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Sep 30, 2010

Y.M.I.J. Reflections

Looking back at my modeling career, one individual was paramount in my growth within the industry and the success I've experienced.  Since first shooting with Y.M.I.J. back in January, our shoots together have resulted in some of the best images in my portfolio and have received kudos from some of the popular crossover blogs on the internet.  Our collaborations have even earned us our very first magazine exposure, not to mention the numerous website features, all of which have paved the way for me to work with other esteemed photographers.

I'm writing up this blog post as a tribute to Y.M.I.J. as he takes his skills and artistry to New York.  As a residence of DC for the past couple of years, I was fortunate to have shot with him on multiple occasions and learned a great deal about the modeling world.  We've become great friends in the process, too!  As he packs up and moves his career forward to NY, I want to thank him for playing an instrumental role in my growth as a model.  Best of luck and hope you achieve all the endeavors you seek for yourself.  Enjoy some of my most memorable moments, an homage of photos from some of our best shoots together!
I will miss you, boo!



Sep 27, 2010

Drenched Relic, by Julian Vankim

Grab a towel and dry yourself off.  Even though summer is over, I still managed to get a little soak'n wet at my latest photoshoot with Julian Vankim.  "Drenched Relic," a series of images captured in front of black seamless paper with water being poured onto my head (with assistance from fellow model, Rob Neff) seemed like a simple enough concept, but ever since I began challenging my own expressions and emotions, I wanted to bring those lessons to my shoot.  Combined with my grown-out beard, a full head of hair, and a little bit of styling, it was enough to grab the attention of EthanSays, the popular fashion-centric and modern culture website.


Reflecting back at this concept, I've always wanted to do a soak-themed shoot.  I was mildly successful at a previous attempt, but when Julian shared the idea of capturing water dripping from my face I saw an opportunity to improve.  I also wanted to avoid the usual crop of cliched images you often see models do.  With Julian's creative eye behind the camera and my growing experience with modeling, I think we both created an original collection of images that exceeded my own expectations.  Thank you Julian, Rob, and Ethan for a fun and successful collaboration!


Sep 20, 2010

Washington, DC Hosts NOH8 Campaign

Welcome to the nation's capital, Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley! Tonight, the renowned photographer and his partner are stopping by Cobalt in Washington, DC to help spread awareness about their NO H8 Campaign, a photo project and silent protest created in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8 in California.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support Marriage Equality and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, brothers and sisters, law enforcement, lesbian mothers, directors, politicians, newlyweds, and more. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and "NO H8" painted on one cheek in protest.  The campaign has grown considerably and what better way to make a statement than by doing so in DC.

Funds raised by the NOH8 Campaign will be used to continue promoting and raising awareness for marriage equality and anti-discrimination through NOH8’s interactive media campaign. This includes bringing the campaign to other cities around the country, as well as compiling the images for a large-scale media campaign. Under consideration is the expansion to television and radio broadcast, billboards, and magazines. Contributions are also used to cover the daily operations and maintenance necessary to run the rapidly growing campaign.

For more information on how to support the NOH8 campaign and its mission, visit the website here.  I've long been a fan of Mr. Bouska's fitness photography (maybe I'll get to model for him one day) and now I get to become part of this revolutionary event, destined to become one of the most aggressive and successful anti-discrimination campaigns in modern history.

Below are the images from the NOH8 shoot!  Thanks again, Team NOH8!  We love you!

Sep 13, 2010

Photoshoot Preview: Ryan Colford


Fall weather settles in this weekend as my first autumn photoshoot of the season kicks off in New York with a couple concept shoots with the esteemed Ryan Colford. Notorious for his Candy Shoppe collection, Ryan has enjoyed editorial success with his delectable opus that features sexy eye-"candy," including cover images on Next Magazine, a comprehensive lifestyle resource for NY's GLBT community as well as other notable publications.


His most recent feature on EthanSays, "Frosted Cookies," displays the photographer's creative imagination by combining a sexy male model with tasty treats.  I won't go into details, but Ryan has set aside a sweet tooth just for me when we collaborate this weekend.




Not only can Ryan capture succulent images such as ones you see here, but he also has an eye towards fashion and editorials.  Spotted in such fashion-forward publications as reFRESH, FantasticsMag and Ohlala, Ryan's work spans beyond the realm of his candy series.  I've purchased some of the more upscale fall threads of the season and can't wait to model them for Ryan. It should make for an exciting photoshoot this weekend!