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They say that some of the most beautiful ladies come from Venezuela. In the past six years, three have been Miss Universe. STC attendee photographer Dr Dan has challenged the rule and put a spin to an old tradition by introducing model Liz Ashley to Playboy Venezuela. If you do not know who Miss Ashley is, she is Playboy Venezuela’s Miss January 2014 and a bombshell known to many photographers around the globe.

Her looks, Dr Dan’s camera, and the forever lasting impressions will now live as long as man-kind can remember. Let’s hear from one of the most photographed glam model in US mainstream and see what she has to say?

Model: Miss January 2014 Liz Ashley

Photography: Dr Dan

Makeup: Lindsay Ambrosio

Assistants: Tim Fiedler and Paul Peregrine

Interview

STC: Congratulations on your Playboy Venezuela centerfold pictorial. You always know how to surprise us with your unique looks.

Liz: Aww… Thanks!!!!! It was a blast to shoot!

 

STC: You are no stranger to the camera and must have experiences to teach us all about modeling. What advice would you give upcoming models who wished to follow your footsteps?

Liz: I would say that the best advice is to be true to yourself no matter what you do. But, modeling is a crazy cut-throat world full of competition and challenges. If you have drive and perseverance you can go far. Be careful and always check references.

 

STC: What about photographers?

Liz: Photographers… Oh geez.. Where do I start… lol…

1.  70-200 2.8 is the way to go for glamour!
2.  You need to pratically lay down when shooting full-length so you always make the model look taller. {models will love you. :)}
3.  Always treat models with respect and make sure they are comfortable during a shoot.
4.  Feed the model damn’t!
5.  Make the model feel beautiful…making her feel good about herself is going to get better results..
6.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with lighting/settings/ etc. Push yourself!

 

STC: Dr. Dan, who photographed you (another Playboy Playmate pictorial) seems to have captured this sexy side of you at ease. Have you worked with him before and tell us about the whole shooting experience?

Liz: Dr. Dan is great! He dreams up a concept and makes it larger than life! The whole crew did an amazing job and I have to say I’m proud of what we all accomplished!

 

STC: Was this your first Playboy experience?

Liz: This is not my first Playboy experience. I have shot with Playboy a few times! Always a blast!

 

STC: You have been in front of camera in both fashion and glamour. Which is more you and why?

Liz: I wouldn’t say either fashion or glamour is “more me”. My major in college was fashion/textile design and I’ve always appreciated fashion. However, glamour showcases a model’s personality… You get to know her…Its all about the expression and revealing to the viewer little secrets about yourself..

 

STC: If you weren’t a model. What would you be doing?

Liz: Something creative. I have to be creative to be sane.

STC: The best location shoot ever?

Liz: I don’t have ONE favorite. I have many, like most traveling models and photographers. Fraser Island, Australia is one of them as well as Eleuthera, Bahamas, and the place where Dr. Dan and I first met, “Nygard”was also amazing … I tend to have a preference for tropical places anyway and all three of these places were as exotic as they were beautiful. They were all special in their own way. I love the Vast sparseness of Fraser Island… a place with NO paved roads, a deserted shipwreck, and an abundance of beautiful, untouched nature. A place time forgot quite literally. Eleuthera was a paradise full of little pockets of untold secrets. The island is sprinkled with beautiful colonial churches sitting on Turquoise seas….Nygard is a place unlike any. Its a compound sitting on its own private cay. Its unreal. I shot on a 70 foot freestanding replica Myan pyramid for one set and that was just the tip of the iceberg!

I love being on location. It inspires me.

STC: If you could go back in time when you started modeling. Would you do anything differently?

Liz: Well, yes I would. I would’ve trusted my gut a lot more. Period.

 

STC: Is modeling a big deal for you and why? What are some of the most rewarding things you have learned during your career?

Liz: I never wanted to model…LOL…. It was a yappy little dog at my heels that wouldn’t leave me alone. lol… I have always been a tomboy. As for the most rewarding aspects of the business, I enjoy the creative aspects of the experience. It is creating that excites me. I love to be part of creative process.

 

STC: What is the biggest mistake most photographers do?

Liz: The biggest mistake photographers make {professional & hobbyists} is to believe models are merely props. A smart model knows the light, knows something about your camera, and the concept you’re trying to create. I really believe in collaboration. I don’t enjoy photographers who don’t respect models and bark orders. The best work I’ve done has always been by the people who have truly worked WITH me.

STC: Nudity in general. how do you see it? There are a lot of controversial opinions out there. You shed your clothes for the camera for Playboy, should other models know anything before jumping to the same hoops?

Liz: Since I have been drawing & painting since I was a little girl I have learned to accept nudity. Nudity is part of being an artist as many of the best works by the great masters are of nude subject matter. My mother taught me that I have to embrace it to be able to understand and appreciate the artists I admired from a very young age. I see the body as nothing to be ashamed of and I have a much more european attitude about it. I used to take figure drawing courses so I obviously appreciate and love the female form. However, I will say that as a professional nude model, beginner models should understand that once you make that leap {into shooting nude} you cannot take it back. Its forever. The internet never dies and everything lives on. You have to be okay with that, and if not then I don’t recommend it.

 

STC: Where do you plan to be in next 5 years?

Liz: I plan to be happy. That’s what’s most important. Everything else is secondary.

 

STC: Thank you for your time and advice! One more thing! Is Dr Dan as cool as we all know him to be?

Liz: Absolutely!

Dr Dan: Shooting with Liz is always a great experience, you can get a high ratio of quality images to select from and she shoots larger than life! We first met when we were both early in our photo and modeling careers and it was great to shoot her for Playboy and to see how far we both have come!

The inspiration to this shoot was the celebration of Playboys anniversary, New Years and the works of the artist Olivia Berardinis (skin tones and background color) and last but not least the light setup by Ales in his STC lighting diagram.

My twist to Ales’ set up was the use of small LEDs to illuminate the champagne bottle, I always thought that the bottles used in glamour photography looked lifeless and so to add a little dimension, we taped the LED’s to the back of the bottles, (this is where knowledge of product photography comes in to play) and adjusted my shutter speed for exposure.

PHOTO TIP ALERT: Use your shutter speed to control your ambient/continuous light sources and your f-stop for exposure and depth of field on your subject.

The equipment used:  Canon MkII, 70-200 f2.8 and 24-70 f 2.8, Hensel and  Chimera lighting modifiers.

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