Not knowing what the photographer suggested here and since we cannot ask him, I'm kind of at a loss as to why her panties are moved over to the side. Hicks usually will get the girl comfortable enough to start masturbating. Maybe that is what is intended here. Having her panties half off was just a side note. And as the photoshoot continued, her panties were ignored and they were never removed.
Anyway, that's J. Stephen Hicks' trademark: Upclose pictures of her pussy, and her clit.
Are there any pictures of her nude standing up? Most likely, the panties would have been fully removed when she stands up.
Why the interest in her panties? On. Off. Who cares?
Enjoy the pictures as they are.