HOODIES....

model: Andre Douglas - @Andre.Douglas

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

One of the models I was shooting told me that whenever he was at a casting or audition he always wore a hoodie. He would stand in front of the casting director and take the hood from his head, forcing them to look at his face. He told me his face was his strongest asset and he wanted to keep their attention on it. He was shorter and more muscular than the standard model. Most of the times, casting directors are looking for flaws...any little reason to say no. 

model: Marcus Lloyd - @marky_mark13

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

I hate that the fashion industry lumped all the black male models into one category - acting like all black guys looked the same. I started shooting the black male models with hoodies to force the viewer to see the uniqueness of each black male model. Wearing a hoodie was like walking around with a frame around their faces. 

models (clockwise from left): King Noire(@kingnoire_), Bo Pratt(@boprattinsta), Darius Dio(@dariusdio), Marcus McGaw(@iamjustmarcus), Michael Marrio, Ambrose Carter(@kingbrxseph), Bruck Tekle(@brucktekle), and Jason Danza (@jdanza)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

The "hoodie shots" became my signature image for the black male models ... its the one fashion piece that was a fashion staple of every black man's wardrobe.

model: Rob Evans - @robjamesevans

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

model: Ger Duany - @ger_duany

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

After the tragic death of Trayvon Martin, a symbol emerged: the hoodie.

A simple hooded sweatshirt has become a representation of justifiable suspicion of negative behavior.  so much so that a neighborhood watch volunteer in a Sanford, Fla. called 911 and told the dispatcher that he was following a suspicious looking young black man in "a dark hoodie, a gray hoodie" before he shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman, 28, says he acted in self-defense; he has not been charged with a crime.

models (clockwise from left): Geremy Alexander(@geremyalexander), Minkah Davidson(@minds_opolis), Ondre Glasco(@ondreglasco), Dominick Hill, Randy Bowden Jr.(@randybowdenjr), Aygemang Clay(@aygemang) Rhyan Atrice(@rhyguyfye)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

Geraldo Rivera said on the Fox & Friends TV show that "the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was." Rivera warned parents not to let their children wear hoodies — unless it is raining or they are at a track-and-field event. He said it sends a sinister signal.

"You cannot rehabilitate the hoodie," Rivera said. "Stop wearing it."

model: Brenton Julien Henry - @brentastique

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

The Trayvon Martin death changed everything. I began to notice that agencies would remove any image created with black guys wearing hoodies from the model's portfolio. The hoodie became a symbol of danger and made you instantly think of racism and Trayvon Martin. The topic of racism makes white clients nervous and uncomfortable and the modeling agents didn't want to intimidate them... 

A Black/Hispanic guy wearing a hoodie means something totally different than when a White or Asian model is photographed wearing one. None of the agents said it directly but I noticed they nolonger used the hoodie pics...so I stopped shooting models of color wearing hoodies. I had to come up with another way to celebrate the uniqueness of their faces.

model: Lance Wilcox - @lancewilcox

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

FORM pt1: Pharrell Mugler

model: Pharrell Mugler - @Misterpharrell 

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

 model: Pharrell Mugler - @Misterpharrell 

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

model: Pharrell Mugler - @Misterpharrell 

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

MASK featuring Collin Heyward

actor/dancer: Collin Heyward - @collinheyward

(represented by Bloc LA - @blocla)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

 I started working with former Alvin Ailey dancer turned actor Collin Heyward in 2014. He was tall, handsome, and has an amazing body and wanted to book a photoshoot that would provide him with images that show he could do more than just dance. We instantly connected and became good friends. I love working with people with a dance background. Dancers know how to move and are comfortable with their bodies. Collin became one of my muses. Every time he is in town, he'd invite me to see him perform which inspired our collaborations.  Whenever we get together we always create something hot.

me and actor/ dancer Collin Heyward

"Victoria" excerpt from Collin Heyward on Vimeo.

 Before moving to LA, Collin wanted his last shoot with me to be something edgy and fun so we decided to make a mask out of pantyhose and play with movement. I love Collin's physique and I wanted these images to celebrate his form through movement.

These images represent the mask we wear to fit in with society and our struggle to take it off and be who we really are.

actor/dancer: Collin Heyward - @collinheyward

(represented by Bloc LA - @blocla)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

art direction by Tarrice Love

EDITORIAL: City of Dreams for COOL AMERICA MAGAZINE

Editorial. CITY OF DREAMS

COOL AMERICA MAGAZINE.

@coolamericamag

Models: @kameron.ramirez at @soulartistmgmt, 

Victoria Saravia at @statemgmt, 

@father.tom at @majormodelsny

fashion director: janet igah

Makeup by dymond Anderson

Hair by martin plascencia

Art direction by me @i_am_tarricelove

Location: THE LAB- Bedstuy, Brooklyn

Jane Igah, the co-editor of Cool America Magazine, emailed me expressing interest in working with me for an editorial fashion spread centered around a 90's hip-hop group. I thought this was a great opportunity build relationships with magazines and industry creatives.

In the past, I have had the reputation of being difficult to work with because today's industry teams are accustomed to working with photographers don't have a strong background in fashion. They are use to working with photographers who are technical button pushers. 

I am an artist and I treat every project like it's my own. I'm my own art director and I am not used to having to struggle with the other creatives on set to have my ideas heard. I am not a push over and that makes me the type of artist fashion people are hesitant to work with....me having fashion knowledge makes me even more difficult to work with. I like fashion editorials to tell some kind of story and the images to look like movie stills. 

Young fashion people tend to be turned off by my experience so I walked in ready to pull back so that I don't overstep and seem over-bearing. I really wanted to connect and build with them because I really don't like that I don't have industry friends I can creatively collaborate with. I mentally prepared myself to let the fashion editor take the lead and her team run the shoot and sit back and be a technical button pusher.  

Editorial. CITY OF DREAMS

COOL AMERICA MAGAZINE.

Models: Kameron Ramirez at Soul Artist Mgmt

Victoria Saravia at MSA/ State Management
Thomas Castro at Major Model Mgmt

fashion director: Janet Igah

Makeup by Dymond Anderson

Hair by Martin Plascencia

Art direction by me @i_am_tarricelove

Location: THE LAB- Bedstuy, Brooklyn

When everyone arrived, nothing was what it was supposed to be... There was suppose to be 5 black male models who where suppose to be portraying a 90's rap group and only 3 models showed up (and one was a white girl). When I saw the clothing, nothing looked like anything I had seen rap groups wearing back in the day. The clothes looked more like they were inspired by the grunge scene of the early 90's. The team wanted to stay with the original concept but none of them was old enough to remember the 90's era. When I think 90's hip-hop, I think about baggy clothes, Fresh Prince, TLC, bright colors. Most of their reference was more the grunge fashion scene.  The editor and her team seem to welcome my knowledge about fashion and art, so I verbally expressed my ideas on how we could adjust to the last minute casting changes.

Instead of 90's rap group, I was inspired by how the girl model reminded me of young Madonna when she was in a pop band called The Breakfast Club. I started to create a story in my head that was inspired by Madonna and the Breakfast Club shot in my neighborhood in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. I wanted to tell the story of a trio of musicians who were from three different sides of the tracks that met and started creating music together with dreams of becoming stars in NY. The girl was edgy with street smart and used her sexiness to get producers, djs, and promoters to pay attention to their band. The black guy was the rapper who had access to the best weed, and the white guy was the songwriter who came from a family with money and influence. As soon as they got a taste of fame, the girl starts having solo aspirations and leaves the group to become a superstar.

Madonna and the Breakfast Club

reference imagery of Madonna when she first moved to NY and joined the band The Breakfast club

"The documentary story of Madonna's struggling days in New York with her first band "Breakfast Club," leading up to her first solo record deal." Written and Directed by Guy Gudio. Produced by Guy Guido and Paul Castro Jr. Copyright © 2018

  

Editorial. CITY OF DREAMS

COOL AMERICA MAGAZINE.

Models: Kameron Ramirez at Soul Artist Mgmt

Victoria Saravia at MSA/ State Management
Thomas Castro at Major Model Mgmt

fashion director: Janet Igah

Makeup by Dymond Anderson

Hair by Martin Plascencia

Art direction by me @i_am_tarricelove

Location: THE LAB- Bedstuy, Brooklyn

HIT THE FLOOR feat. Cort King

actor: Cort King - @cortkingthelegend

(www.imdb.me/cortking)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

I had the wonderful opportunity to work with actor Cort King years ago when he traveled all the way from Atlanta to New York to meet with modeling agencies. He made his way to Brooklyn and stopped by the lab. I've worked with him twice and both times he was great in front of my camera. He was very laid back chill. Him being an artist too made working with him easy. During our sessions, he told me about some of the independent acting projects he was working on. I watched them and became an instant fan. 

actor: Cort King - @cortkingthelegend

(www.imdb.me/cortking)

ph. Tarrice Love - @bytarricelove

top left - Cort King as Pax Lowe

Hit the Floor is a scripted drama that explores the inner workings of the professional basketball world through the eyes of the LA Devils. Its packed with sex and drama and I've been following it since season !. I was super excited when I found out it was moving to BET and there was gonna be a season 4. I was even more excited when I found out Cort King was joining the cast as the sexy new rookie basketball player #26 Pax Lowe. Also joining the cast is the amazing Teyana Taylor

I just finished watching the premiere episode and I'm so proud to see Cort killing it on my tv screen. He is definitely a new talent to watch and I'm looking forward to seeing him do more. I can't wait to get him back in the lab especially with all this new muscle he's added to his lean physique. Check him out on Hit the Floor on Tuesday nights on BET @ 10/9 central.