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Saturday, October 7, 2023
Entering Feast Mode
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
to all those celebrating this weekend!
Canada's Thanksgiving holiday sneaks up on me every year. It seems summer is barely over, and it's already Turkey Day for Canucks. In a way, it's a nice way to begin the Autumn season and have a bit separation between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
In Canada, the holiday is a harvest celebration, it's about eating and expressing gratitude for the fruits and vegetables gathered and produced. So, to those celebrating today; peel those vegetables, then peel off your plaid and spend a bit of time enjoying your day, hopefully, with a favorite hunk nearby.
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Sweat Corn: Jason by Shax Carter
' A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.'
Anne Bronte
Although there are many similarities between Canadian Thanksgiving and their neighbors to the south, there are also some distinct differences. The origins of the Canadian day of thanks are not rooted in mythical feast bringing together Native Americans and Pilgrims.
Americans model their holiday on a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the English colonists. The first few Thanksgiving holidays in Canada were intended to thank God for keeping explorers safe as they traveled to the New World. Over time, Canadian Thanksgiving evolved to express gratitude to God for a bountiful Fall harvest.
In America, Thanksgiving takes place on the forth Thursday in November. In Canada, it's celebrated on the second Monday in October. The meals are the same, although Canadians tend to be a little less creative with their sides. It isn't common to find mac and cheese at a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner, just the Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and plenty of vegetables.
For most Canadians, the more vegetables the better. Given the meal is to celebrate harvest, there's usually plenty of fresh in-season vegetables to balance out all that dressing and gravy. Since the holiday is about harvest, it seemed appropriate to head out to a field, in this case a field of corn.
Some of you might recognize Jason, the hottie posing between the corn stacks. I featured Jason's work with photographer Shax Carter last year, and I loved this series, and saved them to use during Harvest Season. You can check out more of Shax's work with Jason in the previous posts HERE:
Check out more hot hunks frolicking in the corn field, and showing off their stalks on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
12 Days: Antonio Cupo in Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade
'An eager Thanksgiving parade coordinator is shocked when a wealthy consultant is hired to analyze its finances. Faced with teaching him that the parade means so much more to her than money, she finds herself reluctantly falling for him.'
Thanksgiving is one of the most difficult holidays to find a movie to spotlight in my holiday 12 Days posts. I've managed to find a few over the years, but I think I tapped out some of the best. This year, I went to back to 2012, and to my old staple with Hallmark movies with Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
OK, so Canada doesn't exactly have a Thanksgiving Day parade, well, not one as iconic as the Macy's parade in New York City. There is however, a version in Ontario, The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade isn't really that well known outside of Ontario, but it takes place every October duringThanksgiving day weekend.
The Hallmark version, although set during Thanksgiving, has more of the feel and look of one of their Christmas films. I chose it, not because it was great cinema, I actually fast forwarded through most of it. I chose it because of it's romantic leading man. I'd already been planning a post on actor Antonio Cupo, so when I saw he was in this holiday film, the choice was made for me.
I've crushed over Antonio for years, I think going back to his brief flash of upper butt in an early episode of The L Word. I tried to get into the show, but didn't stick with it, but watched long enough to see Antonio as studly Beck Bishop.
You can check out caps from his The L Word episode, plus more of my favorite Antonio images on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
Lost in the Moment: Zachary by Rob Colgan
'Shooting outside in the fall was very invigorating to the senses! Being surrounded by the fall colors, feeling the crisp air, and submerging myself in the cool water made it easy to get lost in the moment and meld into the environment.'
When photographer Rob Colgan sent images from his shoot with Zachary, I couldn't wait to share them on the site. I'm usually a rather impatient person, but I knew I wanted to wait until Autumn, and the right time to use them. Canadian Thanksgiving seemed the perfect time for a number of reasons.
This series of images were shot in October, the time where in most locations in the North East, Autumn colors are at their peak. I'm also incredibly thankful for my connection with Rob Colgan, who's work I've had the privilege to share for over a decade now. I also especially love this shoot. Not only were they taken during my favorite season, they also feature the stunning Zachary, a model I first featured last Christmas, when he helped decorate Gordon Nebeker's Christmas Tree. (HERE:)
Zachary first connected with Rob last year through a mutual friend who had previously modeled for Rob. Their initial creative collaboration was so successful, they've now worked together three times. These shots, are from their third shoot together. Each time, Zachary made the almost 3 hour commute from Indiana to Columbus to meet up with Rob.
'Zachary is an incredibly energetic guy, with a background in pole dancing and acrobatics. We connected through Instagram after I became aware of his artistic movement-oriented images. Our initial shoot was wonderful, with Zachary eagerly rolling with any ideas. He was also quick to toss in his own! Zachary's also a perfectionist - attempting certain gymnastic poses over and over until he felt his body was creating the best form possible. '
'Working with Rob is always an adventure! We both have a love for finding beauty in abandoned and forgotten places that have been left to the elements. It’s a very special thing to walk into a shoot and have full trust in a photographer, and I know every time I work with Rob I can trust his vision without question'
What I love so much about outdoor shoots, especially with Rob's work, is the captured connection between the model with their environment. Through the images, and through the model's interaction, contact and touch with the location, The viewer can almost feel, or at least imagine, what they're experiencing. On this particular Autumn afternoon, I certainly got a hint of crisp Autumn air Zachary described, and sensed the coolness of the damp leaves and cold water against his skin.
'With a weird warming spell, we were able to strike out into the beautiful woods near a metro park and capture the crisp mood of Fall. Of course, Zachary was undaunted by the suggestion of hopping into the frigid river for more.
I truly enjoy working with this guy. He understands the desire to elevate image making beyond the basic and puts his entire efforts into the process. He's a rare gem of a model and I look forward to whatever the next year may bring.'
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