one to watch......BRANDON PARKER

Hailng from Va. my latest discovery, Brandon Parker is currently unsigned and seeking representation. Brandon was the prepper for Ralph Lauren style team of Kelli Browning and Randall Jacobs when I shot Pierre Woods for Uptown magazine. Me and makeup artist Crystal Clark couldn't stop staring at him. His presence and energy was very strong and capitivating. So much so, that Crystal spent most of the day flirting with him, lol. After the photoshoot we exchanged contact info to set up a session.



Brandon was a basketball player for Marymount but after a foot injury that pretty much caused him lose his scholarship - he has set his sights on a modeling career here in nyc. Like myself, he arrived with no money, no family, and a few connects to start life in ny. I been working with Brandon alot for the past few months helping develope his portfolio and him to become a better model. I did the same thing with Brian Peters, Andre Douglas, and Pierre Woods .... now its Brandon Parker's turn to break into the fashion industry and its next big thing.



His classic "guy next door" looks and damn near perfect 6'2" body makes him a definite choice any client from Abercormbie to Armani....
He reminds me so much of my fashion illustrations from my college days - them long limbs, poppin' cheekbones and that long neck... Brandon on his way to becoming a coldmuthafuxah in this industry....



Most of the models I worked with and helped developed, I never see or hear from them again. In the same fashion as Brian Peters @ Ford, Pierre Woods@ NY models, Shylow and Lamar James@ identities and a hand of others I developed a connection beyond a one time session. We developed a friendship that made me take a interest in seeing these people shine. They help make being here by myself less lonesome.....

me and brandon kickin the convo.......



( special thanks to momma Parker for cooking us some real baked mac and cheese on Thanksgiving and Brandon hooked me up with a new chair, hehehehee)

one to watch......Geremy Alexander Perry

GEREMY ALEXANDER IS CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY FUSION MODELS NYC


This is Goldie aka Geremy Alexander Perry @ identities models nyc. I found Geremy thru a social/ network website myspace. While visiting my family in Memphis, TN, a friend suggested I go to his myspace page and check out one of his top friends with lots of hair as a possible person to shoot with while I was home. I saw webcam pictures of Geremy and was drawn to his look. I sent him a message and set up a session when I got home. It turns out he wasn't the person I was suppose to be checking out and that guy ended up flaking out on me. I show'd Tim at Identities the webcam pics (below) and he was interested in signing him.

Geremy Perry's webcam pics that i saw....




Goldie and his grandma flew up to nyc and after meeting Tim, he was signed and his development process soon went underway. After Goldie graduated from high school he made the permenant transition to making NYC his new home and get his modeling career in full swing.



He booked runway time for Edwin D'angelo and Nico and Adrian Spring 2009 shows during NY fashion week this past season and well as landing the upcoming Pelle pelle campaign shot by my boy William Springfield ( who was once the face of Pelle Pelle). I am excited to actively be apart of another model's successful career and look forward to seeing him develope into a superstar in this industry.

...I GOT NO REGRETS (l love my life)

me and our new president Mr. Obama...finally black is in fashion....LOL

Right now i feel real good about my life. I am in NYC living my dream. I have made plenty of mistakes, but I learn from every single one of them. I pray to God to continue to lead me in the right direction and i know my journey thru life leads me toward happiness and success.



me and my co-workers in manhattan preparing to walk those massive blocks to deliver your packages on time.

Sometimes I think people forget i'm a human being. I work a physically demanding job everyday ( i speed walk 75 blocks...no joke, I counted in 1 1/2 hours).... Then I come home to shoot and/or retouch until I pass out. I cope with the same obstacles that life throws everyone else...bills, family shit...job shit...real life. I'm winning, and I feel sooo good about whats in store for me. I celebrate my life by making every moment mean something, by being true to myself, and living it for me.LOL! If I died tomorrow, every image I have created will be true to my vision and of myself. My work is a personal testiment of me as an artist. I AM BLESSED...and it is an awesome feeling to share my blessings with the world.


ended the week on a good note...no mistakes (finally)

I am in SUAVV magazine

www.suavvmagazine.com

check me out - suavv magazine did a story about me and my work -www.suavvmagazine.com. its always nice to know that people do appreciate and support my vision.

Me & Darrell Walden Jr on 26th st.

I wanted to shoot an editorial submission with model Darrell Walden Jr @ (time of posting) Fusion Models NYC. Every stylist I called or emailed passed on the opportunity. Despite the fact that Darrell was fresh off the runways of Paris, Milan, and NYC for Armani, Louis Vuitton, and DKNY, stylist were straight up with me when they said they didn't need to work with a black guy right now. I was so frustrated that I emailed my assistant to cancel the shoot. Then I said "fuck it, imma gone knock this out myself." I went to my closet and started pulling things together. When Darrell arrived prompt and ready....I made him try on the looks to make sure the looks worked. After that We hopped on the A train and headed to 26th street.

me and darrell eatting at BBQ's

...Darrell is currently represented by Next Model Mgmt nyc

It was cold as hell. I made him change on the street. lol . Darrell started tearing up but he was a trooper not really complaining. I had a great time....After working up a serious appetite, I decided to take his skinny ass to BBQ's. We ate enough to get niggaitis on the train back to the house. Then I did a underwear story with natural light in the empty room in my apartment.

I am proud of the images we shot... the work is very different from my usual stuff and i am very happy to experiment with techniques and styling. I hope the pics help spruce up his book.

darrell walden jr @ next model mgmt. nyc

introducing Deric Mickens @ Silver Models

I found Deric Mickens on modelmayhem a few months ago. When he flew into NYC from some small town in Ohio with his little duffle bag and a dream of making this modeling happen. lol Almost instantly he started booking little jobs that that paid him enough to make NYC his new home. As fast as he got here he was snatched up by Adam @ Silver Models.

Deric Mickens @ Silver Models photographed and styled by Me

Deric is a great guy to work with. I love his energy and his confidence. he has an great face that appeals to everyone and a body thats top notch. He is one of those guys that seem to catch on really fast to how to give to the camera. Most just stand in front of it not doing anything. I look forward to seeing big things continue to happen for Deric.

introducing writer Lamar Ariel

http://readytomale.com/index.html

author Lamar Ariel

I was recently commisioned to shoot the photos for writer Lamar Ariel. His latest book , Ready To Male, is a collection of letters that explore male sexuality. Lamar was very nice to work with... he created an atmosphere that was comfortable and relaxing. I felt comfortable and relaxed so thats how i shot him. I shot him in his apartment. I used mostly natural light to give this soft relaxed feeling . I wanted the viewer ofthe images to feel as comfortable as I felt.

I'll tell you one thing tho...that cab ride from bedstuy to 168th wasn't playing no games on my wallet. I almost passed out when dude told me " that'll be $41 dollars". from now on imma include transportation in my rate. lol

Shooting Pierre Woods@ New York Models for UPTOWN Magazine

all images are un-retouched.....

Me and my my boy Pierre Woods of New York Models served it hard ...this time for Uptown Magazine. The luxury lifestyle magazine is working on a feature story about Pierre Woods and Pierre chose me as the photographer to capture him and the style team of Kelly Browning,who is manager advertising stylist for Polo Ralph Lauren and her assistant Randal Jacobs. Model Brandon Parker was the style prepper. Crystal Clark was the groomer who made Pierre look flawless. Photographer/ publisher of Suavv Magazine Mike Letterlough was my assistant for this project.

We shot part of the shoot in Brooklyn near my neighborhood and the rest in the amazing loft of vintage collector Ali. When I walked in and saw the Italian version movie poster of Gordon Park's The Learning Tree, I thought I was in heaven. That was the first movie i saw on cable tv when i was a kid, lol.


advertising stylist manager for Polo Ralph Lauren Kelly Browning assisted by Randal Jacobs

The set of images were to capture the lifestyle of a Brooklyn gentleman with education and heritage. Kelly and Randal did an outstanding job of coming up with looks that mirrored a succesful black man who loved clothes. They were able to take looks from the Ralph Lauren brand and marry them with vintage pieces. Everything looked amazing. Crystal made retouching unnecessary with her ability to make Pierre more perfect than he already is. He style of doing make matches my style of shooting. Its simple and light...she don't make men look like dragqueens.
I am very honored to have met Kelly and Randal and having the opportunity to work with them was a cool learning experience. I learned a lot about styling and the importance to detail.... these are some of the best images i have taken since i been in nyc...I am soooo proud of them

 


groomer Crystal Clark photo assistant by Mike Letterlough
thank you mike - i couldn't have pulled this off without your help....

yep, thats me with my babygurl, Canon Rebel xti- I named her Veronica after my favorite supermodel, y'all can call her Miss Webb, lol

I am so happy that Pierre went to bat for me to have this opportunity, thank you soooooo much.. His agency had the opportunity to chose a more known photographer to shoot this and Pierre made sure my name was thrown into the hat. It is great to know that some of the people I work with value my friendship and hold my photographic contributions with the same respect that they give some of my more famous counterparts.
As soon as it comes out you guys will be the first to see the final images......

ps.
Gotta give Pieerre his props for being able to slide them size 12 feet into size 8 shoes... with no complaints...bravo, pimpin, bravo!!! LMAO

DON'T LET YOUR VOICE GO UP IN SMOKE TOO....VOTE

HURRY UP AND REGISTAR TO VOTE

www.declareyourself.com

.....WHEN FASHION WAS FUN...

I decided to include a few videos i found on youtube that shaped and inspired me to want to be apart of fashion....



behind the scenes of George Michaels/ Thierry Mugler "Too Funky"



hype williams videos....looking at a Hype Williams video is like looking a fashion magazine come to life ...with a hot music soundtrack....


i loved Todd Oldham - he was an american designer who seemed to really enjoy his work. I the model seemed to enjoy wearing his clothes and being apart of his shows...


i am a huge Richard Avedon....I only hope to have this kind of influence in the industry, he was the shit!!!!!

I Shot ISAAC KEYS of the Arizona Cardinals....

i honestly know hardly nothing about sports especially football, but last week i had the oppportunity to work with a pro athlete, Isaac Keys of the Arizona Cardinals. He's from St. Louis ( one of my stompin grounds when i was a teenager) and attend Morehouse. He was cool as hell and the team was fantastic and very cool.

It was my first time working on a photoshoot with other people and they made me feel like i was an important part of the project. usually i'm made to feel like some random nwc - nigga with camera ( yes i used the n word and meant it).... I was allowed to bring some of my artistic vision to the photoshoot. I think we got some really good shots.... that captured Isaac in a really good light and i cain't wait to work with him again....next time on my turf....(HEHEHEE - my evil laugh)

the shoot took place at a beautiful victorian townhouse in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn called The Bourne Townhouse (www.TheBourneTownhouse.com). When me and the makeup artist toured the house, we almost creamed on ourselves...its amazingly beautiful.






me and Isaac finna fuck up that Thai food they bought us to eat....I don't know what i ate but that shit was good...LOL