Top 3 Things I Miss about Las Vegas

Art Model Susan, © 2013 Terrell Neasley

So its been 4 months to the day since I've been in Las Vegas. As much as I like traveling and exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations, I actually have a heart for home. I used to be able to take home for granted...that it will always be there. Not this time. Las Vegas yes...but I don't currently have a place I can call home there right now. When I get done with this road trip, chances are I'll be settling back in Vegas. Its not my hometown. That's Terrell, Texas. I count Vegas as my home city.

What do I miss about being back in my home city? Lets see. Here are some of the spots I frequented most. So its my habit to be in these places. Naturally, I miss not being able to hit these spots.

Art Model Covenant, © 2015 Terrell Neasley

1. B&C Camera
If you put a tracker on my car, it would show that I spent a chunk of time at 4511 West Sahara. And I only work there sparingly. Most of the rest of the time, I'm there picking up some camera accessory, renting some gear, or coming in to check out the latest and greatest piece of glass. And THEN while I'm shooting the breeze, I inevitably end up helping a customer find something, narrow down a selection, product comparison, or how-to photo techniques.

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO VISIT
Because everybody comes to Las Vegas. Sooner or later, you're gonna make that vaca happen and you'll hit the strip. Then you're gonna realize you left your charger at home, drop your camera off the Hoover Dam bridge, or back over it with your SUV. Yes...I have seen this happen. If you are a Vegas local, then mosey on over there and check it out. You're on Sahara Ave, by "Egg and I" at some point, anyway. You may as well see what a real camera store looks like. This is a newly remodeled joint that will make you wonder why you hadn't visited before. Go holla at Rob or Ron and tell'em Terrell sent ya and I promise you'll get the VIP treatment. Just drop my name like you know me.

Art Model Covenant, © 2015 Terrell Neasley

2. Waffles Cafe
December 2013, I moved to the North west side of Vegas. The first thing I did was Google "breakfast near me". Waffle Cafe was the first choice that was a few miles away. Been going there on the regular every since. Now the owners Jeffery and Isaac are good friends of mine.

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO VISIT
I've been taking friends, models, and business prospects there since I started going there. Everybody loves it. My mom came to visit and she's not even a waffle fan. Its the best she's ever tasted. Their waffles are very light. Nothing heavy and they are gluten free. That didn't matter to me so much til I brought a model there who only ate gluten-free and she loved them as well. You can even get them with ice cream on them or a waffle pizza. I personally think you're a deranged individual, but I respect your choice. Maple syrup and butter are the only things that belongs on a waffle. Or bacon! I recommend the Terrell Special. You gotta ask for it. Its not on the wall menu. I promise you'll love it.

Art Model Liz, © 2015 Terrell Neasley

3. Hiking Trails
The very first thing I did when I got to Vegas was to genuinely explore the place. NO, NOT THE STRIP! When you get that out of your system, you'll come to realize, there's a desert out there! And likely different from what you're imagining. I joined the Vegas Hikers Meetup group when there were only 200 some odd people. Now there are almost 20,000 people. The group is run by my good friends, Alan Gegax and Paul Dicianno. These hikes have been my serenity and sanctuary to some extent. At times, it helped me to go out on one of Alan's or Paul's treks. Camping with them is the best, though. The group sites at Valley of Fire are prob my fave spots, but I've gone back to Spring Valley a time or two as well, it was so glorious.

And then there are other times when I just want to be alone. Most times, I'm scouting new locations for a client shoot or for one of my own model shoots. I've gone out at times and have fallen asleep on a high rock only to wake up and its dark enough to believe your eyes are sealed shut. That's when you know you've needed the rest! But sometimes, you can't wait on someone to go with you. People have their own lives and priorities. You'll eventually begin to have other like-minded people join your orbit or you'll join theirs and get plugged into that network.

Art Model Alethea, © 2013 Terrell Neasley

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO VISIT
Damn. Where do I start? Valley of Fire. Red Rock. Lake Mead. Goldstrike or Arizona Hot Springs. Those are the more popular ones. But you likely don't know as much about Wetland Park. Or Lone Mountain, Black Mountain Trail, Nelson Ghost town, or the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. These are all spots that will blow you away and exceed all your expectations. And that's prob about 1% of the possible spots you can choose to visit. Snap! Mt Charleston! Yeah...too many. You don't haven't visited Las Vegas if you don't get off the Strip. And that doesn't even get into the other day trips you can make. Cathedral Gorge, Zion National Park. Death Valley! I can't do it...its too much! I could make a blog post just on hiking spots alone! No way I'm taking on that responsibility though. I've given you a good start. Get to researching what works best for you and your family. I believe in you. You can do this. Did you even know there's a 35 mile paved bike trial? Yep...River Mountain Loop Trail.

So yeah... Off the top of my head, those are my top 3 things that come to mind. Its gonna take me forever to link all these spots!

Enjoy!!

Art Model Susan, © 2013 Terrell Neasley

Happy Birthday tomorrow, Jerry...

On the Concept of Change

Art Model, Kristi C. © 2017 Terrell Neasley

Boy, oh boy, oh boy...

If there is one thing you can count on in this life, it's change. If you're not ready for it, able to anticipate it, or otherwise adapt to it, you will live your life on your ass instead of your feet.

Okay. Recent events have transpired that have made me rethink and alter my future plans that I may have detailed in my last blog post. October had to have been one of the most challenging months I've had in some time. Southeast Asia...well, sorta but some other things will come first. And I'll get into all that later, as in probably another blog post. I'm encouraged, though by the way the course of events were laid out. If my back procedure had not been scheduled when it was which made me delay my SE Asia trip, I'd likely been less prepared than I am today. So I'm glad I was home throughout October and November.

But for right now, just to let you know I haven't stopped blogging, I wanted to catch you up on some shots I got to do with Art Model Kristi C. when she visited Las Vegas sometime around this past October. When she called and told me she was going to be in town, my brain went into overdrive to arrange a shoot. She was only here for a few days and my time with her was limited. So maximizing the opportunity was the name of the game. We got two locations that were ultimately quick in and out shots due to time limitations, but I think we did a great job in accomplishing our objectives.

We shot near Vegas and even with the time constraints we bee-lined up and back into Utah near St. George virtually on a whim. Of two locations, we actually got FOUR different scenes and any one of them seem non-related to the other three. I'm pretty sure we spent more time on the road then actually shooting. I definitely wanted more, but as she had more objectives then just shooting with me while in Vegas, you gotta respect a model's time. So taken what's given and making the best of it is all you can do. And I think we did well with that. So since this is a much shorter blog post than usual, I'll fill in the rest with pics. Enjoy

Come FLY with Me! Let's Fly, Let's Fly Away!!

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot in my room I booked with a local family. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

“I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” 

– Caskie Stinnett

I think you can track the evolution of this blog when you take a look where I began almost nine years ago, til now. My photography has changed. Even my focus has changed. Okay... I mean, I'm still doing the nude, granted. But I wasn't doing photo professionally at the start of this blog and I wasn't as driven as I am with travel back then as I am today. Now, if I could get away with it, I'd always be gone and adventuring somewhere. I don't know if adventuring is a word. Actually, I just looked it up and it is. Moving on. So yeah, I'd always be out somewhere. My ultimate goal, I think is to sail and circumnavigate the globe on an ongoing basis on my own 40ft plus catamaran. Yes, I need someone who's comfortable with being nude. Cuz I will be shooting. All the time. And maybe it would be good to have another couple who are well versed at sea-life who share the same exploration ideals and can help share the responsibilities.

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot in my room I booked with a local family. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

There are also times when I'll travel alone. And I'll want to be alone. Make no mistake about that. Even with having a girlfriend/wife, there are times I'll take off on my own escapades. I may even have a model, or be full on solo. I'll want some time to adventure on my own, by myself, in remote areas where its just me and the land/sea. I think its a very good idea for people to head out on their own and challenge themselves, not with overcoming fear of being in a new area, but rather of just being alone. No buddies to socialize with. No comrades to ask advice about what to do next. Just you. Making the call. And then living with the decision you made, whether good or bad. Chances are you'll make new acquaintances anyway, so you're never really alone, unless you hit barren areas bereft of human interaction. Then its just you, your thoughts, nature, and the Heavens.

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot at a beach location she recommended. Had some gear stolen while on this shoot. Had to walk back with no water. Got aided by some Canadians who also gave us a ride home. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

But here's the thing. I would absolutely love it if I had some of my friends, family, or CLIENTS come travel with me. Its not necessary to be gone as long as I do. But just a week or two. Correction... AT LEAST TWO WEEKS! You'll spend that first week just acclimating. Give yourself two weeks. Come do a leg or two with me. You'll fly in. Meet me somewhere. Then we'll head out on a grand adventure. I'll do some pics. We have a good time. And then you go home with fabulous memories that last you your whole life. Man, fuck some of the things you buy and spend money on. You'll consume those products, waste them, and they won't mean anything to you after a while. But you'll always be grateful of shared memories or new experiences and exploration. Those will stick with you and make for some great stories you'll never stop telling. The rest of your friends will become sick of you, though if you only have that ONE story that you're always telling. But they'll love you if you've always got something NEW to share.

Three-month trip with my girlfriend last year, Art Model Covenant. Beach at north end of Little Corn Island, Nicaragua. My second excursion into Nica ©2015 Terrell Neasley 

So there's two ways you can do this. When you hear me start talking about my next trip, start researching the areas I'm mentioning and see if it might be a good fit. Maybe you have some flexible days and some cash in the bank. All you need is a few grand, at the most and a valid passport. See if you need any immunizations and boom! Book a ticket. If I'm talking about bouncing around the Baltic States and spending a month in Estonia, maybe you want to get down with that for a few weeks. Hit me up and let me know. Or if the timing is off for you, well we can discuss that too. I tend to travel light and economical. Personally, I don't need the All-Inclusive package. I don't desire it. I'd rather be immersed amongst the locals. At least that's why I travel. I want to experience the people and culture as well as the land. If you're looking for resort-style room service, cool. But you'll be paying me to be there. Which leads in to the next possibility.

Lounging about next to the Rio Dulce, Southern Guatemala in Livingston reading our Kindle Paperwhites. 3 week battery life on those things. Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

One of these days, I'll be in Antarctica. Okay, you may not want to go there. I'll give you that. So, if you're looking for a custom itinerary, I'm available for hire. I'll be your paid travel companion/bodyguard/photographer. Nothing wrong with that. I almost got to do that with a lady I met in the camera store one day, but she was already heading to Europe the next day. I can usually be ready on a whim, provided I don't have to clear out any current projects. I'll spend whatever time you want, adventuring with you, shooting your escapades and we can make a hard back book of it when I get back and edit the pics. I would absolutely love being hired out to do this. I'm telling you, you would love it too. 

In our room Antigua, Guatemala. Art Model, Covenant right after she climbed the Acatenango volcano.
©2015 Terrell Neasley

And lastly, well...you don't need me to travel. Maybe you don't like me and are just reading my blog as a hater tracking what I do with a scowl on your face. You think I'm a bitch, right? Cool. OR maybe my style of travel doesn't suit you. That's cool too. You can still do this on your own! Holla at me if you want any tips. I'll even do that for my haters. That's how bad I want you to get the hell out and travel. Cuz even if you're hating on me, you ain't gonna be hating me when you get back and I'll have gained a friend. Or at the very least you'll be cool with me and reading me with a half-smile. 

Beach bungalow at Lebeha Cabanas and Drum Center, Hopkins, Belize. Been here twice! Best Pork Chops on the planet at the Frog's Point Restaurant. Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Back Again... And 5 Good Things About Traveling

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

“Unless you photograph what you love, you are not going to make good art.”

 –Sally Mann

Three months is a long time to be gone from home as a traveler or tourist. I did the same thing last year dividing my time between Nicaragua (mostly) and Mexico. And much in the same fashion as then, today is much to do about catching up. Pouring over all the missed mail, unpacking all my things, doing a data dump of a half terabyte worth of imagery, and getting your house back in order takes a little bit of time. Then there's catching up with friends and family. I got to see good friend, Pierre-Luc and his girlfriend, Katie at the theater today briefly while standing in line for movie tickets. Yes. Lot's of movies to catch up on.

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

But I must say this was a most interesting trip. True to form, I can't seem to come away from these things unscathed. You saw the stitches in my thumb in my "Midway Through" post, which occurred in April. May saw me with my wrist wrapped up from some sort of pinched nerve or carpel tunnel thingie. It hurt far worse than my thumb did and I still suffer from it to-date, though not as intensely as before. It prompted an early return by about two weeks. With my wrist in so much pain, it was useless to continue on further north in Nicaragua. The plan was to head upwards to the Northern border and hike Somoto Canyon. We had already decided to forego our journey further south. The heat was really pouring on and we were not going to do Costa Rica or Panama. Since I had already been in the south, the cooler north made sense. We stayed in Matagalpa for a full two weeks. After my wrist showed no signs of getting better, we checked online for ticket prices and found that ticket prices didn't really change at any point during the month. So we booked our flight for the next available which was two days later.

And now we're back in Vegas! I didn't get all the shots I wanted on this trip, but I still came back with lots of goodies. It can be a bit overwhelming looking at all these shots I need to go through. Fortunately, I'm starting my edits with shots of some properties I did work for during my journey. My first gig has been waiting since the first day I arrived in country, so I need to get hot on their shots. But I still hold all the memories fresh in my head. I had dinner with some good friends today and they cooked with coconut oil. The house smelled just like the cottage we stayed in on Little Corn Island where we cooked with coconut oil as well. We ate the hell out of coconut, had fresh baked coconut bread delivered to us by our hosts, and made fruit salad, mainly of star fruit and mangoes, from the trees around the property. We spent less than $30 in total on food for a whole week! I can't wait to get back to Little Corn and our spot on the northern end.

It feels good coming home, but I'm already missing Central America. You learn so much when you travel that I feel it definitely elevates you as a human being. I've had lots of people, over the years, ask what I get out of leaving my own country so much. I'll give you 5 good reasons why you should endeavor to priorities overseas travel in your life.

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

1. Learn New Ways of Doing Things - One way to expand your horizons is to understand the American way ain't the only way. Other people have ideas too. If there is one thing that I learned for certain is that you don't need as much as you think you need in order to be happy. I've seen it with my own eyes! If you take a look at all the things you've accumulated in life...all the stuff...what does it do for you? Trim down the clutter in your life. Start valuing and accumulating life experiences instead of stuff. This will teach you how to be flexible when life throws you a curve ball. These experiences help you to see different solutions. Travel teaches you so much about life.


2. Tolerance for Humanity - When I travel outside the U.S., I see a different culture that has adapted to their environment, established communities, and care for one another. It may be a little different than the way we do things, but you begin to understand your fellow man a little better when you see where he has come from. When you visit his or her home and you see how important hospitality is to them, you want to do the same when they come to your country. Seeing how they live helps establish a deeper connection. And when you understand we are all connected, humanity is enriched. And don't forget about the other people from other parts of the world you meet while traveling. You won't learn only from the country you visit. I have standing relationships with people from all over the world. Again...we are all connected.


3. Better Appreciation of How Well You Actually Live - America has long been called the Land of Opportunity. And I believe this is so. But believing this and taking advantage of it are two different things. If you spend your days bitching about how hard life is and how little you make and have, let me take you to a few spots in Guatemala where guys go to work every morning to clear fields with machetes and get pennies for it. But then go home to their families proud to put food on the table. Go ahead, bitch about you car or how bad your feet hurt after work. Those boys down there do work!

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

4. Better Appreciation for the Planet - You also get to see areas of what your planet used to look like before it was deforested and cultivated for urban sale. Want to see something beautiful? Western United States has got plenty sites. But if you wanna see something different, follow me to El Salvador and take a look at some jungle waterfalls! Let me take you out into the Caribbean and swim in some of the clearest waters you'll find along with sting ray and barracuda! And while we're out there, I'll show you the dead reef areas where it has been killed off by irresponsible tourists. You will begin to understand conservation a bit better. Its like throwing garbage in your own home.


5. Broadens Out Your Scope of What's Actually Possible - But when you visit these places, especially ones not so flourishing as the U.S., you get a chance to witness what these local people do and what they can accomplish with only a fraction of what you have. You just might return home and see possibilities in areas that looked void of hope before. You may even bring back some of those new ideas and cultivate a new attitude that inevitably serves you well at home. You want a boost in self-confidence. Hit the road. Its not near as scary as you've been lead to believe.

Location

Art Model and Performer, Mercy ©2011 Terrell Neasley. Men's Room.

Sometimes you just have to get off your ass and go. I'm still harping on the Bringing Back the Passion that I started earlier this month. I followed that post up with a post on Flash and then again with Ambient (light) as some easy alternatives to help you blow on those embers that could ignite your photo passions again. So LOCATION is what I wanna cover at the moment. Why? Cuz its easy. You simply get your ass up out of the house and go someplace with the explicit and direct intent to photograph something.

Urban
Sometimes people will tell you to start in your own back yard. Nah. Not good enough. You are still too comfortable in your own house and yard. I don't see that as "blowing on any embers". To fan the flame, you have to go beyond, but you still need a place to start. Downtown is good enough as a beginning point if you like. I live in Vegas, so downtown here is the Las Vegas strip. Or so you might believe. Actually, downtown is FREMONT STREET! Its a little different but yet similar to the Strip. A different kind of folk walk those streets and a many of characters will present themselves for your photographic pleasure.

Art Model and Blogger, Wonderhussy ©2008 Terrell Neasley
Erotic Heritage Museum

But there are still other urban areas in Vegas and you have them where you live too. Well, unless you're living out in the sticks, in which case you might have a further drive than most. But Street Photography can be the thing you need to rejuvenate and get a fresh start in photo again. Look up some examples of popular street photo work. Not to necessarily copy or emulate, but rather to just see what the possibilities are. Walk around first before you even pull your camera out. Observe. Listen. Smell. See the potential scenes that lie before you. In the Army, as we'd begin our patrols, we would stop a few hundred meters in, take a knee and become familiar with the sights, sound, and smells, of the environment we were about to immerse ourselves in. We called it SLLS, or sills. Its the same thing here. In this case, it can help you see and anticipate events that might be developing and thus better prepare you to capture that decisive moment. This can make the difference between THAT shot and JUST ANY OLD shot.

You can pick a theme to help you focus and look for something. Shooting the homeless has been very popular, but I find that to be a tough one sometimes, personally. You may want to concentrate on signs or door knobs. I've done newspaper wracks and stands. Shooting bus stops might be an option as well as photographing street vendors. You can also change your perspective a little. Everything doesn't have to be done from an eye level perspective! Get down! I mean it. Get low to the ground and see the world how a dog might view it. Or change it up and shoot from above and get a bird's eye view of things. Just change it up so things don't get predictable or boring. You may do photo for yourself, but you still want others to see it. Show them something fresh.

Out and About in Nature
I can dig some urban, but now we're getting into my scene! The woods! The desert! The mountains! As well as the BEACH! Natural surroundings appeal to me most. Especially spots where I have to get off the beaten path a bit. Seeing new things in God's creation can heat up the coldest of passions and make it blaze. I've been to spots that make you want to put down the camera and just keep it to yourself. If you can, bring a friend along whose company you enjoy OR somebody who knows the area and can be a guide of sorts. Its not always fun to get lost ( though sometimes it can be!). I can't tell you how many people I've taken out into the boonies...who have lived nearby all their lives...and yet had never previously seen the beauties that Red Rock has to offer. Or Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, or either of the hot springs near Hoover Dam at Goldstrike and Arizona. All these areas are within a hour of Vegas.

Art Model, Covenant ©2014 Terrell Neasley. Nevada desert

You'll have to find out what appeals to you in these natural settings. For me, I can say a good, unique landscape vista is what I find most captivating. On the other hand, you may be more interested in the wildlife or birds. Photographing big horn sheep will be vastly different than photographing humming birds or egrets, mainly in the lens choices. You'll need some telephoto action, but you don't have to have as fast of a lens as you might with hummingbirds. Flowers are highly popular to shoot. Again, lens choices come into play. If you like to shoot a field of wild flowers, a normal zoom or better yet a wide-angle lens would work. However if you're wanting to get close enough to depict the petals and stamen of the Angel Trumpet flower, then a macro lens is your best business. You may also need to be on a tripod in many cases using a remote switch/cable release.

Book a Flight
Now this requires just a bit more dedication than most people have the stomach for, but hear me out. It doesn't take as much as you think to hop on a plane and go somewhere. You can sign up on some of these websites such as Hitlist (an app, actually) or OneTravel and get updates on cheap flights for places you have let them know you're interested in. I routinely get limited time offers for $100 flights. A flight to San Pedro Sula in Honduras will only run you $350. You can use these opportunities to head to Seattle for the weekend. I already hear what you're saying..."But then you have to find a place to stay!" True. Which is where CouchSurfing.org comes into play. There are people out there that offer their homes to travelers for free. I've meet some great people doing this. Sign up, check it out. Sometimes its short notice. Other times its planned months in advance. So you may have to rent a car, but if you're going to bitch about how expensive that is, then photo may not be for you. I mean, there are deals left and right. YES, you will spend money.

Anonymous Art Model, ©2014 Terrell Neasley San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

You're not gonna do photo without spending money. So either come to terms with that notion or take up treasure hunting with a metal detector on the beach. Some people find that very soothing and quite rewarding. Ain't no shame in that. Photo may not be the thing for you. Me...? I just want you to be happy. Get a camera, take some pics. If it's not for you, take up dance lessons. But my purpose is to holla at you about photo, so that's what I'm about. Its all about choices and what you choose to prioritize. You can make getting that new car stereo for $600 your priority if you so choose. You can also get a new wide-angle lens for your crop-sensor camera for even less than that. Book at trip to El Salvador for that same $600. Whichever will be the more rewarding experience...that's what I want you to go for. Now get to it.

Got MUSE?

Art Models Extraordinaire, Alethea and Emma © 2013 Terrell Neasley

 "O! for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention..." 

- William Shakespeare, Henry V Act I, Prologue

I'm still working several endeavors at once right now, but I'm glad to say I'm still on top of my original plan to go big on my nude work. As I mentioned before, last year, I only shot 4 models and only 7 the year before that. I'm not sure what my count is up to just yet, because some of those fell through even after I did the work. But I can still say I'm having fun with it. I've recently had the opportunity to work with two friends of mine that have been at least two years in the making. Its been one of those planned-on things, that just never got done. Until now...

Art Models Extraordinaire, Alethea and Emma © 2013 Terrell Neasley

I initially wanted to shoot 20 models for the year. Not quite sure how I'm going to make that goal. I'll be traveling for a considerable chunk of the latter half of the year. I hope to do some on the road, but who can tell how many? I'm a quality over quantity kind of guy anyway. But then there are those times when I start to do more work with fewer models. When you begin to gel with who you're currently working with, its easy to forgo finding new talent. That's a strong tendency of mine, and with Emma and Alethea, I've got catch-up work to do! Like I said, we've been trying to hook up for the last two years. I love these girls and they have been a tremendous blessing to have around and call friends.

Art Model, Emma © 2013 Terrell Neasley

And it was a good session to say the least, especially after overcoming the fact that the initial site, which the primary concept hinged on, was no longer available to us. We still worked some secondary and even tertiary sites that still afforded us excellent possibilities. And while we were able to turn out superb images on our debut photo session, I suspect the next one will be even better. Yeah, I like putting that kind of pressure on myself.

“You can only use someone for so long before you dry them out. How long does a muse last? When do you let them loose?” 

― Coco J. Ginger   (Good question...)

Art Model Alethea © 2013 Terrell Neasley

Another thing that makes having a great muse or two fun is having the opportunity to just PRACTICE. As glorifying and romantic as you might think it happens, artists rarely have an epiphany or dream concept that comes to them in the night and then they perfect it first time. Its more often a vague idea, that gets tossed around, experimented with, and trashed long before it comes to fruition, much less gets perfected. A good muse will allow you to work through those processes to hone your craft, refine your concepts, polish your skill set, help cultivate new ideas when original ones don't work.

I'm looking forward to the next series of projects I have planned for these girls both together again as well as individually. They are strong together and I can also benefit from their work independently. My aim is to maximize the potential I see in them by challenging my ability to conceptualize thus optimizing the potential in myself. That may sound corny, but anyhoo...that's the goal. I'm just glad I get to work with these girls.

Long Term Effects of Posing Nude: About Body Image

Anonymous Model, © 2012 Terrell Neasley

 "The more I like me, the less I want to pretend to be other people." 

~ Jamie Lee Curtis

An interesting young lady, photography student in the UK, contacted me earlier this week and asked about some comments I made on Alex B's blog post "Therapeutic or Artistic". Alex was discussing the reasons why we pose nude and I made offered my sentiments. She runs a fabulous blog, by the way. Genea Bailey found my comment interesting and asked me about my experience and opinion where models site a confident boost from modeling with me. She wanted to know the long term effects of whether or not these feeling are a lasting and positive change of self-image or if the moment is only temporary.

It does raise an interesting question and I hadn't really contemplated this issue from the perspective of her query. "Long Term Effects"...

Anonymous Model, © 2012 Terrell Neasley

I don't know anyone who has done any in-depth study and analysis on this matter and I'd challenge anybody to show me empirical evidence to back up their findings if they had. Not because I'd have an automatic dispute, but because I REALLY would like to know and would certainly want to research their findings that substantiate their claims. I'll be following Miss Bailey's work very closely and would love to even collaborate even further on the matter. You can check out her post which includes my responses from our email correspondence. >> "My Chat with T. L. Neasley" <<

I almost wish I had given more thought to her questions. I think I answered too quickly. I gave her my "off the top of my head" response. The more I think about it, the more I contemplate the different women I've shot and wonder how they may feel now after having worked with me. I used to ask some models to fill out a quick survey which recorded how they felt immediately after working with me, but I don't think I've asked this of many models after several years. I'm still in contact with many of them and not all had self-esteem issues to begin with. Not everybody who worked with me as did it for a confidence booster. It would still be interesting to know how some of these women feel who did a one time project with me. Several posed nude only once and never did it again. Not because anything bad happened, but because they got it out of their systems. It was never more than a one-time thing.

“One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body. I got tired of hating myself."

~ Gabourey Sidibe, (from the movie, "Precious")

Anonymous Model, © 2012 Terrell Neasley

I've often pondered getting with some of the models whom were my firsts. I'd SOOO love to shoot with some of them again just to see how I might do them differently. I've learned so much since I shot my first nude model November of 2005. I was using a cheap film camera and kit lens that may have cost me about $400. I have flash guns that cost more than that. Interestingly enough, a few of those projects remain the best work I've done to date. Some, you will never see because they do not exist in digital form as per the agreement I made with two models. I have never made an agreement like that since, but the work I did with them was also incredible. These works only exist in print form which I developed and mounted myself. Actually, let me correct that statement. One of them did eventually allow me to post images as long as they remained anonymous. I miss those days of film. I drove to Colorado last year to work with one of my original models again, but things did not pan out and we were not able to meet after I arrived. I've come close a few times to working again with a few other former models of my days before Vegas and have only repeated projects with one former model. In the meantime, I will contact some of these girls and see how things have been since then.

I do know that I've worked with models since coming to Vegas who have had body image and self-esteem issues. I've done incredible work with them and the affects have been varying. As I eluded to in Miss Bailey's post, I think much of the sustainability of any improved confidence is heavily weighted on the cause of the lack of confidence. For instance, one model compared herself to others was encouraged when she saw my pics of her that showed her she was just as beautiful. On the other hand, that same confidence of another model, while much improved initially, was not reinforced at home because of her choice in men. So its my opinion that any measure of confidence will be dependent on the environment in which the model finds herself in.

But now, I have to find out on my own more details on this question. Thanks so much Genea Bailey!