Marissa is a natural model.

She knew instinctively how to move for the camera, and needed very little direction from me. I gave just enough coaching to explain the shot and she’d nail it.

I knew right off the bat, from the first picture that I took, that this was going to be a fun but challenging shoot.

She’d go through a series of subtle changes with her eyes, her smile, the way she held herself, so quickly that I had to really scramble to keep up with her.

I’d yell “Wait! Don’t move! Do that thing again!” but she was already moving on to the next look.

The early morning sky was perfect for the shots and we used a reflector for fill when needed. Lucky for me one of my other favorite models, Katherine, was willing to act as my assistant.

When you’re working with someone as dynamic as Marissa, you’ve got to be ready to “go with the flow” and follow their lead and just try to catch as much of their personality as they’re willing to reveal. Try not to rely on burst shooting too much, but it’s an advantage in these situations.