Model References

First session, I was nervous about being nude in front of someone. Ten minutes in, I was more focused on whether I had the presence he was looking for. Whether what he saw when he looked at me matched what he was trying to create. That shift—from “am I okay with this” to “does he see it in me”—that’s when everything clicked.

— River, age 22, Vermillion, SD

I didn’t know I could sustain that level of focus. First session, I’m fidgeting between every shot, breaking concentration. Now I can hold presence through rapid repositioning, stay in the mental space even when Ace is adjusting lights or checking something. You find out what you’re actually capable of sustaining.

— Jordan, age 22, Omaha, NE

There’s something about the way Ace sees composition, sees form, sees you. When you’re nude and he’s working and you catch him seeing exactly what he wants in the frame, you feel it. Completely exposed, completely seen. It’s charged in a way that’s impossible to explain to people who haven’t experienced it.

— Avery, age 23, Wanye, NE

I shot with Ace every month for three years. I’m a dental hygienist—I make decent money, I don’t need this financially. But I protect my session days the way some people protect therapy appointments. My boyfriend stopped asking why I won’t move them for anything. He just knows that’s my time now.

— Sarah, age 27, Sioux City, IA

There’s this moment—you’re holding a position that’s working, you see Ace see exactly what he’s looking for, he gets the shot. Everything clicks at once. That moment is what keeps me coming back. It’s the most present I’ve ever felt in my entire life.

— Sammie, age 21, Manhattan, KS

My sorority sisters know I do this. Some of them have tried it too. The ones who get it understand immediately—it’s about the work itself, not what people think about it. The ones who don’t get it are still cool about it. I don’t need everyone to understand. The right people do.

— Sage, age 22, Lincoln, NE

I’m a software engineer. I make six figures. I don’t need money from this. I do it because watching yourself become part of finished artwork that will exist long after you’re gone is worth more than Ace could pay me anyway. I’ve bought two of my own pieces. They hang in my apartment.

— Jaimie, age 25, Sioux Falls, SD

Six years. I’ve been shooting with Ace for six years. Some of my friends from high school are married with kids. I’m scheduling my next session. We made different choices.

— Emily, age 24, Rapid City, SD

I’ve been shooting with Ace for four years now. My parents found out recently and lost their minds. Conservative family, small town values, the whole thing. They think I’m being exploited. I’m a chemistry major with a full ride. I’m nobody’s victim. This is the most demanding, fulfilling creative work I’ve ever done. They’ll either accept it eventually or we’ll stop talking.

— Rowan, age 23, Mitchell, SD