My anonymous legs model

You may have seen this photo before, as I use it for the Smoke&Mirrors Studio web site and business cards, and as the outside greeting sign that all clients see when they arrive. So allow me to tell you about the woman I refer to as my “anonymous legs model” and of the story behind the shot.

The photo even predates Smoke&Mirrors Studio. A friend was around for a few portrait photos. But she’d also brought with her a pair of fishnet stockings, and a great pair of legs, so I knew we needed to use her fishnets in some of the photos.

Sometimes the first attempt for a photo isn’t perfect, and that was the case here. Yes, we had the legs and the fishnets, but it wasn’t coming together.

But a few minutes later and we were getting somewhere. This is the original version of that photo.

From here I needed to figure out how to get the best out of this image. It’s a bit underexposed  - I think I was going for a “late at night in a bar” vibe. So it needed to be brightened up, without losing the darker background. And as Smoke&Mirrors Studio specialises in classic black and white photography, the photo needed careful conversion.

Since this shoot, my anonymous legs model has returned for three photo shoots with me. Each time we have a photo session her confidence is higher and she even pushes to do more with her shoots.

This is the greatest benefit from boudoir photography - the increased confidence I see in the women I photograph. That they have some great images at the end of it is a bonus!