A collection of photography w/ The Ventura Rose!

Good morning, Steemit! Thank you to everyone that upvoted my last post. I've said from the start that the rewards weren't my primary motivation for sharing work here with the community. Sure, it's nice when a post trends and makes some money. I never count on it, though. The engagement, comments and interaction is why I post here as often as I do. The real reward for me is followers. I just want to share the work I've dedicated so much of my life to creating.

This excerpt is of a model I met in 2014. I host a big event annually called NOIR. You can read more about NOIR in my previous post "How creative event branding evolved my photography career!". It's become a big thing. I typically host it across the country, in NYC, Minneapolis and LA, back to back from August through October. One of the clients from the first NOIR I LA event was a quiet, shy girl named Vicky. She eventually went on to become The Ventura Rose.

Vicky was stoic and a little abrasive during our NOIR shoot. I coached her through her first shoot, and we stayed in touch. She loved the images from NOIR and hired me during my next trip to LA. 

During our second shoot, Vicky thawed a little and she told me she was nervous about shooting with a male photographer. I assured her I understood that, as there is a disproportionate amount of creeps in the industry [98% of the people I deal with in my life are women, so I'm seasoned in the unfortunate conditions many of them have to work in]. I assured her I was only interested in making good photos. From that point on, we got along well and eventually became friends.

Vicky created a few new social media accounts and adorned the title "The Ventura Rose", which fit her perfectly. She quickly found an audience with the vintage community, most of which were already following my photography with some of the top pinup models in the world. We continued to work together, nearly every trip I took to LA from 2015 to my last. We've shot a variety of concepts, some beautiful and feminine, so dark and desolate. One in the middle of the California desert surrounded by Joshua trees.

During 2016, as I've mentioned here on Steemit, I took a new direction in my career. More illustration at home in Minneapolis, and less travel since my son started kindergarten. The Ventura Rose has continued modeling in a new direction herself. She's pivoted from mostly vintage/fashion and found a home [well received I might add] amongst the lifestyle/hip hop brands like Arsenic magazine. I've watched her following grow substantially, and reminds me how lucky I am to meet people like her before they launch into momentous careers.

Follow me here @Kommienezuspadt for more photography, illustration and thoughts on life.