For Devi's photoshoot we photographed her in a number of different looks from jeans and her favorite leather jacket to a sultry evening gown with a plunging neckline and a statement necklace, but this blue velvet jacket may have been her favorite item. She shared with me that this Laura Ashley piece, that could be worn as a dress or a jacket, had been in her closet for over 25 years. Velvet wears like iron so the coat didn't show any signs of wear and tear with age. The color was vibrant and made Devi's blue eyes pop.
On a side note, I personally love velvet. It always comes as a surprise when I hear that someone dislikes velvet and when this rare person comes along, the feeling of dislike tends to be more vehement crossing over to hate. And their abhorrence is usually linked to the feel of the fabric. I love the texture of velvet and the colors available are saturated and perform well under studio lights. Velvet doesn't wrinkle and exhibits a mild sheen for visual interest.
Whenever I think of Devi I always see her in my mind's eye greeting me with a laugh and a big smile, so I thought this portrait was perfect for her to be on display at the Portrait Gala.
To learn more about Devi, click here.
Hand painted gold backdrop | Studio Lighting
Location: Tucson, Arizona.