Favorite Pic of the Day for October 8th

Above:
Randall by Manuscript Photography
-See More Below-

Happy Birthday today October 8th to:

Can't believe actor Michael Dudikoff turns 57 today.

Check out more of Michael and fellow birthday boys Brad Greenquist, Tim Draxl and Jeremy Davis HERE: Mike “The Miz” Mizanin HERE: & Daniel Bess, Michael C. Maronna, Martin Henderson, Sean Palmer, Dylan Neal, Josef Brown, Ian Hart and Simon Burke HERE:

Matt Damon turns 41 today.

Favorite Click of the Day:

Ok first off let me tell you I loath TMZ. Not sure why but the show, the site, do nothing for me. I have little respect for sites and shows who cover celebrities simply to embarrass and belittle.

That being said, there was a link I had to click on today. I posted about DWTS Tristan MacManus a couple of days ago and he and Nancy Grace have been getting a lot of attention this week due to her alleged farting on air (I know, I know). She has since blamed it on Tristan but this headline on TMZ just had to be clicked: Fart Fetish Group Vying for Video Rights!

Dylan McDermott in American Horror Story

I have loved actor Dylan McDermott ever since first seeing him come through Julia Roberts window in Steel Magnolias. I did not see the premier of American Horror Story this week but given what I have been reading about the Ryan Murphy show, not to mention the fact it has Dylan's first nude scene, I will be checking it out.

Dylan Caps thanks to one of my favorite places to visit, Superherofan.net

The Storyteller: Randall by Manuscript Photography

FH is all about story. It is the reason I bug those I profile with questions. It is the reason I struggle with just posting photos. I love the process of putting together a profile, choosing my favorite shots, doing the research and taking a glimpse into what went into a shoot or an image. The artists I most enjoy profiling are doing more than taking pictures, the are trying to say something, to tell a story, often times their own.




In the case of these magnificent shots of Randall, there are actually several stories involved. To begin, I have to share that I have known the artist behind the images for several years. I did not know him as a photographer however, the man behind Manuscript Photography was introduced to me as an editor and writer, a storyteller. Working on magazines such as Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, Mirabella, Travel & Leisure and Out Magazine to covering the arts, the social and cultural scene in The Village Voice, Interview, Playbill and numerous other magazines and periodicals. He has assisted screenwriters, a film director, written short stories, scripts and plays. Add to that a website where he wrote regular pieces, usually literary or film based and had the dream job of owning his own book store.



Over the years we have known each other we have sort of gone through a bit of a Freaky Friday (the Jodie Foster version, not the Lindsay Lohan one...). I, who once worked trying to be a professional photographer, am now mostly writing, he, the writer, is now telling stories through his images. The photographers and artists we once both admired he is now a part of.



Watching his journey has been a both a joy and an education. People often talk about changing their lives, following a dream, but not many actually do it. It has not been without bumps, photography is a costly pursuit, both on your finances and your emotions. Beginning anything new means finding your place, making your mark and building a reputation. It takes maneuvering through personalities and egos and draining the last drop of your patience.



Obviously loving a great book does not make one a writer, it is the process of creating that makes one a writer or in this case, a photographer. A difficult process does not always lead to a better image, but it may make one a better artist. The journey of Manuscript Photography over the last year or so has led to the creation of a exceptional artist who within a relatively short period of time has built both a strong portfolio and and equally strong reputation.




The story of these shots of Randall is not surprisingly literary based. It began with a notice on Model Mayhem looking for male models with that boy-next-door look to work on an art project based on mystery books from the 50s, sort of an homage to the Hardy Boys. 'I'd been collecting those kinds of series since I was a kid.' Randall answered the notice but wrote to ask if it was a serious project and commented that any time a photographer uses the word "art project" or "artistic" it is usually a euphemism for nudes. Although nudity was never going to part of the book project, both photographer and model decided to forgo the book theme but still get together to shoot.



'Randall was terrific, eager to try new things. A pleasure to shoot. He was also experienced in modeling, with a lot of good ideas. Not to mention sexy and handsome in a totally down-to-earth way. Randall definitely looks like the boy-next-door, but he's also very smart and knowledgeable about the world. He's been to Asia for modeling work. And has a sophisticated eye.'
MP



'I wanted to try some shots that I had seen in a book by Richard Gerst, a photographer whose work I admire. So we did a few pictures using the beautiful wooden floor. These are some of my favorites with Randall. We also shot some images out in a garden. Randall's skin was milky white. So it was hard to get just the right skin tone when editing the images. Trying black and white versions helps sometimes to overcome these problems. But not always. In the end, I had to discard several pix that were taken in midday light that was too harsh. Since I rely almost completely on natural light in all my shoots, I was eager to take advantage of light streaming through the bedroom window. These are some of my favorite shots of Randall. There's a sense of mystery in the shadows. A feeling of calm. Of quietude. Of introspection. He's like that anyway. So I'm glad I captured a glimpse of it.'
MP




I am confident Randall is Chapter 1 of the story of Manuscript Photography on FH!


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