fashion editorial: HARLEM TORCH - SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS featuring LAMAR JAMES and MAKIN CURRY

Harlem Torch, a magazine based in Harlem, commissioned me to photograph an 8 page fashion editorial featuring the latest fall collection of fashion designer Miguel Antoine. Brauck Westley-Busher, who is one of the publishers of the magazine, did the the styling.

(some the images are outtakes from the actual editorial featured in Harlem Torch magazine)

photographed by Tarrice Love

featuring Lamar James @ Identities and Makin Curry@ Next Model Mgmt.

styled by Baurack Westley-Busher

assisted by Q

I shot this mid August during the hottest time in New York. I was so excited that I wanted to make the best impression so I dragged all my equipment to work with me and stored it in my manager's office so I could make a straight shot to Harlem and be on time. I got lost trying to find the location on the call sheet and was a little late anyway. I arrived to the spot and the people there had no idea what I was talking about so I called Brauck and he informed me that the photo shoot is now a outdoor location shoot at Marcus Garvey Park. Now I'm dragging indoor equipment thru Harlem even more lost. I have a horrible since of direction and I seem to get lost every time I go somewhere. When I finally arrived, I saw Brauck, his assistant Q, model Makin Curry and the makeup artist ( i cannot remember her name but she was thick and cute). Model Lamar James arrived a few minutes after I did, but his skin was a weird orange color. He arrived straight from the airport, returning from a trip to Miami, with a crazy sunburn and a bad reaction to the medication. He was lead to the makeup artist for her to work her magic.

Brauck took me on a tour of the park to help me adjust to the changes and focus on how I was going to shoot this outdoor editorial without the outdoor equipment. I wanted/ needed my tripod and battery pack for the strobes but I didn't want to take 2 hours to go all the way back to Brooklyn to get them - I didn't want to make a bad impression and come off like a prima donna so I adjusted the vision of photoshoot with all the changes thrown my way. In the words of Project Runway's Tim Gun - we made it work.

THE HARLEM TORCH MAGAZINE

ON SALE NOW! 125th & Lenox - Harlem

& HUE-MAN BOOKSTORE & CAFE

Duane Reade Stores, Hudson Stands: Grand Central, Penn Station, Port Authority, Columbus Circle, UN Bldg, Newark Airport, Dulles Airport, Reagan Intl. & Newark/D.C.....

This was my first time in Harlem in the daytime and it was an amazing place. I felt like I was in a Spike Lee movie with a Stevie Wonder song playing in my head. I actually enjoyed working with the team from the Harlem Torch magazine. Everyone was very nice and made me feel welcomed. It was one of the first times working with a team of people that I was made to feel comfortable. People up here tend to turn their noses up at anything that isn't "New York." I am from the south and I embrace my southern heritage with pride and they didn't try to make me feel some kind of way because of it. Lamar and Makin did a great job. Despite the sunburn, Lamar served us great face like he always does and the clothes fit Makin like they were custom made just for him. I was very pleased with how the finished images turned out nice and the way they fit the image of the magazine. I do beat myself up a little bit because I know if I had been prepared to shoot outside I know how much better the pictures would have been.

It was pretty cool to walk into a magazine store a pick up a magazine with my work in it. I was beaming from ear-to-ear. I couldn't wait any longer for the magazine people to send me copies. I ended up purchasing copies for myself and my family. Seeing my work printed in a magazine was a great way to close 2009. It has given me and my family that glimmer of hope for bigger things in the upcoming year.