Eyes of the Beholders: Elvis by Baker and Adams

'Elvis was a pleasure to work with. He’s the kind of model that every photographer wishes they could work with.' 

Baker and Adams

If you're a regular reader of FH, you know that I love featuring models who have been photographed by a variety of different artists. We've all had the experience of looking at the same thing as someone else, yet see, and experiencing it, in very different ways. I always find myself drawn to the contrasts, and the reasons behind them and love to explore than when I have the opportunity.

Many of you recognize model Elvis Bogdanovs from his previous appearances on the site. I first featured Elvis two years ago,through the lens of JBDI Photography. (HERE: & HERE:) I followed up those pieces with another view of Elvis, this time from Male Beauty by bengie. (HERE: & HERE) There were distinct differences in the way Elvis was captured in the two previous pieces that I'd done. One was a studio based shoot with vibrant colors and Gothic elements weaved in. The other shoot was outside, with no color of fashion, just a focus on pose, and Elvis' beautifully sleek nude form.

When Baker and Adams shared that they had also worked with Elvis, I was excited to see what they'd created. I've been a hufe fan of the work of the creative collaboration of Devin Baker and Art Adams from the moment I first discovered their work. Through their creative collaboration, and weaving their individual talents together, Baker and Adams create stylish and elegant imagery with a focus pose and form.

 

When I think of the imagery of Baker and Adams, the work 'clean' often comes to mind. The models they capture are never concealed or over-powered by set, props, fashion or over editing. The Elvis in this series of images, is an exclusive view of the Scotland based model, a unique view is seen through the eyes of two very specific and talented beholders. Given their distinct view, I was of course curious about the process they utilize to achieve their spectacular final images. Baker and Adams graciously shared a behind the scenes look at their creative process, and the choices made before and during their shoot with Elvis.

Do you remember the first image you saw of Elvis? 

I first noticed Elvis on Model Mayhem. Elvis had posted a photo credited to Bowridge Green in the 18+ Photo Contest. In the photo Elvis sports bleached hair and poses fully nude on a rooftop. The photo was appealing technically as well as emotionally. I immediately knew I wanted to work with him.

 

Was it difficult to schedule and how did you connect? 

We connected with Elvis through Model Mayhem. We were lucky that Elvis already had a stop planned in our area. Everything, including scheduling, was managed through Model Mayhem messages and email. While I find Model Mayhem to be a flawed platform, it worked out well in this instance. 

How much 'negotiation' is there when setting up concepts for a shoot? 

 Elvis was a complete professional and very accommodating of our ideas and concepts. We always encourage collaboration during our shoots so we welcomed Elvis’s ideas, as well. Elvis was very confident in his body and our work so nudity was never an issue. Once we arrived at the studio he was naked in minutes. With some models it can take time for them to warm to the process or environment. None of this was an issue with Elvis.

Tell me about the day of the shoot. 

Our normal studio was unavailable the day of our shoot so we worked in a smaller facility nearby. While the studio was physically smaller, the owner had a wide variety of furnishings that we had access to. The studio ultimately worked to our advantage as furnishings, such as the brightly colored bar stools, provided great foundations for select poses. When we picked up Elvis at a central meeting place, we were immediately struck by his confidence and charisma. We were also, of course, struck by his physical beauty. Elvis was a complete professional and was ready to work after we made an obligatory stop at Starbucks for a little fortification. We worked for four hours and captured over 1,000 images.

 

Tell me about Elvis as a model. 

We encountered no conceit or prima-donna qualities while working with Elvis. Instead, Elvis was collaborative, patient, and engaging. Elvis inherently knew how to move and hold his body to highlight its best qualities. He took direction well, but could also improvise if needed. Elvis had amazing muscle strength and balance which were used to create some pretty cool shots. Elvis is a photographer himself and we suspect some of this awareness originates from his own work.

 

Was there any hesitation with any of your ideas or fashion? 

There was no hesitation on Elvis’s part when it came to working through our ideas. His only request, which was not a problem for us, was that we not request poses which were overtly sexual in nature. 

What was his comfort level with shooting nude? 

Elvis appeared to be 100% comfortable posing nude. At times, the studio owner was present as we worked. While I initially offered Elvis a robe to cover up with, or to otherwise shield his nudity, he wasn’t the least bit bothered at being nude in front of others and I soon gave up trying to protect his privacy.

I've noticed you've used the wrestling singlet and ear coverings before. 

I enjoy working with color and the singlet offers a punch of red that can work well in a shot. It also communicates a sort of hyper masculinity that can be fun to play around with visually. 

Elvis is clearly very fit, but I didn't know he was so acrobatic! 

Elvis shared that he’d trained in gymnastics and that he enjoyed balancing poses. This pose was something Elvis offered up on his own. I wouldn’t have known what to ask for! Unfortunately, the smaller studio space limited our opportunities to explore this much, but I saw later that he was able to use his training in similarly styled shots with other photographers.

 

Did the fashions belong to Elvis, or did you provide them for the shoot?

We provided all the clothing, including the high-tops, for this shoot. I normally look for articles of clothing or other items that the model can have fun with and that might accent their personality or physique. With Elvis, I specifically tried to style the shoot so that his strong legs would remain exposed as they’re truly amazing. I don’t like to rely gimmicks or excessive props to carry our images. Sorry Elvis, but I kept all the clothing. Never know when I might need a kilt….

 

Your images are so clean. How do you achieve this so consistently in all of your shoots. 

We’re drawn to images that highlight the subject through the use of imaginative lighting techniques, poses and a limited number of props or clothing items. For our work, we prefer to accent our images with little punches of color and find that too much can detract from the subject’s natural beauty. Bottom line, we’re photographing a person and the work they’ve done to develop their body. That will always be the focus for us. Any props, clothing items, etc. should almost be transparent to the viewer.

Baker and Adams

Baker and Adams on FH: