Favorite Pic of the Day for September 4th

Above:

Golden Rays by DAVISICON

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Happy Birthday today September 4th

Actor Wes Bentley (here in American Beauty) turns 34 today. Check out more of today's birthdays HERE:

Just Because: Keanwho?

Now, not nearly interested enough to buy, but interested enough to flip through while standing in line at the grocery store last week. People's Before They Were Stars magazine was actually quite slim on actual stars but did include this shot of Keanu Reeves on the back cover. I have always found Keanu an interesting, yet not always effective actor. I admire that he seems to beat to his own drummer, but still wondered when viewing this image what song could possibly have been playing to create this shot.

It Don't Matter If It's Black & White

I hate to admit it, but I do have to fess up to having a prejudice. Having been born in the 70's I have rarely taken the time to watch movies made before my birth. For some reason, anything created before my existence never really tweaked my attention. The odd Christmas special or yearly viewing of The Sound Of Music notwithstanding, my film viewing was narrowly current.

The Abominable Snowman (1957)

When Elizabeth Taylor died I remember being shocked that as many scenes of hers I had seen, I had not actually watched any of her movies. Someone I respect suggested a few films and the last couple of weeks I have abandoned technicolor for the wonderful world of black and white. First up was Portrait Of Jennie followed by The Haunting and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I loved all three and cannot believe I spent so many years avoiding such visual masterpieces. So many things are so much clearer in black and white, including the music which works more closely with the actors and the story to create the mood.

Portrait of Jennie (1948)

It really strikes me watching older movies that I am watching actors. I still love me some Channing Tatum, but so many of today's movies are headlined by personalities, not skilled thespians. You have to wonder if someone like Julie Harris would ever be cast today or would the studio have shoved in a Miley Cyrus or Jennifer Lopez.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

I know there were trash movies made in every era, and just being old doesn't mean better, but... for now I am enjoying my weekly trips back to black and white.

The Haunting (1963)

DAVISICON: Recumbent

'Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean, On the cover of a magazine'

William from DAVISICON has been interested in fashion and photography since he was a young boy. There was an excitement at walking into stores and seeing issues of GQ and Vogue. Even at just 11 or 12 years old, William was inspired by the iconic images of models and celebrities on the covers and within the pages. While in high school in the eighties he was especially taken with male models,especially those sporting long beautiful hair.

'I began loving/studying fine art/high fashion at a very young age. I became a regular reader of GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Taxi,etc...,and admirer of Ritts, Newton, Avedon, Mapplethorpe, Warhol, Leibovitz, Gorman, Webber, Scavullo, as well as La Chapelle and Pierre et Gille, etc.....'
William from DAVISICON

The process of choosing images for magazine features, and especially for the cover is not random. Hundreds of images are taken and the choice of 'the' right images is painstakingly done. It is not fluke that many of of the images by the artists William admires have become iconic. It is this theme, striving for just the right image, that one shot that stands out from the rest, the cover shot, that drives the work of the San Antonio photographer.

'With the right model, a photograph can make you do many things. it can make you think, laugh, smile, cry, want, need, and of course it can make you wanna be the "model" or even better "it can sell you something" you didn't know you wanted or needed!'

While spending time with William's work, I was especially struck with how much I loved his shots were of models in the horizontal position. There is a different feel to his images of men laying and a beautifully different message in the repose.

‘I often view a male standing as a position of power, strength, and authority which is always nice, but more important for me, a man lying down presents a more relaxed, sensual and vulnerable position, which to me is much more beautiful! I think many hesitate to present a male in this type of position, because of traditional roles.’

You can check out more of the work of DAVISICON on ModelMayhem and William's official site HERE:

Be sure to also check out DAVISICON: beginners a photograph e-book is also available for download at a great reduced price on blurb HERE: