Retrodoll, Brittney!

Hiya, Steemit! I’m sitting at @caffetto on the warmest Minnesota day of the entire winter thus far. I haven’t been able to help thinking of the cold, endless Minnesota winter as a metaphor for the crypto-bear-market. Let’s hope there’s a market thaw this week as well. I’m trying to mitigate what feels like impending stress today. Both of my car headlights are burnt out. I’m not a particularly handy guy with cars, but @treigh-c and a few others at @caffetto, are. I’m gong to see if I can get some tools and assistance from the @caffetto family. On the bright side, looks like I’ll have a few deposits tonight and @wcpublishing just emailed me with my Q4 Dark Pinup royalties!

I’m still working on finishing up my last few Viva Las Vegas clients. I’ve made some great strides during these weeks leading up to the New Year. I’m over the pain that I didn’t make my own deadlines, but finishing what I owe for these few girls is encouraging me to push through it all. One of the most patient clients of all has been my darling friend, Brittney. She booked a shoot during Viva Las Vegas a year early, so there was plenty of time for us to get to know each other and anticipate our collaboration. Over those months leading up to Viva, I followed her shoots and modeling on Instagram, and was so excited about this opportunity.

Meeting Brittney, she bought such a calming energy to my chaotic two week trip. I always visit LA the week before. I shoot there, this particular year a few creatively demanding projects like the La Femme En Noir look book, and then make my way to Vegas for another crushing shoot week schedule. Brittney was on time for a very early morning. I was exhausted because the Dark Pinup book release party was the previous night. Normally, I’d be dying, but something about Brittney’s attitude lifted me. I felt confident in my ability as an artist […which happens far less often than you’d think].

Brittney and I began shooting in my hotel room at The Artisan. It’s one of my favorite locations in Vegas to shoot. There’s endless possibilities from the unique halls covered in antique frames and print reproductions of painting from the great master painters, to the ornate gold and wood furniture in the lobby. Each hotel room is themed after a classic artist. Brittney was a beautiful muse for my style of dark pinup, using a combination of cool, bluish window light and the warm lamps on the desks. I loved capturing a strong, femme fatale side of her; so different from most of her modeling work.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me. I’m leaving for Seattle in about 10 days and I haven’t even booked my flight yet. I have a lot of travel to work out, places to stay and places to shoot, rental cars […if I’ll even need one], and so one. I also have a lot of editing to finish up this weekend and next week. Stay with me for the new work as I’m hoping to finish the last of my Viva Las Vegas clients. Thanks for reading, Steemit friends! For more photography, art, illustration and the stories behind the work, follow me here @kommienezuspadt!