'Tommy takes a lot of selfies and he spends a lot of time at the gym and at cream of the crop sort of places in the city, so I was expecting him to be self-absorbed, maybe a bit shallow and to have a large ego.'
No matter how much we try, we all stereotype and judge from time to time. We're taught not to judge a book by it's cover, yet it's so often those covers on the book store shelves, that cause us to stop, and take a second look. Working on FH, I've communicated with hundreds of models. Although I have certainly come across a few self absorbed guys with huge egos, that's not really the norm.
Most of the models I feature have actually struggled with their body and appearance. Modeling, especially nude modeling, is often emotional journey and a way to face their struggles head on. You can't really blame Bodytorium's Phil from assuming Tommy was a jock with an ego. The 27 year Bratislava based model is a fitness coach and weightlifter with plenty of experience posing and showing off his incredible physique.
To complicate things, Phil says it that took forever to schedule a photoshoot, so much so, Phil was on the verge of giving up. If you've enjoyed my previous pieces featuring Phil's work, you know he doesn't often shoot body builders. Phil usually works with the 'boy next door' type, guys he's recently met or connected with, most of whom have never modeled before
Although Tommy quickly agreed to a shoot, Phil didn't did really initially feel Tommy was that enthusiastic, and also didn't express much initiative. On the surface, Phil felt Tommy came across as wanting to be popular, therefore maybe said yes to please, and wasn't really genuine. Turns out, Tommy was just a busy guy, who likes to do his own thing in a relaxed, nonchalant manner. This can be difficult for those trying to nail them down with organizational details like dates and times. Tommy is also a busy guy, juggling his time modeling, with his job as a fitness coach, his time at the gym, and the occasional gig working at bachelorette parties.
'Once I got to know him, he turned out to be surprisingly humble and down-to-earth. We had a lot of time to talk. We drove up to the Carpathian hills to a spot I am familiar with. Luckily this time I actually found the spot because I often end up taking a wrong turn somewhere along the forest paths.'
In the end, Phil describes the photoshoot turned out to be a really pleasant experience, for both he and Tommy. During their many conversations, Tommy acknowledged that people often misinterpret his personality, and that he's been told he can come across as being uninterested or distant. I think many busy people, especially those focused on a passion, often come across as distant when it comes to issues unrelated to what their pursuing. Once they commit though, they're usually incredibly focused, and Tommy certainly seems beautifully present, and visually attentive, and in his work with Phil.
'During the photoshoot, Tommy was very patient and professional, and I was more at ease than I usually am while photographing him since the guys I usually photograph are real nude photoshoot virgins.'
Check out much more of Tommy, and all of Bodytorium's models HERE:
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