Thursday, February 6, 2020

Favorite Pic of the Day for February 7th

Above:
-See More Below-

Happy Birthday today February 7th


Happy 37th to actor Alexander Dreymon!

Check out more of today's Birthdays HERE:



The Last Kingdom (2017)

A Vintage Vantage: Stephen Boyd


'Jump for joy, it's Jumbo!'

Jumbo (1962)

Many FH readers might remember my previous posts about Circus.  As a kid, I always wanted to run away and join the circus, and have often weaved the theme into posts and theme days on the site.  I also love circus movies, especially classics I discover on TCM.


Until her death last year, I'd only seen one Doris Day movie.  My love of Hitchcock led me to 1956's 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' several years ago.  I loved the film and the performances of both Day and Jimmy Stewart.  I especially loved listening to Day sing, and her voice was a highlight of the film.  After Day died, I thought I should check out more of her work, and finally last month, watched my DVR recording of TCM's airing of Billy Rose's Jumbo.


The 1962 musical isn't going to make the top of my Circus movie list, but it was a enjoyable spectacle.  Although none of the songs really stood out, the production and musical numbers were visually incredible, especially the song number Day sings while riding a horse around the circus ring.


I hadn't seen or heard of Day's leading man before, but actor Stephen Boyd's handsome face had me googling to find out more.  The Northern Ireland born actor had a relatively short life, dying at just 45 from a heart attack in 1977.  Having started acting professionally in his mid-twenties, Boyd managed to build an impressive resume in his twenty or so years in the business.   Some of Boyd's films I hope to check out are featured in the images below.

With Brigitte Bardot in Les bijoutiers du clair de lune (1958)

With Marisa Mell in Marta (1971)

Ben-Hur (1959)

With Joan Collins in Island in the Sun (1957)

Instagrams that Inspire: Blake


'He had the soul of a gypsy, the heart of a hippie, the spirit of a fairy...'


I love the quote above and used it the first time I featured the work of model, gypsy, hippie and fairy Blake. (Instantly Intrigued)  The adjectives don't just describe the man, they describe his lifestyle, one I love following visually on his Instagram.  Although each of the three adjectives fit, I think it's Blake's gypsy side I most enjoy.   Whether in studio, or traveling across the country, Blake always seems to spiritually connect with his surroundings, bringing a beautiful ethereal quality to work.




Next 3 Shots: Blake by Niccanor for Desnudo Homme #3


Could Have Stooled Me: Isaac by MaleVisionS Photography


'Savor the throne but don't mind the stool.'
Steve Winwood


When I first saw MaleVisionS images of Isaac, it wasn't the stool that grabbed my attention. In addition to shooting many incredibly stunning men, MaleVision Photography's' Dan always produces such eye popping and dramatic visuals.  Through Dan's use of solid black and grey backgrounds, lighting and props, Dan manages to capture dynamically unique body lines and poses.


Isaac has a very striking look.  His strong face and eyes, beautiful dreads and flawless physique are perfectly photographed with Dan's vision of the male form.  Although it wasn't the stool that first attracted me to Dan's shots of Isaac, when starting to choose images, the four legged seat was a part of so many of my favorites.


Although the male form is always front and center, I've always loved the way Dan so skillfully utilizes prop or pieces of fashion.  In some of my previous pieces featuring Dan's work, we've seen models like Teak (HERE:) seductively straddling antique chairs and settee's, or models wrapped, and of course unwrapped, in white towels (HERE:) or bath robes. (HERE:)


What Dan does so beautifully, as you can see in this series with Isaac, is not to focus on the object, but on how the model interacts with it.  Although a series of images of a model on a stool could get boring, Isaac uses the stool in so many different artistic and erotic ways, each pose and each shot, is distinctively unique.


As a police officer, Dan wasn't provided many (any) opportunities to do things in artistic, let alone erotic, ways.  Now retired, the Arizona photographer has made shooting his passion.  Although photographing the nude male form is miles away from his former profession, there is one skill from his years on the force that Dan does incorporate.  Dan's favorite part of his job was always interacting with others, and loves the interactions between himself and the model in the creative process.


Model and photographer  first connected after Isaac responded to an ad for a model that Dan had placed on Craigslist.  Dan instantly noticed Isaac physical attributes, but the shooting experience was enhanced by  Isaac's sense of humour, and how personable he was.  The camera loved him, and with each shoot together, a friendship developed.


Dan says no matter what they're creating, or what he suggests, Isaac is always a pro.  Although he is straight, Isaac was open to shooting an erotic shoot with another male model.  Unfortunately, the model Dan chose also turned out to be straight, and although he tried, struggled a bit with some of the poses and was clearly tense and uncomfortable.  Although Dan descries the tension, and resulting images as strictly asexual, thanks mostly to Isaac, he did manage to capture a couple of hot shots.