Nika · Murr
Nika · Murr Backstage
Nika Murr’s legs tell the story of our Femjoy shoot. I know a photographer is supposed to have a more complicated explanation than that, but sometimes the camera makes its point before I do. :)
The set is called Murr, and when I look at the photographs, my eye keeps going back to the lines Nika creates. Her legs give each frame its shape and lead my attention through it. My job was to notice that, find the right composition and try not to get too clever for my own good.
Of course, “try not to get too clever” is excellent advice that photographers rarely take. We can spend ages deciding whether a tiny change in framing improves a picture. Move the camera a little, look again, move it back. Meanwhile, Nika’s legs have already made a much stronger argument without any help from me.
Who was directing this shoot, exactly?
I’m joking, but only a little. Photographing a model means paying attention to what she brings to the frame, not just the picture I imagined beforehand. With Nika, I found myself thinking about how much a pose can say without needing anything extra around it. A different angle changes the balance. A little more space changes where your eye travels. There is a lot for a photographer to enjoy there.
And yes, there is also a point where I have to put my camera down and admit that Nika did the difficult part. I only had to make sure I was ready for it. That sounds simple until you are looking at two photographs you like equally and trying to explain why one feels just a little more like her.
That is what I enjoy about making a photo set. The choices are small, but they add up to a feeling. I want the photographs to show Nika beautifully, of course. I also want them to have a bit of her personality in them, rather than feel like a list of poses I asked her to make.
Murr gave me plenty to think about on both counts. There is something playful about making her legs the stars of the story, especially when I am meant to be the one behind the camera calling the shots. I can take credit for the framing. I’m not sure I can claim much more than that. :)
When I look through the finished set, I remember why I wanted to photograph Nika for Femjoy. She gave me something lovely to work with, and I had the pleasure of seeing how many different pictures we could make from it.
So that is my honest answer if you ask what stands out to me about Murr: Nika Murr, those wonderful legs, and a photographer who was very happy to follow their lead.
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