2015 MODEL OF THE YEAR

Dauntless. That is the word we believe best describes her. Never before have we seen someone so determined, fierce and fearless - yet, reserving all of her supple sensuousness. Like soft kisses on Spring breezes and fragrant scents of flowers - but flowers with steel stems. Beautiful, soft, rare, infinitely graceful but strong, confident and never yielding. She is a rare gift; an amalgamation of stunning elegance and strength of character. Olya Pickering is the 2015 SIRCUS magazine Model Of The Year.

We came to know Olya just shy of two years ago. We needed a very specific model for a publishing project we were working on at the time. We had photographed several people up until that point but we needed one person who could really capture a specific concept we required to finalize the publication. When we discovered her online we knew we could not complete our project without her and no one else would do. No other person had the look or body type. No other evoked the sense of strength and grace we were confident she had. After a time, the stylist says it has to be her. She has to be the one to wear these garments. An arrangement was reached and we would soon have our model.

Olya was just as we suspected she would be. She was as confident, beautiful and as determined as we imagined. We had never witnessed anyone take on a project with such bravery. She never flinched, never complained. Even early on in the shoot, we knew that Olya was destined to be a Cover Model and given time potentially a Model of the Year candidate. Had our arrangement allowed it at the time she would have been. It wasn't until 2015 that we worked with Olya again and she deservingly graced the front cover of Sircus Magazine Issue 11 and produced some of the boldest and most tasteful fitness pictures we have ever taken. We knew all along but this was even further evidence of her unrelenting self confidence and fearlessness.

People often ask me about Olya and we tell them first and foremost that she is authentic. She is kind and bold, but doesn't brag about what she has done or what she is doing. Often times, models brag about what they've been working on or they make almost impossible demands about needs and wants before even knowing what the project entails. Not Olya. Not ever. We've never had a disagreement, a cancellation, a bout of sickness, nor an unscheduled mishap.

Do you know how many misunderstandings we have had about image use with Olya? Zero. Do you believe she was timid or shy? Never. Do you know how many times she complained about the heat or the cold when we're shooting? None. How often is she late for an assignment? It never happened. How many shoots did it take before Olya pouted because she didn't have a makeup artist again or a specific type of hair stylist? None. At this time, how often do you believe that we would try within reason and all of our power to give Olya anything she wanted when she wanted it? Infinitely. When everything is said and done, who do you believe will get the first call when a new project is on the horizon? Olya Pickering. She is consistently the most daring, steadfast and trustworthy model we have ever had the pleasure of working with.

A few weeks ago we asked a stylist to describe Olya in five words or less. She replied, "timeless beauty, fearless and steadfast." We later went on to ask a hair stylist that once styled Olya's hair for us on what she thought of Olya and the stylist replied, "extremely kind, determined and gorgeous." We went on to speak with a makeup artist about Olya and her reply was "she is always so calm and confident, polite and professional. She has wonderful skin and hair and really takes care of herself." Testimonies like these go on to solidify our belief that she is everything we think she is and more.

We are not suggesting that 2015 hasn't had an immense amount of talent. In fact, 2015 was a fantastic year. We were elated to work with Actress Elizabeth Rhoades, who we can already foresee as a 2016 favorite. We were also delighted to work with our 2013 Model of the Year again last year, fashion, swimwear and glamour model ShyAng3L. There was also the forever beautiful Kim Jonet, and Chase "Whitehill" Rubeor, the first-time SIRCUS magazine Issue 9 double cover model along with many others. But "The Model of the Year" is about so much more than that. It's about distinction and how people conduct themselves before, during and after a shoot. It's about how they communicate and behave one on one as well as in a team environment. It includes how well they convey ideas, retain a post shoot

professional relationship and even how well they are perceived to work with other photographers and creatives. Are they crediting collaborators and referring other creatives when applicable? Is she supportive of artists and respectful of creative property? Is she difficult or arrogant? Model of the Year is about a person's professional character and how easy they are to get along with and work with. It's larger than anything we have done for the entire year and we believe that it is only proper to recognize an individual that goes above and beyond and when and where possible, award excellence. In a sense, it's akin to an endorsement and anything we put so much effort into creating, growing and nurturing deserves our scrutiny. We take it personal which is why we spend so much effort vetting and when it is deserving, acknowledging the best talent.

We have now known of Olya for almost two years but it was only recently in our exclusive SIRCUS magazine Issue 11 interview, that we had a chance to sit down and really find out who she is. Authenticity confirmed. She has this deep life-long belief in working hard, believing in oneself and never giving up. It shapes her competitive fitness philosophy and keeps her unwavering in achieving her goals. It also makes her very driven and a person of strong character. Intelligence, kindness, confidence, bold and beautiful; all the things that make Olya Pickering our Helios & SIRCUS magazine indisputable 2015 Model of the Year.

2015's Greatest Models Part IV with Elizabeth Rhoades

From a rare combination of personality, intoxicating beauty and an infectious smile I was immediately enamored with Elizabeth upon our first and only pre-shoot face to face. Elizabeth might be among a very very short list of people I could just kick it with - have a drink, a few laughs and just hang out for hours and wonder what happened to the day. I actually didn't want the meet-up to end. She's just easy to look at and very easy to talk to. Besides who wouldn't want to hangout with as gorgeous a woman as she? She has this warm easy going attractive thing working for her I couldn't let go of and I immediately thought, we're going to make some magnificent images.

It took all of about 43 seconds for me to want to shoot with her. The rest of the time was just making sure we're on the same page and ironing out a few, "who is driving this car" kind of details. You see, on creative projects it can be difficult to define who is running the show. On larger shoots you might have a creative director on occasion, a photographer, the model, a publisher or whoever else that might be attributing to or funding the idea. But there can be only a single driver in the end. Part of the meeting is to make certain we have compatible personalities and clear of what looks we're both comfortable with, styling protocols, preparation, image use, copyright terms, etc. It's just best to iron all of that out first. But once all of that was over I wanted to just stare and listen to her for a few hours.

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SIRCUS magazine Issue 12 at www.sircusmagazine.com

The most incredible thing about Elizabeth aside from the obvious was the fact that she has one of the most incredible online portfolios of every model I'd seen in all of 2015. Each image seemed to have been carefully selected for maximum visual impact, quality, style and taste. Like we've always said, it only takes a handful of images to make your point and she made it. In less than a dozen images she told us, she prefers high quality over quantity. She was saying that she wants refined, polished and tasteful images. She was letting us know that she is confident and daring but sophisticated and  premium. She had set a benchmark. But even more-so, she told us that she is very very selective about who she works with and that's the kind of model we want to work with. Someone meticulously caring and mindful of their overall modeling reputation. That very fact, the way she looks, her professionalism and personality gave us all the ammunition we needed to take this collaboration. I left the meet-up very excited and uplifted about the possibilities. I recall thinking, this is gonna be good.

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SIRCUS magazine Issue 12 at www.sircusmagazine.com

It took a few starts and re-starts to get things rolling until finally our project day arrives. After many months I finally saw our talent again. Here she was, after so many long months of planning. I hope she didn't catch my slight lost of composure. She was stunning. I may have audibly gasped a bit. Even before makeup and hair styling I recall asking myself, "has she gotten even more beautiful?"

It was a several hours later that felt like minutes. You see, when things flow very well and you're getting the takes you want, you just don't seem to tire out. You're still excited. Our only regret is that it didn't seem like it was long enough. We wanted more; more looks, more images, more of Elizabeth. On the best days and best shoots, it always happens that way. If we just had her in front of the camera for just a couple more hours I thought. But such as it is, we all have other tasks to get done and we couldn't just adopt her and have her move in to be an on-call 24/7 model now could we? That would awesome and yet preposterous all the same.

In summary, it was a fantastic shoot and a great experience. It was easy, laid back, fun, stimulating. and most of all... productive. We can't say enough how important portfolios matter. Be objective and selective. Yet, personality matters. Talent matters. How you groom yourself and interact with the team all matters. Elizabeth easily goes down as one of our greatest models of 2015 because she is by far one of the most well-rounded models to date; the ultimate combination of beauty, class, talent and flawless execution. Thank you again Elizabeth for a fantastic 2015. 

2015's Greatest Models Part III with Chase "Whitehill" Rubeor

She was Sircus Magazine's most wildly distributed and popular Cover Model. She was the first double cover Issue Released model Sircus had ever had for a single Issue release. Additionally, she is 5'11" of absolutely perfection in every way.  Chase is the epitome of flawless. She is one of the most naturally born models we have ever run across.

A perfect set of events had to happen for our chance meeting. A prior model learned of a casting and told Chase about it. Chase in turn contacted us for a last minute meet up in the middle of nowhere to discuss her potential inclusion for publishing in a special swimwear magazine edition of Sircus Magazine. We were literally down to the wire on time and she literally squeaked in at the last possible second to make the shoot and publishing deadline. She literally drove through three cities in mid-day traffic on a weekend just to have a face to face and to discuss just the possibility of being chosen for a spot. I was already impressed by her dedication and commitment. When someone does that we're already likely to extend a great deal of trust in them and willing to put forth a lot of effort to make sure their included.

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It was a good thing she did. If looks were all that it took then she sealed the deal. The stylist was with me the day we'd met Chase for the first time and seconds after our meeting adjourned she was busy discussing ideas and the exact styling she had in mind for our newest prospective model. When the stylist is that excited about a model I knew at that exact moment magic was gonna happen.

Once the garments and accessories were chosen by the stylist, Chase's measurements were checked again, then confirmed and the stylist worked her magic. The day of the shoot came quickly after weeks of planning and styling. The very first image was absolutely amazing, and then the second and third and so on. The clothing was made to her it seemed; superbly fitted and styled marvelously accentuating her best and plentiful extraordinary beautiful features. Few times had we seen anyone so stunning and visually commanding. We were also all stunned by how effortlessly she moved from pose to pose; those subtle gestures that seemed so nuanced and yet so powerful when the image was captured. I call them transition poses or flowing gestures. She glided between them and she displayed some of the most dynamic posing we had witnessed. Tasteful, powerful, attention-grabbing and also beautiful, lithe and graceful. Chase has it all.

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In 2015 and more than 18 months later Chase visits us once more. All those subtle graceful poses and naturally ballet like transitions were still there. The stylist planned polished cowgirl-like denim wear look to a metro chic white on white silk romper with the accessories to match. It was stunning. Chase... like she always does, mastered every single look.

She is more than a perfect body and a flawless face. She is intuitive; sensing every change in my location and she anticipated angles of capture and followed my movements for the best light and composition. She is also highly imaginative and creative knowing when to engage the camera directly and when to look away casually and candidly. When we shot the denim she posed more casually without being told. When we went to urban chic looks she was more refined and yet dynamic. She sought interesting angles for the ideal body lines, shapes and shadows. By all intents and purposes, Chase is a perfect model.

Should anyone ask about what we're looking for in a model we simply say study Chase's posing. Study Chase's body language and facial expressiveness. But what Chase does that can't be taught is replying to a casting call in timely manner. What we can't teach you that Chase did on her own is willingness to drive across town to meet us in person to insure we shared common goals and objectives and to prove her commitment to the project. What can't be taught is letting us know with an email and a call that she has received our Call Sheet and that she has every expectation of being able to make and keep the shoot schedule. What can't be taught is making it to the shoot on time and not rushing thru it and allotting the appropriate amount of time to see the project through.  What we can't teach is respecting other artists time on the set and staying the course until the shoot is done. Very importantly, what we can't tell you to do is to periodically check in and let us know your availability and modeling status from time to time and if you're still interested in upcoming projects. All those things are just as important as being talented and gorgeous. It could be said, that those are the things that make you a professional and Chase has it all.

Like any great model, she is not overly demanding. She is not burdensome or needy. She always arrives on-time, prepared and ready for anything. She made our 2015 - and quite frankly our 2014 spectacular. 

2015's Greatest Models Part II with ShyAng3L

For all the reasons she was the 2013 Model of the Year and Cover Model of Sircus Magazine Issue 5, are the same things that make her one of 2015's Greatest Models. There are few people we have worked with as much as her. In fact, there may be no one we have worked with as often as ShyAng3L. But to be fair, we do tend to give preferential treatment to individuals that are extremely professional, talented, diverse and quite frankly have agreeable personalities.

It is her ability to shift from one visual persona to the next that makes her so intriguing a model. One shoot with her can often appear to an outsider to look like ten different shoots if we so choose. She fully engages what we're shooting on a emotional level. If we're doing dark and moody she will emote dark. If we're shooting light and fashionable, then she will emote light and fashionable. No one else changes as effortlessly as she can.

Yet, with all her abilities it is her stunning beauty that captivates us the most. But she doesn't flaunt it. She is not even fully aware of how insanely gorgeous she is and that makes her even more attractive than most people I know; people who actively model day in and day out. Additionally, she is the sweetest person I've ever met. Her voice is barely a whisper but when she models no words are needed. Her body, her posing, her skin, face, hair, her extraordinary and infinitely youthful look screams volumes.

Even after more than three years she can still be a little anxious at the start, (those first few seconds). But given just the right amount of coaxing, she swiftly goes right into character.  Despite her namesake, I don't necessarily feel that she is shy. She is simply gentler and kinder than most people we've worked with before. But if you need a bad ass harlot for a look or a fairy princess, ShyAng3L is definitely the model to have because not only can she do the look, she is the most creatively malleable person I've personally ever known. She can do both on the same shoot and within minutes of one another in a way that is both beautiful and convincing.

She is not going to push back and tell you something isn't possible. She will not argue with you and tell you she won't do it or try it. If it's stylish, tasteful and she trusts you, then she will do it and do it well. In fact, no model I've ever had with the exception of maybe Trexie Dorrell has successfully done and mastered as many genres as ShyAng3L. Fashion, beauty, cosplay, lingerie, art, creative and swimwear are just a few of the things we have done together over the years. We have done more themed shoots together than anyone and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them.  She would bring me an idea or two and we would just do them - no questions asked on why or how. She was simply that kind of person and model. You want to do everything for her because you know she would excel in all that she does. As a result, we would always make extraordinary images. As of yet, those images still remain some of our best ever.

Unfortunately, we suspect that as time carries on our sessions will be fewer and farther between. It is simply the way of things as we scale back our operations to pursue different graphic design and video projects and she travels more as the demand for her talent continues to grow. Yet, as far as modeling and friendship goes, ShyAng3L can return again and again as much as she desires and we will always try to make time for her. Her talent, beauty, versatility and kindness has no equal. She remains and will likely always be one of our most revered collaborations.

2015's Greatest Models Part 1

It has been nearly 15 years since we began this process - never perfect but always perfecting and always striving to improve. As one might imagine we've come across more than a handful of talent from the vastly experienced to the person getting in front of the camera for the very first time. Even though we didn't officially publish her this year, she was this year's most popular model by every single measure.

Every blog, every image sharing site, every website and photo-stream where any picture of her appeared went viral. By every metric we could obtain she is the most talked about, most shared, most visited, messaged, emailed, tagged and liked model we've had for the entire year. We could simply post a picture of her and received essays about her beauty. We might share a photo from a recent shoot and get email server errors due to the inbox overflow. She is a phenomena a photographer can only experience to believe.

Kim Jonet
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We simply don't know anyone that doesn't love her. She is kind, patient, flirty, fun, intelligent and incredibly sexy. She has a natural kind of sultriness that can't be duplicated and it emanates from the sites, pages and blogs where she appears.

What impresses us the most is her preparedness, trust and humility. She is always ready. She brings what was agreed upon - sometimes more but never less. She is never boastful or demanding. She is gentle, soft spoken and incredibly humble. She doesn't pretend to know everything despite you knowing there are few things she doesn't know. She will ask you if she needs direction and yet she is confident without arrogance. She is without a doubt one of the most gifted individuals we've worked with over the entirety of our creative careers and most of that stems from a most agreeable personality and an intoxicating visage interlaced with malleable and endless talent.

When you're shooting she truly puts herself in your hands to do your craft. She relinquishes creative control so that you're not inhibited as an artist. In a very real sense, she is yours to command artistically and creatively. She will not argue, complain nor make unnecessary requests. She does not whimper, whine nor cry. She is 100% committed and confident in herself and to her love of modeling but she never takes advantage of people with her obvious enchanting wiles. It makes getting those challenging shots that much more fun and we always get the look we want with Kim.

You can't pay for that kind of trust with anyone else. But even so, you have to earn it; you have to nurture it over multiple photo shoots and collaborations. More importantly, you have to deliver with Kim. Make no mistake, she is there to work and you owe it to her to get it right and never leave her wanting. You'll want to buy her an island, cars, houses and pretty much whatever you can acquire to keep her happy and satiated. But all Kim wants is a great experience, your artistic respect and of course stunning images.

People never ask why we have Kim back again and again and again. They see it in the image. They see our comfort with one another and they can feel our sense of camaraderie. That feeling you feel when you see her, that distinct but fleeting gasp that escapes you when you stand in front of her is a real thing. She will always have a spot on my schedule without even asking for it. She is one of a few who can call at a moment's notice and get whatever it is she wants. For us, she is more than a model; she is a cherished friend and we wish her all the best for 2016. If we're as fortunate as we have been in the past then 2016 will belong almost entirely to her. In a nutshell it means that for 2016 if Kim wants me to shoot with her then she will have the highest priority. What do you say Kim?

How To Get The Most Beautiful Talented Models.

We've been told a time or two that we seem to have cornered the market on some of the most beautiful models in the region. We hear it from prospective models, from photographers and the occasional observer. The question that frequently comes up is where do you find these stunning models to work with? 

I've always the found the idea of going around trying to find models kinda distasteful. I simply don't have the personality nor the patience for it. Additional is the fact that on a deep buried level it was too close to 'hitting on people.' "Hey, you're gorgeous. Wanna take some pictures?" That just seems weird to me. But some photographers have the gift and the personality to talk a complete stranger into just about anything. Maybe I'm just not as vested in any singular person to be that interested or maybe I'm shy. I have no idea. It feels weird to even consider trying and I've never been compelled to. 

If you're starting out you've also tried all the online sites where photographers and models meet and work out collaborations. Many many years ago I'd been there and done that. That's a hit or miss approach with a very low turnaround. It's mostly miss. If you want to photograph a ton of people then certainly websites are the way the go. If you want very very high quality collaborations and high quality models then you'll want a different approach.

Another way is to use an agency. Agencies are often looking for photographers to photograph their new models; to help those models get their ports started and to give them some experience in front of the camera. Establishing a relationship with an agency may be a great idea for you. You'll have to decide for yourself on that. Agencies are kinda... Well... Ambiguously beneficial at times to say the least. But there are photographers that have nothing but the best to say about their agency relationships. 

Over the years I've established my own personal way to get the absolute best of the best models. The trick to getting them for me is not to try - at least not a direct approach anyway. I found that by concentrating more on the quality of my work, higher quality models found me on their own. It seems so simple now but that wasn't always the case. It's a steep hill to climb but putting my efforts into turning out higher quality results eventually, albeit slowly, found the people I wanted to work with for me. More to the point, my best work with models has most often been a referral from another model, a photographer or a paid assignment. There is no higher praise than a referral. That means someone likes or loves your work enough to share you or to recommend you. That's bigger than anything. 

On occasion I'll still stumble upon someone when no substitute will do for a very specific look and I'll go after one model in particular. But over time I've learned that the models that have been statistically more professional, more communicable, more trustworthy, and more punctual tend to find us first. It seems that when you have to pursue them they're simply not as committed to the process or the project and the results are mixed at best if the model shows up at all. It's sounds too much like children dating and chasing each other around as if it's a "playing too hard to get" scenario. Well I'm too old for that so I turn back to what works for me. 

It all brings me back to my original method - concentrate on quality and when you get your model whether it be a male or female spoil them senseless. They will always recommend like minded beautiful and stylish people like themselves that cherish the high quality results you repeatedly give them. Once you hit referral stage you will never have to go out looking and you'll always have professional talent. I've actually had models come up to me and say "you absolutely have to work with my friend or this other model I just met because she's so talented and beautiful and she would compliment your style very well." That within itself would be a huge compliment and a testament to the kind of work you put out. For us, we concentrate on quality and from quality comes all the work we can handle. That's how we get great models.  

My Absolute Favorite Model to Date

I received the most unusual question the other day. I was asked by an acquaintance of sorts, "do you have a favorite model? Who is he or she and why are they your favorite?" Several people came to mind but for totally different reasons. I had to ask myself if I had an all time #1 favorite model I've worked with. It's harder to answer than I thought. 

After being in and around photography for years you meet a large number of people. Some you hope to forget and others become very close friends. I've been lucky in that regard. I hold no ill will toward anyone. In fact, I'd even say that my instincts have done me well. Sure I have a couple of stories that began well but ended with frayed nerves and tension. Nevertheless, those are very few from my side. It's just the nature of the business. Therefore, it's best to get over yourself and develop very thick skin and chalk the remainder up to misunderstandings to get over. 

But having a favorite model is a different kind of question that required me to give the question deep consideration. Why? Surely I must have a favorite right? Well maybe but not really. You see, the very person who may be my favorite today may not be later. I learned that years ago. People move on and develop different tastes, habits and preferences and I'm sure some of those models have as well. But as it pertained to having single person that I'd publicly proclaim as my definitive favorite, I'm thinking no. There are people around that I have amazing creative synergy with. But to say they're my favorite might be inaccurate or more to the point, to say so publicly would be insensitive and unprofessional. Are there models i'd prefer to work with more than others? Absolutely!! But my projects are so specific that I always seek out the best person for the best look and not necessarily someone I personally like despite the look. I'd be doing myself and that model a disservice to not consider whether a look, clothing or otherwise is appropriate or consistent with my style of shooting or what I'm after or they want. No one would believe me if I said that I didn't prefer a specific person for a project over another on occasion and they would be right not to. But to say "favorite" publicly is a bold move I need not do. I only want the best for everyone and myself. Publicizing a list of Favorites isn't smart anyway. I praise everyone because quite frankly they're all magnificent men and women. Firstly, I'm honored to have an opportunity to create art with them. They chose to work with me and for that I'm fancied beyond words. 

The other consideration is why would I be so obtuse as to publicly declare a favorite person on anything in this business unless it's a celebrity model or someone I haven't worked with yet. Not only would I be alienating every other model I've ever worked with, it makes those models think I didn't appreciate everything they've done with and for me. It's just not smart unless I've decided to retire. Even so it doesn't look very professional. That's the kind of opinion I think should be kept private and discussed among colleagues. Should someone ask me privately I might share more insight. Or should I feel compelled to privately share with a model how I feel about his or her ability I will. But if you're out there saying this or that about your all time specific favorite anything in this business I think you're setting yourself up for some intense resentment. 

 

To clarify, my answer is NO but with a "however." I may have a go to model for sports photography, a go to model for lingerie, a go to model for fitness, a go to model for fashion and so on. But no one is better than another. I've help choose over a dozen cover models and select images for ads out of hundreds of pictures daily. Are they all my favorite? Is there a single one? They are or at least they were at that particular time for that particular project. They're different people with different gifts. Sure they'd be flattered for me to publicly call them my favorite but what about everyone else I've worked with? Would they be flattered? Or would they think "wow, what a bastard. I've worked with him six times this year and SHE is his favorite?" 

Now I know everyone reading wants me to just stop BS-ing and just say who my favorite model is. You've followed my posts, my blog(s) or other social media pages. You can decide for yourself who you think my favorite might be. But if there is a person that matters the most to me creatively and photographically, you better believe that they PRIVATELY know who they are and it doesn't help for me to publicly downgrade anyone by saying I have a singular favorite. It's just bad manners.

What studio strobes do you use and what should I buy?

I was recently asked, “what type of strobes do you use?” My short answer is, “anything it takes to get the shot and anything that is available.”

It took some time to develop a knack to adapt to whatever I had on hand; even so, a situation will arise on nearly every shoot where what you have isn’t quite doing what you need and you are forced rely on your creativeness and resourcefulness to get the shot. 

I’ll be honest, I did not always have the budget for quality strobes. Despite having obtained a few, I find them grossly overpriced. Consequently, I try my best to minimize my dependency on any particular brand as much as I can. You’ll find that that when you start buying that most of the connectors are proprietary and that you’re obligated to buy into a system of modifiers and attachments that won’t fit anything else. 

Back to the question at hand, “what type of strobes do you use?” I’ve used Elinchrom RX strobes, Canon Speedlites and something tells me I’ve used AlienBees before but I can’t remember where. Additionally, I must have used a half dozen third party cheap import lights over the years before learning that quality matters in color and power consistency. 

For a person looking to buy strobes my top criteria would be to buy for:

1. Mobility - nothing more frustratng than lugging wires and huge heavy lights everywhere. Find a head with a built-in power pack or at least is adaptable to work with a power pack.
2. Price - Don’t ever buy what you can’t afford. As long as your strobes can produce consistent color and power you can become highly proficient in whatever you have. Even the least expensive unit can produce high fashion looks if you’re creative enough. I’ve often had to build my own modifiers, reflectors, or flats to shape the light.
3. Adaptability - sometimes you will need a beauty dish, a barn door, a soft box, a reflector, a strip box or an octabox. The more adaptable and configurable your strobe is the better off you’ll be in doing different types of photography . 
4. Cross brand capability - every single modifier you need may not be available in the brand you’re considering so consider a brand that has conversion rings and adaptable plates for moving from one popular brand to another on your modifiers.  
5. Availability - You need one more light but the local shop’s inventory doesn’t go into your setup or power needs. There are times you need to run to the camera store and rent another but they don’t carry a brand that matches your modifiers. Or the brand you have has been discontinued. Buy a mainstream top brand largely for it’s sustainability, it’s applicability to your shooting style but not because of popularity or price. 

I hope this was of some help. I can’t really say what I shoot with specifically because I’m always changing and adapting what I need to a given situation and a given photo shoot. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#1) Countdown

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Model: Chanel Alexis

If it was only the model then everyone we've ever worked with is great. Truly they are. We've come across some very beautiful and very talented people over the last 10 years. But we can only speculate as to why some images captivate us more than others. Some images get more attention, feedback and shares than others. We attribute it to a combination of factors not the least of which is the absolute stunning beauty of the model herself. But it was so much more than just that. There was real talent that put this entire series together. All that combined talent manifest itself in this final image that we have chosen to our #1 best image of the last 10 years.

No words could ever describe this photo shoot. No amount of lines would ever describe this model, the way she looks, her warm personality and her skill. No words could ever hope to describe her ability.

Chanel Alexis is the first model you might say we had a “photo crush” on. We didn’t want the shoot to end. Every single shot was perfect. We found her ravishing and quite frankly the kindest, sweetest person we have met since we have lived in the Pacific NW. Ironically, she wasn’t from here; but she is from South Florida and not that far from my hometown. I suppose we had creative affinity for one another that bonded us. 

There were zero complaints and no problems with punctuality. Every single garment was a perfect fit. Chanel needed very little if any makeup at all but the makeup artist Noelle, did a marvelous job. 

This image was one of many from a shoot that was part location and part studio. It is the most blogged about and most shared photo in the series; perhaps the most in all our series. Taking into consideration comments, tags, shares and likes, this image has been the most buzzed about across all sites, blogs and other social media. 

Of course it is purely visual for the onlooker. No one knows how flawlessly the shoot was executed by Chanel and by our stylist Trexie Dorrell. It was the easiest photo shoot we’ve ever had and produced the most enchanting and timeless results. Chanel has the talent and those exotic looks to make it all come together. She is one of few people that if she ever chose to come back, we would find a way and fly her back the country again if necessary should an opportunity exist. 

We all made instant friends; friends enough for her to crash here if she wants to. She is simply that laid back. She is always welcome. Thank you Chanel for being marvelous and creating truly timeless images with us. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#2) Countdown

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Model: Iryna
Stylist: Trexie Dorrell
MUA: Chyeeda Burt

Everything you want in a model with everything you want in a stylist and makeup artist. This photo really is what we have wanted for years. It is a culmination of all that we were longing for. We wanted a high fashion model with superior looks and talent along with the threads to match. 

Iryna literally personifies fashion in a way we had not thought possible. For years we have sought such a look and only with her and the stylist/lighting assistant Trexie Dorrell could such results have come to be. Perfect styling, exceptional lighting and sophisticated garments and accessories. We sought a look and went for it all in and the results were even more remarkable than we anticipated. 

This look holds all we want to do. We want fashion, and we wanted high class style and sophistication.The stylist had everything flawlessly prepared all the way down to the stockings. It was a perfect look and she had the shoot well organized from start to finish. We had discussed the look, the lighting setup and gave Iryna a vibe to shoot for and she not only nailed it, she surpassed it. She really took ownership of the look. Sure she gave us a few complaints along the way about the weather and so on, but nothing can deny the results. She is easily among the top best models we’ve had (not just within the last 10 years) but possibly ever when it comes to fashion. 

Her attitude somewhat brash and her personality feisty and mildly confrontational but Iryna is what she is and we love her for it. It is part of what makes her a great model. She knows what she wants and she lets you know. We may have done much much more with a bit of diplomacy but quite frankly, she could have had and can have anything she wants along the lines of modeling. She is unsurpassed by every measure. She captured the looks flawlessly and this image best exemplifies the direction we wanted to go and the sense of fashion we have been striving for for years and would like to continue to do. 

It was a beautiful collaboration throughout. The garments were perfect. The lighting was supple yet punchy while the styling and makeup was flawlessly executed. Thanks to the entire team for making this image possible. Special thanks to Iryna our very special and talented Cover Model of Sircus Magazine Issue 8 for bringing it all together and achieving this heightened level of fashion and finesse. Thanks to my booking agent & stylist Trexie Dorrell for helping to discover Iryna and assembling a masterpiece. She truly makes everything beautiful come to life. Also thank you Chyeeda Burt for another well executed makeup application. Also thank you Nique Haggerty for coming by to help tweak the makeup to our liking between looks. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#3) Countdown

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Model: Karleena Gore

It was only the second time in all my years of photography and design that I had chosen a car interior as my shooting space. This photo session was part of a larger editorial series that had to be cut short due to some extraordinary circumstances. 

Yet in concert with a beautiful and talented model, the light, the pose and the unusual dynamics afforded by the shooting space, this image easily made to the #3 spot as best of the best 10 images we’ve done in the last decade. 

Her car radiator literally exploded in the parking lot. I was so happy that she made it all the way to my driveway. Heaven forbid that she would be stranded alongside the freeway. Despite everything she literally made it to my doorstep. She was understandably distracted and completely rattled, terrified and nervous about what to do next. After hours of phone calls, tow trucks and mechanics we still decided to do something while we waited on the mechanics assessment of the damage. Despite not coming back to finish what we started, I will forever be appreciate that she could look and be so composed after such an event. 

Like many shoots, I had my own problems to deal with that the models and other people onset are seldom aware of. I had rented equipment, lenses, props as well as a second camera for the second phase of three phases of the shoot that we never saw. I was out of hundreds of dollars myself so you might say this is a $700 shot by itself. Given how it turned out it looks like much much more than that in all it’s glorious sexy elegance. I can only imagine what we might have accomplished given the full shoot. 

In the end, I got her home safe and sound while the mechanics continued to do what they needed to do to her car. It was one of the most memorable photo shoots I’ve had to say the least. It would be great to have her back to finish what we started but I am certain the experience struck fear into her and this side of Washington may have yet to see her again. 

Thank you for a wonderful time despite the challenges Karleena. You’re a real trooper.

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#4) Countdown

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Model: Kristi Wright

#4 is a tie of the best image(s) of Helios. Ironically, the model is the same between the two images which we thought could never happen. I don’t even know if she knows but Kristi is the most published, most popular, most shared, blogged, referenced, worshipped and literally revered model we have ever worked with. Within one photo shoot alone, she and I had images published across at least four publications, a minimum of eight blogs and more websites than I care to count, none of which was yet our own. She made cover on at least one of our shoots on an extremely popular limited print edition special issue glamour magazine. By their own admittance, they received thousands of entries and Kristi was chosen from among them all from all over the world.

We attribute the popularity of these two images to their uniqueness. One has a innocent mischievousness about it while the other is a cropped acrobatic masterpiece of form and sexy gracefulness emphasizing the curves of her very fit physique. 

She had no idea what I had planned for the day. The moment I saw her garment in person was the moment  I knew I had to play around with shapes and contrast mixing both organic and synthetic for a sexy playful scape using curves and contrasting shapes. By most measures it was an instant sensation. Within hours of posting the picture on our photo blog it received thousands of hits, dozens of comments and shares and I’d received more than a dozen request for blog publishing rights. Everyone wanted to right about it or try to copy it. You might say that we were very proud of what we had accomplished using a little imagination. 

Even now her closeup adorns the pages of several blogs after several bloggers asked for permission to have it as their header (something we don’t give or permit lightly or easily). We’ve had writers comment and even write about these images more than any other; not just comments or shout outs but real commentary on our technique and moreso on how exotically captivating Kristi is. 

She is certainly the most daring model I’ve ever photographed. It’s ironic how shy and timid she can appear to be until it’s photo time. When the test strobes flashes she immediately goes bold and takes total control. She is so comfortable to be around and she brings such intense energy and skill. Glamour is her thing and we have yet to meet anyone that does it better. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#5) Countdown

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Model: Trexie Dorrell

Definitely among the 5 top images we’ve ever had based on popularity, shares, comments and blogs for various sources all over the Internet. We received questions and comments about the model’s identity and our watermark color choice all the way up to the split toning post processing settings we used. 

It kind of speaks for itself. Just a combination a deliberately placed lighting, to create dimensionality and what I refer to as “trimming,” joined by a model with a body to die for along with compositional framing that might be described as teasing. Even her pose radiates attitude and the leather on leather styling just sold it. We chose several crop options before releasing this version. We knew her gorgeous lips had to show in the image. Quite frankly, in our opinion it could easily have been the best image ever at #1 but there is so much more to consider with categorizing such things. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#7) Countdown

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Model: Kim Jonet

#7 wasn’t that difficult choosing Kim yet again for Best Images of Helios. She continued to bring her intense sultriness to every single look. Even unknown to Kim or myself at the time, we were both channeling “The Night Porter,” a scintillating controversial classic 1974 film by Italian director Liliana Cavani starring Charlotte Rampling.  

Leave it to Kim to get it done and she did it so well. It is Kim’s daring here that made this shot so appealing. I find it one of our most compositionally inviting as it draws you into the scene itself. Styling was spot on perfect and she works it like she was born to it.

Thank you Kim. 

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#8) Countdown

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Model: Kim Jonet

Image #8 represents a slight departure from our norm. Despite not being a glamour photographer, I'd had a few of such shoots under my belt. But I'd deemed this as something more than that. Categorically speaking, as far as genres go this has all the makings of the risqué flavor that currently epitomizes the glamour genre unlike glamour of the past. But this felt different. It felt more connected to me somehow. It was more real and personable than just flagrant nudity or breast visibility. It is tasteful and yet sinfully teasing.

I credit every bit of it to the model. She was simply perfect for the look. Her ability to intensify and project a connection thru the lens was/is incredible. Unlike any model I have ever photographed to this very day, Kim is by far the sexiest; not sexy in the act of having sex kind of way - but sexy when a woman is comfortable with herself and she exudes confidence and an awareness about her body; an awareness I'd never seen. It was not arousing but it was intoxicating and alluring all the same. Clothed or unclothed, multi-layered fabrics or scantily clad, Kim is enchanting and jaw dropping beautiful.

I'd like to say it's about the lighting, the grainy noire black and white finish but it's not; at least not entirely. I think she made this image her own. She took ownership of the look and that easily puts her into our forever Top 10 Best Images list.

10 Years - 10 Best Helios Images - (#9) Countdown

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Model: Denielle Aduba

Technically speaking, this image has so many flaws. The lighting is dynamic but hugely flawed. The clarity and sharpness isn’t as precise as it could be. The shadows are clipped and it is over-processed. Yet, based on reviews, comments and critics from over five websites and blogs in conjunction with our assessment, we’ve selected it as Number 9 out our top 10 images over the last decade.

It’s over 5 years old but this photo shoot still produced more keeps than any other photo shoot we’ve ever had. That’s not to say that those images came from just a few looks. Nevertheless, we had a enormous amount of keepers. It was our first foray into expanding “production value” (more on PV later) for all of our photo shoots. We began to spec the makeup, the hair as well as develop styling for wardrobe itself. We built a set of sorts and seemingly floating platform. We included props and special fx. It was our earlier realizations that to insure consistent quality that we needed to take ownership of the entire look and that meant full styling autonomy. 

We also experimented immensely with gels. We knew the look we wanted and we went for it in what we conclude as having above average results even for a technically flawed image. We’ve found that most of the best images throughout photographic history need not be technically perfect. In fact, the most famous ones are not. Even so, they set an atmosphere. They tell a story or exude a feeling and stir emotion. We wanted a beautiful ethereal and floating feeling as made possible with the fog and gels. The fashion need not be designer threads at the time but it needed to be relevant and appropriate. 

I recall thinking when she arrived that this model was the most beautiful young woman I’d ever seen to date. Even without my knowing at the time, she set the physical benchmark for everyone we worked since I’d first seen her. In my naivete I thought, this is what every model should look like. Not to say that beauty doesn’t come in all body types. It is simply to say, that she was intoxicatingly attractive. Ironically, she was not technically a model but more a passive model enthusiast with some latent interests in modeling. But she responded excited to the invitation made to her by who was to become my chief stylist.

Denielle began the shoot quite shyly and timid. After a time she slowly fell into the role with ease. While not having nearly the level of experience of models we would later have the privilege of working with, she did very very well. It would be such a shame to see such potential wasted. 

We went on to work with Denielle once more but as they say, “It’s Never As Good As The First Time.” Even so, we love that she chose to work with us. 

Chase Rubeor Part II coming soon

Chanel Alexis for Sircus Magazine

Untitled, a photo by helios00 on Flickr.

See her in Sircus Magazine Issue 5
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ShyAng3L from Sircus Magazine i.5

ShyAng3L from Sircus Magazine i.5, a photo by helios00 on Flickr.

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Sircus Magazine Issue 5
Pages 1-7 of 52 Includes several never before seen images of new freelance models.
© heliosimaging
All Rights Reserved
Unauthorized use is prohibited
featuring models...
Tiffany Roe, Chanel Alexis, Kristi Wright, Nique Haggerty & ShyAng3L.

Sircus Magazine Issue 5 Sneak Peek

Sircus Magazine Issue 5 Sneak Peek a video by helios00 on Flickr.

The wait is over. Issue 5 is here. Available for sale at www.sircusmagazine.com

"Like" Us on Facebook
Sircus Magazine Issue 5
Pages 1-7 of 52 Includes several never before seen images of new freelance models.
© heliosimaging
All Rights Reserved
Unauthorized use is prohibited
featuring models...
Tiffany Roe, Chanel Alexis, Kristi Wright, Nique Haggerty & ShyAng3L.

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