Karen Hsiao : Black Cherries Book is now available!

It's HERE and just in time for the holidays!

"Karen Hsiao: Black Cherries" is a full color, 99 pages, 8.5"x 8.5", soft cover book featuring brightly lit hooded girls.

In my second book, KAREN HSIAO : BLACK CHERRIES, I uses similar minimalism as I did in my first book, Karen Hsiao : Rubber Duck. All of the Black Cherry girls are enclosed in a singular graphic black or red circle. The black and red circle symbolizes rebellion and lust in its simplest bondage form. The girls are sexy and sweet, timid and guarded, submissive or dominating, menacing and even terrify. Enjoy!

www.karenhsiao.com

"Sunny Side Up"

Lately I've been noticing a sudden interest in bondage and fetish in the fashion and art world. More and more artist (painters, illustrators, etc) especially, and fashion magazines/ photographers are using hoods and harness in their art. I've decided today I have to turn bondage into design. The design of image making and function.

Introducing "Sunny Side Up"

"Peek-a-Boo"

"Peek-a-Boo" I see you....

In this set, I wanted to create a more classical and natural sensitivity to these photos. The idea is to combine an equal balance between the model and the hood in which she wears. The first set was shot with the softer intention, which helps to establish a more traditional atmosphere. The second set is shot with higher contrast and harder lighting in order to bring the images back to a more contemporary time.

hood by Christopher

model: Nickie Jean

Coming soon...."Black Cherries" Book

This November, 2013 will be the release of my second book, "Black Cherries", 99 pages, full color, 8.5"x 8.5", soft cover book will be available through the shop selection of www.karenhsiao.com

A year in the making, thank you Christopher, without your beautiful draftsmanship in your leatherwares, I would have never been able to create such a fulfilling book.

Smoke Experiments

A quick study with smoke. I wish to do more smoking, fogging, and water shots in the upcoming weeks.  

model: Sash

"Moist I, II, II, and IV" Experimental Studies

For awhile Christopher and I have been talking about creating clear hoods for my shoots. I wanted to test out the feel, look, and lighting on plastic. I was curious to see how the face would look underneath the hood and how the skin would capture between the plastic. One quick thing I noticed was how fast the plastic hood fogs up. Christopher warned me this might happen. Nonetheless, I love how these studies turned out. The close face clear hoods on a model reminds me of the Japanese photographer, Haruhiko Kawaguchi. Whom I'm a fan of his work, if you do not know who he is, please look him up. I am definitely going to experiment more with these clear hoods and butterfly jacket. 

model: Stephanie Inagaki

These prints are available through my online store at www.karenhsiao.com

Open Prints are Now Available!

I  added a new category to my store, prints. The prints, selection will house open prints, which means the print itself will not be limited to any print runs. The sizes to these open prints will be between 8.5" x 8.5" to 8.5" x 11" on premium glossy paper. (Prints will not have watermarks on them) It was exciting creating these, and I am aiming to do more along with my concept driven projects. I have a lot in store for the future. 

Thank you and please enjoy the store.

Hood and Mitten by Christopher

above model: Rivi Madison

Beautiful Transparent Smoky Hood by Christopher

Model: Irene Yuen