a request asking if I would be interested in doing a high fashion underwater photo shoot with Nina Pak. I have worked with both ladies before, and I admit, my Little heart fluttered at the thought of another collaboration with Nina! And underwater!? Absolutely!! Keeping in mind that September in Vancouver can be a bit of a crap shoot for weather, especially when we were mostly naked in an outdoor swimming pool, in full hair and makeup no less! But the sun decided to grace us with her presence and we jumped in, quite literally!
It was more than convenient that I have a swimming pool at my apartment, and my home studio just 8 stories above. Also convenient, me being the little opportunist that I am, I happen to be very comfortable underwater. I may be an earth sign, but I’m a water baby through and through! I can hold my breath for a long time with eyes wide open and the ability to smile about it. Actually, it’s more like exhaling just enough air to become slightly less buoyant, and then the ability to smile about it.
Both Liz and I were ecstatic about this concept and being able to model together. It’s getting all dolled up with a girlfriend, in huge ball gowns, to go to a really amazing party! We know the pictures are going to be incredible, and it’s all UNDERWATER!?! (Maybe it’s a crazy red head thing). We didn’t, however, realize the amount of water that would soon engulf our nasal cavities while upside down, straddling each other for anchors while trying to be pretty? Ethereal? Sexy? Effortless?! Whatever it was, it turned into absolute magic and worth every nostril full! To say it was breathtaking would be both an understatement and bang on! And if I have it my way, I will definitely do it again!
I knew going in that the makeup had to be saturated and intense to read at all through the water. Contour was overly exaggerated to the naked eye just to look natural on camera. Lips were bold and over drawn to seem soft and bare. A silicone based airbrush foundation was the perfect base to help hold everything on with minimal maintenance. I used heavily pigmented cream and silicone based products on eyes, lips and cheeks. Everything was then sealed on thoroughly with liquidset and final seal, 2 products made for sealing and waterproofing makeup and bodypaint. I was impressed at the durability of the makeup, especially with the repetition of all the ins and outs, costume and hair changes, and spewing out at least a cup or 2 of water from our noses each time we shot. I barely needed to touch up our faces at all!! My eyebrows were on for 3 days! I wasn’t complaining. My sinuses on the other hand were swollen for 2 days. With the shots we got, it was worth every submerged second!
One thing I have always found intriguing when I look at editorials that lean more towards the fantasy side is what was the model thinking during this shoot? How did this concept make her feel? How physically demanding was it for the subject to look so carefree? Did they enjoy it? How did they get into this line of work? I decided for this particular shoot, being quite unique and physically demanding, to ask my fellow model just that. Please enjoy this Little interview from my lovely and graceful subaquatic subject, Miss LittleBit LizBit…
And now… please enjoy our manifestation of immersed imagination in this underwater fantasy world, Beneath the Surface, a Glamour Fantasy series.
After all, you deserve A Little Artistry!
Here is an interview with LizBit
Q: How long have you been modeling and when did you considered yourself to be a model?
A: I have been working with photographers since the summer of 2011. I still don’t quite think of myself as a model, it’s more like being a freelance artist.
Q: Do you have a particular style of modeling or specific concepts you are more often drawn too?
A: I love doing images that tell a story. Fantasy photography is one of my favourite concepts to be a part of, due to the genre being bound only by imagination.
Q: During our underwater shoot with Nina Pak, what were some of the things that stuck in your mind from that day?
A: The underwater shoot with Nina Pak and A Little Artistry was overall a dream of a shoot. I had been wanting to shoot underwater ever since watching models do it on TV when I was younger. The day with Nina was very exciting, and interesting, as we we able to transform your pool, the two of us, plus all of the accessories and fabrics that we had brought into the dreamy images that are Nina’s gift. One of the biggest issues was not being able to communicate while under water. We were working on getting images that were mirrored. For this to happen we had to have our noses a millimetre away from the surface. I hadn’t realized how buoyant we are, until trying to stay in one place under water. But between us all, we were determined, throughout the day, and the look changes, to get the best images possible. The commitment to making art, and working on it until we were all pleased, even when pruned and shaking from the cold, is something I remember strongly from that day.
Q: I know I wasn’t thinking much other than ‘how much water can I comfortably hold in my sinuses’, and this is f#cking amazing!! What were some of the things that ran through your mind while modeling UNDERWATER!?
A: When Modelling underwater, I just kept trying to be as fluid as possible with my motions, while trying to be still enough to get a good quality image. Mostly I thought of myself as an underwater dweller, or other worldly creature, discovering the beauty of human creation. Between the gulps of pool water that is.
Q: Nina definitely has a way about her, and pulls something out of her subjects that is very unique. What is it from a photographer that makes models go beyond their comfort zones and rise to a new level?
A: When you both want the results to be the same, and are willing to work as hard, and push each other to get that great shot, that can be called art. It helps to know before a shoot what the concept is, so that both photographer and model are on the same wavelength. Also a mutual respect of each others feelings and ideas. If a model can trust a photographer to tell them when it isn’t working, plus are helpful to teach the model how to convey in the image to be true to the minds eye of what you are working to achieve.
Q: A large portion of your work is borderline fetish. What draws you to those concepts?
A: When I first was given the opportunity to work with professional photographers, they shot Alternative fashion. I had worn PVC before, but latex was a new, exciting experience. I am forever in love with Victorian themed clothing, so corsets are another favourite of mine to wear. There seem to be more opportunities to model things like corsets and Latex for Fetish themed shoots. I find these shoots can be extremely gratifying, so long as it is a safe environment.
Q: Do you have a ritual or steps to ‘get into character’?
A: Hair and makeup! Haha, I hardly ever wear makeup, aside from photoshoots, and let my hair air dry. Having a Hair Stylist, or Makeup Artist transform you is the best way to get into character. They leave you looking like someone else.
Q: In an ideal world, what would be your ultimate shoot? Location? Concept?
A: My ideal shoot would be starting early underwater somewhere tropical, getting to model a mermaid latex tail. Then an afternoon shoot on the beach bareback on a horse, then finish the day with some nature nudes using available light.
Q: What words of inspiration, or warning, do you have to aspiring models?
A: Trust yourself, be yourself, enjoy yourself, but most of all, watch out for yourself! Oh, and always check your references!
Cheers, Jennifer Little.