'The first time I saw his portfolio, I knew I wanted to have a session with him.'
When I first started FH, I wasn't on any social media sites. The only site I really used to connect with models and photographers was Model Mayhem. The site is still there, but I don't go there very often anymore. It's like a Ghost town. I still like checking out the POTD contest, but these days, there are rarely more than a few entries. Fewer and fewer artists use it, and most have long stopped checking any messages that might be left for them there.
At it's peak however, it was 'the' place for models and photographers to connect. So many of the artists and models that I have featured on FH, I first connected with on MM. It was on MM that I first connected with JGH Photography. He shared his work with model Hansel Wellington who I first featured almost 10 years ago. (Point of Convergence) It was Hansel, who later connected me with photographer Tom Nakielski from Lights On Studio.
I used to ask models what there experience was like on the MM site. I was aware, that although it was used by many legitimate photographers. it was a site also used by porn company's and people with camera's looking to shoot nude models in situations beyond classic male physique style poses.... Many models shared 'interesting' stories about some of the jobs, and themes they were offered. Given Tom is not shooting these days, I have been asking him to dig back into his archives. For this shoot, I asked Tom about Spencer, the first model he connected and worked with because of Model Mayhem.
'Spencer was the first model that I found on MM. I was new, he was new. The first time I saw his portfolio, I knew I wanted to have a session with him. Spencer didn't really have any specific goals, he was new to modeling, and just wanted to build his portfolio. We never discussed nudes. His profile said that he didn't do nudes. I really didn't suggest anything too erotic, mostly stuck to fitness and fashion.'
What was he like to work with, did he require much direction?
He was very mellow and at ease. He naturally fell into poses. He holds himself so confidently that he didn't need to do much to look good. He was determined to make the poses work. The wheel pose where he is pushing up from the floor was very did difficult to do. The wheel kept rolling as he pushed up from the floor. But he persisted until we where able to capture the moment.
Sometimes a circular object can really highlight the lines and contrast with the curves of the human body. The inspiration for this set of images came from a photo Tom had see of a model posing with garbage can lids. Tom liked the photos, and the graphic elements involved. Tom had be hoping to try something similar. Although it wasn't planned, fortuitously someone had left two old bicycle tires in the studio Tom was using and as you can see, they became an important element in this series of shots.
'Since this was my first session with a MM model. I was nervous about how it would go. Spencer was very easy going and cooperative. His graceful movement was a sight to behold. Poetry in motion.'
Check out more of Tom's work with Spencer, minus the wheel, on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
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