Lovely ladies behind crystal veil: oktober 2014

vrijdag 24 oktober 2014

Maria 130

This fine photo of Maria as a happy young lady in pink outfit and new pink glasses concludes a memorable photo shoot in Sweden. Maria is the 60th Lady behind Crystal Veil.

A word of thanks goes to Maria's companion Sergey for his sound advice and the lovely video clips he made of the selection process and the start of the photo shoot. Sergey, you were surprised by my stories about each pair of glasses - well, a bit of lecturing about the history of glasses is always part of my photo shoots. It's really two way traffic that way :).

Maria, it was my privilege and honor to work with you! I am looking back at our afternoon in Lund with a big smile on my face, not unlike your expression in the picture above.

The first thing that struck me was your thorough preparation for the task that laid ahead. Although you did not bring your own pair, it was immediately clear that you have an excellent taste for glasses and you knew quite well in advance which frames might suit you. It was my pleasure to watch your selection process on the terrace near the station and to hear your comments on each pair. The same goes for the feedback given by Sergey who has a fine taste for glasses himself. You were clearly aware that a good selection of glasses is half the job and this paid off during the actual photo shoot.

While working away in Lundagard Park, I was impressed by your dedication and stamina. It is my experience that models from Eastern Europe are not afraid of hard work and cold fingers. A sincere apology is due to both of you for taking considerably more of your time than anticipated. The flow was so good that I clean forgot about the time during the section with the strong glasses. If ever you change your mind about accepting a free pair of glasses in your own prescription as compensation for the extra work, do let me know. Most new pairs that we used during the second part of the photo shoot are still available.

Another aspect that struck me when working with you is that you really are an actress as well as a model. This capacity of acting greatly contributed to the outcome of the photo shoot.

And finally, thank you for the nice compliment about the songs on my solo CD, especially the title track "Crystal Veil". Your photo shoot as Lady behind Crystal Veil is a beautiful visual equivalent of what that signature song is all about. I wish you a brilliant future as a model and an actress.

donderdag 23 oktober 2014

Maria 129

"But let's look at things from the bright side. My old glasses were almost useless, everything in the distance was so vague that I could not recognize people greeting me. Now I can see everything crystal clear through my new glasses. Almost too clear, but my optician said that it will settle within a week and he was right on previous occasions. And the main thing, I am still the lady in pink!"

Maria 128

Another fine capture of Maria in her role of a young woman withdrawn in her reflection about her beloved old glasses. A park in a city has many functions for the citizens.

Maria 127

Maria showing the significant "cut in" effect created by the strong lenses in her pink glasses. I like the model's concentration here, focusing on the other pair of pink glasses in her hand. A moment in the life of a young lady who just bought a new pair of glasses after an increase from minus eight to minus ten, looking at her previous glasses: "Should I have kept these and just have them fitted with my new prescription? They were really nice.... but I will get used to my new glasses".

Maria 126

Maria wearing a more pronounced pair of pink glasses from my new collection. These glasses were ordered as an option for my life partner Nel who just came into a pink phase with her outfits. Nel was in need of a new pair of glasses for computer distance so I ordered three different pairs for her. She did not choose this pair so it ended up in my always greedy collection.

Maria 125

Glasses: Zenni 278819
[L: -9.50; c-1.25 v / R: -10.00; c-1.25 v]

Maria 124

"You can change glasses now, if you wish"
"OK. New glasses, here you go...."

A photo shoot in prescription glasses may seem serious business and often it is that way. But there's always time and place for "a bit of craic", as the Irish put it.

Maria 123

"You can change glasses in a minute, Maria, just another couple of photos. Are you curious about the other pair?"
"They are pink, aren't they?"
"Yes, they are. You look great, really a symphony in pink"
"Thank you, Mr. Photographer!"

Maria 122

"Hey Mr. Photographer, I clean forgot about the glasses on my forehead. Please tell me when it's time to switch glasses, OK?"

Maria 121

Symphony in pink - wonderful posing by Maria in Zenni glasses, Rx -8.00. Again, the eye contact with her honored photographer is quite credible.

Maria 120

Maria selected a number of pink glasses as they really suited her outfit. Here she is wearing a pair of Zenni glasses with a nice decoration on the arms. Flowers and insects.... The lenses are the standard minus eight for my trial glasses.

Maria 119

Glasses on the model's nose: Zenni
[L=R: -8.00]

Maria 118

Another example of fine posing by Maria in black cat eye style glasses by Zenni, Rx -12. Maria is looking at her right hand which is leaning against the tree. For the record, this fine model was well able to pose credibly in these strong glasses while standing without something to hold her balance.

Maria 117

To throw in a bit of variation, Maria is looking at her hands and this would have made a lovely series if the photos had all come out sharp. Lundagard Park was a perfect place for a photo shoot but there were no suitable benches in the immediate vicinity of the Kungshuset building. As a result, the entire photo shoot had to be done without the aid of my tripod. Fortunately, this photo came out fine.

The famous Alfred Hitchcock had the habit to appear briefly in his own films as a supernumerary and here Maria's companion Sergey is performing the very same role. When I met Maria and Sergey at the station, their request was if Sergey could make some video clips of Maria and myself at work. Of course, no problem. My only request is that the model's companion does not interfere with the actual photo shoot itself as this might take away the flow between model and photographer. Sergey made some brief video clips when Maria was selecting the glasses on a terrace near the station and he also made video clips at the very start of the photo shoot. He posted them briefly on You Tube so that I could see the clips and they were really nice. Alas, the clips were gone by the time my life partner Nel checked You Tube to see them herself. Anyway, thanks to Sergey Hitchcock for his contribution to the afternoon, much appreciated!

Maria 116

Maria kindly obliged when requested to show the power rings in the black version of the glasses.
Seen halfway "en profil", these glasses really show the strength of the lenses. They were ordered with my life partner Nel in mind and fitted with her current prescription for long distance.

Maria 115

Maria posing in the black version of the previous glasses. At minus twelve, these black glasses are considerably stronger than the previous pair which was minus nine. However, this difference does not really show itself when seen "en face". This has to do with the rather narrow frame. Another big compliment to Maria for her natural, credible way of posing in these strong glasses.

Maria 114

Glasses: Zenni 283621
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

Maria 113

Another fine picture of Maria acting in the role of the young lady in the fairy tale. Lovely posing!

Maria 112

When I asked Maria if she felt comfortable in glasses of minus nine, she gave me this rewarding smile.

Maria 111

These are not really cat eye glasses but there is a nice touch of the cat eye style. Zenni made this pair in 2010 when there was no sign of revival in favor of cat eye glasses. They started making real cat eye glasses in 2012. Be that as it may, the glasses really suit Maria and many other models.

Maria 110

For a bit of extra nostalgia, here is another portrait taken within seconds of the previous photo. During the heyday of cat eye glasses, all amateur photography was done in black and white.
Again, excellent posing by Maria, showing us a slightly different mood. Mirror mirror....

woensdag 22 oktober 2014

Maria 109

A fine portrait of Maria checking her looks in contemporary cat eye glasses made by Zenni, with the help of her hand mirror. The progressive lenses are minus nine. Excellent, credible posing by Maria. There is no way of telling that these are not her own glasses. Be it remembered, her own prescription is only -1.25. Hat off for Maria!

Maria 108

Here is an innocent bit of voyeurism, showing the tiny image of the red ivy leaves on the wall of Kongshuset seen through the right lens of Maria's new cat eye glasses. In my school days I was fascinated by the such tiny, moving images that always accompanied ladies in minus glasses when they walked the streets. A similar photo was used for the cover of my solo CD "Crystal Veil" (released in 2007) on which a friend called Conny did the model job. Each model is presented with a copy of the CD as an appropriate souvenir of her photo shoot.

Maria 107

These Zenni glasses became available three years ago and they were first featured in my fiction story "Claudia Allegonda and the magic glasses" about the siege of the Dutch city of Haarlem in 1573 (see Deviantart Lentilux). The glasses were available in three different colors and very popular among my models. Several models ordered a pair - fitted with lenses in their own prescription, of course - for use in everyday life. Sadly, only the black version is still available. Here Maria is checking the quiet surroundings of Kongshuset in Lundagard Park in the tortoise version of these glasses. The lenses are minus nine.

Maria 106

Glasses: Zenni 282625
[L: -9.25 / R: -8.75; c-0.50 v / var add 1.75]

Maria 104 - 105

An encore by lovely Maria in cat eye glasses by Zenni. Again, the editing is done in black and white to highlight this great series. The ease and confidence displayed by the model is quite impressive.

Maria 103

Superb posing by Maria, some real "showing off" here, and a bit of editing from my side to give this portrait a touch of the classic cat eye era (c. 1953 - 1963).

Maria 102

"Yes, I like these cat eye glasses, they look great on me!"
I could not agree more, Maria....

Maria 101

Another check in the hand mirror by Maria who is gradually beginning to like her new cat eye glasses

Maria 100

Another example of excellent posing by Maria in modern Zenni cat eye glasses. Be it remembered, the model's own prescription is -1.25 and the glasses are -8.00. Without this knowledge, one would never guess that these are not her own glasses. Big compliment to Maria!

Maria 099

Fine posing by Maria - a young lady getting used to her looks in newly bought cat eye glasses, just before or after another check in the hand mirror.

Maria 098

When I started collecting glasses in my student days, most of my early treasures were cat eye glasses from the famous Amsterdam flea market "Waterlooplein". Most of those glasses are now broken as the primitive plastics from the late 1950's started to crumble at the nose piece of the frames. Zenni is now filling that gap in a modern, yet classic way.

Maria 097

Maria standing at the entrance of Kongshuset, inspecting the plaque and its inscription in Swedish. Note the difference in general feel between this series in striking cat eye glasses and the preceding series in discrete pink glasses.

Maria 096

Zenni is keen on picking up the latest trends in design but they are often adding a twist of their own, like the little dots on these cat eye glasses.

Maria 095

Glasses: Zenni 665918
[L=R: -8.00]

Maria 094

"Hey, Mr. Photographer, you look like leprechaun twins in these lenses. This is so funny. What a pity you can't see yourself the way I see you now! But tell me, how do I look from your side?"

Maria 093

"Not to worry, Maria. Your eyes only look 15% smaller in the pink glasses than they do when you are wearing your own glasses.
"OK, fair enough, I was beginning to worry"

Maria 092

"Wow Mr. Photographer, this really makes me blush! Don't tell me that my eyes look as tiny as what I see in the lenses of the cat eye glasses...."

Maria 091

Both the glasses on Maria's nose and the cat eye pair in her hands are minus eight. While the pink glasses don't look all that strong, the cat eye glasses really show their powerful prescription. The solid tree in the background is reduced to the size of a match. I like the serenity in this portrait.

Maria 090

Posing in strong glasses is a challenge to any model blessed with almost perfect eyesight. Here Maria seems totally absorbed in her examination of the merits of the cat eye glasses in her hand. This is great posing indeed. Call it posing with an understatement. Wonderful!

Maria 089

Many clients in optician's shops face the choice between glasses with a smooth blend to the face and glasses with a statement. In this and the next portraits Maria is showing that choice.
The lenses in the pink glasses are minus eight and at that strength, power rings usually make their presence felt. Note the lack of predominance of the power rings in the mellow, pink frame. The glasses don't seem to be as strong as they really are.