I MADE THIS pt.1: LITTLE BLACK DRESS

model: JOENI POU (dna model mgmt south africa)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

Model Joeni Pou had stopped by to visit me before heading off to Capetown, South Africa to do some work and I was inspired to create photo magic..... I did a quick sketch of a dress on an envelope on my desk. Before she arrived I was watching the Thierry Mugler Spring 2012 fashion show. The designs had these really interesting cutouts. I took a black oversized t-shirt and made an interpretation of the  Mugler look in about 15 minutes.

Thierry Mugler Spring 2012 Collection

model: JOENI POU (dna model mgmt south africa)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

My grandmother was a seamstress and taught me and my little brother how to sew. I would take clothes apart and hand sew them back together. I studied and  read almost every book about fashion that  the Memphis  public library had available. When I started shooting fashion images in Memphis, Tn, their weren't any stylist and few clothing designers in the area. I took all of my knowledge and available resources and "made it work!"  

Being in NYC, stylist and designers are all over the place but my access to them is limited. I didn't want my ability to create amazing work to hinge on needing others to make it happen, so i started collecting garments from the neighborhood Goodwill and i whipped out my "good" scissors and started customizing things for my photographs. 

The best part about creating things for my photos is that they are tailored to the individual i'm shooting. One of a kind pieces for them. After the photoshoot, i usually destroy them to keep from being tempted to reuse them on someone else.

NEW FACE: FILIP HRIVNAK @ Soul Artist Mgmt.

I had an opportunity to do a portrait session with fashion's new face Filip Hrivnak. He is represented by Soul Artist Mgmt. in New York, M Mgmt. in Paris, and I Love Models Mgmt. in Milano.

Filip has walked international runways for designers like Givenchy. He appears on the cover of men's fashion magazines like Seventh Man and Vogue Hommes International cementing him as a hot model on the rise. 

With his uber cool look and his engaging personality, it's no surprise that this guy is one of the new faces to watch out for. I'm very excited about everything that is happening for Filip and look forward to seeing more great things happen...#returnofthesupermoddel

GOTTA GET ME A PAIR OF LVL XIII

Seandon Roberson was  one of the  first  models  I worked with I moved to New York. Even though he's no longer a model, he still will flex and pose for my camera. He is currently the Marketing Director for an awesome  new line of luxury footwear called LVL XIII. After seeing one pair of the shoes up-close, I asked  Seandon to bring a few  pairs  for me to photograph for this story.

LVL XIII (pronounced Level 13) is a luxury shoe brand founded by Antonio Brown—a former accountant who worked for a luxury doll manufacturer, the Alexander Doll Company. LVL XIII represents a luxury lifestyle brand that specializes in high-end shoes that utilizing top grade leathers and exotic skins.

This unique collection of footwear has caught the attention of celebrities like musicians Chris Brown and Jason DeRulo, who wore a pair on Good Morning America, rappers Nas and Jim Jones, supermodel Tyson Beckford, and athletes like New York Knicks player J.R. Smith and Kroy Biermann of the Atlanta Falcons. Actors Nick Cannon, Tracey Morgan, Jason Sudeikis, Chris Tucker and Tristan Wilds have been seen in them too.

I tried on a pair and they made me feel like i should be on stage .... like a superstar. :)

for more info about the shoes you can contact Seandon at sean@lvlxiii.com. For shoe purchase online lvlxiii.com or carbonbazaar.com

.... BEAUTY IS DIVERSE.

Despite it being Black History Month and all the attention on the ny fashion week runways, little has changed. After crunching the numbers on 148 shows, it is reported that of 4,621 looks, only 985 were worn by models of color. That means that of all the models who walked this past week, 78.69% of them were white. While that number is slightly smaller than last season, it still hovers around 80 percent, which has been roughly the percentage of looks worn by white models for the past six seasons.

another low-blow was the March 2014 issue of Details Magazine featuring the top male models and no one of color was included. 

( no Tyson Beckford, Rob Evans, David Agbodji,Armando Cabral, or Corey Baptiste....)

 When i was  growing up in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine was my first choice when i could get  the money up to buy a fashion magazine. It was one of the few magazines that i could find that displayed a broad diverse beauty. they thought of its readers on a global scale.

What i don't understand is that its 2014 and we live in a global accessible world  and we are still fighting for diverse representation in the fashion world. Why is it so hard to see a broader representation of beauty? Back in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine did an excellent job of showcasing women of color instead of treating European standards of beauty like its the template of beauty. Back then diversity seemed effortless. Now it seems so deliberate and forced. 

I would love to see the industry showcase broader ideas of beauty in a seamless way that feels genuine.... WHY IS DIVERSITY SO HARD?

One of the must see fashion shows during New York fashion week back in 1995 was Todd Oldham. He was notorious for featuring a variety of the best models and they were a diverse mix that didn't seem forced. They looked like  the  graduating class of the most beautiful women in the world.

also check out fashion designer Azzedine Alaia who has always showcased diverse beauty.......

"AZZEDINE ALAIA" BY ELLEN VON UNWERTH from Diane Pernet's ASVOFF on Vimeo.

...MY SHIRT AND TIE SH*T! feat. Nate Gill @SoulArtist Mgmt.

model: NATE GILL (city models/ soul artist mgmt nyc)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

 The  moment he stepped into my studio I understood  why so many clients hire him. Not only is he flawlessly good-looking, but Nate Gill has an energy that lights up a room. He was one of the nicest models I have had the pleasure of working with from Soul Artist Mgmt.

He's done campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, Y3, DKNY, and most recently Dsquared2.

He's walked the runway for Dolce & Gabanna, Etro, Versace, Givenchy, Vivienne Westwood and Calvin Klein.

I was  a little  intimidated to work with a  model that had been  photographed  by so many of my favorite photographers, but Nate's personality put me at ease. It was my first time working with him, but it felt like I was working with an old friend.

photographer Tarrice Love feat. nate gill @ soul artist mgmt. from tarrice love on Vimeo.

model: NATE GILL (city models/ soul artist mgmt nyc)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

For my 1st shoot with Nate Gill I decided to play it safe and shoot some  classic, clean, and simple style images. I was nervous and I didn't want him to think I was a weirdo. Looking back, I wish I hadn't gotten in my own way and done something artistic and crazy. He has the personality and look to pull off almost anything. We definitely haveta make something awesome happen next time he's in town. 

The thing that surprised me the most about  working with Nate was him telling me that in his 5 years of modeling that our shoot was his first time in front of the lens of a black photographer. I was complimented and  disappointed at the same time. It really made me realize how much more work me and other black photographers have to do to break into the circle of photographers that models like Nate Gill normally work with. I am thankful to have the support of Soul Artist Mgmt. and  models  like  Nate Gill to help make my journey towards success a little bit easier.

Nate Gill appears on season 2 of Revenge and  you can check him out on netflix.com 

WOW featuring Nerissa Irving

You never know the impact your work has on other people until you see something like this. Someone painted one of the images i shot of editor in chief of Kavoy Magazine, Nerissa Irving on a wall in Melville, South Africa. No one can imagine I good this made me feel to know that my work inspires people all over the world.

WET DREAMS feat. ANDRE DOUGLAS @ wilhelmina models nyc

model: ANDRE DOUGLAS (wilhelmina models nyc)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

 

andre douglas @ wilhelmina models nyc from tarrice love on Vimeo.

It is always great to be apart of a model's success (especially a African American model). Andre Douglas started as a college basketball player in Laurenceville, Georgia who maxed out his credit cards to come to New York and shoot with me. He crashed on my couch in the Bronx with a broken foot and immediately signed with a top agency. His classic All-American looks landed major campaigns with Abercrombie and Finch, Levis, D-Squared and Tommy Hilfiger. He has stomped the runways with major American and European designers all over the world.

Andre hit me up to be apart of a project i'm working and create images that would help transition him into a "grown man" image. this wet concept is an easy go to when the temperatures are reaching the 100 degree marks. Pouring water on someone's head while maintaining a straight face isn't as easy as you'd think it would be but Andre handled the situation like a master pro. It was an awesome experience working with Andre and we have more hot images to show y'all soon.

NEW FACE: introducing SEAN JAMES ROBINSON

model:  SEAN JAMES  ROBINSON (unsigned)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

I was coming home  from work  one day and  decided  to  walk through Times  Square. I saw  Sean James  Robinson  standing  in front of Aeropostale clothing store. I had seen photographs of him shot by Cliff Watts and thought he  had an awesome look. He was just as striking in person as he was in those Cliff Watts pics.
I walked up to  him and told him I wanted to shoot him and gave him my card. Shortly after meeting, we set up a session. We instantly clicked.... and so did my roommates.

Sean has a very cool look with angles that cut through any lens. His background  is a unique blend of Jamaican, Chinese, British, and African American.  Under a  strict diet and  exercise  program, his body is chiseled to perfection. He moves like a dancer in front of the camera forcing me to push myself. He gives every concept life when most people do just enough to get by.

New York is a  tough city to be in when pursuing your dreams, especially coming from San Bernardino, California with no family.  He has worked hard to build his editorial network with really great photographers  like Cliff Watts and appearing in new online  magazines like Distinct Homme, Obvious Magazine, UnSound Magazine, and Fab.Ego Magazine. He is  positioning himself as a definite face to watch in the coming months.  Its a matter of time before some lucky agency snatches him up and he is appearing on major runways, fashion editorials, and campaigns. I am glad that Sean and I are friends and he has made himself  accessible to any crazy idea that pops into my head.

model:  SEAN JAMES  ROBINSON (unsigned)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love