It's the possibility
that keeps me going,
not the guarantee
With any great find or discovery, a big part of the enjoyment is the hunt. Over the years, and usually over my morning coffee, I would check out sites looking for images that inspire. For awhile, it was the Model Mayhem pic of the day contests that I went to find new artists and models to investigate and explore. It's always exciting to find a new body of work to delve into and finding that one image that has you searching for more.
That's exactly what happened when I discovered the work of Kevin Donahue from New Light Photo. I had sort of drifted away from Model Mayhem, the site had become less user friendly and I hand't been checking out the pic of the day contests in awhile. Thankfully, I found myself back there in March, just in time to catch one of Kevin's images of model Jon Whitney in the contest. I cast my vote, and the image went on to win. I soon found myself back on Kevin's portfolio on a regular basis.
I soon found both on Instagram, and loved the results of their work together. It's always rewarding to find exciting new work, and Kevin and Jon make a impressive combination and the perfect fusion of photographer and model. Both are young and creative, relatively new to their fields, taking risks and making choices without boundaries, eager to explore what possibilities lie ahead.
Kevin only began shooting the male form a few years ago, but photography's been a passion since he was a kid. He's been shooting landscapes for as long as he can remember, and has loved the switch to bodyscapes and the freedom of expression it allows. Allow is a fitting adjective, as Kevin didn't always feel it was something he was able or supported to explore. Moving int his own apartment in NYC after college, provided the opportunity he needed to take the plunge.
'Having lived with my parents in a conservative NJ suburb before that, shooting men in the nude was not something that would have been feasible. My newfound freedom combined with the fact that I was surrounded by people who encouraged me to branch out.'
With the city as his new landscape, Kevin felt the freedom to find the beauty in the people and places which surrounded him. After investing in some studio lights and backdrops, he set out to find a model. Given he dreams of one day shooting pro-athletes, Kevin began looking athletic guys who might want to pose, the hard part, was figuring how to start.
'You can’t just ask strangers in the street if they’d like to pose nude for you, can you? Turns out you can, you just have to be tactful about it. I was out at a comedy club one night and one of the amateur acts was talking about how he used to be a dancer. He had a great look and I thought a dancer would make a great subject.
After his set, as he was leaving the show with his girlfriend, I told him I was an amateur photographer and asked if he’d ever be interested in doing a photoshoot with me. He said yes, and we exchanged numbers so we could plan a shoot. Over the next week or so, I asked him via text message if he’d be comfortable shooting nude, and he said he was cool with it. I later asked if he was ok with frontal, and he was.'
On the day shoot, especially given it was Kevin's first time shooting a nude subject, and his models first time posing nude, both were a bit nervous. Kevin's priority was making sure his model felt completely comfortable. They started out with a beer, and chatted for awhile before getting down to business. They began with some clothed shots, then moved on to shirtless and underwear. Given he was a dancer, he knew how to pose. After a short while, the model looked at Kevin and wimply asked,'full monty?'. Kevin nodded and the boxers came off. After a few minutes, both model and photographer were completely at ease.
With the first shoot under his belt, and his success with scouting a model, Kevin's found several other models the same way, simply by asking. Kevin says his experience has been that there's no shortage of men willing to pose nude if done tastefully. He's since found models all over the city, from the park to the subway, to the diner. It wasn't through scouting the city however, that led Kevin to Jon Whitney. Kevin also checks out modeling sites and Instagram and Jon caught his eye right away.
'Jon was new to the scene, having only shot with a couple photographers at the time I noticed him. He’s a former high-school wrestler from Minnesota, but as fate would have it, he was planning a trip to NYC, and we set up a shoot.'
The shot in the morning so the room Kevin uses as a studio was bathed in sunlight. Kevin used the natural light from the windows as much as he could, supplementing with his studio lights as needed. Kevin knew Jon was photogenic, but was struck with how beautiful he was, both inside and out, as they got to know each other during the shoot. In addition to his handsome face and incredible body, Kevin shares Jon also has a sweet Midwestern charm about him. Kevin's goal was to capture both the innocence of Jon's personality, while also showcasing the strength and power he'd developed as a wrestler. It's clear from this set of images, Kevin more than accomplished his goal!
'What struck me most about Jon was the geometry of his body. His body lines made great compositional elements, leading the eye throughout the frame and over his body. Jon was at ease posing and very comfortable in the nude. He takes direction well and is a true collaborator — he really worked with me to achieve my vision. I know for certain that Jon will go far as a model and I’m really glad we were able to collaborate.'
1 comment:
Dude has pretty glutes, good definition body. Wow! Buttock muscle! Bulges!
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