I’ve never studied photography professionally; it’s always been my aim to just have fun with it. I have studied as an artist, though, and all those years of classes have definitely had an effect on my photography. As an artist myself, I enjoy working with other artists. And; hot chicks with swords … who wouldn’t be psyched? I’ll be very honest, guys; these shoots were a blast, and the lovely models were a pleasure to work with. Artists all, they each brought something unique to this project: Nyoka just graduated CSUB and is now working on her Masters in Figurative Painting at The Academy of Art in San Francisco. She definitely had the most fun with the swords. At one point, I think she started channeling Red Sonya, and I was a little afraid for my life. Alexis Nelson, going into her second year at UCLA film school, brought a very dramatic element to all of her shots; each one felt like it had a story behind it. Kaitlin Hulsy (an actress studying at UC Santa Barbara) had a very raw, dynamic energy in front of the camera that made her totally believable as a sword-wielding battle-vixen. And then of course there’s my wife, Jen Raven. She’d just returned from Costume College in Van Nuys, with all these great ideas about wrapping women’s bodies in yards of twisted silk … Hell, who was I to argue? And she’s as dangerous as she looks with that dagger. We took these fantastical photos at Hart Park; an endless resource for great outdoor shots.