Kris Saelen

#PlusIsEqual (part 1)

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I have been working with plus-size models from long before it became fashionable to grace their curvy beauty on the cover of magazines like Sports Illustrated or on the catwalks of NY Fashion Week. Long before the hashtag #PlusIsEqual was ever invented. I honestly believe women are beautiful, no matter their size.

Riding the coattails of the hype, I started working on my own #PlusIsEqual production. It seemed the appropriate time to gather a few of my favorite curvy models and show you all how beautiful they are.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of having these 5 beauties in a studio.

#PlusIsEqual

A big thank you to the models. Caroline, Sharon, Liesbet, Elise and Cindy: you are amazingly beautiful ladies and it was an honor and a pleasure to work with you!

But this pic wouldn’t be anything without excellent work of Elem and Manouche–the 2 make-up artists of the day– and the help of my friends Michel & Karen who were kind enough to let me use their studio for the shoot. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Kris Saelen

Kicking off 2019 with Lynn

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Lynn is my 1st model for 2019 and she’s also my 1st new face for the year. I prepared an all white set to match that beautiful white latex skater dress and boots with ballet heels. As she zips up her boots, I guess it is time for: “Lights! Camera! Action!”

Model Lynn wearing a white latex dress and ballet heels
Kris Saelen

Blonde Over Blue

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I don’t get to do photo shoots as often as I would like. So I tend to work with experienced models I know to get the most out of every photo shoot. But a few times a year, I offer my studio to an aspiring model. Usually someone I’ve never worked with.

Pakitha is one of these young ladies that had asked me if I would want to work with her. She had never modeled before, but she was an absolute charm to work with. Once she got the hang of it and flashed her natural smile, she just shone like the brightest star you’ve ever seen.

New Face Pakitha in Latex
New Face Pakitha in Latex
New Face Pakitha in Latex

Billy Joel’s Blond Over Blue from his 1993 album River of Dreams would be the perfect soundtrack for these pics. It was the song that got stuck in my head all trough the shoot.

Kris Saelen

A Little Touch of Latex

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Karlien and I go way back. We met in 2010 when she was competing for the title of Miss Fashion. We keep in touch off-and-on. And when we realize it’s been way to long since we collaborated on a photo shoot, we get together for a new shoot. When we realized our last shoot dated back from 2014 we new it was time for new work.

We set up to work in my home studio. We did a couple of sets and outfits on our photo shoot. I totally loved this series where we combined latex briefs with a regular–or should I say vanilla–blouse.

Karlien Gracefully Combines Latex with a Regular Blouse

Karlien Gracefully Combines Latex with a Regular Blouse
Karlien Gracefully Combines Latex with a Regular Blouse

I have published a few photos from the other sets on my Instagram. Why don’t you head on over to Instagram and check them out?

Kris Saelen

Shana Shines Bright Like the Sun

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Shana has been following me on Instagram for some time and whenever I posted a pic of a model in latex, she liked it. So when I dropped her a message asking if she wanted to come to my studio to work with me and pose in latex, her response was: “YES!”

I asked her if she would be ok to help me with my series of shoots on colored backgrounds and we decided on yellow.

Model Shana in Latex
Model Shana in Latex

We also set out to experiment some with that background, adding a 2nd color.

Model Shana in Latex
Model Shana in Latex
Kris Saelen

Daria Again

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After a 10 year hiatus, I got reconnected with my very 1st model I ever worked with in early 2018. We promised not to wait another 10 year for the next shoot. And we kept that promise: I got to work with Daria for a 2nd time in 2018 and here’s a couple of results from that shoot.

Model Daria
Model Daria
Model Daria
Kris Saelen

Apollo 8, 50 Years Later

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50 years ago today, the crew of Apollo 8 reached lunar orbit for the 1st time ever. Astronauts Frank Borman, William A. Anders and James A. Lovell Jr. became the 1st humans to fully escape earth’s gravity and enter the gravitation field of another celestial body. They also became the 1st humans to see the dark side of the moon with their own eyes. Their mission was an overwhelming success: they proved that mankind was ready to set foot on the moon. 7 months later, Neil A. Armstrong–commander of Apollo 11–would indeed become the 1st human to set foot on the moon.

In honor of the crew and the hundreds of engineers and technicians that worked to make Apollo 8 a success, I made this photo of #duckie a couple of years ago. I shot it in my photo studio at home, with very little help from Photoshop.

#duckie in Space

And if there was ever a better way to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, it would be in the words of the crew of Apollo 8 as they circle the moon on Christmas Eve 1968. I can not find a better way to wish all my friends happy holidays and all the best for 2019.

Kris Saelen

Light of Day 2018

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The Belgian leg of the Light of Day tour, maybe the most important recurring event of the year. It is a concert where I get to listen to great music, where I get to meet all the artist and so many of my friends, and I always get to cover the show as a photographer. After all, I am the resident photographer there.

It is with great pleasure I share this little impression of the 2018 rendition of the Light of Day benefit concert in Belgium. All proceeds of the show go to research for a cure on Parkinson’s disease and A.L.S. So please remember to come out next year and party with us to support a good cause.

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Light of Day 2018

Kris Saelen

Working in the Coal Mine

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Coal mines are a thing of the past in Belgium so I’m not really working in a coal mine of course. However, many of the coalmines’ buildings–especially those in Limburg–have been transformed into museums or cultural centers. They are open to the public, and some will even let photographers work there. Last summer, I took model Nanoe to the former coal mine of Winterslag, Genk for a photo shoot.

Here’s a few results of our work in the coal mine. btw: why don’t you head on over to Spotify or YouTube and listen to the Lee Dorsey’s hit Working in the Coal Mine while you’re enjoying the pics?

Model Nanoe in Latex at the C-Mine in Genk
Model Nanoe in Latex at the C-Mine in Genk
Model Nanoe in Latex at the C-Mine in Genk
Model Nanoe in Latex at the C-Mine in Genk
Kris Saelen

Aurora Concert in Trix

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Norwegian singer Aurora presented her 2nd album Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) to her audience in Belgium last weekend. I had the pleasure and the honor to cover her gig at Trix in Antwerp for FrontView Magazine. Here’s a couple of photos from Saturday’s concert. The full album is on FrontView Magazine’s website.

Aurora at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium

Aurora at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium

Aurora at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium

Aurora at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium

Aurora at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium