Friday, February 7, 2025
Favorite Pic of the Day for February 8th
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A Vintage Vantage:
FH viewers know I love a good story. The story of AGM model John Davidson and his modeling career is definitely an interesting one, but also a short one with a sad ending. See, and find out more on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
Power Play:
It is okay to exist as you are and just celebrate everything you are and be authentic in that. 🫶 🌈
Many of you may have read the story of a homophobic reply to a post on the San Jose Sharks Twitter page. The reply was in response to the unveiling last month of a new logo from artist Melissa Marzan. The story was connected the NHL team’s annual Pride Night. The LGBTQ community, and especially members of the hockey community, did not stay silent.
In the replies to the troll, there were many who pushed back, including posting an image of Stanley Cup Champion Sidney Crosby wearing a Progress jersey from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Pride game last March. Many other images were shared of other players and teams supporting Pride Events. The most effective reply may have been simply the word 'Really' from hockey player Tom Garneau.
Garneau, a player and Vice-President with Vancouver’s Cutting Edges, an LGBTQ hockey association. replied with a photo of himself kissing husband Damien Verhagen. The shot was taken on the ice after Garneau's game during the Palm Springs International Pride Hockey Tournament.
The images of the married couple went viral, with, both Garneau and Vergagen have become social media superstars. So popular as influencers, they are now getting many sponsors including LVW, a brand of Dutch undies both posed in for a post.
The story had a personal connection for me, having grown up playing hockey, and in hockey locker rooms. I remember the word 'faggot' being thrown around often, not just about someone they thought was gay, but someone they thought was weak. I remember mostly sitting silently during these times. I remember speaking up few times, defending the guy being made fun of. Looking back though, not strongly enough. I was too scared at the time the focus would then turn to, and on me.
I could never imagined a few decades later that queer hockey players would not just be out, but be celebrated. Now it doesn't hurt that Garneau and Vergagen are both incredibly hot, but that's just fine with me. Representation matters, and with representation, especially during times like now, when LGBTQ rights are under attack, visuals are important. Regardless of who they sleep with, hot hockey players always grab attention, they certainly grabbed me.
Random Strangers, Random Exposures
Random Strangers: People you don't know and have no prior connection with. The Unknown
For me, one of the most interesting parts about shooting the male form is the element of the random stranger. Over the years, I've interviewed hundreds of models and photographers, and most of them began their first creative collaboration as complete unknowns, as strangers. Some models and photographers certainly do form a professional relationship, and many work together multiple times. Most however, are freelancers, with the shoot being a one-off, with the two creators not likely to see one another again.
We've all had one-off experiences at work, days where we meet and work with someone just for the day, or for a specific project. Most of those experiences however, don't require one party to be completely naked, exposed and venerable to the eye and the skill level of another. Although they may only work together once, the visual results live on long after.
This connection between unknowns is a theme I continue to enjoy exploring. Finding out how two random strangers form such a short-lived but incredibly intimate creative relationship. This series of images of Joe, shot by George from Random Exposures, is a great illustration of why I'm so fascinated with the theme.
When I was asking George about the shoot, and what he remembered about Joe, the information was scarce. Despite the fact that George shot Joe in his home, his bathroom, his kitchen, and laying naked on his bed, he knew very little about him. Joe answered an add for models that George had placed on Craigslist. Joe wanted nude photo of himself, but didn't share why. He told George he'd seen his photos on-line, and really wanted to shoot, so much so, he drove the 180 miles round trip to George's home in Venice Beach for the shoot.
The shoot was unpaid, meaning the only exchange was George sharing with Joe a copy of the finished photos. George remembers that Joe seemed perfectly comfortable posing nude, and didn't express any reservations, or any boundaries about what George could shoot. Despite Joe being up for anything, George began as he usually does, with clothed shots, first along the Venice Beach boardwalk. Although they took a few shirtless shots, the boardwalk was far too crowded to attempt any nudes, even implied.
Although Joe seemed open to stripping down outside on boardwalk, George thought it best to wait, so they headed back to George's home and home studio. Once there, they shot in most of the rooms in George's home. Although he was generally pretty quiet, during the shoot, Joe did start to talk and open up a bit.
It's surprises me how many of the models I've featured have decided to pose nude just before, or just after enlisting in the military. For Joe it was the Navy, and he had just enlisted, and was about to leave for the East Coast for training. I think there's an emotional elevation whenever you're about to embark, or have just returned, from a risky, life and death situation.
These elevated emotions can sometimes impact every part of a person's life. They can also lead to individuals wanting to push beyond their usual personal boundaries. For a time, their life was, or soon will be, completely out of their hands. In response, many people look for ways to exhibit control, especially with erotic engagements.
Check out more of George's work with Joe, this time, in the room generally considered the most popular room in the house, on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
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