Wednesday, August 31, 2011

John Fallon: Beyond Bed & Bath



'John describes his style as sort of all over the place; edgy, dirty, dust, organic, vintage Hollywood to modern high fashion to simplicity. In addition to taking the photographs, John acts as Wardrobe Stylist and Art Director on each of his shoots creating each image from concept to completion. It is concept that is John’s favorite part of the process, creating a visual story and executing that vision into reality.'



Last week I profiled Los Angeles based artist John Fallon. In that post, (Executing A Vision) I focused on John's series entitled 'toilette'. John's work is more than just one style, one theme, and I wanted to share some of my other favorite images beyond the lavatory.



Check out much more of John's work on his site HERE:








Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Favorite Pic of the Day for today August 31st

Above:
-See More Below-

Happy Birthday today August 31st to:


Happy Birthday Richard Gere who turns 62 today.
Check out more of today's birthday's HERE:, HERE: & HERE:

tMf Magazine


tMf:issue #2: Coming next week!

The Bottom Line


A Walking Botticelli: Julian Jiamachello by GymImage



'When I first met Julian, last December, in Raleigh, NC, it was at the door of the temp studio we set up in my room at the local Best Western. I opened the door and thought... 'He is a walking Botticelli'. If you ever saw the Zeffirelli movie of "La Traviata", the opening scene had a similar effect and Zeff looked for some time to find the young angelic "Botticelli" man in the opening scene. God gave me Julian. His personality is as beautiful as his physical appearance AND he has a brain he's not afraid to use it'
Bill Donlen



With his curly brown hair, hazel eyes and olive skin, photographer Bill Donlen's reaction to first meeting Julian Jiamachello is certainly understandable. Julian's incredible body and face do have similar qualities to those of the men depicted in Renaissance paintings, and the strong classic poses only add to the beautiful illusion.

23 year old Julian hails from North Carolina and says powerlifting is in part, responsible for the look and shape of his body. Julian says that although he is still an amateur at the discipline, it does help him stay fit, and attributes the sport to kick-starting his modeling career.



Powerlifting is one of two passions Julian discovered over the past two years. Those last 24 months have been ones of discovery for Julian, traveling and trying out different schools and areas of study. Julian struggled however to find a program or field of focus which fit with his goals. Through this journey, Julian uncovered his love for writing, and says writing is what he feels he is best at. Julian's writing runs more toward the lyrical and the musical. Music is where Julian's future lies and hopes modeling will help him get closer to his goal.




In the case of Bill Donlen, his journey and studies have gone on a bit longer than two years. Renaissance not only acts an inspiration for his work, it also accurately describes the education and experiences which have led to the unique vision which inhabit his images. Bill has studied Latin, Greek, Hebrew and French. In addition to the languages, Bill also immersed himself in the study of the geographical locations of the languages origin; the cultures, literature, art, architecture, religion and government. Bill also spent four and half years studying in a Catholic Monastery (he did not finish, so no, not a Priest).

'My photographic art has its roots in Classic and Renaissance art , painting, fresco, mosaic, sculpture, and literature. I had the opportunity to study the Religio-mythological art of the High Middle Ages thru the Neo-classical era and got to understand and appreciate love of nature, natural settings and the beauty of the human form-in my case-the beauty of the Male human form.'




Bill, who showcases his work under the professional name, 'GymImage Photography' says that upon their first meeting, and first shoot, he and Julian worked well beyond the time they initially set up. Confidence and trust were developed quickly during their first work experience together.

Their second shoot took place in February at Bill's favorite cabin in the woods and they took up just where they left off. New Delhi Designer Jattinn Kochha had contacted Bill about photographing his first male swimsuit line.

'I had 5 models that weekend and shot solos inside and out (it was cold) in the suits and artistic nudes-only Julian did those outside. What a brave (foolhardy) soul! It is difficult NOT to take MANY photographs of Julian and then even more difficult to choose the very best. Unless I mess up, he simply doesn't take a bad photograph!!!'

Bill is still working on the edits for their most recent collaboration, a shoot along the dunes and outer banks in NC.






Julian says working with Bill is always fun. The first time they shot was only Julian's second professional shoot. Julian tells me after his first experience (which included a flaky photographer, a prosthetic limb and something about an underground stripping engine...) working with Bill was a pleasure! Julian provide me with one of the most perplexing, yet, in rereading, one of the most interesting quotes a model has ever given me about his work.

'Bill takes ideas from his knowledge of the classics, and just does them naked-style. Sensitive to portraits, and particular of location. Modeling for me, is another extension of attempting control and power. The necessary flooding of chemicals particular to enacting the male model industry aesthetic are somewhat foreign for me. One can't go overly-testosterone, or far towards the effeminate- almost dehumanizing by portraying emotions on their own...something like that.'
JJ







Although his portfolio has it's share of amazing studio shots, I could not help but feel a detectable preference and affinity for his outside images, especially those near water.

'There is in this a need to shoot or write in a wonderful natural setting or, when shot inside, in a naturally lit setting, I have recently begun, with the help of my GREAT friend, Rocky Ryan, the use of artificial lighting to enhance the natural beauty of my subjects, BUT that will not replace, only expand, my love of natural settings and light.'



'My favorite spot to shoot is the Creek I've known since I was a kid in Boy Scouts. It runs along the base of the hill where we camped every summer from the time I was 10. I have been to this place hundreds of times, for solace, to relax, to shoot both just the natural beauty and the beauty of men in the beautiful natural setting and to write my soul out.'
BD



'My second favorite spot is the dunes at the edge of the continent out on Cape Cod. This vestige of the last ice age has stunning and apparently simple beauty, with sand, forest growth and both the Great North Atlantic and Cape Cod Bay, It, too, is a place I want to be when I lose the last of my mind.'
BD



Bill Donlen from GymImage on ModelMayhem:
GymImage Official Site:

Monday, August 29, 2011

Favorite Pic of the Day for August 29th

Above:
-See More Below-

Happy Birthday today August 29th


Above:
Happy Birthday to Jay Bunyan (Ryan) who turns 30 today. Also celebrating today; Alexander Artemev & Juan Diego Botto.

tMf Magazine


tMf:issue #2: Coming next week!

Pic Series of the Day: Rock God by Jon Seneca



'I feel the need to document something beautiful in every subject I shoot, whether it be the amazing eyes of a 40 year old cracked out street walker to the perfectly sculpted abs of a 20 year old body builder. It's compulsory'
Jon Seneca



Thankfully it was compulsory that photographer Jon Seneca shoot so many incredible images of Philip. Since first being introduced to Jon's work I cannot get enough of their work together. In Rock God, Jon continues his journey through the Nevada desert documenting each step along the way. Check out more of Jon's work with Philip in my previous posts HERE: & HERE:



Jon Seneca Official Site:
Jon Seneca on Model Mayhem:



A Real Style: Denis Thyrsu by Von Melzer


'The beginning of a fetish, is that compulsive desire to explore other things in ways that we innately know are not the norm, but we somehow don't care!'


Fetish themed images have never really been something I have been particularly drawn to...until now. The work of Washington based photographer Von Melzer has me hooked. I think what I love so much about his work is that he taps directly into what fetish is really about, arousal and desire. So many fetish themed images focus on the the pain, the object, and not the desires that surround it. Von Melzer's images are all about longing, the secrecy, and the beauty that fetish can be.


'Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for their curious attractiveness of others.'


I was first introduced to Von Melzer's work through the work of model Denis Thyrsu. Denis' work has always impressed me. Denis has no desire to simply be the 'hot guy' in the photo, his goal is to tell a story by creating a mood and though conveying emotion. A photographer himself, Denis enjoyed working with Von Melzer who he calls a friend and says he learned a lot from him in their first shoot together.


'I admire Von Melzer because he is incredibly knowledgeable in art history, does so many styles of art beside photography (painting, sculpture, crafting...) and has a real style. He shoots very "clean" what you have is what you get, no post production, crazy photoshopping just light, mainly natural light.'
Denis Thyrsu


If you enjoy Von Melzer's style as much as I do, check out his extensive portfolio at his official website HERE:

Also check out Denis on Model Mayhem:
Model Page:
Photographer Page:



Sunday, August 28, 2011

Favorite Pic of the Day for August 28th


Above:
Brandon by Jay A. Rickard, LightWeaver
-See More Below-

Check out today's Birthdays, John Allen Nelson and Rick Rossovich HERE:

Sneak Peak of issue #2 of tMf Magazine!



After the success of June’s release of the first tMf, Photographer Dylan Rosser is back with the second issue which will be available for all in about a week! Once again, Dylan brings together some of the best photographers, models and artists sharing stories and of course pages and pages of incredible images. I am happy to be on board as Editor for issue #2.

Cover model Vince Azzopardi again steps in front of Dylan’s lens for a brand new shoot and exclusive interview. Vince shares his experience in the industry, baring it all and what he is up to next.

Also in issue # 2, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview porn star Wilfried Knight. Wilfried shares stories of the business and his life off the set. Wilfried is also featured in a brand new set of images from a recent shoot with Dylan.

Thomas Synnamon shares his new black & White prints tells tMf if he can turn an unattractive man hot and his most outrageous experience with a model. David Arnot shares some exclusive images from his first book ONE and which shots from ONE, he is especially proud of.

Body painter Ricardo Muniz, photographers Marcus Mok and Howard Roffman, model Isaiah Rojas, Ev Dylan’s LUST and Giovanni’s Super Sized will help fill your September with over 100 pages focused solely on the The Male Form.

Look for it soon on tMf site HERE: