markvelasquez

New posts at the $25 Level

The $25 level is where I'm putting my more personal and favorite stories and photos, the more intimate and erotic-themed work that I've been amassing for years but have been too reluctant to share unt...

"No Ideas.."

"What do you want to shoot today?" I asked her innocently. 

"I dunno, something fun and dirty, but not showing anything."

"Okay, let's go for a drive."

Soon we were at my family...

"Just Friends."

I had a stripper friend in 2006 who wanted me to take some photos of her with a guy, so she brought by a friend of hers to pose with. "We're just friends," she repeated to me over and over again, whic...

Back Seat, 2/2

She had lots of tattoos, which I tried to creatively cover up just enough while still being able to show as much skin as possible. She was open and trusting and we took a brief series of these before ...

Back Seat, 1/2

She was a fun, Rockabilly woman I met at a bar back in 2007. I had only started drinking recently, which was shocking to everyone since I was already in my late 20s. Still, we hit it off and she had a...

Abandoned House

There was a dilapidated, abandoned house on the outskirts of town that I'd driven by my whole life, but it wasn't until I met and started working with Katie in 2008 that I was brave enough to venture ...

Abstraction

This was taken in 2006 or 07, I can't really recall exactly. Hope was a fun, very open woman who lived a wild, almost reckless life, but strived for stability in any way she could. She liked the idea ...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.12

And I'm ending on this shot, showing the reality of working with all models in 2016: The use of Snapchat. Personally, I'm not a fan of every 12 year old using it to document literally every moment of ...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.12

This was the very first Narcissus shot we took. I loved it at first, but then we continued to create better and more complex versions that I enjoyed more. Still, I believe this one is worth sharing. W...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.11

Here's one last eye-contact shot for your enjoyment. Isn't she priceless?

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.10

Towards the end of the shoot, I continued to capture her in more abstract ways, using the mirror's reflection to contort her body into simple shapes and forms.

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.9

This shot reminds me of the Thomas Dolby lyric "She's poetry in motion."

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.8

The symmetry and softness of these images conveyed a mood that seemed layered and made me feel a rare sense of pride in what we had accomplished, especially with no idea and no budget, as usual.

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.7

She made it all feel and look so natural, so effortless. Even though we have shot many times in many different locations, I never know what Kat is going to convey, but I always know it is going to be ...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.6

Next we used her large mirror and she immediately took on the role of the ancient Greek mythological figure Narcissus. I didn't have to tell her anything, she knew exactly how the myth went and how to...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.5

This might be my favorite image from this whole set. Focused, intent, personal, vulnerable. She conveys so much through her eyes, and whether it's real or she's relying on her talents as an actress, s...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.4

There are times I marvel at the mystery of happenstance in life. How a random message via social media from someone hundreds of miles away can result in a connection that furthers both of your careers...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.3

"Make sure to get my booty in there!" she exclaimed, followed by her large, infectious laugh. I always have a good time with Kat; she makes a photo shoot never feel like work.

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.2

Kat can appear so delicate at times, and though she often take a lot of commercial or standard "hot girl" type images with other photographers, I wanted to capture her softer side in this series. Wear...

Reflecting in Bed with Kat David, Pt.1

I turned Kat David's Los Angeles bedroom into a Bedouin tent last month to create these beautiful, delicate images of her. We also experimented with her large mirror, which resulted in some wonderful ...

Domination...

Have I posted this before? I might have. But to see how these shoots ended, join at the $25 level, showing my more erotic-themed work. Thanks!

Erin in Long Beach, Ca.

Local model Erin was down in LA visiting friends and I was there doing a shoot, but we met up in Long Beach and drove around at night taking a few photos. My flash was being unreliable, so I kept gett...

So....uh....

I can't honestly explain what was happening here or why, but I do recall this was a fun and unexpected afternoon a few years ago. This GIF has never been seen anywhere before.

Erin Making Faces

One of the first GIFs I ever made. The quality isn't great, but thought I'd share.

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I'm free for questions if you ever want to ask me anything!

VIDEO: Kat David Being Silly

Kat has been one of the best models that has found me on Instagram. She is as sweet and silly as she is beautiful and professional. Though she often looks very serious in her photos, I'm glad I have s...

Test Shoot with Camille, Pt. 8

Once we were done and had driven back into town, she received a text message from her new boyfriend which simply read:

"Have fun, don't let him talk you into doing any nudes!"

Test Shoot with Camille, Pt. 7

Of course, I wanted to see how she handled other elements while posing, and always carrying a torch in the back of my small pick-up, I lit it and handed it to her, which she seemed to love. The final ...

Test Shoot with Camille, Pt. 6

Originally she was afraid she was too curvy for posing and stated so in her first message to me. I quickly reassured her that she was a stunning, natural beauty, and judging from these photos, I think...

Test Shoot with Camille, Pt. 5

This might be my favorite image from the small set of finished images. Even for a test shoot, she easily conveyed how natural and comfortable she was with herself. Again, apart from the tattoos, I wou...

Test Shoot with Camille, Pt. 4

Apart from her large tattoos, which I told her wouldn't fit in my Renaissance project, I thought she had the perfect look. She face was timeless, like a living sculpture, and her skin was exactly what...