by Nahp Suicide

Lavonne is from Alberta, Canada. She is a Suicide Girl, a Staff Photographer and a really good artist, and has been modeling and shooting sets since 2005.

How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls?

I applied and sent in my first self-shot sets in 2004. I hadn’t done anything like it before and thought it would be fun. Then other girls started asking me to photograph them too.

What’s your background photography-wise?

I’ve been shooting for fun since high school and have taken a few courses for darkroom developing, but am mostly self taught.



What was the first photo you had published?

My Tropical set, which I shot with a crappy point and shoot camera and lit with a reading lamp. I think my work has come a long way.



How would you describe your style?

Emotional and real (ideally).



What gear do you use?

For the last 4-5 years, a Canon 5D, mostly with a 50mm f1.4 lens. Rin’s Voyeur set was my only set with a different lens: a 100mm for a more distant feel.



How important is Photoshop in your final images?

I like to use it to remove major distractions and to create dream-like coloring, but I try to keep images natural looking.



What gives you ideas and inspires you to create such amazing sets?

I get most of my inspiration from the model and location I’m working with. I prefer shoots to be organic, and keep my own ego out of the way. Photography can often overtake a subject’s true beauty.



What is your favorite image?

There are many that come to mind, but this photo of Rin and Malloreigh [NSFW] is high on the list.

Tell us why it’s your fave and how you achieved it?

I love it mostly because of the good memories of that day. We created a super pink and girly scene, put on a bubble machine, then jumped around and had pillow fights! It wasn’t really about techniques or skill, I just captured a really lovely afternoon as best as I could. It was magical and real, and for me that is what life is about.



Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph that you haven’t? (And tell us why)

There are lots of people and places I’d like to photograph! Models that are passionate and genuine. Places that are inspiring and remote. I want to experience as much of this world as I can.

Related Posts:
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. DarrylDarko
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Albertine
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Holley
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Dwam
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Writeboy
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. IvyLlamas
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Lavezzarro

The folks from Playboy’s Smoking Jacket recently spoke with SG founder Missy Suicide. You can read the full interview, which covers the origins and ethos of our community, here.

by Blogbot

Artist / SG Member Name: Lil Tuffy

Mission Statement: Tuffy doesn’t really do the mission statement thing. That’s why he left the corporate world. He says his mission is to never work in a cubicle again.

Medium: Screen-print/mixed-media.

Aesthetic: Although his aesthetic changes frequently, there is always a cohesive style that’s makes a piece unmistakably his. He’s generally known for his use of found imagery, typography, minimal use of colors and negative space.

Notable Achievements: CBGB’s 30th Anniversary poster, work included in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame archives. Just released 500th gig poster. About to release limited edition line of messenger bags and T-shirts for Chrome Bags.

Why We Should Care: Tuffy is the perfect example of “do what you love and success will follow.” What started as a hobby 10 years ago is now a full-time career designing entire poster series for bands like Pavement and St. Vincent. His artwork and gig posters are exhibited all over the world with shows scheduled in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, London, Barcelona, Hamburg and more in 2012.

I Want Me Some: Visit: liltuffy.bigcartel.com, society6.com/LilTuffy, and tuffingtonpost.tumblr.com/

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by Nahp Suicide

DarrylDarko has been a photographer for SuicideGirls since 2009. He lives in San Jose, California and has been working on an interesting SG side project called “A Day With A Suicide Girl.” So far he’s shot Rambo and Carrina for this series.

How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls?

I had known about SuicideGirls for a really long time, and the site has always drawn me in one way or another, but I didn’t get involved with the site until I found Saint, on Model Mayhem. I had never really thought about seriously shooting for the site until I met her and after a first initial test shoot we decided to shoot a set. That set, luckily was bought and kind of started my road down the SuicideGirls path. However, it would be awhile though before things really got rolling.

What’s your background photography-wise?

I’m almost completely self-taught, other than taking a few courses from some community colleges. I had been shooting for a while already, and they were basic courses I kinda felt I would benefit from to kind of put a bit of structure to all the information I already knew. Looking back, I kind of wish I had gone to something a bit more interactive and challenging than just those courses, but something about art school classes was off-putting.

What was the first photo you had published?

I had entered the Crossroads Trading Company fashion contest with this shot. It won an “Honorable Mention” and they bought the rights to it. At some point in the future after that happened, one of my friends told me to that they were using it at Crossroads stores in Portland as a poster so that was pretty cool at the time.

How would you describe your style?

It’s funny how shooting for the site has changed my style. I used to be more into outlandish ideas and wanting to really shoot stuff that was just “different.” With SG sets, I do like the idea of trying to capture the girl as naturally as possible, that’s why I kinda stay away from pinup-ish poses because that’s not the girl, that would be more of an act they’re doing. I’m trying to find a happy balance between the two. I’m still working on that.

What gear do you use?

I used to use a Canon 5D, but have switched to the 7D for the time being. I use 35mm, 50mm, and 24-105mm lenses. I want to go back to full-frame badly.

How important is Photoshop in your final images?

Fairly important. I’m able to give photos an extra punch and screw with the colors to make them stand out more, plus smooth out whatever flaws the picture may have, but I try to stay away from making things look fake.

What gives you ideas and inspires you to create such amazing sets?

I’d say some of the biggest inspirations are found on the site itself. Before I started shooting for the site Cymagen‘s personal work was a big factor in getting me to shoot more. Since I’ve been on site, Cherry, Sean and Vermelho were bigger influences. I also had a lot of inspiration from movies and music videos. What I really want to work on more is having a narrative to sets so they’re not just ‘a girl getting naked’ so I’ve been looking to more editorial shoots and photographers who specialize in that lately.

What is your favorite image?

[Above.] I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one but this one of Silvi is one of my favorites.

Tell us why it’s your fave and how you achieved it?

It’s one of my favorites because as an image it just seems so perfect. The light wraps around her body really nicely giving it this comforting “bathed in light” feel. This shot was achieved by light coming through the window in the front, but also there was light coming through a window on the left-hand side but it bounced off the ground, which was hard wood and gave it that nice side lighting. Some minor Photoshop enhancements and that’s what you get. The funny story about shooting this set was that when we arrived at the location I found that my camera’s battery was dead, despite me charging it the night before. Luckily my friend’s roomate had a Rebel and I was able to use that camera with one of my lenses. Everything worked out in the end.

Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph that you haven’t? (And tell us why)

Yes, I have an entire list of girls on site that I’d love to shoot someday. I’ll just list three:

– 1. Patton – because she defines ‘blonde bombshell’ perfectly. I’ve been told I have a thing for blondes though…

– 2. Radeo – because she’s Radeo.

– 3. GoGo – she has this awesome presence in photos and is the perfect mix of a supermodel and SuicideGirl.

Related Posts:
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Albertine
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Holley
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Dwam
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Writeboy
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. IvyLlamas
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Lavezzarro

By Charlie Suicide

Zak Smith (SG Member ZakSmith), “The King of the Art Punks,” is currently on his way to art world domination. His paintings of girls have sold to some of the most prestigious art institutions in the US; his portrait of Sawa Suicide was recently sold to the Whitney Museum in NY, and MoMA now owns his portrait of Charlie Suicide. He is represented by the Fredericks & Freiser gallery in NYC, and is soon to be exhibited at SF MoMA. Zak Smith was born in ‘76, grew up in DC, and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, where he eats fried chicken almost every day. His new book, Pictures of Girls is out now in fine bookstores.

Read our exclusive interview with Zak Smith on SuicideGirls.com.

by Blogbot

This Sunday (Feb 19) we’re having a women’s writers’ retreat in the SG Radio Studio. Hosts Nicole Powers (SG’s Managing Editor) and Darrah de jour (SG’s resident post-feminist sex and sensuality expert) will be joined in studio by Love Junkie author and Writers on Fire coach Rachel Resnick and her frenemy, actress, comedian, playwright and author Lauren Weedman, a.k.a. Horny Patty (we’re told by Rachel that she had that nickname prior to her “cameo” in HBO’s Hung!). The two met online on a UCLA Book Proposal Writing course, and have been unhealthily competitive ever since. We therefore expect the claws to be out and the sparks to fly, so it should be a fun show.

When Darrah’s not steering the conversation towards the topic of porn or polyamory, and Nicole’s not banging on about Occupy, ACTA or the freakin’ NDAA, we’ll be more or less on topic, yakking about writing. That’s right. Writing. Like, books ‘n’ shit. Stories. Sketches. Plays. Real writing. Surreal writing. Automatic writing. Manual writing. And ghost writing. Since doing this shit is hard. Very hard. Like if you’re JK Rowling rich, fuck it, you should just pay someone else to do it and go get your nails done. Really. But if you’re not, and you’re embarrassed to let people even read your diary – not because it’s too juicy or cringe-worthy, but because it’s too dull – tune in to find out how to make boring shit sound fun, shameless stuff shameful (in a good way), and how to plain just make cool, uncool, and awesomely wrong stuff up.

Tune in to the world’s leading naked radio show for two hours of totally awesome tunes and extreme conversation – and don’t let yo momma listen in!

Listen to SG Radio live Sunday night from 10 PM til Midnight on suicidegirlsradio.indie1031.com/

Got questions? Then dial our studio hotline digits this Sunday between 10 PM and midnight PST: 323-900-6012

And follow us on Twitter because we like cyberstalkers.

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by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman)

Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse), it offers a terrifying postmodern vision in the tradition of Blade Runner and Brave New World…

By the year 2156, stem cell therapy has triumphed over aging and disease, extending the human lifespan indefinitely. But only for those who have achieved Conscientious Citizen Status. To combat overpopulation, the U.S. has sealed its borders, instituted compulsory contraception and a strict one child per couple policy for those who are permitted to breed, and made technology-assisted suicide readily available. But in a world where the old can remain vital forever, America’s youth have little hope of prosperity.

Jason Haggerty is an investigator for Black Buttons Inc, the government agency responsible for dispensing personal handheld Kevorkian devices, which afford the only legal form of suicide. An armed “Killswitch” monitors and records a citizen’s final moments — up to the point where they press a button and peacefully die. Post-press review agents — “button collectors” — are dispatched to review and judge these final recordings to rule out foul play.

When three teens stage an illegal public suicide, Haggerty suspects their deaths may have been murders. Now his race is on to uncover proof and prevent a nationwide epidemic of copycat suicides. Trouble is, for the first time in history, an entire generation might just decide they’re better off dead.

(Catch up with the previous installments of Killswitch – see links below – then continue reading after the jump…)

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