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Nihal by studioAtruong
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Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Reading Between the Lines...
Not sure why, but I was alerted by a blog reader that Blogger now insists readers 'log in' in order to check out FH. I noticed the hit count went down drastically overnight, and this change explains it. If you're reading this now, you obviously have a Google or Gmail, and appreciate you sticking in. Hopefully this will correct itself quickly and readers without a Google account will get one, or find their way back!
Blast From The Past: Zack Taylor
FH readers know how much I love watching, and learning about, those actors in soft-core films from the 70's and 80's. Since most are not streaming, or readily available, that means it's posters on sites and forms devoted to the male form in cinema who provide most of the valuable caps and information.
I had never heard of actor Zack Taylor until seeing a post about his nude scenes, and brief film career, on Dreamcap. Thanks to the posters there, I was able to watch and enjoy three of his movies and share the results with you! Check out scenes from his career, and some full frontal differences between the VHS and DVD release of one of his films on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
Blame Him!
'Go ahead, blame me. I take full responsibility for the eye and ear damage you may have suffered while watching David Hasselhoff in all his junk TV glory.'
I'm currently reading, and loving, author Joel Thurm's 'Sex, Drugs, Pilot Season: Confessions of a Casting Director. I listened to Joel on a podcast and was really intrigued to hear and read more of his time in Hollywood. Thrum worked for several studios in the 70's, 80's and 90's and participated in the casting of many of the television shows and movies I grew up watching.
The book is far more than Thurm's comments about David Hasselhoff, but.. given the book begins with a prologue is titled David Hasselhoff: Blame Me!, it's fair the actor has become a bit of talking point when it comes to the book. Thurm was responsible for casting Hasselhoff in three of his biggest projects. It was Thrum who suggested the actor for his first big role on The Young and the Restless, and went on to play a role in the actors turns on both Knight Rider and Baywatch.
The Year Thurm cast Hasselhoff on the CBS daytime soap, he had just come off filming the 1976 sex comedy, Revenge of the Cheerleaders. Given the film included the actors only known nude scene, this post was also a good excuse to look back at the Hoff's full frontal in the shower scene.
Although Thurm makes a few good natured jabs at Hasselhoff and his career, he also is clear to point out how physically beautiful David was when they met. He was also kind, and audiences loved him. It was fascinatingly to read the long list of actors considered for Knight Rider. Each of them, including Hasselhoff initially, turned down the role. Eventually, Hasselhoff got on board, and was prefect for a role and show, that was never meant to be taken too seriously.
While working at NBC, Thurm cast many of the network's biggest hits, including L.A Law. Casting actor Harry Hamlin to wear all those suits as a lawyer wasn't the first time Thurm was struck by the handsome actor. The first time he saw him, Hamlin wasn't in a suit, but completely naked in a stage production of Equus.
I'm almost half-way through the book and have been pleasantly surprised how much I'm enjoying it. I bought the book for the stories of the casting for movies and television shows I knew and was familiar with. I actually haven't gotten there yet, I'm at the point that Thurm is casting the 2 American parts (Brad and Janet) in 1975's The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I love Thurm's comment Susan Sarandan likes to 'fuck up', upwards, which is why her affair with co-star Barry Bostwick didn't last long. Married to Chris Sarandan when she was cast, she quickly moved into a relationship with Bostwick, only to end that quickly when she realized there were bigger fish to fry.
I also really enjoyed reading about Thurm's time in New York casting for Broadway. I loved his stories working with Pearl Baily. (and actress I knew of, but knew nothing about) I wasn't aware of the impact of Baily's time in Hello Dolly was, and enjoyed reading about the show, and other productions, actors and producers he interacted with in New York. It was Baily who eventually brought Thurm to Hollywood, asking him to join her on her short lived variety series.
If any of these stories intrigued you as much as they intrigued me, you can buy Sex, Drugs, Pilot Season: Confessions of a Casting Director on Amazon HERE:
Island Spirit: Nihal by studioAtruong
'COVID-19 and life got in the way for a few years, and I missed photography and working with models.'
It's difficult to define passion. We all have things that love and enjoy but we're not passionate about all of them. Passion is more intense and at times, even all-consuming. This means for most of us, we're really only able to channel passion into one thing at a time.
Many amateur photographers are passionate about their hobby. They have to be. With most having full time day jobs, they must fit it into the few precious hours they have to spare. Given passions don't usually garner much profit, it's their passion that compels them. A love of the male form in art, and their love of capturing the perfect shot that drives the to continue.
Passion may be difficult to define, but it's not difficult to see, or to feel in visuals of the human form. We've all seen 'professional' photographers with an almost 'cut and paste' and 'paint by number' approach to their work. Despite shooting some of the worlds hottest men, they use the same poses, the same backgrounds and set-ups with each model.
Instead of a creative set-up to highlight the unique qualities of the model, they use contrived things like having model with their name written across t heir chest, to distinguish one shoot, and one model, from another. It's not that these images can be powerful, especially with the right model, it's just they're like processed food, tasty in the moment, but not especially substantial in the long run.
When I first discovered the work of amateur photographer Alain, (studioAtruong) I was immediately drawn to the passion for the male form that I felt and observed in his imagery. By day, Alain deals with the stresses of working in the corporate world, but when he's able, he channels all his creatively and passion into photographing dramatically powerful images of the male form.
I first discovered Alain's work back in 2013 and was fortunate to have featured many of shoots over the next three years. (HERE:) Unfortunately life, work and the pandemic, meant Alain had to suppress his creative urges, at least for awhile. But like most passions, it couldn't be quashed for long. I was thrilled then, to hear that Alain has recently been able to get behind the camera again with a new shoot.
Alain's work is always erotically charged and his goal is always to capture the individual qualities in the men that he shoots. As much as he loves the male form, Alain is equally, maybe even more so, drawn to faces. The goal, to capture a sensual symmetry of body, mind and the unique spirituality of the model in focus.
Given how much he missed his time behind the lens, Alain wanted to make the most of his time with Nihal. Alain shares that Nihal exuded a warmth and calming, an almost Zen energy that he really wanted to visually capture. it didn't hurt that Nihal's featured and demeanor reminded Nihal of a slightly younger Jason Momoa, including his distinct Island spirit.
'I greatly enjoyed working with Nihal because he was completely at ease in his own skin and was comfortable in or out of his clothes. I'm grateful for the opportunity to capture his essence and beauty.'
Alain shot so many images, set-ups and themes with Nihal, I didn't want to leave any out! Check out more from Alain's work with Nihal on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
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