Photographed September 2018

Change of plans

The original plan for this shoot was going to be centered around tennis with models sporting a black and white wardrobe. I have been trying to get this tennis themed shoot together for a couple years and I was desperate to make it happen this summer.

I had a specific look in mind, as far as models, but was having the hardest time finding them. If I found “her” (tall, blonde, sweet) I couldn’t find “him” (tall, darker longer hair), And, once I found “him,” “her” was leaving for the summer, or school, or for 18 months. I was about to hang up yet another shoot idea, until I found another “her” … and a “him” that would work (thanks Instagram!).

But … plans changed. Once I had the two models I was having a hard time figuring out how I could build an entire “fashion” shoot around tennis with some of the wardrobe pieces I was already planning to use. It was when I rediscovered that I still had a water polo cap, from another shoot, that ideas really started flying. I knew my “him” played football and LAX and had all the gear and that I could probably fake out a couple other sports. So, I switched gears and came up with the idea of having “her” play coach to an athlete that plays it all.

The mood boards above are the ones that I sent to the models to give them an idea of the vibe — just so they don’t come into the shoot blind and can get an idea of what I’m thinking.

Above are notes that I made prior to the shoot. I knew, if things went well, I’d like to turn the images into a fashion spread for my portfolio; so I sketched out some ideas to at least give me a starting point for each look. I don’t do this for every shoot but I hate wasting people’s time and, when there are a few looks I want to get through, it becomes necessary.

We shot everything in just under three hours and survived an afternoon in that late summer heat.

Aria is represented by Niya Model Managment