Kings are generally men*, and generally conceived of as large and/or imposing and/or powerful, etc. Given that Stephanie is neither large, nor imposing (at least in the physical sense), I had to spend some time thinking about how to convey the idea of size and force.

King of Blades 1.2

I wanted to convey a sense of quiet power in reserve. Because it’s the suit of blades, I wanted it very spare, very minimalist. No fuss, no show- just a large sword and the barest trappings of power.

King of Blades 2.2

We ended up not doing a lot of poses for this card- it felt like a very still card, and I didn’t want to over think it. The shots that worked, worked, and I wanted to let them evolve into their own space without pushing to get something too different.

King of Blades 3.2

We shot these in the late afternoon, with the setting sun shining in through the windows on the second day of the new year. It seemed like a good omen; cutting through the last of what binds the unconscious to the past, and making space for new everything.

King of Blades 4.2

You can see the full set here.

Ace of Wands will be blogged soon- sorry for the delay.

*generally. See Hatshepsut, one of the greatest Pharoahs. Among others.

(This last one may be my favorite)

King of Blades 5.2