Doreen 239

This beautiful portrait of Doreen in striking black and white outfit concludes her second photo shoot which was entirely devoted to modern glasses by Zenni.

A word of thanks goes to my life partner Nel for the use of her hats, house and garden and for her brief guest appearance in this photo shoot.

Doreen, it was my pleasure to work with you again! The second photo shoot is always easier than the first. I was not surprised to hear that you did not have tired eyes this time. If all goes well, your glasses will arrive within a few days. You certainly made an excellent choice. May I add that I would have said the same if you had made a different choice? It was amazing how many of the Zenni glasses really suit you. Another big compliment for your splendid black & white outfit - reminiscent of the "Pop Art" fashion style of the mid 1960's. Hat off for your individual, excellent style of posing. And thanks for your efforts on the concertina....
It's a pity that only some eighty photos can be posted here - we took over 600 - but this weblog is now filled to the brim. At least you have the advantage that your photo shoots will remain "on top" forever :).

A note to viewers: my next photo shoots will be posted on my third weblog soon:
http://lovelyladiesbehindcrystalveil.blogspot.com/

Doreen 238

Doreen just started posing in these black and white Zenni glasses when the garden gate was opened. Nel came home after a fifteen mile walk. By coincidence she was in her own black and white Zenni glasses and though tired and without any make up, Nel suggested straightaway that I could make one photo of Doreen and herself in identical Zenni glasses. Her black hat from Napoli was big enough to provide shelter for two models. After seeing the edited version of this duo portrait, Nel kindly gave me her permission to post it in this documentary of the photo shoot with Doreen. Both glasses have an identical Rx and the only difference is that Nel's glasses have progressive lenses.

Doreen 237

Glasses: Zenni 282321 (still available)
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.50 v]

Note: the hazy effect was created on purpose by blowing a bit of cigarette smoke towards Doreen just before snapping.

Doreen 236

Zenni did a nice job on these glasses. As usual, I ordered them with their standard 1.57 lenses to cut down on the expenses. The Zenni staff kindly put some extra work on the lenses so that the glasses could be folded up neatly for their journey from China to Holland. No extra cost was charged. The effect is not unlike that of a myodisc. I like the play of the light in the lenses. Apologies to Doreen and the viewers of this weblog for the blue spots - they are not visible in the original portrait but in an inexplicable way, they turn up when the photo is transferred to the weblog. A black version of these glasses was used to great effect in my second photo shoot with Lucy, in the old part of Amsterdam in the autumn of 2012.

Doreen 235

Glasses: Zenni 260817 (still available)
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

Doreen 234

Doreen posing in the raspberry / purple version of the peach glasses shown earlier in this photo shoot. The lenses are in the prescription of my partner Nel. The glasses are still available so grab your chance if you like them as much as I do :).

Doreen 233

Glasses: Zenni 278817
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

Doreen 232

These tortoise Zenni glasses were first featured in my photo shoot with Daisy in Flanders during the summer of 2012. Daisy posed in a dozen Zenni glasses and as this was her favourite pair, she now uses them as prescription sunglasses. Note the difference in eye size with the previous and the following pairs. Minus eight looks mild when seen in between glasses of minus twelve.... I like the concentrated look on Doreen's face.

Doreen 231

Glasses: Zenni 260625 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 230

Like the previous pair, these Zenni glasses were first featured in my photo shoot with Marike in February 2013. Again, the lenses are in the prescription of my partner Nel. Note the fine decoration of the arms and the nice way the power rings in the lenses catch the light.

Doreen 229

Glasses: Zenni 268317 (still available)
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

Doreen 226 - 228

Lovely Doreen posing in another pair of Zenni glasses with a touch of the cat eye look. In my view, this is one of the best frames that Zenni has in stock. The glasses were first featured in my photo shoot with another brunette model called Marike, almost a year ago. Trying to avoid tired eyes, I saw to it that Doreen was posing in a pair with lenses of minus eight after each pair with a stronger prescription.

Doreen 225

Glasses: Zenni 620617 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 224

Doreen posing in a powerful pair of Zenni glasses in the prescription of my partner Nel. Note the blend between the mighty power rings and the rim of the giant hat from Naples.

Doreen 223

Glasses: Zenni 282817 (still available)
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

Doreen 222

Glasses: Zenni 3391 (out of stock but still available in red)
[L: -13.00 / R: -12.00]

This was a very popular Zenni frame among my models right from the start of the project, At least a dozen models posed in these glasses and a couple of models used them in daily life. Unlike four years ago, the frame looks tiny nowadays - the result of changes in fashion since the arrival of the black hipster glasses.

Doreen 221

Glasses: Zenni 235321 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

These solid, square Zenni glasses have been in my collection since 2009 and they can be seen in a dozen previous photo shoots, most of them shown on my first weblog. The first to pose in them was a highly experienced catwalk and photo model called Carla. The glasses suit blondes and brunettes alike. For this portrait of Doreen I used the zoom function on Picasa to put additional emphasis on Doreen's movements when adjusting the glasses.

Doreen 220

These tiny glasses by Zenni were ordered in 2010 when my first exhibition with "Ladies behind crystal veil" was launched. The exhibition received a good amount of attention in the local and national media (newspapers, radio and television). In one newspaper interview I mentioned that applications by high myopic models would be welcome and this led to several applications. One of these models sent me her glasses receipt and I ordered these tiny Zenni glasses in her prescription. The model in question was eight months pregnant so we decided to postpone her photo shoot. Unfortunately, the baby was born severely handicapped and the photo shoot never took place. The glasses were subsequently featured in half a dozen photo shoots on this weblog (Karen 277, Jolien 204, Marieke 291, Léonne 184, Claudine 083, Claudia Allegonda 037) and here Doreen joins their ranks in her own beautiful way.

Doreen 219

Glasses: Zenni 3818 / 8818 (out of stock)
[L: -11.00 / R: -12.00]

Doreen 218

Glasses: Zenni 2788
[L=R: -8.00]

These beautiful Zenni glasses come in three colours: pink, raspberry / purple and the peach version shown here by lovely Doreen. The glasses were first featured in my photo shoot with red haired Daisy in Flanders during the summer of 2012. Near the end of this photo shoot, Doreen also posed in the raspberry / purple version of the glasses.

Doreen 217

Glasses: Zenni 283625 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

These striking cat eye style glasses come in three colours. Over the past couple of years, the frame has been a favourite among my models and several of them now use these glasses in their daily life. All three versions were lying ready on a table and Doreen chose this tortoise shell version for her photo shoot. An excellent choice!

Doreen 216

These big, square Zenni glasses were first featured in a photo shoot done in Flanders with a red haired freelance model called Daisy, during the summer of 2012. Here Doreen shows that the glasses look great on a brunette as well. The bird sculptures in the background - a memorial for Nel's parents - were created and installed by an amazing artist called Herman Erbé who is 91 years of age.

Doreen 215

Glasses: Zenni 270717 (out of stock)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 214

"Mr. Photographer, I may be losing my marbles but it sounds as if those birds are flying again, this time  behind me, and they sound big, very big.... Can we stop the posing for a moment?"
"Of course we can, Doreen, but be assured, it's a false alarm"
"OK, if you say so. Shall I switch glasses?"
"Please do, I look forward to see you in the next pair"

The Zenni glasses shown here by a puzzled Doreen can be called "modern cat eye style" or "cat eye with a modern twist". Ever since the start of this weblog, they have been a favourite among my models and at least ten of them posed in these glasses. However, none of them chose the glasses for use in everyday life.

Doreen 213

Glasses: Zenni 483925 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 212

Photography of performing musicians is an art all by itself. By nature, the real stage musician divides his or her attention between the music and the surroundings. As a result, the look in the eyes is half inward, half outward. I have seen many photos and videos of my own stage performances and it was always that way. It was a great experience to participate in this process from the other side of the camera. Thank you, Doreen!

Doreen 211

Doreen kept the black Zenni glasses on during her experiment on the concertina. The lenses are -12 and her own prescription is -9 but music is all about "feeling around" rather than observing so she was not bothered by the blur. In fact, many musicians - and artists in general - prefer to go on stage without visual aid. Being able to see one's audience in detail can distract from the process of music making, especially during a solo performance.

Doreen 210

Tea break with a musical interlude.... When we entered the living room, Doreen noticed an old Anglo concertina on the table and she was curious to give the instrument a try. The concertina is a keepsake of my brother Guus who died of brain cancer in November 2012. Guus and I played together in several Irish ballad groups throughout the 1970's. He bought the concertina in 1974 and used it occasionally during gigs, accompanying us in songs like "Crooked Jack" and "The Eclipse". He stopped playing in 1980 when my musical interest had shifted to Irish traditional music on uilleann pipes and fiddle. For over three decades, the concertina was gathering dust in his attic. Guus always showed a genuine interest in my photography project and I'm sure he would appreciate this photo of Doreen searching notes and chords on his concertina.

Doreen 209

These Zenni glasses came in several colours and most versions are still available. I first ordered a red pair, fitted with lenses of minus eight. The glasses were used to great effect about a year ago when my climbing partner Marieke posed in my snowy garden, wearing her black gala dress. Later in the year I ordered the same glasses in black, fitted with stronger lenses, around Nel's prescription of minus twelve. Here Doreen shows us the black pair. Note the nice arm decoration and the mighty power rings. The two giant birds that seemed to fly over us a few glasses ago are back in their usual stationary position.

Doreen 208

Glasses: Zenni 272021 (still available)
[L: -12.25 / R: -11.50]

Doreen 206 - 207

Another attempt of voyeurism but this time it failed.... Unlike the previous, rather airy pair shown by Doreen, these solid glasses keep their secrets.

Doreen 205

These beautiful Zenni glasses were liked by many models but so far, none of them chose this pair for use in her daily life. A pity! Note the nice decoration on the arms.

Doreen 204

Glasses: Zenni 269517 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 200 - 203

Here is a bit of innocent voyeurism from my side. One of the attractions of walking past an attractive lady in minus glasses is the quick observation of the tiny background image seen through the lenses in her glasses. Usually the arms of the glasses are in the way so I went through my knees to produce these images. Thank you, Doreen, for your patience during this series!

Doreen 199

An "en profile" portrait of Doreen showing the double image of her right eye, behind and through the minus eight lens.

Doreen 198

"Did you hear that noise, Mr. Photographer?"
"Don't worry, Doreen, it's just a couple of birds flying over us"

Doreen 197

Lovely Doreen posing in what I often refer to as "Nel's purple glasses". The frame is still available and this came handy when Nel mentioned that the arms of her glasses were showing signs of wear and tear. I ordered an empty frame and the surgery on the glasses took us only a couple of minutes.

Doreen 196

Glasses: Zenni 252817 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 195

Change of glasses, change of hat.... Fine, concentrated posing by Doreen in bold, square glasses by Zenni. Again, the power rings add greatly to the overall effect.

Doreen 194

Glasses: Zenni 2709 (out of stock)
[L=R: -8.00]

Doreen 193

These massive tortoise shell glasses by Zenni were sent to me by Stephan from Bavaria, one of my favourite photographers. Doreen first tried them in combination with a hat from the 1970's, bought by Nel's mother who died two years ago. But the combination with the Napolitan hat is great as well. In my view, this is one of the best portraits in this photo shoot. Hat off for Doreen!

Doreen 192

Glasses: Zenni 2308
[L=R: -8.00 / var add 2.00]

Doreen 191

Solid black glasses like this pair call for a hat. Doreen already made the acquaintance with Nel's big hat from Napoli, Italy during her first photo shoot. There is nothing better than an attractive lady in hat and glasses!

Doreen 190

Glasses: Zenni 443621 (still available)
[L=R: -8.00]