Last November, on a sunny day in the swamps of New Orleans, Lauren Jauregui served look after look for a gorgeous editorial called “Bare With Me.” It’s an apt title, because the photo shoot features Jauregui rocking, among other things, a super sheer black dress that’s every bit as stunning as the woman wearing it.

Malibu-based photographer Nicole Cartolano spoke to MTV News about the shoot, which starred Jauregui — who came out as bisexual last year — and her then-girlfriend, Lucy Vives.

“Both girls trusted me to photograph them together as sort of a coming-out, but they were nervous how their families would respond and the publicity they’d attract, especially from the Latin American community,” Cartolano said, adding that Jauregui is from Cuba and Vives is from Colombia. “‘Bare With Me’ is a compromise which allowed us to describe what Lauren called ‘love in the 21st century.’ We felt like the way that these photographs are presented are very disarming, sensual, and empowering all at once. And they’re not provocative or with ill intent. ... It was important to use their voices to show the world that this is OK, this is acceptable, in the gentlest way possible.”

Cartolano said the photo shoot was “magical” and described Jauregui and Vives’s chemistry as “very loving.”

“You could tell that they’ve been best friends for a very long time. They’ve known each other since high school. And they dated on and off for a few years. So they’re good friends over everything else,” she said, adding that even though the girls are no longer together, they’re happy that the photos have been released.

“They agreed, and Lauren said this: that it’s a reminder of a really good moment in time. Because at the time, they did really like each other. And it was a very good memory,” Cartolano said.

Wardrobe stylist Kassey Rich also shared a photo of Jauregui and Vives from the shoot, which shows the two women getting close on a dock. Cartolano — who only uses film photography and does not retouch any of her photos — called it one of her favorites, saying, “I really like that shot because for me it was even more than a love story. It’s both sisterly and maternal. It’s comforting in a sensual way — there’s a difference [between] sexual and sensual.”

She added, “I did not stage that, I did not tell them to do that. A lot of the moments were very real. Very candid.”

See the rest of the photos on Cartolano’s website right here.