Nick has one of the most distinctive looks of anybody I've met. He's also a war history buff, wears ivy caps, and is comfortable in heavy wool blazers. It's a bit unexpected for someone who models, but it makes him engaging and interesting to talk to.

I've wanted to photograph Nick since I assisted one of Aaron Pedersen's shoots featuring him. I hadn't yet shot any of the men from Mode, so he is my introduction.

With this shoot I wanted to contrast Nick's features with clothing and the environment. His pale skin and red hair really pop against the Stick Print shirt and the Davis Print pant from Club Monaco. Boots are from Red Wing. Styled entirely from my wardrobe - quite possibly a terrible idea.

Nick was fun to work with - he's calm and definitely has a good work ethic. Once we finished shooting outdoors and moved inside, I was ready to call it quits, but he was quick to ask if I wanted to shoot some more. Dude ate one of my pitas though.

Thank you to Amy Arenna for assisting.

Whiplash. That's what Shara's transition from being a quiet, polite girl and into a fierce presence in front of the camera gave me.

Over the long weekend I shot Shara of Mode Models International, another hilariously unplanned shoot between myself and the talented Natasha Ross of Lux Beauty Boutique. With old man winter finally packing his bags, I was itching to capture more of a dreamy summery look. Being able to (comfortably) shoot outside is currently very exciting, and will probably only last until the first mosquito of the season lands on my ear.

This shoot was also my first testing out the Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art and the Firefly Beauty Box. I will post about these two once I've had the chance to muck around with them a bit more. My first impressions on both are very positive.

Shara was soft-spoken while having her hair and makeup done - so much so that I wasn't sure if she'd be able to carry herself in the photographs. Once we started shooting she quickly put my fears to rest and settled into a confident, poised and definitely sassy zone. Some words from Natasha on hair and makeup:

It was finally warm enough to shoot outside and I wanted makeup that looked fresh and glowy. Shara has the most amazing skin, and a kind of youthful cool-girl vibe to her. I highlighted the high points of her face to catch the amazing natural light we had. A soft coral lip gave just enough colour without her looking too "done". Soft contouring on the eyes and tousled, wind-blown hair added to her effortless cool.

All in all a very positive experience and I look forward to shooting Shara again.