alt.models

I really enjoy shooting alt.models. Admitedly, I don't get opportunities to photograph them as often as I'd like but, when I've done so, I really enjoyed the experience.

The alt.model phenomenon is a fairly broad category and includes everything from Punk to Goth to Rock-a-billy girls and beyond. (I can't keep up with all the labels placed on these types, that's why I simply refer to them as alt.models.) While alt.models don't usually fit the stereotypical definitions of glamour and tease models, their offbeat and sometimes camp and outlandish "looks" (by mainstream standards) are cool, captivating, sexy, and image-friendly.

It seems to me more and more women who fit the alt.model categories are pursuing modeling careers these days . They're a pop culture phenomenon and I think they're here to stay, at least for the forseeable future. As mainstream acceptance of the various alt.model types continues, I predict we're likely to see more and more of them popping up in fashion and glamour images, as well as on TV and in feature films. Currently, we might not see many of them gracing the pages of Playboy® or Penthouse® magazines, but we can find plenty of alt.models on the web at well-known internet sites like SuicideGirls and elsewhere.


When I shoot alt.models, I usually stay away from many of the tried-and-true glamour styles of photography. For instance, a heavily-inked alt.model on a beach and in a bikini a la SI Swimsuit Edition, while potentially campy, seems a little out of place to me. Of course, it might be a cool image if you're looking to produce a gagged up or against-type image. High key photography, for the most part, doesn't seem to play as well as low-key. Alt.models often project darker personas and have an edginess to them you don't see as often in more traditional models. It seems to make more sense to shoot (and process) them in darker and, sometimes, edgier ways.

Obviously, many of these models lend themselves to fetish photography. Personally, I don't think I want to limit myself to fetish stuff when shooting these types of models. As I mentioned, I don't shoot alt.models all that often, but when I get opportunities to do so, I will sometimes still approach them with glamour style lighting, although probably more on the high-contrast side. Since I spend most of my time in the studio and have limited time to build sets, a low-key approach with a variety of dark BGs seems to make most sense for me when I'm shooting alt.models.

The alt.model's images in this post are Raven's. Raven is her alt.name and she categorizes herself as Goth. That's why she goes for that almost dead-white skin contrasted with black makeup, wardrobe, and accessories. By the way, because I exclusively posted B&W images with this update, it doesn't mean I suggest mainly shooting alt.models--or processing them--in monochrome. It just worked out that way.