Kabulie is a young lady that found me through mutual friends. Actually, I think she found me via Audrey. Either way, she had contacted me and wanted to shoot. The first two times we set up a session, she flaked on me. This was right around the time I started to relax my “flake factor” rules of “Flake once done forever” and started to flow with the go. The third time was the charm! She showed up with her boyfriend and was very, very shy. She had told me before the shoot she was Muslim and wanted to still be who she was, an “aware” young woman. I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant but figured what the crap, lets shoot anyway.
When they showed up I found her to be quiet. Very observant, yet quiet. As I have stated before on the blog, I like to start my shoots in as much clothes as possible to keep both the model and I relaxed. The problem? She didn’t bring anything but lingerie! After the first look she started to relax and have fun. I told her it’s about having fun, not getting images other people think we should get. By the end of the session, she was laughing and having a great time. Even her boyfriend was laughing and having fun. We all know my stance on boyfriends at sessions.
After this session, we agreed to shoot again soon. Some time had lapsed and we spoke off and on of getting together and shooting again but it never happened. Finally, we did get together and have another shoot. This time it was in a studio setting. She was always looking to push her boundaries and grow as a model with each session, clearly, she was my type of model. One of the cool things about her was she speaks English perfectly well with no accent. Although she wasn’t born in America, she has the English language down but every once in a while she’ll say “Wait, what does that mean?” and the say she says it is so awesome that you instantly think she’s joking. She has an awesome quizzical look on her face that lets you know she’s serious, so you have to explain. She follows it up by saying “English isn’t my first language you know!”
After this time, we had gotten together to shoot a few times and had fun. Around this time last year, she became one of my favorite workshop models. She would come over an hour or two before the small workshop and we’d shoot. Then have the workshop. Everyone loved her and enjoyed shooting her. Her and I have lost contact with each other. I did hear from her a few months back, shes engaged and doing well. She’s one that I’ll always enjoy our shoots and wish nothing but the best for.
Update: 11/10/2012: A few weeks past I got an email from her. Apparently I had used her real name in a post and her “fiance’s” family found it and gave her slack about it. I went through everything and removed her real name. I always love fiance and finding Jesus stories. Not saying her’s is untrue, but I love them none the less. I know my mom only knows how to check email. Just sayin 😉
See an updated feature of Hosnah Safi on Glamour Model Magazine including topless images of her.