'Untroubled by the judgments of others, Marek is remarkably at ease with himself, exhibiting an admirable degree of comfort in his own skin.'
So many people spend their entire lives working to be untroubled by the judgements of others. Marek, who's not yet 20, has skipped the years of stress most of us go through. On a recent visit to the Bodytorium website, looking for a model to bug photographer Phil Diab about featuring, I was immediately drawn to his images with Marek. Sure, he has an incredibly hot body, but there was also something about his eyes, about his smile, that had wanting to learn more about him.
Like we all do when we see an image, I made a few assumptions. His magnificent physique would let anyone know that Marek has a fervor for fitness. Phil confirmed this, sharing that Marek works hard at improving and perfecting his weightlifting, calisthenics and gymnastics skills. But there was something else that jumped out through Phil's images, and Marek's poses, and demeanor in front of the camera.
There was such a sense of comfort and ease. Marek wasn't just flexing and stretching, he really looked like he was enjoying himself and having fun. It was more than just his big smile in some of the shots, but a distinct aura he exuded in almost everyone of the over 500 images on the Bodytorium site.
I've featured quite a few models who look like they stripped off their clothes at gunpoint, and would rather be doing anything else than modeling nude. Although reluctancy can be played with artistically, when it's real, it's hard to hide and can make it difficult to really enjoy the images, no matter how the model is, or how great the images might be.
Marek's comfortability and ease draws the viewer in, increasing both the level of enjoyment, and erotic appeal of his work in front of the camera. Phil confirmed, that in addition to being comfortable with who he was, Marek had a unique ability to make all those he encountered feel at ease and comfortable by just being around him.
'Marek embodies down-to-earth authenticity, positivity, self-assuredness, and amiability. Our initial encounter at a bustling Bratislava food court felt like reuniting with a longtime friend, immediately comfortable and familiar. The subsequent nude photoshoot was just as relaxed.'
Phil, Bodytorium
Even with his natural confidence and comfortability with who he is, I'm also quite sure Phil had a lot to do with Marek feeling at ease, especially given this was his first nude photo shoot. Phil also seems to have the gift of making others feel at ease, and if you've spent much time on Bodytorium, you can see why. As much as I love Phil's images, I also especially love the behind the scenes videos of his shoots that he shares.
Although Phil captures classic physique poses, given he works so often with young models, he knows it helps a model feel more relaxed, if they're on the move. Posing totally nude can be challenging enough, but having to stand perfectly still, doesn't always help. Phil always includes plenty of movement, from exercising in studio, to just running around and playing during his location shoots in the woods. Some of my favorites shots from Phil are of models moving, hanging in tree's, or doing handstands, like Marek is doing below.
Phil is also open to models bringing someone else along, a friend or buddy who also adds to their level of comfort. Sometimes those buddies see how much fun their friend is having and want a shoot of their own. For Marek, it wasn't a buddy, but a girlfriend Marek brought to his first meeting and shoot with Phil. Although he's open to friends, Phil doesn't usually enjoy girlfriends tagging along, as they can sometimes lead to everyone feeling a little awkward during the shooting process.
'The awkwardness didn't las too long because Marek is so down to earth and comforting. His girlfriend said almost right away that she'd leave soon and "do her own stuff". I did invite her to my place at least for a coffee, just to make the couple feel welcome and comfortable. I still think that being photographed naked by an almost complete stranger is a "leap of faith", especially for guys who have never done this sort of thing. But I do my best (within possible means) to get to know the models ahead of time as much as possible, reminding them that "the less we feel like strangers, the more comfortable we'll both feel.'
Marek's comfortability extends far beyond modeling, fitness and his physical appearance. He loves driving and has knack for almost all forms of handiwork. Marek also enjoys exploring FX trading, and playing the guitar. His goal is to become good enough to one day play guitar in front of an audience.
Marek is a very good-hearted man. He wants to live a "simple life" -- have a wife and kids and be able to provide for his family. He's also goofy in a funny kind of way, not ashamed to "make an ass of himself" just to put people at ease or to make them laugh.'
If you want to see more of Marek, you can check out the 3 galleries, with close to 600 images on Bodytorium HERE: You can also check out Phil's store on Amazon featuring his first two books, (a third is on the way) and his 2024 calendars, Young Men in Nature, and Nothing to Hide. Young Men from Slovakia. Check them out HERE:
1 comment:
Wow! That is quite a spread!
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