"Presenting" Rita H - it’s all about the girl…

I like this girl. I like this girl a lot. And I expect others will share my affection. But, having made that explicit declaration, I must admit, I like this girl despite this set, not because of it.

The level of effort expended here is minimal. The room and its decor is ugly. And busy. And distracting. Any “art direction” is so subtle as to be undetectable. The lighting? As far as I can tell, it’s limited to ambient room light, and a single, camera-mounted flash. No bounce, no fill, no diffusion. In fact, the set has a casual, almost candid feel. It’s almost as if Egon Schneider and his model were under the gun. Shoot this set, right here, right now. You will have no time to prepare, start now, finish, and that will have to do.

The fact that it does succeed is due to Rita H. For a newcomer, and a 19-year-old newcomer at that, she has a real poise and confidence. And her exotic beauty and voluptuous body are truly striking. The combination of professional poise, an engaging on-camera personality, and a voluptuous physique are more than enough to overcome the slapdash nature of the set.

The room is dark, cluttered, and the various patterns clash and clang. The colors are all wrong. In a shot like #041, with a nice pose and composition, Rita’s dark hair disappears into the dark background – an elementary level error. And the series is filled with similar compromised images.

There are, despite its handicaps, plenty of pleasing shots, most of them due to the model’s charm and beauty, and the photographer’s skill under less than ideal conditions. I like #018 for pure vah-voom. #011 packs a physical/sexual punch. #053, a reclining nude, is somewhere between a snapshot and a masterpiece. In #123, suddenly outside, on a balcony, the model is clothed, the background flattering, the light natural, and Rita H. is undeniably appealing, as is the entire image. More like this, please.