We first photographed pole dancer and contortionist Emi onstage at Pole Sport Organization events, and when she came out from her hometown of DC to California on a trip, we were so excited to be able to collaborate with her for a private shoot. She wanted an outdoor location, so we chose a local botanical garden that we'd been wanting to use for ages. But on the day that we had planned to shoot, it was sweltering hot! So we all packed extra grip and sweated through a couple hours of intense heat. Like a true pro, Emi still rocked it out.
Below is a selection of our favorites from the day.