'Renn had left a pair of shoes at the house accidentally which I found a few days after a shoot. He asked me to set them outside the door so he could pick them up that week while I'd be at work since he couldn't wait a month to get them. The month passed and there was never any word from him, and the shoes were still on our porch too.'
For some reason, Mark's comment about Renn's shoes resonated and stuck with me. Not just because a model left a pair of shoes, or another item or piece of clothing behind, that happens all the time. I was left wondering why those dress shoes, so important to Renn when he called Mark about leaving them... sat on Mark's porch for a month, and still remained unclaimed.
First let me say that I have been wanting to feature Mark's images of Renn for a long time. I first spotted their work together on Mark's Model Mayhem page about two years ago and was instantly enthralled with his smile, his hairy legs and Mark's creative captures which were both sexy and erotic as well as plenty of images focused on Renn's incredible face and and smile. Mark was fully on board for feature, but wanted to wait until after a third shoot that was tentatively in the works. Mark was hoping to put together a book of his work with Renn, and was looking to shoot in some different locations, maybe the beach, for a future book publication.
When I recently asked Mark about that third shoot, Mark let me know that much like picking up that pair of shoes, Renn's third shoot was left uncompleted. Reading through Mark's comments about the first and second shoots, there may be a few clues as to why... Modeling wasn't something Renn had thought a lot about, or planned as a part of his future. It was Renn's girlfriends idea to give it a try, she was a successful figure/art model herself and thought given his look, it might be something he would be successful at. She even attended Renn's first shoot with Mark, doing his make-up, acting and observing the shoot.
At the time of the first shoot, Renn was excited about what modeling might lead to, and a a possible future modeling and being able to focus on music, another of his passions. They stated by exploring some of Mark's often-used urban decay setting and remembers that Renn wasn't the least bit squeamish about the dirt and grit of the locations, and was totally at ease creating there. Renn had also done some break dancing and was great with movement which helped create some unique poses during the shoot. Mark shares that it was a bit of a cool day, and that one looks their best when things get chilled... but having his girlfriend close by seemed to help Renn remain attentive and 'camera ready.'
'Renn appeared completely at ease and without the slightest embarrassment ,nor should he have been embarrassed for any reason, but it's still a rare straight 19 year old who is comfortable walking around with an erection in front of both his girlfriend, and a photographer.'
When Renn returned for second shoot, there were a few changes in his life, including a change in desire to continue modeling. His focus and goals had shifted from music and dancing to writing and philosophy, with Renn's dreams of an entertainment career replaced now by his desire to be a writer. Although still with his girlfriend, Renn arrived to this shoot solo, although Mark says this didn't hamper his enthusiasm or ability to be 'camera ready' Renn spent much of the day shooting with another photographer, but Mark squeezed in an hour near the end of the day. Having borrowed a friend's antique Citroen coupe, the shoot began with a focus on fashion. The owner of the car belongs to a European car club, and wanted a few images that he could share with other members, so to start, Renn needed to keep his clothes on.
Mark says Renn did a great job of moving around and exploring the quirks of the car as he did a gradual strip, starting fully dressed, then removing one piece of clothing at a time until fully nude. Although Renn had decided not to continue modeling, he enjoyed his time working with Mark and after this shoot said he'd be more than happy to shoot with Mark again in the future. But... there's still that pair of dress shoes. The shoes that never did get picked up. I never asked Mark if two years later, they're still waiting for their owner to show up. For some reason I see those shoes as a metaphor or the barometer measuring Renn's enthusiasm for modeling Maybe those shoes just might be the key to whether we'll be seeing more of Renn in the future. Either way, I'll keep you posted, especially if Mark decides to proceed with that book and of course, if those shoes are ever reunited with their owner.
'Renn was one of those models who immediately gave me the impression he could "make it" in the modeling biz if he wanted to. At the time of our first shoot he wanted to be an actor or singer, and though modeling would be fun until he got his big break. He's an interesting a sweet kid and if there had been a third shoot, I would have focused on the more sweet or innocent side of him too for the contrast. I've had several people who've seen his images compare him to James Dean though, and he really does strike me as that secret bad boy/rebel.'
1 comment:
What a cute, sexy guy.The photographer is so lucky.
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