August 28th Post Irene Photo-Shoot

There was never a doubt in my mind that our shoot would be hindered by the passing of Hurricane Irene. In truth, I found it to be a blessing or a sign of good luck. I discovered that as the hurricane approached and stormed across Long Island with it came great energy for inspiration and creativity. The night of the storm, as the winds picked up speed and the rain poured down, I stayed up like the nocturnal creature I always find myself to be and completed the finishing touches on the 'Nereid Bra' I made for our model, A. 

The costume Rachel and I designed and put together fit her body like a glove. She looked stunning and brought our character straight to life. It was intensely satisfying and exciting for Rachel and I to see the transformation. A is a pleasure to work with because she was enthusiastic about our project and fond to do any pose we asked her to do. (Even climb upon algae covered rocks and immerse herself in the water.) 

We shot our photos at the David Weld Sanctuary (Yes, WELD, not 'Weed';Thank you to the anonymous person who edited the engraving, we all had a laugh that day) on the north shore of Long Island. It was the day after the hurricane and with it came unexpected surprises! The weather was beautiful! The air was crisp and the sun was shining! As I began to shoot I noticed there was many wispy cloud formations that allowed for a more magical, ethereal look. It was just what we were hoping for! 

The tide was low and the shore line was inviting us to venture around. Once hidden under the waters of Long Island were rocks covered with tiny mollusks and shells revealing themselves to us. As we concluded the shoot the cool tide came inward, rising above our feet as the warm sun beat down reflecting shades of tangerine and gold upon the waters. The sky turned violet. The magical colors and warm rays of light were beaming perfectly through the folds of A's dress. I was able to capture the best shots at this time. 

I found myself knee deep in the water as the tide continued to rise around us. We finished the shoot as the sun dipped below the horizon and we quickly found shelter on the shore and made sure our model was dry and comfortable. The process was invigorating and I am very happy with the results. I am eager to continue forth! :]
~ Jaclyn Leigh