Sometimes I think that the background and environment in the photo is as important as the model. This photo of Stephanie Grant was taken in a Victorian era building in London. I like the plasterwork makes an interesting texture in the background of this photo.

A portrait using only spotlights and reflectors for that 1940s, 50s look.

More of the high contrast old Hollywood style lighting.

I like to give a model a prop sometimes. It can help to have something to hold on to. I often use coffee cups, cigarettes (if the model smokes) or telephones. I have some old dial phones that I've used, but because this is 2010, this model is texting.

This model is very tall, so long legs can be a challenge. It can help to compress the composition a little using a long focal length lens.

This photo was for a Christmas card from a couple of years ago. I didn't send it to that many people.

From a shoot with two women. Another shot on film. 400 iso pushed to 1600. Higher speeds add film grain and reduce shadow detail. These are usually considered to detriments, but grain and contrast can add drama in the right composition.

Here is something for feet and shoes fans. This is from a private shoot. The client wanted something iconic to use as an avatar on social networking sites. It's a small part of a person's body, but feet can be quite expressive.

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I was contacted by a woman who was pregnant and wanted to be photographed. She brought her sister to the shoot and convinced her sister to pose as well.

From another dominatrix shoot. It can be interesting to create these film still like theme images.

Every so often a person wants to be photographed nude, but not nude, showing her face, but not showing her face. So, there can be solution for that.

More water droplet mania.

I've been doing some experimenting with "splash" photography. I've tried doing photos in shower stalls, but never had enough room. This is a studio shot shot made to look like a shower.

Something as simple as water droplets can add interest and texture to a photo.

I like these kind of simple, elegant compositions.

I usually like to work the environment into a picture, but it can be interesting to work with just the positive and negative spaces that the body creates on a black background. It's especially interesting if you have the right model.

Another photo from a dreary London afternoon. Soft window light can be a challenge to work with, but I think it helps to create the mood of this photo.

This is the same model as in the last post. Just about without exception, first time models loosen up after a short period of time.

This is one of the first photos in a session with a first time model. Some models want to dive right into the shoot and other want to take it slowly. It helps to have robes and towels available for models who want to take it by easy stages.

Here is a shot with a little different style for me. I experimented with studio lights, leaving the soft boxes off and just shooting with bare bulbs and a snoot on the light. It creates a higher contrast, more graphic style.

A profile portrait of adult film actress Amy Ried. This shot was taken in the last of the afternoon light coming through the window of an apartment in Santa Monica

I've done a few shoots with Dominatrixes. I can't say that I completely understand or appreciate the fetish, but I do like the imagery and the high contrast of the clothing and accessories. I like the short depth of field of this shot.

When posing a model, rather than just saying "hold up your hands and look to the left" it can work better to give a model a starting point and follow her lead. This model was a fan of 1930s icon Josephine Baker, so I said, be Josephine Baker. And she did.

I'm often accused of not doing enough shots from behind, so here's one.