Rie Rasmussen Goes Behind the Camera

Former model Rie Rasmussen knows all too well the experience of being the subject of a portrait. As a photographer, she works to show women as dignified, complex beings that are “more than just a superficial image,” she says. Here, she explains her most recent photo series, a collection of portraits of her friend, the artist Margo Frances.
“When we shot this series I was going through a small, quiet existential crisis that women of a certain age have. I wanted a lot of the dramatic body language in this to illustrate that feeling I had inside.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.
“I wanted to capture the extreme beauty of that experience, without the messiness of all my own anguish.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.
“Margo is a special little gem of an artist, a fantastic drawer and painter and a bit of performance artist. She loves expressing herself, so I let her play and go wild… and then I rein her in.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.
“Her knowledge of her own body stems from her intimate knowledge of her line as a drawer, it’s literally like she draws with her body in front of you.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.
“She seems blissfully dreamy and at the same time lucidly aware of what every little part of her body is doing at any given time.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.
“Her personal style is beyond eclectic and a perfect mix of vintage, second hand and some oddly placed new items. She’s a true little style star, in my opinion.”
Photo by Rie Rasmussen.