Above:
Matt by AANE Photography
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Thursday, October 18, 2018
Happy Birthday today October 19th
A Riverdale DeCoteau-ding
Riverdale is one of those TV shows that frustrates me to no end. It has an incredibly hot and talented cast and a great premise, but it so often misses the mark. I loved the first season, although I saw there were leads and supporting characters, it was written as an ensemble piece with the entire cast given moments to shine. It was also a highs school set teen show, with most of the drama set within the walls of the school.
Season 2 was a different matter, I disliked almost the entire season. The tone of the show changed, not darker, season 1 was dark, season 2 got uglier. Poorly conceived stories and new cast additions, and a lack of direction made the season a bit of a mess. The focus on ensemble moved to the focus on what the show has called the 'fab four'. They are fabulous, but were getting on my nerves given how poorly the writers balanced the talented group of actors they had.
This was especially frustrating given Greg Berlanti is one of the shows EPs. Even with his great track record of with gay characters in other movies and shows, Riverdale shockingly was writing Kevin as a 'token' gay side kick and Josie as the 'token' minority, giving them both 'blink or you'll miss em' appearances most of the second season.
With only two episode in, it's too early to see if the show has changed it's course. There are hints they are trying to balance the screen time of characters, the parents are getting a story of their own and Kevin is getting 2 or 3 short scenes instead of one, but he, Josie and Cheryl are still mostly kept at arms length of the shows mains story lines. The friendships that developed in season 1 seem to start and end with each episode instead of growing as the show progresses.
Lat night's episode, Fortune and Men's Eyes lived up to the title, coming off more like a David DeCoteau movie with all it's male shirtlessness and homoeroticism, which like most DeCoteau movies, never really satisfies. I love me some KJ Apa, especially shirtless, but it feels like the show is using skin to make up for it's lack of compelling story telling. Why are we getting more intensely homoerotic scenes with the straight characters and so little with the gay ones....
Maybe Riverdale is one of those shows best watched on mute. Kj Apa is watchable, sound on or not, and Eli Goree (below) was a breath taking addition in his guest starring role as Mad Dog. His body had me speechless every time he was on screen, and really, can you really expect a TV show to have spectacular visuals and a coherent story.... nah
Unfinished Stories: Matt by AANE Photography
'Plans were made second shoot, a date was set but again, sadly an obstacle again arose. This one Matt couldn't control and the shoot had to be put on hold.'
Corpus evanescente, 2015
The quote above came near the end of the story. The story of Matt's work with Mike from ANNE Photography and THOM Graphophoton that I wrote about in two features back in 2015. (HERE: & HERE:) I have often thought about Mike's images of Matt, especially due that unexpected obstacle that prevented a second shoot. Some images and some stories resonate more than others, and Mike's images of Matt, and especially the look in his eyes, definitely resonated for me.
Although FH is all about story, I know most of the time, they're left unfinished. Most shoots don't include enough story for even a full chapter, but moments that might fill a page or just a few paragraphs. I have been fortunate to follow many models and artists over long periods of time. This allows me to fill out more details of their journey and of their story. But for many, like Matt's shoot with Mike, it was just one moment, which occurred on one day, with just one shoot.
Some of you may remember that Matt was really wasn't a model, but someone looking looking to get back on his feet, to make a living and little cash. Matt saw and answered a casting call that Mike had put out looking for underwear models. The tall , (over six feet) lean and blonde haired Matt, decided to give it a shot and replied to Mike's ad.
Obstacles seemed to arise from the get go. Car issues almost ended the shoot before it began, but eventually Matt showed up and Mike decided to proceed. Initially a bit nervous and stiff, Matt seemed to get more comfortable as the shoot progressed. Once down to his undies, Matt began asking questions about the process for shooting implied or full nudes. Mike's responses to the new models questions and curiosity were obviously satisfactory for as you can see, Matt's undies ultimately came off.
Despite being new to modeling, Mike says that Matt was one of the better models he had shot in awhile. Matts curiosity about the process was equaled by a creative curiosity which led to them capturing some great images. Although nervous at the beginning, Mike shares Matt was incredibly comfortable and a natural in front of the camera.
Matt seemed pleased with the results, Mike remembers once the edited images were sent off to Matt put them immediately up on his social media pages but then...quickly took them down again. Mike worried Matt may have had regrets about his nude modeling or got some flack from family or friends. That proved not to be the case...
That brings us back again to that obstacle. Matt called Mike about a week or so after the first shoot asking about doing another. Matt wanted to take things even further and shared with Mike he enjoyed their first shoot, the feedback he got, and the money he made. Plans were made and a date was set but Matt never made it. That obstacle was a big one, one which made it literally physically impossible for him to show up for his second shoot.
I often wondered if Matt ever bounced back from that obstacle and whether he and Mike ever worked together again. When I saw Mike post a shot of Matt on his Instagram this past summer, I had to ask. Unfortunately Mike hadn't heard from Matt in awhile and wasn't sure where he was on his journey or whether he was ever released from the weight of those obstacles in his path. Mike did however generously send me more images from his Matt archives, and inspired me to revisit the shoot, and the story.
Currently I still have more questions than answers, an story unfinished with a cliffhanger, with no assurances of another chapter to tie up lose ends.... Most stories, real ones anyway, are often left unfinished, but if there's more to Matt's story to be written, I look forward to continuing his story. You can check out a extra chapter of Matt's story on Page 2 HERE:
Media Men: Nano
Model, dancer and Art Director Nano (gonanoone) certainly has one of NYC's finest assets, and he more than knows how to use it to his full advantage. I first discovered Nano on Instagram last year, and have been enjoying his work since. With his incredible moves, his incredible curly hair and his more than incredible ass, whether shooting selfies, or being shot by the best photographers, Nana always brings his A game.
Nano by Wilson Models Photography
Remaining Shots by SamdphotoNY
Some of my favorite shots of Nano come from photographer Sam Devries. (samdphotonyc) Some of you remember Sam from his modeling days, covered and uncovered of course on FH. (HERE:) I especially love the series below, a shoot that Sam shares was done in Nano's apartment in Brooklyn, NY as part of a series of nudes he shoots in model’s own homes.
Tight in White? Matt by AANE Photography
'I like my clothes tight enough to show I'm a woman, but loose enough to show I'm a lady'
Mae West
Although the quote above is about women, it can apply equally to men. Most of us, for work anyway, are forced to dress in form fitting clothing for the office. Tight, but not too tight. Pants tight enough hug our body without showing every inch, or inches.
Wearing tight clothes all day make ditching the tight and the white for something lose and comfy even more appealing at the end of a long day. Most generally accept that tight clothing shows off more the lines and curves of the body but ANNE PHOTOGRAPHY beautifully illustrates that oversized, untucked and unbuttoned also be even more revealing.
Horror Hunks: James Marchant in Lake Placid 3
It's October, and FH readers know that means Horror Hunks are back for the remainder of the month. If you're not into watching Lake Placid 3, (and who was...) don't worry, you can check out actor James Marchant's skinning dipping scene in the flick's first 4 minutes. Just be warned, he doesn't get to dry off.
Also be warned, because it was a TV movie so the brief nudity was edited out of many versions out there. But... thanks to SOMS, here is an uncensored version of the London actors brief butt baring in the third installment from the franchise.
Lake Placid 3 clip via SOMS
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