Under the covers w/ Betty Machete!

Good morning, Steemit! Don’t freak out! Everyone is shitting themselves because the exchanges are bright red right now. This is a volatile, unregulated market. It happens. Steemit was my introduction to cryptocurrency, which I think was a good things for me psychologically. I didn’t invest $1000 in Bitcoin or Etherum. I came to this platform, started blogging and making money. Believe me, I love going in to my wallet and seeing five figure account values, but the foundational reason I’m here is to meet friends and share my work with a deserving audience I wouldn’t otherwise reach. The money is just gravy and there are times the gravy is a scarcer than others. No big deal. This time next week we could see $4 STEEM and everyone making gloomy post about how “THIS IS IT! The cryptoecosystem is surely collapsing!” will be posting blogs about how “STEEM will surely reach $10 by the end of July!”. In the time I wrote this first paragraph, STEEM has gone from $1.69 to $1.80. Don’t make yourself crazy. Just keep your head down and MAKE GOOD POSTS!

This morning stirs up a lot of Steemit feels for me. My regular coffee shop, Caffetto, in uptown Minneapolis has been inaccessible as of late. A bunch of dumb Minnesota summer construction has me making a 45 minute drive instead of my usual 8 minute trip. Also, as much as Caffetto is home, they have one virtually nonfunctioning air conditioner and I can’t work in a 93º room. Today I came to Spyhouse in NE Minneapolis. The same coffee shop, the same table that I made my introduction post to Steemit nearly one year ago. I had no idea the impact Steemit would have on my life and career.

Today’s photography is from NOIR I LA. As such, these photos have only ever been released in black and white. This is the first and only place on the internet I’m sharing the color edits. Her name is Elizabeth, but her pinup persona is Betty Machete! Elizabeth had been following my work for a few years, apparently. She’s always been a fan of some of the top pinup models in the vintage/rockabilly scene, such as Doris Mayday, Masuimi Max and Micheline Pitt. She told me that after seeing some of the photos I’d taken of those pinups, she had to book for NOIR. Very flattering and I love hearing how my work has reached people, especially to a point that they book shoots with me.

One of the best things about NOIR is that it’s an all inclusive event. Typically, I provide make-up for my sessions, but everything else in the responsibility of the client. For NOIR, hair, make-up, wardrobe, styling and location are all included in the cost of the packages. Our NOIR teams are always world class beauty and styling professionals, and Elizabeth looked absolutely stunning when she met me at the king suite we were shooting that afternoon. 

The vintage/pinup look is very hard to pull off in a believable way. It’s a theme that comes up at some point for all models and photographers. Concepts are discussed and inevitably someone suggests “…we should do a pinup thing!”. That’s fine for casual photography. Maybe if the goal is a calendar for a fund raiser, or just to round out a portfolio. For me this, this is a deep niché that’s finally allowed me to find my voice as a photographer. I’d been developing a style based entirely on available, diegetic light for 15 years and by chance, I found a culture showcased best by the absence of bright, artificial studio light. 

I pride myself that most of my clients are first time models. I’d like to think I can capture anyone in a moody, cinematic esthetic that looks like it was out of a 1940’s film, but some women […and men], just have that “look”. If you can spare a minute, definitely check out my previous blog “German cinema starlet, reincarnate!”, and you’ll see what I mean. Elizabeth is one of those models that just has the look. These images encapsulate the Mid-Century modern era, and the hair, beauty, lingerie […What Katie Did was our co-host and sponsor that year] and styling just brought it all to life.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the photos. I post daily so for more photography, art, illustration and insights, please consider following me @kommienezuspadt! As always, feedback, votes and resteems are immensely appreciated! Have a great day, everyone! Steem on!