Beach Runner (photo essay with yoga teacher Jenni)
Added 2021-08-30 14:51:17 +0000 UTCA day after moving to Venice Beach my neighbor came over and said, “You should go jogging at the beach. Run in the soft sand. It’s a great workout!”
So next morning I went jogging in the soft sand. Let me tell you, it’s hard! Soon I had to stop to catch my breath. There I was, stooped over, resting my hands on my knees, gulping in air.
A tall, athletic blonde woman came jogging down the beach. She pulled up next to me and assumed the same position, gasping for air. In between breaths she turned to me and said, “My neighbor told me to come run in the soft sand. Said it was a great workout. Damn, it’s hard!”
I nodded in agreement. Once I could breath a little better, I introduced myself, “I heartily agree! By the way, I’m Jasper. What’s your name?”
“Jenni,” she replied. “Wait, Jasper? As in, “the” Jasper?”
Turns out she was a yoga teacher. For the past month she had been teaching at a yoga studio in Santa Monica. The owner of that studio, a friend of mine, had decorated the walls of the studio with framed prints from my Body as Temple art nude series.
“I’ve been looking at your photographs for a month. I have never shot nudes before, but I’m trying to get in shape so I can come shoot with you.”
“Are you kidding me? Jenni, you’re in awesome shape already,” I said.
We decided we had both had enough of running in the soft sand. So we walked to a cafe nearby to get some breakfast. Later that afternoon she came to my studio and we did the session that you see here.
