Nil is someone I have been aware of through friends for a little while.  She teaches art, is a mixed media artist, and singer. She seems to always have a project or two in hand, or a workshop she is teaching and I have been following her on instagram. We actually met a few months ago at Rustem, but just for a quick picture. We didn’t really talk. But it was enough to start talking about maybe doing some photos. Find her on Instagram

Nafas has become a good friend in the last year, and visits me to talk art about once a month.  We met at one of the group exhibitions at Rustem.  I have come to respect her work and her opinion. She is a film maker, photographer and graphic designer, and combines them in her art.  I think she is very stylish, and I am always trying to get her in front of the camera, but like a lot of photographers, she is not natural in front of the camera. Regular readers might recognise her from the light painting album. Find her on instagram

So earlier this week I was out on the balcony of my home/studio and there below enjoying a coffee with friends was someone I know.  Its Nilu who I met at the diverse it arts festival a while back, or maybe just after.  I texted her and her friends came up for a short visit, and coincidently Nil was one of the friends.  I got a group photo.  The girl on the left is my friend, and the girl on the right is a photographer.

So what has all this got to do with Nafas?  

Nafas and Nil are good friends, so we had talked about them visiting me together.  And after running into Nil, Nafas texted a few  days after to say she would visit, so I asked Nil if she was free, and that is how the shoot came about.

I only mention all this to illustrate serendipity.

So back to the shoot night.  Nafas arrived and we caught up a little, then Nil arrived.  She was a little tense maybe, and sat and told us about her day, which as it turns out was little bit stressful.  Some conversation happened and then we ate some cake that Nafas brought, and did a little Tarot, which is always a good conversation starter.

Just as everyone seemed fully relaxed, I nonchalantly  suggested some photos, like it was the furthest thing from my mind.  But the reader will know, I was secretly itching to start.

Nil agreed, I had mentioned it, but I am all about the mood, and if the mood isn’t right you can’t force it.  But she felt good and was ready.  As it turns out, although Nil seems like she has modelling experience, she hasn’t done much more than selfies and casual shots. 

She has an amazingly photogenic face.  As far as I can tell, she doesn’t have any bad angles, she can look down her nose and pull it off.  She can summon different looks with seeming ease,  defensive, challenging, longing, cheeky, mysterious, confident, vulnerable.

Anyway we shot for about 20 minutes on black, and Nafas documented things, I didn’t realise at the time.  Then 5 mins on white.  Then we downloaded, and I shot Nafas for a short time.  And then the girls together, which was a lot of fun.

Nil really is an amazing person.  She sort of has a light about her, seriously.  I think she could talk for hours on creative subjects.  It's part of who she is.  And it sort of spills out of her when she's engaged.  I really look forward to working with her again.  You Can find the full set of both albums HERE

And onto the more fun photos together

Afterwards we sat around and went through the photos together, which was one of my favourite parts of the evening.  Lots of good conversation.

Beautiful evening.  Thank you guys, sincerely.  Lets do it again.

Well if you made it this far, maybe you want to see a few more of these together shots or Nafas in the monthly ALBUM