A Question of Character: Timothy by New Manhattan Studios

'Under floods that are deepest, which Neptune obey, over rocks that are steepest, Love will find out the way.'

Thomas Percy

Pumpkin carving, horror movies and mini kit kat bars get the lion's share of the attention, but the real draw of Halloween is character.   Kids tend to gravitate towards the known, the witches and ghosts, the latest movie superhero or Star Wars hero.  As we mature however, the characters that we gravitate toward become more personal.

As much as Halloween is a about becoming someone else, sometimes the choices can be risky. We all remember the hot jock, with the equally hot girlfriend, reversing roles at the school's Halloween dance.  She wore his football jersey, he wore her cheer leading outfit.  His sexuality however, was not publicly questioned so the skirt and poms poms were seen as hilarious.   His classmate however, the one called faggot in the hallways, wasn't given the leeway, and knew the same costume, would not be as well received.

Halloween's magic however, comes when you don't give a fuck, and use the day to step into a character you love and admire and for just one day, live out the fantasy of being someone you can only dream about being.  Truth of the matter is, most costumes we choose, most characters we inhabit, are already a part of us,  it's why we're drawn to them.  We may not look like them, or wear the cape on a daily basis, but they're in us, just not as visible as on October 31st.

Some of you may remember Timothy as a red hot devil in a piece from 2017. (The Devil's Advocate) If you've seen images of of Timothy out of character, and out of make-up, you know he's a beautiful blonde who looks like the boy next door.  As the Devil however,  Wes from New Manhattan Studios captured not just a character, but a piece of Timothy magnified by the brilliance of body-painter Charles Zambrano.  As talented as Charles is however, the little devil in Timothy came through not just in body paint and props, but in those devilish green eyes of him.  The photographer and body paint brought it out, but that little mischief maker was just dying to be let out.

Behind the Scenes:

Wes shares that Timothy found his first body painting session to be surprisingly fun.  After some initial trepidation, he relaxed and became comfortable with a half a dozen people buzzing around, fixing lights and getting props ready, not to mention those painting every inch of his naked body.  As exciting as it may seem, it's can also be a long and tiring experience for the model as the preparation can take longer than the shoot itself.  Of course the preparation provides some great behind the scenes process shots, which are always favorites of mine to share.

'The actual painting can take up to 4 or 5 hours, depending on the complexity of the concept. It must be done standing up, sometimes resting limbs on props for minutes on end. Because of its tedious nature, it is the only type of photo session where alcoholic beverages are permitted in the studio. A beer or two breaks the tedium while watching paint dry.'

'Tim had been so excited about his adhered Devil costume that he had worn it home the night of his first body painting session. We don’t know what his taxi driver thought but it did impress the girl friend who apparently enjoyed the fantasy. It was decided, however, that in the future he’d have to shower before getting into bed.

Tim’s enthusiasm earned him a second body painting session. Tim’s girlfriend’s appreciation of the endeavor earned her credits with the artist and photographer. She was not only invited to the second session but was designated the artistic director. She and Tim worked with Charles to determine the nature of the conjured creature and the palette to be used. They would be realizing her fantasy.'

'As the painting dragged into the third hour the girl friend was deputized as Charles’ assistant and became a body painter as well. An hour later both artists and the model were impressed with where they wound up but at a loss to find a name for the aqua-hued nymph standing on the paper in front of the lights.'

'As the strobes started popping, Tim started flexing and exploring his character. A prop became a scepter. As he strutted his confidence grew. This wasn’t a nymph; this was a God.  Poseidon, perhaps.  Neptune!'

Neptune (Latin: Neptūnus [nɛpˈtuːnʊs]) is the god of freshwater and the sea in Roman religion. He is the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. In the Greek-influenced tradition, Neptune is the brother of Jupiter and Pluto; the brothers preside over the realms of Heaven, the earthly world, and the Underworld

'Haven been given a name Timothy saw his destiny. As the Roman God of the waters, he showered thoroughly before leaving the studio that evening.'

Check out more of Timothy on New Manhattan Studios  HERE:

You can also see more of Wes' Photo Essays HERE: & check out much more of Timothy as featured model and on the cover of Captured Shadows 3 HERE:

Timothy on ModelMayhem | Instagram