Favorite Pic of the Day for February 19th

Above:
Brandon Connelly by Kate Gansneder
-See More Below-

Check out birthdays for February 19th HERE: & February 20th HERE:

Thumbs Down: Dan Stevens & Downton Abbey

-Spoilers included-

I love Matthew Crawley. He was always one of the main attractions to me while watching Downton Abbey. He is also a favorite to many people who search the net as my feature last year about the actor behind Matthew, Dan Steven was one of the most clicked on posts from last year. (might have been the naked caps...)

Matthew was ahead of his time. A modern thinker, liberal in many ways, more conservative in others. Good son, supportive friend and romantic. Matthew and Mary's romance, to me, was always the central relationship on the show. With a cast of over 20, there are many people to love and to hate, but their two year courtship and eventual marriage was always front and center.

I watched Matthew die over the Christmas holidays but resisted posting until it his death aired on PBS. In many ways I feel angry at my investment in the relationship and with the actors decision to leave. I know Stevens is a great actor and spent much of this year on Broadway in The Heiress. Television fame is not meant for everyone but I still can't help but think the actor, and the show did a shitty job of with characters end. I have read many interviews over the past few days of why Julian Fellowes wanted to ensure viewers knew Matthew was gone for good. Problem is, given his role in the first three seasons, he never really will be...

With Sybil's death only weeks earlier, it is really inexcusable to follow it with killing off the hero. I am already reading casting notice's for Mary's next love. Any attempt to hook Mary up anytime soon shows a nativity to the audience that followed she and Matthew the past three years. A creative writer could have found a way for Matthew to 'disappear', without such a final ending. Fellowes is of course talented but made a choice to end the season as he did. Either he already knows a way to keep Matthew alive, and is throwing us off the scent, or, was channelling his frustration over the actors choice to leave, but killing him, and killing him good. Maybe Stevens will have a change of heart, most actors who left popular television shows regret it. In the meantime, please though, refrain from putting Mary and Tom together...

Supercut!

Michael Fassbender may have gotten a great deal of exposure for it last year, but Ewan McGregor, Harvey Keitel and a slew of other actors have gone full frontal for awhile now!

In celebration of Valentine's day, The Huffington Post put together a compilation to salute full frontal male nudity in film! There were a few men I was disappointed were not on the list, but over all a great selection that if you have not seen yet, you should head on over and enjoy HERE:

Hail Ceasar!

I have been toying for awhile now with finally committing to watching Spartacus. I have season 1 on DVD, but until this month did not have the proper motivation to actually get down to business. The third season just began and the addition of the ultra sexy Australian actor Todd Lasance as Julius Caesar has pushed me over the edge

Below: Todd by TJ Scott

I love TJ's 'In The Tub' series, if you have not checked it out, see much more on flickr HERE:

Although I have not seen on screen before, I was slightly familiar with Todd's work having seen images on the web before. Todd is best known for his roles on Home & Away, Cloudstreet and most recently Crownies. Todd is a great addition to the cast, and love his take on Caesar in the episode that I saw. He is also incredibly hot, obviously putting in the time readying his body for the physical requirements of being part of the Spartacus cast. Todd is one of those guys simply exuding sexual energy in every scene he is in, regardless of who he is acting against.

No In-between: Brandon Connelly by Kate Gansneder

It was close to two years ago I first introduced FH readers to model Brandon Connelly. (Memorable: By T-W-D photos) There was something about Brandon I really liked, and it went beyond the body and my love of redheads. In communicating with Brandon on follow-ups, there was a innate decency and earnestness about him that came through in both his words, and his work. There was never ego involved. In his responses to my questions, his focus was always the process, the work. Brandon demonstrates great professionalism. and there is seriousness and dedication that not everyone demonstrates these days. Brandon is always honest, and realistic about the obstacles within the modeling industry but still insists on doing the best can with the opportunities that come his way.

Brandon has created a really impressive body of work. Fashion, print, glamour and fitness. Incredibly hot shots, Gothic, wedding and themed shoots. (see some in my previous posts HERE:) I have to say, this shoot from photographer Kate Gansneder is one of my favorites. Tasteful, soulful and sexy as hell! Kate as eye for the sensual being a boudoir and lifestages photographer. Based just outside of Seattle, Kate has been shooting for over 13 years including school portraits to high volume studio work. Over the last two years, Kate has been photographing as a personal brand and owns Into the Dark Boudoir and GSquared Photographics, specializing in boudoir, families, children (and HS seniors) and maternity photography.

'Brandon is always amazing to work with. His fluidity and intuitiveness in front of the camera makes the sessions flow effortlessly. He comes to the table with a vision, and is wonderful to collaborate with on creating a combined concept. He's very professional, focused, and driven, which means that you will always get an effective shot from him. I look forward to each and every time I shoot with him - and can't wait to see where his career takes him.'
Kate Gansneder

Brandon Connelly

Interview -Part 1-

How did you get started in the business?

'Over the years I have been told I should try to get into modeling but I never believed I had what it took to be a model. One of the reasons I didn’t think I had what it took is because I was never able to take a good picture or have someone take a good picture of me. I finally decided to try my hand at modeling about a year ago after posting a picture on Craigslist and a local artist John Sisko wanted me to model for one of his drawing projects.'

What keeps you grounded?

'Really it’s the life lessons and all the mistakes I’ve made in my past. How I’ve learned from them and other people’s mistakes and told myself that I need to be a better person and strive for more. In my life right now I can’t be all fun and games all the time I mean yes, I have fun but I take my work very seriously, I treat people with respect and hope to get the same. I do on to others as I would want them to do on to me.'

Was was the first thing you did to get started?

'More like who! I was approached by a photographer that shoots for Amazon, his name is Andrew Giammarco. He told me that I have a good look and that there’s not many red head models out there and he would like to help me start a portfolio. Honestly without him I don’t know where I would be with modeling and everything else right now. I owe all my success in modeling to him and I can never be more thankful.'

Take me through what your first shoot was like?

'It was weird. I had no idea what I was doing but I was told that I posed, and took direction well. In my head, I was kind of picturing what look I thought would look good in each picture. I was amazed how the pictures turned out! I didn’t want it to end and at one point the photographer started handing me clothes and I thought to myself this is going to look horrible. After a few shots, he showed me on the camera and I was amazed at how well everything looked. After that shoot ended I was hooked I wanted more and more, I wanted to meet more photographers and make more amazing pictures.'

It seems some people either really love or really don’t love redheads, has your hair color ever been an issue within your modeling?

'It’s funny that you say that. Some friends and family of mine decided that there is no in between when it comes to red heads. There are either really hot ones or really ugly ones... haha. I don’t say that in a cocky way and that I am all gorgeous and what not. I am saying that because that’s what everyone seems to think. My hair has never been an issue when it comes to modeling. People always love that there’s a redheaded model. I guess being a part of 4% of the world population you don’t see many good looking redheads very often.'

Any funny stories being on ModelMayhem?

'The first week I was on MM, all I received were requests about doing porn. Shortly after I put a note on my profile that asked to not contact me about porn. I am not interested and after than I didn’t receive anymore requests for that sort of thing.'

-Look for Part 2 coming up later this week!-

Join Brandon Connelly on ModelMayhem HERE: & on Facebook HERE:

Kate Gansneder: Into the Dark Boudoir & GSquared Photographics