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Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Who Dat?
Do you recognize this handsome stud? I don't think it's breaking news that many of you have certainly seen him naked. If know who he is, and want to see more, or don't have a clue, and want to find out.. check out the NEXT PAGE HERE:
The 23rd Floor: Ethan Tate by Michael von Redlich
'We were very high up (23rd Floor) and so we were not aware of any onlookers.'
Earlier this month I was fortunate to be able to spotlight the work of photographer Michael von Redlich and his time shooting model and actor Ethan Tate. (HERE:) In the the first part of the feature, Michael shared how they got together, and what inspired the creative concepts and themes that they captured.
In the second part, I highlighted some of my favorites shots with the creative utilization of step ladder left by the owners of the Airbnb that Michael had rented for the shoot. I also shared that because Michael had sent on so many incredible shots, I wanted to do another piece, this time, with the shots taken outside, on the apartments balcony.
Whenever I feature a shoot featuring a nude model outside, it's almost automatic for me to ask about on-lookers. Part of the pleasure of viewing images of a model outside is the voyeuristic element and the risk of being seen or discovered. Because they were shooting so far up, on the 23rd floor, Michael shares they were not aware of any onlookers, but with all of those windows, and those 22 floors of balconies below, it's possible someone looked up and enjoyed more than just the sun, and the blue skies of Atlanta.
Regardless of whether there were any secret spies below, both Michael and Ethan enjoyed their time together. Ethan shares that he would highly recommend any model looking for unique and creative images, to work with Michael. Both model and photographer both commented on how imaginative and collaborate the shoot was.
'My favorite part was how collaborative the shoot was. Michael and I shared equal control over poses and what locations to use.'
Beyond his beauty, one of the most visually striking thing about Ethan is the large tattoo on Ethan's upper left thigh. At first glance, the tattoo looks like a large flower, but if you look closely, you'll notice that flower is being pollinated by a small bee. Whenever a model has a such large, and distinctive tattoo, I'm always curious about the story behind it. Check out the final chapter of the shoot's story, and the story behind Ethan's tattoo on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
Monday, February 27, 2023
Just Because: Warning Label
'The views depicted in this program do not reflect the views of the network, nor society's current views on the social issues presented in story.
I was a little to young to watch Dynasty when it originally aired. My parents did watch Dallas, and since that came on Friday nights, I got to watch a few minutes before being ushered off to bed. I later watched Dallas on TNN and on DVD, but only saw bits and pieces of Dynasty on Youtube and DVD. That didn't mean I wasn't aware of the prime-time soaps line-up of hunks, and have featured several of them on FH over the years.
I was surprised recently to see that Dynasty was going to begin airing on one of my local cable channels. I set the DVR to record the first week to check it out. I was really surprised when the episodes came with a warning, about the subject matter, and the views on certain 'social' issues.
Watching the first few episodes, I understood clearly, the social issue in question was the character of Steven and his sexuality. I'm also guessing, that the word faggot was used many times in the first season. I'm guessing, as the word was muted, but it's the only word that I can guess would have been where the muted word was placed.
I was a little surprised to see the word included in the show, I guess I may have thought that even by the eighties, it wasn't a word that would be ok to included in a prime-time television show. I was wrong... I only watched a few episodes and didn't record any more, I wasn't really getting into the show. Maybe it's a place and time type of thing.
Actor Al Corley sure is certainly purdy to look at, but he wasn't really a gifted thespian, not in the show's first season anyway. I guess I really shouldn't have been that surprised at how the show depicted it's gay, )then bi, then straight, then I think gay again) character. Even shows in the 1990's, 2000's and 2010's have cringe worthy lines when it comes to race and LBGTQ related issues.
It's interesting how shows even in our more recent history, (Friends is one of the best examples) use gay stereotypes as the brunt of so many jokes. I'm currently watching Cougar Town, a show aired through 2015, and in the first few seasons, the gay jokes are plenty, and mostly used to insult a male character about their level of masculinity. I couldn't have guessed a show as seemingly inconsequential as Dynasty would have a warning label, but I'm guessing Friends, and so many other shows from the last twenty years, could one day also surprise new viewers with warnings before their opening credits.
And That's The Way It Was
'A New Style of News...'
I'm sure many of you recognize Jack Lange, one of the hosts of the male version of Naked News. Naked News originally debuted back in 1990 as a web-based series featuring only female anchors. The shows success led to a male version of the show which ran from 2001 to 2007.
The male versions was created as a counter-part to the female version, but ceased production as it did not enjoy the female version's popularity and fame. Although it was originally targeted towards female viewers (at one point said to be 30% of the website's audience), the male show later promoted itself as news from a gay perspective.
Although I never saw any of the original airings, in viewings clips on-line, one of my favorite anchors was host Jack Lange. Jack was a newscaster on the show for 3 years from 2004 through the show's end in 2007. Jack was hired as a full time host after receiving positive feedback viewers after guest hosting the show.
The Ontario born Lange was a natural in front of the camera, in part due to his experience in University as a film student. A career in film wasn't exactly waiting for him however, and he worked a number of part-time and temp jobs as a bartender to pay the bills, as well as financing his athletic passions.
Given his love of fitness and athletics, Jack was in top shape when at 28, he spotted an ad for an audition for Naked News in a local paper. As soon as he made his first appearance as a guest host, the show was flooded with calls and e-mails from viewers demanding that the show bring him back. After a week-long on-air audition, Lange was hired a permanent host.
A couple of more recent shots of Jack, still looking more than news worthy!
Every Inch of Space: Ethan Tate by Michael von Redlich
'There was a lot of trust to try the shots even if we were unsure how’d they turn out, we used every inch of space available to us. :) '
If you check out the previous part of photographer Michael von Redlich and his work with Ethan Tate, you know they indeed utilized almost every possible location, and every nook and cranny in the Airbnb during their shoot. From the living room and balcony, we now move into the more intimate rooms in the apartment with images captured in the bathroom and bedroom.
As we go more intimate with setting, I also wanted to get a little more initiate with the story, and find out what inspired Ethan's tattoo, and the creative choice behind the flower and bee. Turns out, quite a bit. The current version of the tattoo you're viewing,, and are probably zooming in to see better, wasn't the original concept or design. Below, Ethan shares how the flower and bee came grace it's corporeal canvas.
Behind the Scenes
'Originally there was a stick and poke of poor quality there, done when I was only 16. After someone had told me it made them lose all attraction to me, I decided it was time to cover it up as it was done in a particularly edgy time of my life and I no longer felt represented by the image it held. '
'At age 19, sometime in the summer. I visited a recommended artist by the name Alyssa. She had just come out of school and at that point, was working for her teacher. Her portfolio was impressive so I trusted her with responsibility of covering the original piece.'
'During senior year I had been tasked with the study of a selected insect, I so happened to have Honey Bees as mine. After long hours of study and writing about bees I felt inspired and infatuated with them. Bees are absolutely wonderful and docile creatures'
If you looked closely, you may have noticed that the honey bee pollinating the flower isn't the only Apis mellifera drawn to and on Ethan's body and skin. Ethan plans on getting even more bee related tattoo applied in the future.
Not only have honey bee's become a keen interest and passion for Ethan, they have also become a unique form of connection. Many of Ethan's friends also share a love of bees, with some being actual beekeepers. Even one of Ethan's employers, Carnal Media's LeGrand Wolf has a passion for bees. Wolf, along with husband, are both beekeepers, spending their off time, tending to their bee colonies and hives.
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