This time I'm very happy that my German friend, the very talented, writer, columnist, part time model and super beauty Ariane Sommer took the time to write a blog for me.
We worked together on the Peta Campaign, Nude Against Fur and the latest published Vegetarian Campaign.
Ariane posed nude for me and the Germans went crazy....
My name is Ariane Sommer and I am a published author.
My most recent work "Foreign Affairs", a collection of 34 ironic/laconic contemporary short stories narrated from a female perspective, has just been released on the German markets two weeks ago.
I am currently working on a novel, a twisted love story, set in Rome.
Strength and grace are the two words that come to mind when I think about my first encounter with Sylvie Blum.
We met 2008 at the W Hotel in Los Angeles to get to know each other and discuss possible projects together.
When I first saw Sylvie, she struck me as an awe inspiring kind of a woman, not only because she is tall and beautiful, having been a model herself, but because of the ease with which she owned the room when she walked in and because of her feline, observant eyes which seemed to miss nothing. At the same time she was very engaging andexuded the kind of natural grace that made me feel comfortable quite instantly.
Strength and grace are also the first words I have to think of describing her work.
Sylvie's photography not only of the female body but of the female essence is timeless and genuine to a deep and mystical truth yet completely modern in its vision.
In the meantime I had the privilege to work with Sylvie on several occasions. The last photo shoot probably constituted the biggest challenge yet for me in my modeling career, as we created the images for the PETA campaigns "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" and "I'm a vegetarian". The shoot required me to be completely naked and although I have already posed for magazines such as GQ and Maxim and consider myself far from being a prude, to prance around in my birthday suit in front of a bunch of strangers seemed rather daunting. The first half hour of the shoot I would cover up with a towel in between poses but after a while this seemed silly and since Sylvie had brought together a wonderful, relaxed team of professionals, I quickly felt comfortable in the nude.
Sylvie is a generous artist who welcomes the sort of creativity that emerges out of the synergies of spirits. As her model you never feel as if you merely have to "shut up and look pretty". Sylvie invites you to share your own ideas and if they suit the project she will integrate them.
I completely trusted Sylvie's direction during the shoot and I am so happy I did, as the resulting pictures turned out to be some of the most beautiful ever taken of me.
Sylvie is not only an artist I deeply admire and I feel honored to be part of her work, but she has also become a friend and I can't wait to get creative with her again.
