The title pretty much sums it up. Here’s Vanessa Veasley trying on a real astronaut suit in preparation for her SlickforceGirl role. I wonder if Neil Armstrong ever said, “I don’t know if I’m feeling this one, you can’t see my boobs.”

A few years back, after nearly a decade of photographing some of the most beautiful women in the world, I was looking for something more. Beauty for beauty’s sake was no longer enough, and I wanted to find a way to expand on the creative style we had developed at Slickforce over the years. Then, one day, it hit me.

SlickforceGirl came from the idea that women could use their beauty to help other women. I’ve worked with such a talented and diverse group of women throughout my career—both in front of my camera and behind—and some of their stories would blow your mind. In my head, I’d already developed an arsenal of vibrant characters that I’d been wanting to flesh out for a while. So I sketched up some designs and began pre-production.

More than two years later, I’m thrilled to share SlickforceGirl with you. We’ve combined our signature brand of glossy, hyper-color photography with comic-book flair to introduce this new breed of heroes. The images will tell their own stories, and you’ll learn more about the characters as we go on. Throughout the next year, I’ll be releasing limited edition SlickforceGirl artwork and special collector’s items featuring our leading ladies. Each character is unique in her look, talents, and personality, but they all share one thing in common: the ability to draw courage from within to help those in trouble.

To further our aim in helping women, a portion of the profits from sales of SlickforceGirl items will be donated to selected women’s charities. This year, we’re working with the Breast Cancer Charities of America (BCCA) through their iGoPink campaign. BCCA educates the public about non-traditional breast cancer prevention and treatment options, and we are proud to help them in their quest. Look for the pink ribbon logo on items in the Saglimbeni Store.

It took many hands to bring SlickforceGirl to life. The list of people I would like to thank grows daily, and I’ll mention many of them as we release new artwork in the coming months. I cannot say enough wonderful things about my team at SlickforceStudio. They’ve persevered through months of prep, long shoot days and endless post-production—and they do it all with an infallible spirit and a positive attitude. It’s a privilege to work with such a amazing talent. I also want to thank the models and actresses I’ve photographed, not just for SlickforceGirl, but throughout my career. Their enthusiasm, trust and willingness to go above and beyond not only makes them a pleasure to work with, but it also makes them inspirational muses for a new generation.

This is only the beginning. Our heroes have many adventures ahead of them, and I look forward to sharing their stories with you. Be sure to visit SlickforceGirl.com for all the latest updates. Enjoy!

Photography: Nick Saglimbeni
Model: Vanessa Veasley
Hair: Al Ingram
Make-up: Therese Willis & Gaby Ramos Torell
Styling: Diana Chan
Post-production: SlickforceStudio

And alas, the last of our heroes is revealed. Ironically, Vanessa was the first model I cast and photographed for SlickforceGirl. Though best known for her jaw-dropping curves, I knew Vanessa as an avid space nerd, and I decided this was a character she could effortlessly jump—or moonwalk—into.

As our first SlickforceGirl, Vanessa ventured with me into the unknown. To prepare for her role, she endured weeks of rigorous preparation, including costume tests, prop hunting, and, yes, even wire-harness stunt training.

Photo by Joyce Park for SlickforceStudio
Hair by Al Ingram
Make-up by Gaby Ramos Torell
Styled by Diana Chan