Friday, January 23, 2015

2015 Calendar Now Available

I finally put together a calendar of some of my most classic poses, for a 2015 calendar.  I did not compete that many years in the art form of bodybuilding, but when I got in contest shape, I literally took hundreds, if not thousands of photos the day of the show, and the weeks leading up to one, and after.  I have to say that the ones I like the most are just before and after the shows.  They are more sexy and erotic, showing just enough definition and separation.  Some of the best photographers are Pat Berrett, Eddie DeLuca, and a few more.  I am trying to sort out a way to archive them, as they are all on CD-roms and DVDs, and some of them are starting to get corrupted, and the data is getting lost on them.  I will most likely transfer all the data onto a hard drive.  This is going to be one massive project, but it needs to be done to preserve the integrity of the photos.  All media deteriorates over time, discs, hard drives, etc.  So, it is also important that I actually print out the best of the best.  This is one of the reasons why I am working on offering posters, fine art prints, canvas prints, and calendars to anyone that desires them.  Most of these photos have never been seen before.  This will be a great project to reinvent the AmberDeLuca.net website.  If you would like to order a calendar, please email me at gladiatorgirl@aol.com.  They are priced at $24.99 plus shipping and handling, and you may purchase them via www.Paypal.com at the same email address.  

May all your hope and dreams come true in 2015! 
The Goddess of Fetish
Amber DeLuca

Tuesday, January 13, 2015


"I cannot think of anybody who could with such sublime ease combine the athletic with the erotic and at the same time preserving so aesthetic an approach" ~ Mark Williams


On the Creation of Fine Art

This photo was taken by one of my all time favorite photographers, Pat Barrett.  Pat photographed my first nude photo shoot out in the desert when I first started competing in figure and bikini shows.  He was the first person that made me feel comfortable in my skin, and allowed me to have my own creative and artistic license in front of his lens.  This photo was taken on only our second photo-shoot back in 2006, when I was preparing for the Master’s Nationals bodybuilding championships.  Looking back on these photos, and there will be more to come, I am struck by a couple of things.  On the day this photo was taken, we did about a one-hour shoot out at a very exotic, desert location.  Getting there was a bit of a ride, but once we got there, it was perfectly calm and still.  Eventually, the wind started to kick up and dark storm clouds began to intrude on our magical shoot.  We got what we got, and headed towards his studio to get some indoor shots.  This photo is one of them. What stuck me about the photos, are the poses I got into—and the lighting on just the right muscle groups.  I do not have a dance background, but I did take gymnastics at an early age, and have always been athletic.  Looking back on these photos on that dry, windy day in June of 2006, Pat and I created something very special.  And, I want to share that with you, my loyal fans, friends, and lovers of Amber DeLuca. 


 A good friend of mine, Dave Rogers, a ‘jack-of-all-trades', master of many, came to my home yesterday for a Photoshop play date.  Dave was my editor/web designer for the Goddess of Fetish in the early days.  We would have these jam sessions where we would talk for hours and hours, then finally get a little work done.  During these early jam sessions my vision and mission was created, and over time, I evolved to where the Goddess of Fetish is today, and ultimately, myself.  Over the past several years, he has been scarce due to his own creative work, designing knives for Special Forces, badass mountain men, collectors, and anyone that appreciates functional beauty.  I always seem to attract like-minded people in my work.  I was sad to lose Dave, and I struggled for a few years after we stopped working together. After a long hiatus, I found a very creative, intelligent artist, Alexander "Xander" Paul, that stepped in and took over my filming and editing productions in early 2014.  Xander is my long cool drink of water in the desert heat!   

 As I was show casing my fine art prints to Dave at my home yesterday, I was describing to him the difference between a good photographer, and a great photographer.  The truth is, with today’s technology nearly anyone can capture good photos, and with Photoshop, make ordinary folks look like super models.  A great photographer has three key traits.  They are:  1) He has the “eye” for what looks best for that model.  He studies her body type and knows her best angles after only a few minutes time.  2) He then allows the model to take on her own persona in front of his lens, giving her positive feedback, and encouraging her to do as she pleases.  This is called chemistry.  Just like all good things in life, if the chemistry is there, the magic happens. 3) He does not pose the model in cookie-cutter poses that he does for all of his models.  Arguably, most photographers’ work is recognizable, what is known as branding.  Branding is good if you must work in a particular industry where expectations and defined parameters rule the day.  It typically is not good if you are attempting to create something memorable, lasting, unique, and magical.


To this day, some of my best photographs are from local photographers, that are not well known, established physique photographers.  In fact, some of my most average work is from well known, very famous photographers, but that was due to the fact that I was like a "deer-in-the headlights" and too awestruck by their work to just relax and be natural--therefore, the natural chemistry never happened, and, they did not have the unique capability of drawing me out. (Sounds like bad sex..LOL).  And, that is the very reason why I believe I have created magical poses, and fine art in the beautiful landscape of New Mexico over the past decade.  My dear friend, Mark Williams, waxed eloquent upon viewing the photo for the first time, hence, I was compelled to use his statement which best characterizes my studio shoot with Pat.  This statement could very well have been inserted into the Ironman Magazine, 2004, featuring Bill Dobbins’ photograph of me posing on a rock, bent over at the hip, exposing glutes and hamstrings, completely nude.  When I first saw the pose, Mark’s comments are something I think Bill’s photo captured.  It is interesting that a completely nude model can show so much, yet so little.  The implied eroticism of a completely nude, powerful female physique is something to behold, admire, even worship.  It is also interesting to note, the evolution of the development of my physique and also the creativity in my posing from Dobbins’ 2003 shoot, to Barrett’s 2006 shoot. In the top Barrett photo, I was 190 pounds, and the Dobbins photo below, I was 155 pounds. 
 





 In summation, when there is chemistry between two people, no matter what the activity, there is always a positive outcome.  Like fine art, it is is rare, and should always be treasured.  Stay tuned for more fine art by Amber DeLuca and Xander Arts.