'He comes across as very humble, I don't think he truly understands just how hot he is...'
Sometimes it can be the 'not knowing' that produces the hottest images... We have all experienced walking into a room and seeing the hottest guys, well the ones who know they are the hottest, front and center, dominating conversation and attention. It isn't really their fault, people often gravitate towards them, expecting them to maintain their attention with there appearance and personality. After a short while though, usually your attention, and most certainly your eyes ventures beyond them, looking for someone, something with a bit more... maybe sustenance.
I was incredibly excited to discover the work of Chicago photographer Ray Golm (covetimage) this past fall. Every that return to Ray's portfolio, there are always models that initially grab my attention There was one model however, who from the beginning, always drew both my visual attention, and my interest.
23 year old JHoup (Jake) has great look. Not flashy or one that aggressively demands your attention, but a look that draws you in quietly, yet strongly, and most importantly keeps you there. A great body and a beautiful face, both unassuming yet full of expression. Jake's beautiful brown eyes are magic, sharing vulnerability and both a pensive seriousness in some shots, and sexy twinkle of fun in others. Jake's lips, surrounded by his magnificent lush beard, are incredibly sexy whether pursed together seriously, or charming you with his great smile.
New to the modeling world, Jake says he is excited to see where exactly all of this might take him. Money is important of course, but for Jake, so is having fun and living each day of his life as positively as he possibly can. Modeling allows him to meet new people, try new things and most importantly, add a dash of excitement into his daily routine. Ray met Jake through a local Meet Up group for male models in Chicago. 'He's a free-spirited young man with a wonderful sense of humor. I knew immediately that I wanted to do a solo shoot with him.'
'I'm a huge fan of beards, and Jake sports a wonderful one. He also has an unbelievably thick, full head of hair. As a member of the "follically challenged," I take great interest in men with wonderful hair (you could say it's one of the many things I covet). Jake is willing to try new things, and takes an active interest in the creative process. In fact, many of the images pictured here were a collaborative effort between myself and Jake.'
The jeans sliding off Jake's waist were a pair a friend of Ray's convinced him to purchase. The far too-expensive Japanese denim fit a little too snug on Ray (the idea was that the denim would stretch) ended up sitting in drawer unworn. Ray decided to dust them off to use in his work with Jake. They created some of Ray's favorite images from the shoot and looked so good on Jake, Ray decided they should remain with him, instead of returning to that drawer.
Rays shares that one of the things he enjoyed most about shooting Jake was his total lack of ego. Jake's never asked his eyes were open or close or showed any concern for how he looked. His goal was to ensure that he was giving what Ray needed to capture the shot he had envisioned. A joy to work with, Jake also peaked Ray's curiosity and says he looks forward to following Ray's modeling career and seeing the work and choices of other artists who work with Jake. Ray loved the results of his work with Jake and was elated that Jake contacted him feeling the same way. Jake shared he has received a lot of positive feedback from their work together and are both are already discussing their next collaboration. I am already looking forward to the results!
