flashback: JODECI - FREEK N YOU

I loved this video. It features my 3 of my favorite black supermodels Veronica Webb, Beverly Peele, and Kara Young. :) I was having a black girl supermodel moment...lol

jodeci - Freek' N You

veronica webb


beverly peele



kara young

introducing CHEVONESE @ CDP Model mgmt.

Introducing Jamaican beauty, Chevonese!

I did the styling, hair, and makeup myself..... I think I did a decent job of applying my vision to her.

  

  

Surface magazine’s Annual Avant Guardian Project

FINE ART :: ENTRY #474


model: Gene Grady - unsigned

Celebrating its 12th year, Surface magazine’s Annual Avant Guardian Project is a nationwide search to uncover the best new fashion photographers in North America, work that demonstrates both distinctive artistic vision and cutting-edge commercial potential. After George Brown, one of the bookers at Red Models NYC sent me an email suggesting I enter the competition and that the deadline was near, i decided to enter the competition. I submited under the fine arts category mainely because of my limited access to fashion. I wanted to focus on the artistic aspects of my work. I did conceptual images that made a staement about my struggle to be part of this industry and my fight maintain my artistic integrity. I think the images vividly capture my struggle and emotion through the tones of the unusual color pallet and my signature use of lighting and composition. The images feature unsigned models Gene Grady from Philly, Jared Cameron and Mike Mizzle of NY, and Specimen/ Ford model Kyle Saunders.

Gene road the bus from Philly and spent the night at my apartment so we could get an early start on the photoshoot. In the middle of shooting the paint images with Gene, I got a ERR 99 in my Canon Rebel. I followed the instructions on the camera but no luck... it was broken. On top of everything I carelessly deleted the images i had shot.

I had to run out and buy a new camera. Gene washed the paint off and we took the subway to Adorama. We returned, re applied the paint and re- shot everything. My Granny always say " things happen for a reason." I spent almost a week doing the editing on the images. All in all, I think the pictures turned out amazing and combined with the images of Jared, Mike and Kyle, I think my submission vividly represents my style of shooting.

Go to AVANT GUARDIAN PROJECT to see my submission and click on the stars to vote for me.

FLASHBACK: Lil Kim ft. Lil Cease & Biggie - Crush On You

Laurence McCrea @ Next Model mgmt.

CONGRATULATION LAURENCE McCREA .
"...attackin' the industry with the finesse of a young lion!"







Now known as the one of the leading new faces at NEXT model mgmt. Laurence McCrea is hitting the scene with the aggressive finesse of a young lion. ROOAAAR! He was recently released from his contract with his previous  representation and quickly snatched up by Shameer Khan of Krush Model Management, a photographer and placement agency in NY. I worked with Mr. Mcrea a few times and I believed in him and look forward to seeing what happens during his journey through the fashion world. CONGRATULATION! and I wish you much success!

MY FIRST NUDES ....

this was my first nude project i shot... i called it Genesis. It was inspired my the biblical story of the creation of man and women. The models in the project were my best friend, Dawn and Kwasi. I was bored with my fashion attempts and at the suggestion of my Dawn, I decided to try shooting an artistic nude. I thought it would be easy, especially since my models for the project were my friends but I was soooo nervous. I couldn't stop shaking. I shot Kwasi first and most of my shots were blurry and out of focus due to camera shake. He had to reshoot his shots later. Dawn was a little bit easier.

I made a collage using xerox copies of the passages of Genesis and stacked the negatives creating these amazing double exposed prints. Then I used a photo dye process to color the prints that murky red color.

In this digital everything age, I almost forgot what it's like to work with film and the value of processed film. Looking at these images brought back memories of the darkroom and the photography printing process. Many photographers emerging on the scene are dependent upon the expertise of stylist, makeup, hair dresser, technicians and most of all photoshop to make their images look good. I remember being in the darkroom for days working on these 2 images. If you handed many of today's photographers a roll of film to shoot and process they'd look at you lost and dumb-founded. I think my experience in the darkroom is a definite asset to my digital work today. I was very proud of everything i put into these images.

My Granny was so proud of the images , she took my 24x30 prints to church to show off what her grand son had done. lol

MICHAEL JACKSON - R.I.P 1958-2009

On Thursday June 25, 2009 I was out in Soho with Brian Peters shooting when I got the message on my blackberry that Michael Jackson had passed. As we walked to the A train to head back to my place in Brooklyn, Michael Jackson music blasting from car radios and stores filled the streets. I thought about how obsessed I was with him as a child. I had all the albums. My wall was plastered with his posters. I sat in front of the tv watching the Jackson family tv shows and cartoons admiring his look and style. For me, MTV was all about him. I had the Michael Jackson doll and I re-created all his stage costumes. I use to roll my pants above my ankles to show off my sequined covered socks. I even had the Jheri curl with the swirly sideburns and the long piece that hung down my forehead. In my mind, I was him.....inspiring the world with my artistry.

Michael Jackson leaves the world with an imprint that has and will continue to influence talent throughout the world. I think everyone should aspire to leave the world with that kind of legacy.

I found this song on youtube this morning and decided to post it...

KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!!!

With my images I celebrate artistry and the individuals I work with by always giving my maximum best. I understand the power I hold as a young photographer in this industry and I'm not quick to settle or compromise the direction I want to go as an artist. I watch so many other photographer, talented artists, and models totally compromise their voice and surrender themselves to this industry and wonder why they aren't getting the most out of it.

I also understanding that working together makes anything we try to do more powerful. I want y'all to think about the power you have.... align yourself with individuals you believe build and make you stronger and better....and ultimately more powerful.


As a child, i read success stories and biographies of talents in this industry so I could better understand what I am up against. I decided to post this documentary about Naomi Campbell as a testament of the power you have in this industry. I want people of color who aspire to be successful in this industry to understand what one person in this industry can accomplish if you know your worth!

I JUST THOUGHT I'D SAY THANK YOU

Yesterday I received a written thank you from Jared Cameron, a new model whom I extended a free test shoot to. I realized that this was one of the first times i received a "formal" written out thank you from a model who hadn't paid me. It meant so much to me that someone took extra time to express their sincere thank you. The entire time I've been in NYC, and all the models I have shot, developed, and helped - this is the third time I received a "formal" expression of thanks ( Pierre Woods and Brandon Parker have both sent me thank you emails, invited me to eat, and bought me things). It would be nice if more of the models who use my images to get them signed to agencies, and help get them jobs would show some appreciation beyond a casual verbal thank you or an impersonal text message. It would be esp. nice to get the recognition from the black models whom I have worked so hard to help.

I think what is the saddest is that people who think " we are cool" feel that a thank you isn't necessary, but think i means the most from them. I constantly remind myself that people who help you out and do nice things for you, don't have too. It is a previlige to find people who will extend themselves beyond their obligations to do something for you. You should thank them every chance you get.

I decided to take this time to thank a few people in my NY life who deserve to know how much I love them and appreciate the things they have done for me. These people have extended their friendship and their helping hand to me in ways the people who call themselves my close friends have never done for me. Without their help and support, I wouldn't be where i'm at now.

THANK YOU WILLIAM ELLIOTT SPRINGFIELD

tffany fairfield and photographer/ model william springfield
i met Will in 2001 during my first trip to NYC. It was right after 9/11 and I had come up here for an art show that was to feature some of my work. Me and Will were chat buddies on black planet ( i know y'all remember that). After that my friend Tiffany Fairfield paid for Will's transportation to come to Memphis to shoot with me. He stayed the weekend at my Granny's houses. As the years went by, he kept trying to convince me to come to back New York - that I was waaaaay too talented to waste it in Memphis.
In 2006, I decided to take him up on his offer to visit. That weekend quickly turned into another week vacation that summer. Will was commuting back and forth to LA for acting stuff and he extended his apartment in the Bronx to me if I should decide to make ny my new home. I decided to take a leap out on faith - I transferred to the ny fedex and lived with Will for almost a year.

Thank you William for encouraging me to always push myself outside the box I created for myself. Your energy and creativity inspires me and I appreciate everything you have done for me. If you had never extended your home to me, I would probably still be in Memphis fighting to create a nitch for myself. I have learned soooo much from you.

TIFFANY FAIRFIELD, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!

After a year with Will, I moved into a apartment in Brooklyn with a friend from Memphis. The lease expired and he didn't want to renew it so I was stuck with a few days to find a place to stay with no money in the winter time in NYC. Tiffany sent me the money for the security deposit for a place I found on Craig's list. If it wasn't for her sending me the money with no questions asked, I would have had to move back to Memphis. I get teary-eyed thinking about how I know of no one that would do that for me...esp the people whom I considered my best-friends.

ITAYSHA JORDAN THANK YOU.....

me and photographer itaysha jordan
Summer of 2006 , my camera was stolen out of the trunk of my cousin's car in Soho the second day of my week vacation in NYC. Itaysha had already helped me get a really good girl to shoot and she had asked celebrity fashion hairstylist, Dante Blanshaw to work with me. After my camera got stolen she offered me her camera and use of her studio so i could continue shooting While I was in NYC. I thank her for all her help and support.
She showed me that you can be friends with other creative people who are grinding and doing the same things and be secure in what you bring to industry without being threatened by others. After I returned home, I put a donation thing on my website to raise money for a new camera. It surprised me that almost none of the people whom I called my friends showed no signs of support and watched as I struggled to try to make things happen. Within a week I had enough donations ( from mostly strangers) to buy a new camera. What Itaysha did for me that week, allowed me to continue to work the duration of my trip. I don't think she realizes how much her friendship means to me.

I also want to say THANK YOU to models like Rumando Kelley @ CESD, Brandon Parker @ Ford and Pierre Woods @ New York Models, who have treated me like a friend. They have been my dawgs without it being about what I can do for them. THANK YOU FELLAS.

I don't think people realize how important a formal thank you is, so I decided to write one so the world knows how important certain people are to me. Blowing up doesn't happen without help and I just want the people who are helping me to know that they are appreciated.

Write someone a thank you or take them to lunch or dinner...do something to show people who didn't haveta do anything for you that you really appreciate them. Thank you goes a loooooong way.
I AM SO BLESSED....

one to watch: Andrew Ruffin @ red models nyc

fresh from Temple University, this new face at Red Models is already making waves in Milan.


photographed by Tarrice Love
featuring Andrew Ruffin@ Red Models NYC
styled by Tarrice Love





instead of stressing about not having access to the latest designer duds, I decided to use my creative brain and take advantage of my resources. My granny told me to use my natural God-given gifts. When Andrew arrived, we walked to the bargain store on fulton near my house and i bought some cheap ass t-shirts, them $2 fishnet looking wifebeaters, and duct tape. I totally wnet freestyle on Andrew and had fun mixing crazy ideas with the clothes i had in my closet. The results were amazing. My favorite was when i wrapped his nearly naked body in plastic trash bags and started ripping it off of him.

Andrew was brand new in front of the camera. Having only been with Red models for one week... he moved like a seasoned pro. I enjoyed working with andrew and cannot wait to work with him again.

pictorial #007 - FIGHT CLUB - featuring Brian Peters @ Ford nyc

Brian Peters is one of my favorite models to work with. I first spotted him in the Fedex parking lot in my hometown of Memphis, Tn. back in 2005. I worked with him and developed him every weekend into an amazing model who gives his all whenever he steps in front of anyone's camera. Each time he is in NYC we try to do something hot.... and this time was no exception....

photographed by Tarrice Love
featuring Brian Peters @ Ford Models NYC
styled by Tarrice Love