'I'm looking forward to finally broadening my horizons and telling a story... and I've got some good ones.'
FH readers know how important 'story' is with the composition of the site. I strive to share not just great images, but the story and process of their creation. Each time I spotlight the work of photographer, filmmaker and storyteller Shax Carter, the story is told through a series of shoots, creating a multidimensional portrait of the model in focus. As I've expressed in my previous posts featuring his work, (HERE:) Shax uses almost a documentary style approach, focusing on one model over a extended period of time.
For this series of the stories, the model is Leo, someone Shax has known and worked with since the summer of 2018. Leo didn't start out as a model however, he worked with Shax as an assistant and camera operated for months before finally expressing to Shax his desire to try modeling, and move to the other side of the camera. Throughout the remainder of that year, they traveled around the country shooting and creating a substantial body of photographic work.
It wasn't until months into the process, with dozens and shoots, and thousands of photos, that the idea of a book came up. There was so much material in fact, Shax assembled his work into four separate volumes, (HERE) featuring over 700 images of Leo shot both in studio, and on location. The first volume is an introduction that work, with the subsequent three volumes featuring Leo in different locations, characters and and more intimate and erotic adventures and stories.
This series of images comes from the third volume, shot when the creative pair headed to Alaska. Although each of the books showcases many layers of Leo, this series combines Leo's charm and sensual appeal with panoramic vies of the 49th state. Over the years, I've featured several models from Alaska, and several movies filmed there, I believe this is the first time, I've featured a shoot actually shot there.
Most of us know Alaska from movies, and from what we've read, and seen on television. I think more than any other state, the incredible visuals trigger themes of fire and ice. The state is known as The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun, not to mention the masturbation capital of the world. I'm guessing more so, in those Northernmost cities, that experience complete darkness for about two months a year.
How was Leo's transition from assistant to model?
He was pretty confident until we were about to get started. I could sense some nervousness initially, so the very first thing we did was a shoot in the shower, where he was mostly behind glass. I think that gave him time to boost his momentum, and after that piece of photography he was able to regain his confidence, and he soared through the rest of the day. After the shower photography, we spent the rest of that day shooting against a black backdrop, and it was designed to be an easy shoot for him.
Which shoot focus did you find the most creatively rewarding?
The most creatively rewarding shots were the ones where we added a theme. Finding locations, and placing the character he came up with in those locations was a lot of fun for both of us. Oftentimes we would extend the shoot, because of all the ideas we had.
What inspired the travel? Were you traveling for work anyway?
The different locations are really a big part of the books? Most of the shoots were done locally. It started in a simple studio setting, and gradually broke out further each time. The shoots kept building and eventually when we needed to travel, we would take some time and do a little mini shoot wherever we were. This was the first time I had really done this for fun and not work, so over a full summer we amassed a good deal of photos.
What took you to Alaska?
I wanted to go someplace I had never been, and we decided on Alaska. It was after that was decided, as the date grew closer, that Leo said he wanted to be a cowboy. So we went to a western store and got the whole wardrobe and accessories. The Alaska shoot became the first cowboy shoot I had done.
Having shot the nude male form is so many locations, how does Alaska compare?
I would say Alaska was the easiest, because there was really no one around. It was October, and we weren't in any city, so we were completely free to roam around and discover areas to shoot. Alaska really lent itself to the concept of the cowboy and I don't think it could have worked better.
What were your biggest impressions, and best moments from your time in Alaska?
My biggest impression of Alaska was the beauty of the land. The mountains were glorious. We took a ski lift up to the top on one of the mountains and had dinner one evening. It was amazing.
At one point during the shooting process, did the idea of the book come about?
We were always talking about what to do with the photos when we were done. Leo really wanted to make a book, and craft it by hand, using leather, measured pieces of wood, hinges, the works. It would have been huge, and there would have been only one. Eventually that idea fell by the wayside, and nothing was really done with the photos for a few years.
What section was your favorite to shoot? What was Leo's?
Aside from Alaska, my favorite shoot would have been the Biker shoot, as that was a lot of fun and we had to go and select the leather wardrobe, which was a fun process to get everything to look right. Leo really liked creating the picnic in the park, walking around with, and playing his guitar.
What was your favorite part about working with Leo?
My favorite part of working with Leo had to have been his creativity and always wanting to shoot more and more photos based on his ideas. He was leading the charge, always adding another shoot. Leo really had a vision. What started out as a fun thing to do on a rainy day, turned into a summer of effort, led by Leo and his creativity.
You can preview more images of Shax Carter's work with Leo, and check out each of the four volumes on Blurb HERE:
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