... PLAY THE GAME.

I was chatting with a photographer and he expressed his frustrations with a black designer who hired him to shoot his lookbook and when several black models arrived the designer abruptly cancelled the entire shoot. The designer and his people didn't want any black models in the lookbook. The photographer (a non-blk) didn't understand why the black designer felt this way.

I told him that  many of us understand that  the current fashion industry is a white-owned industry. The majority of the design house, magazines, and beauty products are backed by white owned corporations and that in order for us to get a piece of the pie that we have "play their game". Black people in this industry  feel like they have to present a "white face" in order to be accepted by the industry - that we haveta "play the game" and adhere to the constraints of the fashion marketplace in order to be relevant and successful. They truly believe that if we "play the game", we can make significant changes.

I am always told (by other black people in the industry) that if I want to be successful in this industry that I need  mostly white models in my presentation and body of work so that white clients won't feel alienated and can see themselves. Many black stylist, modeling agents, MUAs, and other industry people have told me to my face that  they are reluctant to work with me specifically because I work with "too many black people." 

My upbringing in Memphis, Tn (the place where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated) has taught me to have a deep level of respect for the sacrifices our people have made in this country and our place in history. I have always  felt a responsibility to represent myself and my black heritage in my work. 

When people tell me that I haveta "play the game" to win, I tell them why should I follow rules that aren't set up for me to win anyway. The people who truly win in this world know the rules but they  make their own rules. Just look at people like Oprah and Tyler Perry. They are 2 of the most powerful people in television and film. According to Forbes magazine, talented filmmakers like Jerry Bruckheimer and Steven Spielberg are the second and third richest men in Hollywood, topping the list with $113 million and $107 million while Tyler Perry has respectively earned over $500 million. He has clearly made his own rules in Hollywood and never "played the game". Had he "played the game," he would probably still be waiting for a white-owned film studio to back his film projects.

Everytime someone tells me to "play the game", I think about all the people who broke the rules in order for me to be here today.

I use my gifts to remind us of our presence and what we offer it in this world.

PERFECT FORM feat. ISA RAHMAN @Soul Artist Mgmt.

The first time I saw Isa Rahman was in an editorial in  L'oumo Vogue. I later saw him several times in GQ magazine. I torn out the images and taped them to my wall in Memphis, TN hoping to one day work with him.

photographed by Tarrice Love
featuring Isa Rahman @ Soul Artist Mgmt/ LA Model Mgmt. LA
styled by Tarrice Love

The first time I saw him in person I was at the Russell Simmons fashion show during fashion week in 2007. I was overwhelmed  (aka starstruck) by all the celebrities walking by me. After the show was over and the models were walking around mingling with the celebrities. I mustered the courage to to walk up to Isa, but nothing but mumbled gibberish came out of my mouth. I sounded like one of the adults from the Charlie Brown cartoons. He gave me this weird look and I turned and walked away completely embarrassed. I made a mad dash to the  exit and went home. LOL. Looking back, I can't believe I was so silly acting. I just glad he didn't remember this encounter.

Isa Rahman has been featured in campaigns for Macy's, Target, and JC Pennys ... 

(Isa on my wall)

me and Isa chatting it up about how he started modeling.

 CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ISA RAHMAN AN UNDERWEAR CAMPAIGN BECAUSE HE IS PERFECT!!!


photographed by Tarrice Love
featuring Isa Rahman @ Soul Artist Mgmt/  LA Model Mgmt. LA
styled by Tarrice Love

NOIR featuring ZEB RINGLE @ Soul Artist Mgmt./ Nous LA

photographed by Tarrice Love

featuring Zeb Ringle @ Soul Artist Mgmt/ Nous Model Mgmt. LA

styled by Tarrice Love

I was a little nervous and excited to be working with Zeb Ringle of Soul Artist Mgmt. He is on the cover of the recent collectors supplement of  popular fashion magazine Arena Homme Plus photographed by Steven Klein. He is also the current face of  Rufskin campaign.  

We chatted and he told me how he has wanted to work with me since he saw the work I did with Robert Evans. They were roommates when both of them first moved to NY. I channeled my "McGuyver" skills and created this crazy hood-thing inspired by a hair style from  Karl Lagerfeld's Spring 1994 collection (see video)

I enjoy working with models who allow me to "play" with them and create  something  beyond "test" images. With each model who steps in front of my camera, I try to create images that inspire them and the people who look at them.

*special thanks to Jason and the team at Soul Artist Mgmt. for sending him thru... :)

TRUE COLORS feat. PHYLICIA JONES @ M+P Models UK

This is a pictorial series entitled True Colors featuring model Phylicia Jones currently represented by M+P Models in London. I had the opportunity to work with her and her makeup artist friend, Eugene Kevin on my birthday because I wanted to do something creative for myself. Part of that creative process was me designing her clothes myself.

photographed by Tarrice Love

featuring Phylicia Jones @ M+P Models (UK)

styled by Tarrice Love

makeup & hair by Kevin Eugene

i took extra large t-shirts and old jeans that i shredded and distress with bleach to design outfits for her to wear. The pictures turned out nice but I wanted to do something different so I experimented with photoshop and played with colors. When I usually use photoshop, I just clean up the pics to correct minor cosmetic flaws but this time I decided to play with layers and filters. 

Industry people in NYC have challenged my ability to shoot women and I wanted to prove to myself that my women's work is just as powerful and beautiful as my men's work. . I think I did a pretty good job, Phylicia looks amazing. I don't get the opportunity to work with makeup artist and I do want to give special thanks to Kevin Eugene for stopping thru and using his artistic skills to Phylicia even more beautiful.

I LOVE NY (sometimes) feat. NARGIS @ Muse NYC

As much as I love my hometown of Memphis, TN, I understand that to achieve a curtain level of success in the fashion industry i'd haveta leave. So on October 30, 2006, I left the comforts of home and moved to New York City to live my dreams of becoming a fashion photographer.

I decided to do a post celebrating my accomplishments living in NYC by featuring my work with model Nargis who is currently represented by Muse NYC. I custom made her dress from a I LOVE NYC t-shirt I bought at a tourist shop on Fifth Ave. Being in NY has really challenged my creativity and tested my drive. Instead of breaking me down, its pushed me to prove to myself how strong I really am.

Every morning I wake up and thank God for making it possible for me to still be here and allow me another chance to share my artistic blessings with the world.

also check out the Empire State of Mind cover video featuring some of the top models in NYC.

An ode to New York City starring: Selita Ebanks, Karlie Kloss, Constance Jablonski, Jourdan Dunn, Daphne Groeneveld, Edita Vilkeviciute, Hailey Clauson, Josephine Skriver, Zuzanna Bijoch, Shu Pei, Kristina Salinovic, Martha Streck, Toni Garrn, R'el Dade, Andi Muise, Ataui Deng, Chantal Stafford-Abbot, Kelsey Rogers, Ashton Phillips, Fabiana Mayer, Sabrina Nait, Sydney Edmonds, Claire Collins, Brenda Mutoni, Naoumie Ekiko, Sonia Niekrasz, Paris, Kaitlin, Lina, & Tian.

http://lifeandtimes.com/

"Empire State of Mind" by JAY Z feat. Alicia Keys used with permission from Roc Nation/SC Enterprises/Life+Times.

Executive Producers -- Life + Times, Devin Chanda and Dustin Nakao-Haider for Scheme Engine
Director -- Justin Wu
Producer -- Danny Dewes for Scheme Engine
Directors of Photography -- Ben Vogel and David Raboy for Scheme Engine
Editors -- Matt Mitchener, Dustin Nakao-Haider, & Ben Vogel
Makeup -- Adam Maclay for Senses New York Salon and Spa

ITS CHAD WHITE (aaawwww - yeah!) @ Soul Artist Mgmt.

Chad White stopped by my place this weekend......

 I have worked with alot  models who think they are the "bizness" with inflated confidence and  attitude with arrogant undertones. Chad White was definitely NOT one of those guys. He's had the career  every guy dreams to have and yet he's just a regular cool ass dude.

He arrived (on time) to my place in bedstuy Saturday afternoon. We chatted and shared  industry stories and childhood stories.... laughed  a lot and just had a great time. He made me feel like I was Steven Klien or any other big named photographer. I felt appreciated and special.  I really enjoyed him and look forward to working with him more...
He just raised the bar.

thanks Jason Kanner and the team at Soul Artist Mgmt.

THE STARTING POINT (before digital-before photoshop)

my self portrait wearing my photoshoot overalls. I wore these at almost ever photoshoot because they were roomy and had lots of pockets for film and stuff...

I was looking back at  my work when I began to take a serious interest in photography. I took college courses at Southwest Community College and the University of Memphis at the same time. The Southwest professor ( Mrs. Lechman) allowed me stretch and experiment. I studied all the greats - Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Gordon Parks, George Hurrell, Albert Watson, and so many more - through books and magazines. I was shooting with a 35mm Pentax K1000 film camera and photoshop didn't exsist.

 

 I didn't have professional equipment.. In the beginning I used construction lights  and clamp lights like the ones pictured above...

I look at young photographers today and look at all the advance technology today and how they are so dependent on photoshop and retouching to make their images come alive. They "need" a team of artist, makeup, hair, stylist and retouchers to successfully create a fashion image. I didn't have none of that (still don't). I didn't have photoshop to cover up things I didn't know or a model's imperfections. I had to work with people with good bodies and great skin and learn how to use light, shadows, and composition properly.

I look at new photographers work and  haveta remind myself what my work looked like in the beginning. I thought I was the coldest muthafuxah with a camera in Memphis (thus the name ice-itsocool).

 .... the following images are some of the examples of what my work looked like when I started.

these are from my first photoshoot. My besy friend , Dawn Jones Kimble, was my model for a class assignment to capture a sense of place. Everyone in class just lazily snapped images of campus life...I wanted to incorporate my love for fashion into the assignment. We rode the city bus downtown , in the cold rain to do my first "fashion" shoot. to this day  these shots are some of my favorite images...

I was lucky to have a best friend who modeled for me. She taught me makeup tricks and different posing techniques that i still use today. The most important thing she taught me was to trust myself.... and trust my artistic vision.

This David "Bama" Pipkin with my assistant Tiffany Jones. Bama was my 1st male model and I remember  telling Tiff that I wanted to shoot a guy but I didn't know any  with interesting looks. I was very shy and I was afraid to walk up to a stranger and ask him to shoot with me. She scanned the room, picked one she liked and  walked up to him and boldly told him that her sister was gonna pick him up that Saturday at noon to shoot with me. They eventually married and had a daughter. She passed away shortly after having her. - This picture also sparked my interest in showing images of black couples in a loving way....(something i rarely saw)

I have had a natural ability to draw and paint since childhood and I have always tried to apply my artistic abilities into  the images i created.  Many times I incorporated the drawings and paints in the images.

I didn't have professional models at my disposal, only my friends and my classmates.  I taught myself to work with people of all different body types, color tones, and communicate with very different personalities. They allowed me to experiment with different techniques to figure out what works and what doesn't.

my goal was to make beautiful images and  help show  the greatness I saw in people who were close to me.

one of the coolest things I learned was the power of fashion and art to transform people. I found this tall and pretty 16 year old  Erica Carroll and with the help of  my friend , Malaika who did hair and makeup for me sometimes, we transformed her  into a sexy glamazon. I think  the experiences she had working with me and my crew completely changed  the way she saw herself  forever...I know it changed the way our friends saw her. 

Every now and then I haveta step back and look at some of the work I did in the beginning to remind myself why  I want to do this. The work I did in the beginning has inspired the approach I have on the way I do things today. It is real easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of industry bullshit. Everything I have done is my steps towards creating some kind of truth for myself and the people who enjoy my work. 

 I know  my work has  changed a lot since the first time i picked up a camera, but it does hold a special place thats  just as strong ( on some levels even stronger) in my heart. My work has always been personal for me....i make a personal commitment to everyone who steps in front of my lens and thats been the double edge sword I proudly carry.