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Rock Solid by takeapic4u
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Friday, November 10, 2023
Remembrance:
'A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.'
Bob Dylan
Over the years, I've featured many veterans on the blog. Many photographers and performers, and also many models. It initially surprised me to hear that a model I was featuring, one still in their late twenties or thirties, was a veteran. So many enlisted and served overseas, to then return home and find things had changed, and their lives were in flux.
So many had relationships change while they were away, and so many needed to find work, a focus and a direction. Many needed something very different than the life they previously were living. Several shared their stories of turning to modeling as a new challenge, something fun and artistic, something a million miles away from what they experienced during their service.
Most didn't model for very long, it was a fun diversion during the transition period between their military duties, and the duties that life demands of all of us. I think of those models often, not just their images, but the stories they shared. On this Veterans and Remembrance Day, I truly hope every veteran who checks out FH from time to time, and the many veterans who have contributed to the site, know how much so many of us respect and value not only their service, but the sacrifices they made, the trauma they endured, and the burdens many continue to carry.
Picket Whines
The SAG-AFTRA strike ended this week, so actors, those with job, will soon be going back to work. As much as I support the actors and the issues they were fighting for, (residuals, AI issues) I wonder if there were any lessons learned. I love my entertainment, but during this strike, there was little to nothing I really cared about missing. The main network show I watch, Survivor, stayed in production. although I occasionally watch a couple of network sit-coms, I wasn't passionate enough about any of them to care very much.
I do watch shows on streaming, but I'm so far behind in my watching, I still have hours and hours to catch up on. In addition, some streaming shows take so long, sometimes years, between seasons, that a six month delay isn't that big a deal. Think of Stranger Things, the third season aired in 2019, and the forth season didn't premiere until 2022.
I really noticed a lot of whining from so many actors, and I'm not talking about the issues. I'm talking about them whining about other actors, and judging the behavior of others in their own guild. I mentioned a red haired actress from Abbott Elementary who was publicly critical of others actors not as 'passionate' about union issues as she was. From soap operas to Halloween costumes, she always had something to say, most of it, in a disrespectful way.
I think of Stephen Amell, who got lambasted for his views early in the strike. Unlike the actress from Abbott, Amell didn't have a job he could count on to go back to. The second season of Heels was just released, and am sure he wanted to promote it to help ensure a season three. He didn't get to, and the show was cancelled. I'm not sure if the strike had anything to do with it, but it may have played a part in the decision. Amell has made a lot of money, so no tears for him, but I'm sure there were many who worked on Heels, who are barely getting by, and really needed a season 3 to support themselves and their family. The whining and complaining of some high profile actors really had me caring less about the outcome. Then of course, I remembered the strike wasn't about them, but the thousands of actors barely making a living. Too bad many A and B listers didn't get that memo.
Alain Delon
William Zabka: Postscript
I have to acknowledge, that I'm not really a huge fan of William (Billy) Zabka's work. I didn't really love The Karate Kid, nor have I caught any of Cobra Kai. My zeal for Zabka came after seeing him after a family trip to the video store when I was a kid. One of the movies we returned with was the 1986 comedy Back to School.
Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story (1984)
When I got a little older, I notice some of Zabka's shirtless pin-ups in old teen magazines, and promo shots for his projects including these promotional shots shots with actor Stephen Macht for the 1984 CBS School Break Special, Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story. (1984) Given the story was about drunk driving, I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but there is something highly homoerotic about the shots. They'd be perfect for a Carnal video, if Carnal was making younger/older videos in the 1980's.
This past September, I did a 12 Days post featuring Billy in his red speedo from Back to School. (HERE:) When I was searching for shots for the piece, I ended up with a few extra shots of William that weren't from movie, and didn't fit into the piece.
The Karate Kid
Some of the shots were from the 1985 comedy, Just One of the Guys. This was another flick I saw on VHS when I was a kid. Some of you may remember the film, a high school female student pretends to be a boy. The premise for why she did it was a bit flimsy, but it was an enjoyable watch.
I posted about the film before, but looking for shots of William, had me thinking it was time to give it another look. Check out my caps and clips, as well as one of William's cute co-stars from the film, who's nudity resume needed some further investigation. Check it out on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
takeapic4u: Forest of Flesh
'I love to shoot the nude form in nature. Is there anywhere else, that is more beautiful?'
I so many fairy tales and children's stories, the forest is often depicted as a dangerous place. A scary, dark and shadowed filled maze of bushes and tree's, with wolves, witches and ogre's waiting to pounce and devour us. In truth, forest can be dangerous and many bad things have occurred inside them.
Because they can be so vast and secluded, people have gotten lost, and many bodies have been found within the woodlands. Although you're not likely to come upon a witch or a dragon, you just might meet a wolf, a coyote or a snake. Less scary, yet also dangerous, are the insects and ticks that are just waiting to fasten to your flesh.
For so many of us however, especially in the gay community, the woods are not only a safe space, but a sanctuary. When I was a kid, and things got rough at home, I headed into the woods. I'd run through the tree's until exhausted, then sit by the lake for hours. I had my first cigarette, stolen from my mother's pack, in the woods. I had my first sip of alcohol, lemon gin, (barf) in the woods.
The woods is also intrinsically connected with sexuality and sex. I have a vivid memory as a kid, heading into the woods with some of my friends. One of them had stolen a Playboy from their dad, and it was in the woods we went to check it out. I also remember a few games of 'I'll show you mine, if you show me yours' in a secluded place in the forest.
It's also part of the culture and history of gay men, that the woods, were a place they could safely go to meet up and have sex. Although men still meet up in the forest, the risk factor have changed. There was time, when being gay could get you put in jail, or even killed, that the woods was one of the safer spots to be yourself and connect, with others.
It makes sense then, that many photographers head outside, and into the forest, to shoot the nude male form. There are other reason of course, nature is a brilliant, and less expensive, studio space. Even in the forest, if you find just the right space, you can utilize the natural light from the sun. The backgrounds beat the hell out of anything you can find in a studio, and the brilliant colors, act to accentuate the natural beauty of the male form.
One of my favorite photographers of the nude male form in nature is Dave Larson. (takeapic4u) I have been featuring the Iowa based artist's work since 2016, and most of the shoots I've featured were shot in the great outdoors. (HERE:) During a recent visit to Dave's portfolio, I noticed many of his shots, and many of his models, that I hadn't featured before. I asked Dave if I choose some of my favorites to put together for a post. As you can see, Dave agreed, and also answered some of my questions about his photos from the forest.
Shooting outside in the woods, you must have struggled with weather, maybe animals and insects, poison Ivy. Any stories?
There is always a threat of weather, so plan alternate dates for rain or whatever, but mostly haven’t had too much trouble. My favorite photo series is what I call “Dirty Nature”. It is tongue in cheek and includes beautiful models that are all dirty/muddy and natural settings. It started with a college aged model, early 20’s that I had done High School Sr. pics for and had wanted to get into modeling. We decided to do the standard set of photos to start his portfolio. Dress clothes, casual clothes, swimwear, underwear and some nudes. We shot the swimwear along the river and then moved to nudes and he took off the trunks and stepped into mud up to about his knee. Dang it! Didn’t plan on that.
Instead of stepping back and into the water to wash it off, he took another step in and started to slowly smear the mud over his well-defined, lean body. Over his torso and on his face the mud was spread. As it started to dry in the warm sunshine, it started to turn shades of grey and gave the appearance of a sculpture. I let him continue with this unscripted portion of the shoot and didn’t know what we were creating, but knew it felt interesting. The series/creativity grew from that moment and since then a lot of people have enjoyed the results. And to my surprise, he shared the photos, all of them with his mom of all people and she loved the nudes of her son covered in mud and looking like an artifact of a statue garden in a far away place. Gotta love it when mom loves it.
Have you ever been spotted by people passing by or hikers while shooting a nude model?
It is always on my mind to avoid passers-by. Although I have zero shame about what I see as the art we are creating, I do focus on where we are and what we are doing as to not create attention. Some would be offended, and the last thing I want is to negatively impact ANYONE doing these photos.
There was a time I was shooting a model in Des Moines in the river. We were in a quite secluded spot that he had picked. I knew nothing about Des Moines locations. We had shot for a couple of hours, all nudes, mud, the whole ball of wax, and he was in the river bathing it off as I was snapping more photos, when out of nowhere a whole canoe of older ladies floated up! He was in about waist deep water and facing away from me…you probably know the photo already, its one of my all time favorites. I don’t think it took them much time to realize he wasn’t wearing swim trunks and they smiled, waved and laughed as they rounded the next bend. I laughed and he smiled and shook his head. I could see he was bright red through the mud on his face. Ha.
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