Mid-Year Recap

June is coming to a close, so I thought it'd be appropriate to do a mid-year self-assessment.  This is by no means a complete summary, just some of the more memorable highlights of the year for me so far and what lies ahead (including a sneak peak of "Heat Waves").

The beginning of 2010 kickstarted my modeling pursuits into high gear by reuniting with a good friend of mine, the talented photographer of Y.M.I.J.  What was initially intended to be test shots turned into a solid foundation for my portfolio.  "Pink Magic" earned critical acclaim from Ohlala and "Stereophone" was endorsed by Australia's Wearitout.au - both images remain prominent staples in both of our portfolios.

2010 came with a lot of great success, but also a lot of criticism.  Earlier in the year my Facebook account was disabled for violating their Terms of Use, an instance I believe was due mostly to my images being reported (by the bitter, jealous hater types).  I had lost a lot of networking contacts with photographers and industry insiders, so earning all those folks back proved to be challenge and quite taxing.  Plus, I had temporarily lost all my images, including those of friends, family, and my adorable nephew!   It became personal at that point, and to this day I remain skeptical of people's intentions.  In addition to Facebook, I've come to learn that my images are being stolen and used for Male Wanted ads, fake profiles are being created across the internet, and cases of identity theft have been reported.

Spring was rosier though.  Couple months into the year I worked with fashion photographer, Tony Veloz.  I'd always been a big fan of his work, and was quite thrilled and excited to have worked with him - twice.  The first set of images were all test shots as well, but I named the set "Stones" and thought I would try my luck by submitting them to YVY. A few days later, the images were beautifully displayed on their website.  The second shoot I did with Tony was just as groundbreaking.  I created a Spring Tennis series that resulted in a cover ad for upcoming 5IVE Magazine and a full-page spread in Germany's Display Magazine.  The cover picture for the Spring Tennis series remains one of my all-time favorites!

Other spring success stories included multiple fashion shows with Universal Gear, winner of Team DC model search, and exposure from fashion websites, including DNA with Y.M.I.J., Ohlala with Kevin Almond of Haringman Photography, YVY with Y.M.I.J. (Midnight Cowboy), Beautiful with Robert Charlies (New Blood), and featured articles on MaleFitnessModels.net.

The summer got off to a sizzling start as well.  I reconnected with AJR for a 2nd photoshoot down in Orlando which debuted my summer photoshoot season, CSA International, DailyJocks.com, and MaleModels.us have begun displaying my portfolio online through their Facebook fanpages, the popular Strobe180 produced a video portfolio titled "Killer Looks," and continued website success from EthanSays.com with Robert Charles (A Body Study), Homotography with Y.M.I.J. (Masquerade), and Metrovelvet with Haringman (Robert Redford Series).  And finally, two of my passions collided twice this year, resulting in my first ever print editorials.  Display Magazine featured my Spring Tennis cover image (from Tony Veloz) in their "Eye Candy" section, and Compete Magazine displayed exclusive images from Y.M.I.J. as their MVP centerfold.

The summer forecast continues to be hot and humid, as I just wrapped up a photoshoot with Joe TickNow up in NY this past weekend.  Our debut images will be part of a series he's calling "Heat Waves."

New in Town, by Metrovelvet

The high fashion-oriented Metrovelvet launched their newly-designed website this week and I'm flattered and excited to debut their "New in Town" column. Featuring designer, models, photographers and style, Metrovelvet covers many facets of the fashion industry, including Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, Moscow and Miami Swim, as well as London & Milano Fashion Week.  The website will also be Introducing their own line channel at Metrovelvet TV, available in HD.  To follow Metrovelvet on Facebook (and links to their Twitter), click here.

Many thanks to JC Parra for the feature and for doing a fabulous job on the new site, to my esteemed photographer, Kevin Almond of Haringman Photography, and my creative wardrobe stylist Y.M.I.J. for collaborating on these Robert Redford-inspired images.  For a recap of the photoshoot, please visit my previous posting here.

Preview: Joe Ticknow Photoshoot

I continue my summer photoshoot series this weekend up in New York with the talented photographer, Joe Ticknow.  His latest efforts have earned him rave reviews from Beautiful Mag and Ohlala, and I'm pleased to be working with him this weekend.  I've been looking forward to this shoot for quite some time after a few schedule delays, but we're both finally ready with a clever concept in mind.  I won't give away the details of what we have planned (it's a surprise), but I can guarantee you it'll be something very suitable for the summer and modeling I've never done before.

In the meantime, please enjoy some of his latest critically-acclaimed photography and feel free to check out his website! =)

Y.M.I.J. Celebrates Career Milestone

  

My favorite photographer and great friend of Y.M.I.J. photography held a celebratory photoshoot with all his close friends/models to toast the success of his Facebook fanpage - reaching 1000 fans in merely 4 1/2 months.  To view images from this amazing set and the story behind it, visit his blog here.

As an homage to this great achievement, I thought I would highlight some of his most notable accomplishments over the past few months (I'm honored to have been included in a few of them).  Click on the images below for a preview of the featured articles and/or blog posts. Congratulations, Y.M.I.J.!  You're amazing!

Ohlala Featured Articles

  Inverted Strength     Pink Magic             Joshua

YVY Featured Sets

               American Boy                   Midnight Cowboy

Popular Interviews

                    Bill Gray                         Shi-queeta-Lee

Y.M.I.J. Classics

                  Masquerade                          Domestic

Universal Gear Fashion Show (Pride Fundraiser)

Raising money to benefit this year's Capital Pride events, Universal Gear models helped auction off underwear and other prizes at JRs in Dupont Circle. This marks my 3rd collaboration with Universal Gear in 2010 as fashion model and I'm looking forward to more promotional events in the future. Below is a video recap of the night's festivities, hosted by Lena Lett and Ba'naka.

Compete Magazine / MVP, by Y.M.I.J.

Two magazine features in less than a month - I can't complain!  This time in the form of Compete Magazine, a sports illustrated-esque magazine featuring comprehensive global sports information to and for the gay community in hopes of inpsiring readers to participate in sports as athletes and fans.  Each month, they select and interview an athletic "MVP," an individual who participates actively in organized/league sports.  Guess who happens to be an extremely competitive tennis player?  And with the summer tennis season in full swing, a busy tournament schedule ahead, and the professional circuit's Grand Slams well underway, I find this article quite suitable.

Compete reached out to me and expressed interest so I contacted Y.M.I.J. Photography and asked if we could collaborate on a set of new images for this exclusive feature.  We found a nearby fencing enclosure, I brought my tennis gear and outfit, and we spent a Sunday evening capturing images.  Our efforts from this shoot resulted in a centerfold feature for June's MVP section.  Many thanks to Y.M.I.J. for another successful collaboration and to Alfonzo Chavez of Compete Magazine for the published article.  It looks amazing!

Display Magazine Feature, "Eye Candy"

It's finally starting to happen...magazine time!  My pursuit to make it into print has paid off!  Display Magazine, a German-based editorial magazine that focuses on entertainment, current events, fashion, and sports published a biographical feature in their "Eye Candy" section.  I was fortunate to have worked with Tony Veloz on the photography they used in the magazine - the online version contains some of my other recent work with Y.M.I.J. and RCi.  Special blessings to Spyros and Tom of Display for reaching out and collaborating with me!

"Masquerade," by Y.M.I.J.

The long-awaited "Masquerade" compilation has finally been released and I could not be any happier! Conceptually, these images are intended to capture the "masking" of online hookups - through fake profiles and misguided information, men create these false/enhanced characters.  You're presented with just a "mask," not knowing who the other person really is.  The handcuffs act as a metaphor, symbolizing the repressed, guilty urges that are at times easier to fulfill through anonymous sex.

"Masquerade" is proving quite popular (and controversial) with critics as well.  The series was recently published on Homotography, a fashion and photography website that showcases artistic work with a homo-erotic sensibility.  It has a large fan following on Facebook, with over 5k members and continues pushing the boundaries of creative artistry.



It's a darker and more complex series than anything I've attempted before, but underneath lies a subtle innocence that lured me to this project.  I was fortunate to work with professionals like Jack Kirven and the multi-faceted photographer of Y.M.I.J.  It's because of their indulgence with the shoot's concept that I was able to embody my character and become someone different, challenging my modeling skills and taking it to the next level.

        

DailyJocks.com Featured Article

Hoping to gain more exposure and continue to advance in this competitive industry, I recently submitted my latest underwear modeling pictures to DailyJocks.com,  My submission to them made its way on both their fanpage and their website.  The test shot for Bon Bon Bodywear with Y.M.I.J. Photography headlines the article and is featured here.  I'm currently in the planning phase with Y.M.I.J. and Bon Bon for an upcoming photoshoot featuring their signature Gold and Colour collections.

DailyJocks.com, a popular website and Facebook fanpage dedicated to displaying the latest in men’s underwear and swimwear, provides exclusive news and the latest campaign photos from leading brands and retail stores. The best part about their concept? Anything they feature can be purchased online directly from its store. Or, as DailyJocks calls themselves, ‘top-drawer support." Their Facebook network contains over 67,000 supporters (their goal is to reach 100k by the end of the year) and over 50,000 subscribers of their weekly newsletter.  And their numbers continue to grow! 

For more information on DailyJocks and the Bon Bon underwear lines, please see the highlighted links contained within this article.  Special thanks to Nicholas for the generous feature on the fanpage and the website!

"Killer Looks" Video Promo, by Strobe180

Special credits go to YMIJ Photography, Haringman Photography, and Tony Veloz Photography. In collaboration with CSA Models Australia & International and Strobe180.