A week or so ago, I had the privilege of working with a brand new model that I think is going to create some phenomenal art. Skye's first photo shoot was only a week before mine, a lingerie shoot in the snow up on Snoqualmie Pass, so I feel honored that she chose me to reach out to for her second. After some negotiation of ideas, she expressed interest in shooting along some abandoned railroad tracks near my home. I went out and scouted a couple of specific locations, in the process re-discovering a site I'd nearly forgotten about, but which is breathtakingly dramatic, and also has an interesting combination of natural beauty and urban graffiti. After sharing some location photos with her, Skye immediately selected this as the site for our shoot.

Let me interject here that I completely understand that railroad tracks are dangerous. I would never shoot on any tracks that I wasn't 100% certain beyond a shadow of a doubt were inactive. It's helpful when the tracks not only have vegetation growing up through them but also have large branches down across them. It's clear that significant and obvious work is necessary before even a handcart makes passage on these rails.

Skye and I shot on a cool, cloudy afternoon. I don't like to shoot mid-day because the light can be harsh, but here in the Pacific Northwest our infamous clouds can turn the sky into an enormous softbox. Besides, I wanted a time of day when any of the teenagers who created the graffiti would be otherwise occupied with school and wouldn't wander into our photo shoot.

As you'll see in these preview images, Skye is a strawberry blonde with Scottish heritage, a beautiful woman with great muscle tone and a smile that lights up her face. She's confident with her body and her background in dance serves her well as she selects poses. She's creative and was game to try whatever I suggested and to offer her own ideas.

Combine all of that talent with old railroad tracks curving across an old trestle a hundred feet or more above a rugged canyon, and you've got ingredients for some compelling images. We saw a bald eagle flying overhead on two occasions, and you can see ice cascading down the cliffs in the background in some photos. The graffiti varies from colorful and artistic to juvenile and ironic.

I'll be back in a week or two with fully edited versions of these photos. for now, here are a few previews of what will likely be a top-tier set. And if you're a local photographer looking for new talent, you wouldn't go wrong to reach out to Skye.