'I'm a dorky, dark haired, dark eyed, short, tattooed, shy guy. I work hard to become and embody whatever vision the photographer has.'
One of the best parts of Halloween, is putting on a costume and inhabiting a character. Many people, choose characters with physical attributes and personality traits far from our own. With Halloween now in the rear view window, it's now time to take off the costume, wash off the make-up and let go of the persona we lived in for the night. Sometimes that process can be a pain, but when the model is DrDerrol, and what is being removed is body paint, it can also be incredibly sexy and in an odd...kind of reverse way, equally transforming.
PURE is a story built around the small nation of Seyns. It is governed by 7 feuding Western defined families; each with unique characteristics. They are privileged. The privileged don the ornate clothing and jewelry of money, beauty, and corruption. Their golden exterior and sky blue eyes belie any preoccupation with altruism, for the commoners serve as mere stepping-stones to money, power and useless things.
Many of you might remember my post from earlier this year featuring YogaBear Studio's images of Anthony Dortch's The Pure. (HERE: DrDerrol joined Anthony and YogaBear Studio late last year for a session shooting the latest images of The Pure. After the shoot, the crew headed to the beach to wash off the body paint and the characters they had taken on in front of the camera. This 'washing off' was also worthy of chronicling and shot by photographer Greg Puhl.
'Working on 'The Pure' series with Tony Dortch and David Gray. I started working with Tony in 2012 as a live model in his art show (my friend called looking for someone who was comfortable wearing a harness so he called me haha!) I was nervous, but as soon as I was painted up and in costume, it was a great time! I got into my roll and went with it. At the time I didn't realize that it would become such a big part of my future! I feel very lucky to be a part of the project. It's a great story and I've made some life long friends from it! Also, working with David Gray has been amazing. The after effects he adds to the pictures like this picture of me and my Phoenix tattoo just blow my mind. He makes you look SO good!!'
Derrol Murphy (DrDerrol) describes himself as naturally shy, yet through his work as model is beautifully expressive. Like most us, life has dealt Derrol his fair share of of good times, as well as tough and painful times. So many of Derrol's life experiences are artistically chronicled in the body art that decorates so much of his body. Derrol's honoring and celebration of experience, is a source of both strength and protection and I was interested in the experience of covering his body art, and then removing the covering at the end of the shoot.
'During this shoot at Blacks I met a very cute guy and chatted with him quite a bit, all while painted yellow and naked. The odd part of it is if I wasn't painted I never would have been able to chat with him due to my extreme shyness (naked or not!) Also, hadn't really taken into consideration how much attention we'd draw on the beach and so many people took pictures of us and we took naked selfies with people which was a first for me...so my 'business' is out there floating around more than just within the project!'
I notice you're with Brockton, (whom I featured recently on FH), this seems like a very model focused shoot, What was it like stripping down, and washing off with a group of models? I would guess the vibe would be very different than in solo shoots with photographers.
'Yes! Brock is a really great guy! This past shoot was my third time working with him I believe and he definitely has helped talk me through some of my hangups and helped make me feel a bit more comfortable in y own skin and we've become friends through the process. I think the group setting, for me, is easier, the one on one can be difficult because I hate the focus being all on me, I get nervous and even shyer until I get to know you.'
'My first nude experience was actually a nude play. It was a very positive experience though I'm still not entirely sure how I did it!! It was a play called 'Party' by David Dillion. Performed it here in San Diego and New Orleans. I like to push myself out of my comfort zone so I just did it and it was a great experience!
'After that I did a lot of shoots where I would show my butt, but not frontal nudity. It has only been very recently I have done that. I had lots of hang ups about it. Family and friends seeing me naked, the worry of it being considered pornographic and I'm super self conscious, but I just decided the only way to get over it was just to do it and get it out there! I figure it's Art so it's ok! Haha!'
'I became involved in The Pure when I was contacted through a mutual friend in 2012 for Tony's project. Tony was in need of someone who felt comfortable (or could fake comfort well as in my case, lol) walking around half naked, painted and wearing a harness during his art show so I was contacted. I was nervous at first, being behind a camera and/or on stage is way different than being 'in the crowd' but I did it anyway and I'm glad I did! David and Greg I met later due to their connections to the project. I am Zebulon (Ze) Dolle'. Only son of Zephyr Dolle'. After being in the military I took the position of HR of Dolle' media. The media family all have drones but Tony wrote my drone in as a special Spider drone due to my real life love of spiders!'
'It was super weird having my tattoos covered. I consider my tattoos to also be a sort of armor for myself. It tells people my story and to have them gone was very interesting, like part of me was missing. Some in the project who did not meet me until the paint came off were shocked that I have so much tattoo work. Shooting the body paint removal was relatively new, we have DESTROYED many a bathroom and MANY towels during this project!! This was by far the easiest and quickest way to clean it off, though truth be told, you still find some paint on yourself days later!'
'I have come to realize that I let my shyness and social awkwardness hold me back from doing what I have wanted to do most of my life. Now that 40 is approaching in a very short year, I figure I better get it done now, no more time to waste!! Not that I mean I will stop after I hit 40, more like I will keep pushing onward to make up for time lost!! I have been trying to live the phrase "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway'...
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