September 24, 2010
Goddess Shoot With Kris Oster...Afro-Brazilian and Cuban percussionist, researcher in mythology and rhythm, and the founder of "Gaia," a women's conference in Santa Barbara.

Serendipity comes sometimes when we least expect it. Just around the time I decided to switch my business name from "Rachel S. Thurston" to "r.s.thurston photography" and to focus on Goddess Photography, along comes Kris Oster, another sign from the universe that I'm going in the right direction!





I've been drumming with Kris for the past year or more with the performance group The Djun Djun Mamas and knew she was a gorgeous, multi-talented goddess but had no idea just to what extent her goddess roots went! Besides spending the last handfull of years completing her doctorate in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute and regularly leading workshops and classes in goddess mythology and drumming, she's also a radiant Mama and wife. To top it off, she comes from a family of percussionists and has been drumming professionally and recording since she was twenty.

Which makes her all the more of a rock star in my eyes!



And then she tells me that she's running a goddess women's festival this coming fall called "Gaia," which celebrates the divine spirit and that she'd like to have some beautiful, goddess-like photos to promote the festival and her own work.

Voila!

So I continue along this goddess path...having the opportunity to photograph incredible women who are divine inside and out.
We played with the light, the shadows, and a few fun wardrobe changes. Best of all, Kris really feels a deep connection with the tree goddesses and I've been wanting to take more sensual photography of women wrapped up among tree branches... I really love what we created together!

I'll let the photographs speak for themselves.

Here's to Kris and all that you continue to create, my love!
Hoping that our goddess paths continue to cross and overlap....

much love,
Rachel