That Single Continuous Light: A Journey with Diliana, model spotlight series

Oct 24

A few years ago, I met Diliana. At the time, I was taking official photos for several local pageants, including Miss Guam Universe and Miss Earth Guam, so she reached out and asked for photos in her gown and headshots.

Our first meeting was fantastic, and we hit it off right away. I'm sure it was her creativity; she always had suggestions when we shot. She was also just lots of fun and always had a smile, but she could put all that away and get serious when it came time to get to work. From that first shoot of pageant stuff, we did several studio shoots, a couple of on-location bikini shoots, and a couple of boudoir shoots.

For studio shoots, in case you didn't read my last entry, I LOVE using single continuous light as a technique. The look of it and how it creates a dramatic effect that mood motivates me and gets my creativity going. We used similar lighting in her place. I wanted to use her apartment instead of the studio for some of the boudoir, and because it was a new environment for me, I was driven to create.

Like most of the models I've shot in my lifetime, life happens, and we focus on other things. She went her way, and I went mine. Diliana focused more on her brand, and our photography sessions became less frequent. While we haven't collaborated, I reflect on those shoots fondly. There are always specific models that stick out in my mind, and Diliana was one of those models. Creativity & friendship, and out of that, we created some great stuff and had fun doing it simultaneously.