Downtown Sultry

I had an amazing experience shooting the effortless beauty of Jamie Rodriguez last weekend. She has such a warm presence, moves with ease in front of the lens, and oozes sex appeal.  The inspiration behind this shoot was Penelope Cruz as Maria Elena in Woody Allen's Vicki Cristina Barcelona. As one of my favorite film characters, I really wanted to find the perfect subject to convey Penelope's cool attitude and sensuality. Jamie captured the essence without a doubt. What do you think? 

Styling, Creative Direction and Photography by Ally Simons

Allysimons@gmail.com

You make me feel like a natural woman......

It seems as though the word "candid" has an updated definition in 2012. Thanks to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media sites, it seems that staged, coy and cutesy photos are now the new "candids." With that said, I wanted to pay homage to the actual definition of the word candid with the photos taken below. Each photograph was taken without offering the subject a warning that their photo was being shot, thus allowing their natural beauty and spirit to stand on its own.


For those of you interested here is the definition of candid :)
-frank; outspoken; open and sincere : a candid critic.
-free from reservation, disguise, or subterfuge; straight forward: a candid opinion.
-informal; unposed: a candid photo.
-honest; impartial: a candid.

My  beautiful sister in law, Katie. Shot in Thousand Oaks, CA

My always smiling best friend Jessica. Shot in Thousand Oaks, CA

Southern belle Laura. Shot in  Bald Head Island, NC

The birthday bombshell Lynn. Shot in Miami Beach, FL