Behind the Scenes: Ken Marcus

Ready for one last interview? It's sad, we know! But all good things must come to end. But not quite yet! Today we are taking a step behind the camera and putting the spotlight on Ken Marcus!

We were more than thrilled to work with Ken again this year. We had a blast the year before and loved his work. And he's just great to work with. We love his approach and attitude. We just get each other!

Ken kick started his career at the early age of 12. He studied and worked under Ansel Adams. His worked with Penthouse Magazine and Playboy Magazine. And his Nudes in Nature series is permanently displayed at Yosemite National Magazine. Luckily, we were able to chat a little with him.

Ivey: Hey Ken! Thanks for having us back again. We're really excited to be here! 

Ken:  We're glad to have you here. We had a great shoot last year.

Ivey: It was! Those pictures were amazing! 

Ken:  Well, thank you. It's really a group effort. Most of the work is done before and after I even pick up a camera. 

Ivey: That's very true. So tell us about working with Ansel Adams. How did come about?

Ken: I had a love for photography from the start. I actually attended one of his workshops initially. i was hooked and attended as many as I could. 

Ivey: Would you say he made a huge impact on your career?

Ken:  Absolutely. He wasn't yet a household name when I first started studying with him. I had no idea how big he would become. I learned about self promotion and business. That led to my own success. 

Ivey: That's incredible. When did you really get started with your career?

Ken: I obtained my business license at 17. Yes, it was quite a young age. And by 18, I found the studio we're standing in now! 

Ivey: Really?! That's so neat. This place has history for you then. 

Ken:  It certainly does! 

Ivey: We have made ourselves quite at home! We hope you'll have us back next year! 

Ken: Absolutely! 

Behind the scenes: Emily Addison

Our 2014 collection is here -- Blue Skye Collection Part Deux!  It’s time for some celebration! So, let us share some fun, inside information with you. Come behind the scenes and get to know the people behind the dresses and photos! First up? It’s Emily Addison.

Emily is one of the most photogenic ladies we know -- the camera just loves her.  She wows us over and over again.  And we've been privileged to work with her from her early modeling days in the South through her stint as a Penthouse Pet and her year as Twisty's Treat!  She has been seen in magazines like Maxim, Hustler, and Taboo.

Plus Emily is a trooper; she comes prepared, looking fabulous, with plenty of shoes and extra makeup and ideas for her hair and what will make our dresses look their absolute best; she's a consummate pro!

So during a day of tugging in and out of latex, we got a chance to chat a bit between pictures!

Ivey: Hi Emily!  You must like us, because here you are again!

Emily:  Ha ha ha, yes!  What's it been, 7 years now? 

Ivey: We think so!  We can say "we knew you when"!

Emily:  I think our first shoot was outside Pensacola, Florida, when I was living in North Carolina!

Ivey: Good memory :)  Yes!  Now it doesn't feel like a big photo shoot without you and it's a treat to watch you work!

Emily: I think I first worked with The Latex Store on a shoot with Sabrina Fox and Carlotta Champagne. But I already had a few of your dresses then!  I had several pink ones! Hot pink was my color :)

Ivey: Yes, you had a Candy Dress -- that may have been the first one?  And a Buckle Vee, too? So what's new with you?

Emily:  Well... I am a new bride!  I'm moving too, and right now I'm living out of boxes in three different places!

[We were delighted to meet Emily's new husband later in the day and have him join the whole crew for dinner in Hollywood that evening.  We approved!  And they make an awesome young couple :) ]

Emily: I'm a very happy girl right now.

Ivey:  And we are so happy for you :)  But no Gandalf today?  Where is he?  (Gandalf is Emily's adorable teacup poodle, and he's joined us on other photo shoots!)

Emily: He's at home helping to pack!

Ivey: Awww, we miss him. Do you have a favorite dress in our new collection?

Emily:  Oh gosh, I like them all -- of course I love the Emily!  And maybe the Rachel? I like the trim on that one.  It has a great peek-a-boo vibe to it. 

Ivey: Well, you made it look good!  And we know you like that semi transparent blue color -- you rocked it at the AVNs last year!

Emily:  Yes, I wore that semi trans blue dress you made me with the silver piping; it was perfect! 

Ivey: But now that you are married, will we be able to shoot with you again?

Emily:  Absolutely! 

Meet Ken Marcus!

Well, tomorrow is the big day. Are you as excited as we are? We can't wait to see our new dresses on actual living and breathing humans beings! And not just any human beings! As you can gather from our other two posts this week, we have two beautiful, lovely ladies modeling for us!

So, you know the ladies in front of the camera. Let us introduce you the man behind it!

The extremely talented Ken Marcus will be shooting our new line again this year. We had a great time working with him last year. And we are overjoyed to be working with him once again.

Ken's life as a photographer started from an early age. At just 12 years old, he began studying under Ansel Adams. He continued to work him for the next 13 years. While working with him, Ken attended both Art Center College of Design and Brooks Institute of Photography.

At 23, he became the first American photographer Penthouse Magazine. After his work with Penthouse, he moved over to Playboy Magazine. There he shot centerfolds, calendars and covers for 11 years. He shot also editorials and covers for Muscle and Fitness Magazine for ten years. He was chosen as an "artist in residence" for Yosemite National Park. His Nudes in Nature series exists there as part of their permanent photographic collection.

Well, that is only a taste of all the amazing work Ken Marcus has produced. We adore the way he showcases our latex clothing and can't wait to see his work this Saturday. We also hope to sit down with Ken and learn a bit more about the man behind the lens. Stay tuned to the blog for more on that!

Be sure to check in our Twitter account this weekend.  And follow us if you haven't already! You won't want to miss out on all the fun!