The image of Vlad above is from my post last year (Ushanka) from Vlad's work with Ohio photographer t. a. Mueller. I had been enjoying Troy's work for some time and was really happy to be able to feature his work, especially his collaborations with Vlad. Vlad has such a great look, highlighted by such a positive vibe that comes through in his work.
In Usanka, Troy shot Vlad on a freezing February day, naked, some shots in water wearing pretty much the hat and a scarf. When Vlad saw the post, he asked me why I didn't use the image above, one of his favorites. The image was one of my favorites as well, but I kept that image hoping for a follow-up which I am happy to be able to feature today. Given the winter theme of the first feature, and the January posting date, I focused my text on winter and my love of winter and living in a location that experiences all four of the seasons. When most people talk about the seasons, it is often focused on temperature, the heat and sun in the summer and the cold and snow of the winter.
For me, the love of seasonal changes is all about the visual. The white and greys in the winter, the red, purple, pinks and yellow's of spring. The bright blue and green in summer and the rich oranges, reds and browns of fall. These visual changes are what I live for and sustain me when other parts of living are not quite so beautiful or stimulating.
I could not help but also think of change when I spent time with the new images Troy sent on for this post. Troy and Vlad have shot several times the past year and it is clear that Vlad's look has gone through subtle changes beautifully captured by Troy's camera. One of the reasons I loved the original winter shoot of Vlad was how his youthful energy and enthusiasm brought so much life to the cloudy and more gloomy feel of that February winter's day.
Obvious changes such as hair length and facial hair to more subtle changes such as body and muscle tone, fine lines and even slight changes in facial structure. The most striking change to me is though is the maturity and growth of soul which can be seen within Vlad's eyes. These small, but beautifully meaningful changes in a way mirror the seasonal changes of life. As spring moves into summer most living organisms transition into full bloom and the changes in Vlad over the last two years add a visual depth to his work in front of the camera.
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