.....WHEN FASHION WAS FUN...

I decided to include a few videos i found on youtube that shaped and inspired me to want to be apart of fashion....



behind the scenes of George Michaels/ Thierry Mugler "Too Funky"



hype williams videos....looking at a Hype Williams video is like looking a fashion magazine come to life ...with a hot music soundtrack....


i loved Todd Oldham - he was an american designer who seemed to really enjoy his work. I the model seemed to enjoy wearing his clothes and being apart of his shows...


i am a huge Richard Avedon....I only hope to have this kind of influence in the industry, he was the shit!!!!!

I Shot ISAAC KEYS of the Arizona Cardinals....

i honestly know hardly nothing about sports especially football, but last week i had the oppportunity to work with a pro athlete, Isaac Keys of the Arizona Cardinals. He's from St. Louis ( one of my stompin grounds when i was a teenager) and attend Morehouse. He was cool as hell and the team was fantastic and very cool.

It was my first time working on a photoshoot with other people and they made me feel like i was an important part of the project. usually i'm made to feel like some random nwc - nigga with camera ( yes i used the n word and meant it).... I was allowed to bring some of my artistic vision to the photoshoot. I think we got some really good shots.... that captured Isaac in a really good light and i cain't wait to work with him again....next time on my turf....(HEHEHEE - my evil laugh)

the shoot took place at a beautiful victorian townhouse in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn called The Bourne Townhouse (www.TheBourneTownhouse.com). When me and the makeup artist toured the house, we almost creamed on ourselves...its amazingly beautiful.






me and Isaac finna fuck up that Thai food they bought us to eat....I don't know what i ate but that shit was good...LOL

THE OCTOPUS PIC - introducing Art Stroman @ Red Models NYC

Art Stroman@ Red Models NYC

Alot of people didn't understand the premise behind the "octopus" picture with Art Stroman @ red models. For me this picture represents the reason i came to New York in the first place....to creat images that are timeless, classic, and spark conversation. This pic did all of that for me . Most importantly - it allowed me to be an artist and flex my artistic muscles and have fun. It also so show'd me how much people trusted me as an artistic being.....that shit made me feel danm'd good, lol.

  

Art Stroman@ Red Models NYC

Art was in town for fashion week and stopped by to talk about that day with me...check it out.

NY FASHION WEEK - Spring/ Summer 2009 highlights

Lately I haven't been very excited about NYC Fashion Week. Its proven itself to to be very lack luster in its clothing, visual presentation, and the model choices. Each season I anticipate a return to the artistic creativity that made me give up the comforts of southern living to move to NYC to be apart of the fashion world - only to be disappointed. European runways seem to be the only place where designers get to flex their artistic muscles and take risk while American designers do repeats of safe boring clothes you can get at H&M, Target, or The Gap. I remember being glued to the tv watching American designers like Todd Oldham, Isaac Mitzrahi, Anna Sui, Betsy Johnson, Byron Lars, John Bartlett, Sean John and Marc Jacobs really show'd their asses and took fashion risks that were all about being artistic, creative and fun. The models strutting down the runways reflected the diversity of the world. Each model was chosen to bring the designers artistic creations to life. When i was studying fashion i drew my designs on the model i wanted to see wearing it in the show.






here is one of my fashion drawings - the asymmetric swing basketball jersey dress with platform air jordans and basketball handbags worn by (left to right) Georgianna Robertson, Veronica Webb, Naomi Campbell, and Tyra Banks

The way the top models "worked" the clothing really did help sell the vision to us. They fullfilled the fastastical aspects of the fashion world. The models, as diverse in race as well as personalities, inspired us - served us fantasy. Women wanted to be them while men wanted to fuck them - and viceversa. Its not like that anymore - the models are blank clones of each other ...skinnier... and make the clothes look boring. As a matter of fact, they walk the runways like the hate the shit they are wearing. .....
I am feening to be inspired by fashion again....waiting for the "art" to return.
LET US PRAY>>

I am excited to see more of my model friends strut the runways.....








Shylow Wilkinson, Lamar James, and Goldie -all @ identities NYC


look at Darrell Walden @ Fusion strutting his stuff at the DKNY 20th anniversary show....one of fashion weeks highlight presentations
.

Frank @ Identities NY

Russell Simmons Argyle Collection was the only show during fashion week i actually went to and it was hella exciting to see (above)Frank @ Identities NY . So many celebrities were there - Bow-bow, the Simmons sisters, Danity Kane, Laurie-anne from Making the Band, and Kadeem and his mom Bethann Hardison. I was kinda intemidated by all these people i held in high regard like models Will LeMay and Isa Rahman. Everything that came out of my mouth sounded like Charlie Brown mush. LOL I saw supermodel Stacy Mackinzie and just stared at her because i was too afraid to say anything to her.

I SHOT CULLEN JONES styled by MEN'S VOGUE.....

Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones

Wednesday evening I got a random phone call wanting to book me to shoot Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones styled by Men's Vogue.....and it will be filmed for entertainment news show, Inside Edition. Of course I said yes! Cullen Jones helped the U.S. Olympic men's freestyle swimming team secure a nail-biting victory in Bejing, in what has been hailed as one of the most exciting races in the games' history.

Photographed by Mark Zibert

He and teammates Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale set a world record in the 400-meter freestyle relay

Jones, 24, made history in another way: He became the second African-American swimmer to win a gold medal, following Anthony Ervin in 2000.


behind the scenes of the photoshoot filmed by Inside Edition styled by Men's Vogue...check out the legs on correspondant April Woodard.... she is sooooo HOT!!!!

Not only did i get to shoot publicity shots styled by the team at Men's Vogue of a Olympic gold medalist, but It was filmed by Inside Edition and expected to air Monday. lol imma be on TV y'alll. lol!!!!

lol NEW YORKERS TRYIN' TO BBQ LIKE WE DO DOWN SOUTH...LOL

the host and hostess Lamar James & Ally
check out their blog site- http://SuperSwagger.blogspot.com

What a great way to end the summer than with some good ass BBQ. Lamar invited me to his Labor day BBQ on his rooftop and I had a real good time.
It was a very cool and laidback vibe. I was my first time attending something a model invited me. I wasn't gonna go at first b/c i am backed up with tons of retouching work to do and i thought i wasn't gonna know anyone. I knew the host Lamar and the current face of Coogi Rumando Kelly and his roomate Izra who is a dancer, but to my surprise I was surrounded by the familiar faces of models, actors, singers, dancers, stylist, photographers, and socialites.




The site of male models hovered over a partially assembled BBQ pit had me worried. After I called my uncle Junebug in Memphis, Tn and put him on speaker phone to guide us step by step on how to get the fire started in the grill things came together.



The music was pumpin, the food was great, and the company was "2-thumbs-up!" For the record, I do haveta side with Ally ( lamar's girlfriend) that TI is a better rapper than Jay-Z..... gotta go with my nigga from the south. ;)

I LOVE SEEING MODELS I HAVE SHOT WORKIN' IT..Pierre Woods @ New York Models

these Polo ads have appeared in everything from V-Man mag, GQ magazine to Time Magazine....YEEESSS!


me and pierre in my room lookin' kinda crazy...lol

i was sooo excited to see my boy Pierre snag the Black Man's dream gig....the Ralph Lauren Campaign. He is everywhere you look... in department stores, magazines ( also chcek out his editorial in Uptown Magazine). He kicked off the year being the only black face to stomp the runway for D&G in Milan and open the Ferragamo show. It is exciting to watch Pierre blow up and have my work contribute to his success.......I'm so happy for him and he knows I got his back. He also celebrating a birthday today.... :)

I LOVE NEW YORK......sometimes

Since late last year I have been working on a artistic book project and last weekend a photographer Amaechi Oselukwue- from Memphis came up for the weekend to pose for it. While he was here, I took him to Times Square. Seeing all the lights, the weird people and feeling the energy of the city reminded me why I wanted to live in New York.

look at me - i hate crowded places esp Times Square...it sosticky and nasty feeling , all them germs and odors...yuck!


its me and Amaechi..... i had fun showing him Time Square


nikons sux......lol Amaechi's camera of choice...I prefer my canon, yeeeeah!


I love NYC.....sometimes

introducing Christian DuBosse@ basic model mgmt.

photgraphed and styled by me, tarrice love

When met Christian Dubosse he never gave modeling a second thought - his main priority was college. After meeting with him and months of one on one development ....he realized he could make a serious career in fashion. After making the rounds to the agencies, Basic was the ones who believed in his look as much as me.

I think Christian has potential to be a big star in this industry and i look forward to see his progress and growth. We did sooooo much together. I am a little disappoint that none of the work we did together appears in his portfolio. ....Well at least the work attracted the agency's attention enough to get him signed. I am still proud of him and want to see him do amazing things in this industry.

photgraphed and styled by me, tarrice love

introducing Derrick Koch@ Pure Management Group

styled by me, Tarrice Love

Yvain Reid of Pure Management Group in Long Beach, Cali contacted me about testing 16 year old Derrick Koch of St.Paul, Mn. I was reluctant at first because i'm not open for TFP testing anymore but I agreed to a go-see meeting with Derrick and his momma. The moment I saw him i knew i was gonna shoot him.

photographed and styled by me. Tarrice Love

He was excellent to work with....took direction very well. I could tell he was aware of his face and knew his strong points. I enjoyed him and his momma (Leslie). i had a great time with them and look forward to working with them again.