All Things Come.... Aaron by Robert John Guttke

'To Those Who Wait.'

As we all have learned, no amount of waiting is going to bring us all things, but I still appreciate the idea behind the famous quote. In a world where so many demand that all things come fast or instantly, there remains a payoff for those with patience and the ability to wait. In order to capture this series of images, photographer Robert John Guttke had to be patient, patient enough to wait close to two years before having Aaron in front of his camera.

Although most photographers now connect with models on-line, Robert still prefers the old fashion way, in person. The Minneapolis artist, sculptor, photographer and writer has worked with hundreds of models over the course of career and has learned that meeting a model face to face remains the best way to both discover, and find out if a model is the right fit. On-line images don't always tell the entire story, whether it be a model's height or look, or their ability to connect with, and give an artist what they need.

Robert has approached would be models as they're walking down the street, running along the lake, in the park and frequently when working out at the gym. It was at the gym where Aaron and Robert first met and started a conversation about modeling. As they were chatting, Aaron was very enthusiastic about modeling, but when he mentioned he was only 16, Robert ended the conversation telling Aaron if he was still interested in a couple of years to give him a call.

Robert had pretty much forgotten about the gym encounter, and about Aaron, he has often had conversations with guys who seem really interested, only to never hear from them again. Not this time, right after he turned 18, Aaron got in touch about wanting to shoot. It was a gray and windy day when the freckled Aaron went up to the rooftop for his shoot with Robert. Robert says Aaron was firmly pro pubic hair, and wanted to keep his body hair un-shaved or trimmed. The lines and bodyscapes Robert captures are usually focused on the nude male form, but with the wind up on the roof, Robert captures some great shots with Aaron's shirt billowing in the wind, framing his tight chest and stomach.

'There was one model that I first found at Lake Calhoun, I dd not hear from until two years later when he broke up with his long time girl friend Another guy I approached at the gym and he waited FIVE years to get back to me, when he did his first body building competition. Poor guy He worked out so hard for that competition, then accidentally slept through it. There were some models that I approached that later got in touch that I did not remember approaching. One of the last guys I worked with tole me that I had come up to 6 times at the lake, once when he was with his father who told him to DO IT.'

Robert John Guttke

As you can clearly see, Aaron has a likable boyish charm that comes through in Robert's shots. Although this was his first time in front of the camera, with Robert's direction, Aaron looks relaxed and at tease. Because of the specific look he's working to achieve, Robert doesn't always encourage smiles, Aaron was however, both enthusiastic and very curious about the process, and was sporting a big grin most of the shoot. Robert included his favorite shots of Aaron in a couple of calendars and exhibit in SF. Robert remembers a model agencies in both Chicago and New York were interested in signing him, and as much fun as Aaron had with this shoot, wasn't really into the work required to model professionally.

Guttke Classic Nudes