Last week was full of fun parties, gorgeous models and of course, runway shows. Anyone who was anyone was there... except for me. Sadly I was not oggling awesome shoes or sipping champagne at any clubs with dark tall strangers. However I was busy having my own fun about 1000 miles from Paris in a little town called Hossegor.
The Assosiation of Surfing Professionals, or ASP as its known in the circuit, goes around the world competing all year round. I happened to catch the France portion down by ritzy Biarritz and had a fabulous time.
Kelly Slater, 8 time world champ, competed in the event and was I ever happy about it! He is gorgeous and athletic and gorgeous and strong and, well, you get the idea. So enough talk, here's some eye candy. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Some time has passed since my last blog entry and so much has happened since then. I have spent the past month in Costa Rica with what I have lovingly come to call as Team Brazil: Juliano Allgayer and Bruno Rangel. We went canopy jumping, white water rafting and cruised the Pacific coast visiting all the surf spots while soaking up the sun. More importantly however we were all affected by the shocking stories we learned about shark finning that was going on right there in front of us on the coasts of this gorgeous paradise.
We traveled around the country with my 16 year old brother Lamberto who is an avid surfer and shark defender. A surfer who loves sharks? How can that be? He's a smart kid, that's how. He's organized protests in Costa Rica, a country that hosts the second largest concentration of sharks in the world on the Cocos Island, to stop shark finning. His passion ignited my own and now I am obsessed.
Shark finning is the cutting and removal of fins from sharks in the open ocean. Most times the bodies of the sharks are thrown back in the water while they are still alive. The sharks sink to the bottom where they are eaten alive by other fish or drown because they can't move to breathe.
The fins are used to make shark fin soup, a delicacy in China that is served as a symbol of honor. It's served at weddings and important banquets as well as for important business meetings. The shark fin itself has no taste or nutritional value and is used merely for texture in a broth made of chicken or pork.
Every year 100 million sharks are killed for their fins. It is a multi-billion dollar business.
I probably sound like National Geographic article right now and you're thinking bo-ring. But lets get real. The fact is that sharks are an indispensable part of our survival. Yeah, OUR survival. Even though we have this fear of sharks (no thanks to Jaws) they are one of the key animals in our ecosystem. How can that be if they live in the ocean? Well 2/3 of the planet's oxygen, the air WE breathe, comes from the ocean. If sharks (the top of the food chain under the sea) become extinct, then it will affect the entire chain beneath it, leaving us without important underwater plants that give us what we need to survive.
Sharks have been around for more than 400 million years. To get an idea of how much time that is just think that dinosaurs existed about 150 million years ago. Sharks have survived the division of the continents and FIVE major extinctions. They are the perfect animal, unchanged in all that time, the kings of the ocean... and humans are killing about 15,000 of them an hour to honor tradition.
If you haven't already, please check out the documentary SHARKWATER (www.sharkwater.com). It is an amazing portrayal of what is really going on with the finning industry and the decline of about 90% of our sharks. The guy who made this documentary is an underwater photographer who also happens to be a biologist named Rob Stewart. He's only in his late 20's but he has already accomplished more than most people will in a life time. He spent the 5 years preceding this documentary traveling to 15 countries to gather information and footage of this barbaric tradition.
And for those of you who come to my blog for eye candy, Rob is super hot. So watch the film, educate yourself and do it enjoying the view of my personal hero, Rob. And if after reading this or watching the film you feel as pissed off about the subject as I do, then do something about it! You can learn how to help at www.sharkwater.com or www.seashpepherd.org
Top Pictures: Juliano, Bruno and Lamberto. All pics by me.
Bottom Pictures: Rob Stewart and sharks taken from www.sharkwater.com
Fashion week parties are the best. I went to a few this season and had a ball. My faves this summer were the male model agency parties. I was sick all through fashion week but bore through illness in the name of... well, boys.
I always get excited for these parties and rarely turn one down. They are so different depending on the agency and location of the soiree...
One party was at L'Etoile club and served only whiskey or vodka. This was a "cool kids" party - everyone was dressed to the 9's and dancing to poppy tunes while checking themselves out in the wall mirrors.
Another party was at a small corner bar where everyone spilled out onto the street and the drink of choice was beer. Everyone was in casual wear having a great time laughing on the street and sneaking away to smoke one. It was very laid back and the most fun of all the get togethers.
Whether at clubs, bars or plain old on the street, the parties are way fun... So much fun that I decided to host my own a couple of nights ago.
I gathered up the usual gang and sent out invites for the newcomers and was very pleasantly surprised when a group of Brazilians showed up that included Max Mota, who I've been dying to shoot for a while. Max's latest campaign is Dior and can be seen on Avenue Montaigne at the store's front windows. He was super cool and even better looking in person.
But Max wasn't the only cute Brazilian present by far. I had already met Junior, a friend of Max's, once before but didn't really remember how hot he was until the second time around. In fact he's so gorge that mid party I got an urge to shoot him right there and then, so we did. Nothing better than an improvised 3 am shoot!
I have pics from the model parties but have them on another memory card that I left at home and now I am in Italy... so more pics to come later. For now here are a couple of the pics from the improvised shoot with Junior - gotta love that fish eye lens!
On top of the clothes, the boys, the parties and all the other great things about fashion week, there's the reunion of old friends. I'm always happy to see people I don't normally get to see because they live far away.
One of my favorite people to see whenever I get a chance to is Public Image's Chris Forberg. I've known Chris for years ever since I first interned at IMG men. We've always kept in close touch and see each other as often as we can. We had dinner a couple of times and went to see Sex and the City (second time for me - loved it!).
As we were walking near the Opera on our way to the theater I ran into German cutie Paul Boche. He is a really sweet guy who always seems to have a million things going on at once. He was on his way to a fitting, frantically telling us about how he was upset to work that evening since Germany was playing in the world cup. A huge fan of electronic music he's a DJ in Berlin and has his own DJ managing company. He also happens to be a star model that hits up the biggest catwalks in fashion.
I haven't had the chance to shoot him and quite honestly I can't wait to! So I was browsing around for a cute pic of him and ran into this amazing editorial of him with one of my favorite old school guys Ian Jones (on the left).
As fashion week arrives so do the models. They seem to be everywhere I go and I'm not complaining!
I spent yesterday afternoon shooting a little love story with Louis, a cute new French boy and another model I'd worked with before who I adore, Manon. During the shoot at the Champs de Mars of the Eiffel tower I ran into my friend Andre sitting with a bunch of newly arrived Dior boys. Hot hot hot.
After we finished the shoot the whole team and I joined them on the grass to drink wine and sing along to Mariano's guitar. I just have to say again how cute they are! A mix between Brazilians and Argentines, they make up the perfect cast for this season's show. Kris van Assche is a total babe hunter. He hand picked these guys himself on a recent trip to South America. Not bad Kris, not bad at all.
During the absence of my internet I found myself to be pretty productive and got out and took a bunch of pictures. Although I absolutely love shooting guys it was time for me to expand my horizon, so I got hooked up with a girl's agency and started shooting away.
The girl who stood out the most for me has been Aline Lima from Brazil. She's uber tall and has an amazing face. She has to be one of the cheeriest and most upbeat people I have ever met. I shot her in a park way down in the 14th arrondisement wearing a collection from a designer I know named Giulietta Canzani.
During the shoot Aline reminded me of Jennifer Connelly's character Sarah in that old 80's movie The Labyrinth (one of my all time faves - David Bowie running around in tights singing his heart away, whats not to love?).
Jennifer Connelly in The Labyrinth
Aline has a true naivete that came out even when she was scantily clothed and looked smoking. She is absolutely gorgeous.
Next week is men's fashion week here in Paris. Once again I'll be running around town meeting people for drinks and gracefully attending any show I may get invited to last minute (or manage to talk my way into). The town is crawling with cute boys. Just about anywhere you go you are bound to run into a scruffy kid on a skateboard wearing a hoody who just so happens to be the same guy on the billboards all over the metros and bus stops.
Last week was casting week. It was so much fun to see my boys again. I'd hung out with the same crew for about three months before everyone parted ways for a month and then reunited last week. Facundo and Lucho were the first to arrive. Both are from Argentina and became best friends in Buenos Aires before coming to Paris. Both big stoners and hippie hearted, they were a fun beginning to the reunion. Two days later the Brazilian boys Ju and Rodri arrived from Milan. We all met up at the Champs de Mars along with my old pal Andre, Gonzalo (a cute new boy from Argentina) and my two friends Annika and Tania.
Within the next few days more boys started coming around including Simon who I absolutely adore. We played monopoly, drank wine, smoked joints and got yelled at by the neighbors. It was just like the good old days.
They all left on Sunday to Milan for the castings and shows there and then come back in a week or so for the shows here. I'm sure there has to be a reason but it makes no sense to me why the castings for Paris were last week, then the castings and shows in Milan are the next two weeks and back to Paris after that for the shows. Its all just part of the whirlwind that is the life of fashion. The jet setting, the conflicting schedules, the chaos... It just wouldn't be the same without the tormenting obstacles on the road to fabulousness.
Rodrigo Oliveira and Juliano Allgayer
Facundo Pellegrino, Luciano Rivarola and Gonzalo Domenech
I love living in Paris. I love the sky at around 7 pm when the pink clouds peek through the buildings and ever so gently kiss the floor and give everything they touch a soft glow. I love the smell of hot bread when I walk by a boulangerie, the kids playing in the parks, the stores... I have to remind myself of how fantastic this city is because from time to time, like every other big city, it has its downfalls. There's dog shit everywhere, the market streets permanently smell like fish, the plumbing sucks and NO ONE likes to works. Le service pour le customer simply just does not exist. Enter my problem.
I've had to deal without internet at my house for over 2 weeks now. My landlord decided to switch services on me, which is fine because I get more channels on my TV and I can make free calls to the states. In theory said change was to be made two weeks ago from one service to the other to have uninterrupted internet service . One of the companies came through and cut off my old service. The new company, however, has not as of yet made a grand appearance in my apartment. I call and call and I realize that my calls are made in vain because its always the same drill. I get an automated person for half an hour and when I can finally speak to someone real they always say they'll call me back... but they never do.
So I decided to do what everyone else in the world does when they need free wireless: I tried stealing from the neighbors. Everyone who lives around me has a code though and I'm pretty sure if I ask them for their password to use just for a few days I'll not only be shot down but they'll probably try to get me in trouble somehow due to a recent hostility between my front neighbor and I. The crazy hag decided to scream like a lunatic one day out of her window, proclaiming that she "lived across from crazy people!!!". It was completely out of the blue, I swear.
Anyways the point is I am now accessing the net at the park across the street from my house, which so conveniently has free WiFi. Its great for quickly checking your emails but its really windy and cold so my visits are short. Hopefully my internet problem gets solved quickly because I have tons to talk about since casting week just passed here in Paris and next week are the shows. Lots of parties and lots of cute boys...
There's a video on You Tube called "Portfolio" that shows a fashion shoot by Steven Meisel in 1983. It features a bunch of gorgeous chicks dressed in 80's glam rock gear dancing and singing their little hearts off as Steven screams "Nastier! Sicker!". It's genius. One of the chicks in the video is non other than Paulina Porizkova, my least favorite judge ever on America's Next Top Model. She ruined this season for me, but I have to say I love her in this video!
This is what I love about fashion photography: the yelling, the thrill, the music... its like a big party where you have loads of fun with pretty people and in the end you don't have a generic partytonight.com type photo, but a kick ass editorial or cover!
Last week I met Vincent Gapaillard, a super cool young photographer from Paris who photographs fashion still life. Personally I could never photograph still life. I need the rush of yelling and laughing and well, moving life... but Vincent makes his still life look fresh and fun. He definitely has a very unique way of seeing things.
Vincent made a great point about style and how important it is to make everything you do your own. Its easy to get carried away by role models (they say that copying is the biggest compliment) but there is no room for old... the same shit we see over and over... I find myself mimicking both consciously and unconsciously too often and its something I need to work on. But hey, i'm young and learning, so until I get my signature down and really concretize my style, I enjoy "borrowing" ideas from magazines and books... and not to mention Meisel's directing! When i'm shooting I just can't help but scream "Stranger, weirder, nastier"!
The shit about traveling is well, traveling. I went to Madrid this weekend and had to relive the hell that is airport and airline security. There are a bunch of migraine inducing aspects of traveling but these are my top three.
Issue number one: no liquids. Seriously, if someone wanted to arm a bomb on a plane they wouldn't put their explosives in the form of liquids in 3 ounce containers in a clear zip lock bag that measures EXACTLY 7.5 by 8 inches. What if they team up with other passengers? What if 20 people are in on it? Exactly how much liquid explosive must one have to be considered a threat?
While waiting in line to pass through security you are often harassed by the power-tripped fat airport security guards in a loud annoying voice: "Any liquids, gels or creams?". They sound like they're asking if you have crack. I had lip gloss in my pocket and a tube of mascara in my bag and didn't say anything and passed through clear and free. I know what you're thinking... rebel.
And come on, why sell water at the airport that you can't bring on board? I remember reading an article a million years ago where Cindy Crawford advised drinking lots of water on board to maintain fresh, hydrated skin. Then she went on to describe her favorite lip balms and hand creams she used while in the air. No wonder everyone looks like shit when they travel now, especially on long trips. Not only can you not bring your own water, but the steward snares at you if you ask for a refill on your already tiny (and ironically) 3 ounce cup.
Issue number two: removing your shoes. I understand the logistics of this, I really do, but I think its a bit over the top. It all started about 6 years ago when this guy tried to detonate a bomb aboard an American Airlines flight where the explosives were stuffed in his shoes. So if the purpose of scanning shoes is to detect hidden material, then why am I asked to take my shoes off when I am wearing flip flops? And what's to prevent anyone from stuffing said explosive material anywhere else other than a shoe?
I think there should be one big x-ray machine that's like a big screen you have to walk behind and it shows only guns, explosives and human bones. Oh, and the damn zip-locked liquids. It would make traffic go smoothly and you don't get airport goo on your socks while people pass one by one in a sometimes dubious metal detector. I once witnessed about 20 people go through a detector that wasn't even turned on.
And last but definitely not least in my list of top annoyances of traveling: lost luggage. How does luggage get lost? You check it at the counter and they put it in with all the others that magically make it to the final destination. I am not talking about connecting flights... I mean good ol' straight forward one way deals. I have a theory: I think airlines get paid to charter stuff so they sacrifice people's luggage in order to get the goods that the other client is paying for on time. So you, the official client who paid a ridiculous amount of money to travel, can't even brush your teeth when you get to wherever you're going.
I think we, the frustrated travelers of the world, should unite in a protest against the abusive airlines that keep treating us all like shit and losing our stuff... ooooooor we can continue to be lazy and just deal with it when we travel. I know I'm not getting off my ass, but at least I'll write about it!
My friend Alex Alfaro is an up and coming photographer that is taking the London scene by storm. His typical phrases include "Damn Gina!" and "Sweet Baby James!". Needless to say this guy cracks me up all the time. He's got a funky mohawk, awesome kicks and he's half Peruvian and half Los Angelean (not to be confused with American - its a whole other country out in La la land).
Here is a snippet of his work and you can see the rest of it on his web site.
Have you guys gotten a peek at the new show "Stylista" yet? If you have then you know it sucks, if you haven't then you should know it sucks.
Seriously I thought it was a joke. I thought Ashton Kutcher was going to pop out at any second and tell the poor souls competing on the show that they'd been punked.
The show is about fashionistas who compete for a job to become assistant to Anne Slowey, the fashion news editor for "Elle". Anne plays the part of Anna Wintour - badly. I think Anne is super cool and she does a great job with "Elle" but what is this prima-donna-throwing-my-coat-to-my-assistants-like-I'm-Meryl-Streep thing she's got going on?
Its a Tyra produced show, obviously, with all the drama drama drama. In this first look at the show Anne is an uber bitch who criticizes each individual contestant. It makes me wonder... are these shows about making one person's dream come true... or are they about embarrassing and destroying the hopes of about 10 others? I guess public humiliation is the new sex - it sells like hot bread!
I was perusing through JD's blog and saw his post on Pedro Bissi. It just made me think of what a cutie he is. I shot Pedro in Miami at the Vagabond Motel, a really cool torn down and deserted motel on Biscayne Boulevard. It was so much fun shooting him and he is the biggest sweetheart, which is why he is the model of the week.
He was such a sport during the shoot doing everything I asked for, including "dying" on a wheel cart, climbing high roofs and faking fight scenes.
We communicated in Portoñol (a mix of Portuguese and Spanish) and talked about Brazil and Guns n' Roses. He's really cool and definitely someone I'd like to see (and shoot!) again.
I was stoked to read on Models.com that Karl is on Time's 100 most influential people's list, which also contains the likes of Oprah and the Dalai Lama. It also says there however that Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks are numbers 4 and 5 respectively on the reader's poll. WHAT?! Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks are the 4th and 5th most influential people in the world? No wayyyyy! At least they're not on the official list, but come on, the reader's still voted!
It makes me wonder though... the fashion business has two completely different sides to it. There's the side that everyone who isn't into fashion knows who have a pretty cheezy idea of what fashion is (hence Heidi and Tyra's ranking) and then there's the real connoisseur side: the people who make it all happen and the ones that eat it up. I am both. I fucking love this shit.
I walked down Avenue Montaigne today and couldn't help but go into Chanel. A-Mazing. I love Karl. I love love LOVE Karl. He makes my head spin in a great way. If you haven't already you should check out his site www.karllagerfeld.com and loot at his pics. I am absolutely floored by them.
These are some of the pics he did of Andre a couple of weeks ago. Andre showed me the actual prints Karl gave him and they were so dope. They were printed on a sort of linen/watercolor paper with a thick white border. Incredible!
Karl is the most kickass 69 year old on the planet. He has impeccable taste and is a real badass. Definitely a role model. My friend Stephanie said she saw him last week at a sushi bar in Saint Germain with two boy models. That's exactly where I want to be on a random Tuesday. Livin' large. When in doubt, just ask yourself: What would Karl do?
When I met Tom Wade he was sitting in the lobby of his hotel in Milan sipping a coke chatting away on his laptop. He was surrounded by his manager Sean Read and by Public Image's Chris Forberg and Sarah Flaherty. I went to their hotel to meet Chris and Sarah for a drink since I used to work with them back when it was still IMG men.
Tom looked super cute wearing a white hoodie and torn jeans. His hair was fucking cool: bright yellow and choppy. We hung out a lot since then and he was even my first test shoot.
He is absolutely great. He's only 17 and he's a pro golfer and booked the Burberry Campaign last season. He's one of Marc Jacob's faves and has been seen cruising the runways of Lanvin, YSL and Prada.
He recently traded his edgy hairdo for a more sophisticated cut and color. Whether he's blonde, brunette or whatever he will always look gorgeous. He's just cute as hell.
Did you hear about John Galliano and Hello Kitty? Maybe this is old news to you but I just found that shit out. Cra-zay, even for Galliano. According to Reuters, Galliano is posing with Hello Kitty in a spread for Vogue Nippon in which the cat is wearing Dior's new collection. Let me give you a sec to sink that in...
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The article says that "Japanese animation and characters have been a strong influence on the fashion world the last few seasons, but kitty is special... Fashion people all know her name and face and always say they love her..."
Yeah everyone loves Scooby Doo too but I don't see Karl posing with Shaggy anytime soon. It's a great marketing ploy for the Asian market but come on John, really? Pictures of you and Hello Kitty on a shopping spree in Paris? What's next? Donatella kickin' it with with Sponge Bob in Milan?
I was sitting on line 5, which occasionally goes outdoors, when I first realized that winter was finally ending (yep, and its almost may). The sky was amazing and the Seine glistened. It was as though I suddenly woke up and realized it wasn't miserable outside anymore. I've been so busy locked up in the studio I hadn't noticed that spring has finally arrived. I hadn't had time to really breathe in the warm air and when I did I fell in love with Paris all over again.
I've been wanting to do a lot more location shoots but on a tight budget it's difficult unless you have some nice sunlight... And now here comes the sun little darling! Immediately I started thinking of the projects I have been cooking up waiting for the summer light to arrive.
I always find inspiration listening to Pink Floyd. I did a shoot based on the song "Time" and another one on "Brain Damage". In that particular moment when I looked out the line 5 train I was listening to "Goodbye Blue Sky" and I threw every other idea out the window and decided to make a short outdoor still film with that song. Its dark and sweet at the same time so the only logical person I could think of to take the lead was again my muse for this month: John Smith.
We wandered around Paris an entire afternoon and even had time to take a break for him to go to a casting. It was fun playing paparazzi for a day with everyone watching thinking "what the fuck are they doing?". Big props to John for not so much as blinking at the people who were pointing and staring. We had a great time and together managed to make my first still film.
So without further a due I give you "Goodbye Blue Sky".
I must give credit to the original creators of Good Exposure TV... A mocumentary on the lives of three male models in New York City. I first watched this about 4 or 5 months ago and haven't stopped laughing since.
It's always important to be able to laugh at yourself and these guys take that to a whole new level. The videos capture the lives of male models pretty dead on, at least from what I have seen throughout the years.
For me it all started about 6 years ago when I interned at IMG (now Public Image). Yeah, I answered phones, I fetched coffee, I ran around town gophering and I loved it. I hung out at the infamous model apartment on 28th and 10th daily and really absorbed the wisdom of the 6 or 7 guys living there. And by wisdom I mean second hand high. I am yet to meet a model who doesn't smoke up. It seems to come with the territory. What else are you supposed to do while waiting for the phone to ring?
The guys bitch and complain about modeling but they are needed in order to keep harmony in the bubble of the fashion world. They are the ying to the fashionista yang. Clients have their pick of a million great looking guys who want to be a model more than anything in life and are 110% committed but the ones who bring it and the ones we love are the ones who keep us on our toes.
So to the creators of Good Exposure TV Jay Bulger and Toby Styling: Bravo buddies.
"Some people think we just get paid to stare into the camera, but sometimes there's two cameras and we don't get paid double"
As per usual the gang came over last night. Simon surprised us with a backpack full of groceries so we made sushi. I made these rolls with salmon and imitation crab that were not bad but then again we had major munchies. Let's get real about imitation crab for a minute... You know how they say that tuna is the chicken of the sea? Imitation crab is the hot dog of the sea. Fo real, what's in that shit?
Did you ever watch the Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey "Newlyweds" show on MTV? There was this episode where she didn't know whether chicken of the sea was chicken or tuna... and then there was the memorable question "Are buffalo wings made of buffalo meat?".
Thats what I love about American television: It's so mind numbing its fantastic. I always enjoy watching whenever I get to the states. The last time I was there was about a month ago when I went to Miami for 2 weeks. It was spring break at the time and the kegs were a flowin'.
I went to the Victoria's Secret pool party "Ralley at the Raleigh" that was hosted at the (surprise surprise) Raleigh Hotel. Jessica Simpson was not there but her ex-hubby Nick Lachey co-hosted the event with his babe Vanessa "Mily Vanily" Manilo. There was dodge ball, there were bikinis and there was Luke Hogan. Damn! What a hottie. I absolutely have the biggest crush on him. Aside from his to die for looks, he makes me laugh until my guts hurt. We snuck around the party stealing hamburgers in the VIP laughing our asses off. According to the waiter there was a 1 burger per person policy - that is some bawlshit!
The party consisted of spring breakers from all over the states gathered around this amazing pool with pink dogs and booze everywhere. A-mazing. I felt like I was in a reality show or one of those teen comedies where the college pool parties look like this. I thought this kind of shit was staged or just made a parody out of but I am sadly mistaken. These kids are full of energy, wired on Smirnoff Ice's and cheering along with Nick and Mily while they play games like twister and tug of war and they LOVE it.
These two chicks asked me to take their picture in this exact same pose with one of their cameras. I couldn't resist and snapped one with me own. Their personalized shirts had their names on them. One of them was "Stina" (short for Cristina? sssstina?) and the other one named "Jojo"... I ain't even gonna go there.
It was intriguing watching all this happen before my very eyes. I felt like I had jumped in my TV. It was cheezy to say the least but now I can check it off my list of things I never planned on doing but somehow ended up doing anyways. At the end of the day I met a really cute boy, got drunk for free and had a blast... and there is nothing wrong with that!
Eu menti is portuguese for "I lied"... a phrase commonly used by my friend and this week's model of the week: Andre. He's huge on practical jokes and thinks its funny to do or say something thats wrong, stop mid tracks and belt out the words "EU MENTI!"
I don't think I have ever been with Andre when he wasn't smiling or giggling... and i see him ALL the time. There's no internet at his place, so I find myself sitting next to him on my couch while he shows me youtube videos on a daily basis.
He has a party soul and tears it up on the dance floor like it's nobody's business, and all that energy translates into his photos. I've shot him twice and both times he was awesome. Though a bit shy when you first meet him, give him a couple of hours and he'll be your new best friend.
Kris van Assche and Andre De Pizzol at Kris' show Feb '08
Currently one of the Dior boys, we'll be seeing a whole lot more of him in the upcoming season. He's shooting the new campaign this week... and the photographers is.... Eu menti! Can't tell you, wish I could, but its HOT!
Everyone from Kris van Assche to Karl Lagerfeld goes crazy over his greek god features, claiming him to be one of the most elegant models today. With that sculpted face and perfect poise I can't help but agree and go nuts along with the rest of them.
Paolo Roversi rocks my world. He's photographed every major model on the planet and continues to do so daily. His favorite tool is his 8 x 10 camera with which he has captured some of the most timeless pics of all times. He is the living proof that less is more... He uses the same props (he collects chairs and stools from the street) and claims that when inspiration is lacking he simply hangs up his trusty blanket as the backdrop which he's had for over 30 years. Check out this photo of Natalia Vodianova (blanket and all). I LOVE it!
Natalia Vodianova photographed by Paolo Roversi
Roversi is a laid back guy who is very natural and likes to joke around. He told me he looks for the same qualities in a model, which is probably why he chose to photograph Simon Nessman a few months ago for Arena Magazine. Simon is as cool as they come - 18 years old from "a little island off of Vancouver island" with an endearing personality and a smile that makes you melt.
Simon Nessman photographed by me
Simon Nessman photographed by Paolo Roversi
Roversi showing his 8 x 10 photographed by me
Even though Roversi and I have completely different ways of shooting (slowwwww and very precise vs lean mean snapping machine) I admire and respect his work immensely. He is someone I look up to as a role model, someone whose got his shit figured out. He said: "A picture is a black page before it is anything. It is your job to paint on that black page with light. You must feel the light, you must live the light."
I have to hand it to 20 year old Swedish sensation John Smith. I shot him this morning and was blown away once again by his presence, which is why he is officially the new model of the week.
I can't put my finger on what it is that makes him so special... its an alluring combination of his poses, personal style and killer body. As a person he is incredibly human and down to Earth. He has a soft way about him and writes great poetry. And who can ignore those abs?!
