' I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.'
Dr. Suess
When featuring a shoot that I really love, one of the themes that I love to explore is balance. I don't mean balance as in visual symmetry or the composition of elements, I mean balance as in strength. Most of my favorite images, and some of the best shoots, involve a visual equilibrium between model and location.
We've all seen shoots where the model is swallowed up by their surroundings. Both in outside locations, and sometimes even in studio, an inexperienced model can easily be absorbed into the background. This can be particularly true when the location being used is exceptionally stunning.
It's not so much that model's beauty has to match their surroundings, although in this case, it does, it's more that they to have to meet the moment by utilizing and interacting with all that surrounds them. When I see a model posing with an incredibly majestic old tree, I don't want to see them simply standing in front of it, I want to see them touching it, feeling it, and becoming a part of it's world.
That's exactly what Seth Peterson does in this series of images from photographer Michael von Redlich. When Michael and Seth headed to Sycamore Creek in Arizona, Seth wanted to do more than just hit poses, he wanted to experience all that the National forest and desert had to offer.
When I first went through the hundreds of images from this shoot, I couldn't help but feel that Michael was capturing 'Seth's big adventure.' The images were filled with Seth running and jumping, climbing tree's and scaling large rocks and taking in all that the space had to offer. It was clear that Seth was more than a match for his surroundings, with Michael keeping pace with the energy, capturing each and every moment.
Many of you know Seth from his work in adult films since he burst onto the scene with his work with Helix Studios. Seth is a natural in front of the camera, both digital and film, and his beauty and talent have brought him a legion of admirers and fans. Michael first connected with Seth back in 2022 when he did a shoot with Seth and fellow performer Aiden Garcia.
'I had been talking to Seth for a while to coordinate things for a shoot but it wasn’t coming together until his then-boyfriend, Aiden, took the reins and pulled it all together.'
Michael also sent along images from that first shoot with both Seth and Aiden, but I wanted to start with this shoot, taken about a year later. Seth always looks hot, but I think he looks especially gorgeous with the longer hair. I love a guy with long bangs, and like he does with everything, Seth really works them well, adding a layer of sensuality, especially to those backward glances he shoots towards Michael's lens.
Michael is an maestro at capturing moments, and I can only imagine the energy it took to keep up with Seth as he explored the vast surroundings that make up Sycamore Creek. They shot in so many different locations in the area, I had to slow down myself, and focus on one location at a time. I decided to start with the leafless limbs and branches on the tree where Michael and Seth began their creative adventure.
Many FH viewers have followed Michael's visual adventures in previous posts featuring his work in studio and on location with Jay, (HERE:) in an Airbnb with Ethan Tate, (HERE:) and in the forest and at the beach with Noah White. (HERE:) With each of those shoots, Michael sent on so many incredible shots, narrowing down images was next to impossible and they all required a part two. I think this shoot may require even more than two parts, but for now, you can check out more of Seth in and out of the tree on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
