Instantly Intrigued: Blake by Anthony Q

As I have written about many times, my love for an artist's work usually begins with just one image. In the case of photographer Anthony Q, it is the last image at the bottom of this piece. When I saw the image of Blake laying so beautifully along the tree trunk, I was intrigued. So many things about the image pulled my focus. The surrounding tree's and forest and the pine needles and branches that covered the ground. I loved that Anthony included Blake's boots and clothing in the bottom right of the shot.


Then of course there was Blake himself. His incredible body and the lines and curves he created with his pose. His ankle bracelets and rings and his seductive green eyes focused straight into the camera. Then there's that beautiful hair. I loved how Blake's long dreads cascaded over the tree, flowing over the dead wood's cracks and crevices. There was something about Anthony's image as well as Blake's overall appearance and aura, including the dirt on his legs that all blended so perfectly together.


It felt as if Blake and tree were somehow connected, tied beyond just the trunk being a prop to display his naked body. The quote at the beginning of this piece comes from Blake's instagram and it sort of sums up everything I'm try to say. Blake doesn't look like a model who walked into the forest to pose, instead he looks like he belongs within the environment. Anthony perfectly matched model and pose with location in the creation of this set of images. Blake had been modeling in California for awhile but recently relocated to Hilo, Hawaii and is looking forward to experiencing the modeling industry there as well.


Anthony Q got his start in photography several years after attending a darkroom photography exhibit. Anthony says he was instantly intrigued. Anthony began taking classes in wet darkroom printing and explored various genres, (landscapes, still life) but it was his living subjects, both humans and animals that became his favorites. After Blake responded to a casting call Anthony set out, they agreed to get together to shoot the next day.


'After first meeting Blake, I saw how professional he was. He brought plenty of ideas and suggestions to the shoot - and is a natural at posing. I was pretty sure during the shoot that we had some winners -- and we were both very happy with the results once we reviewed the shots after they were downloaded.'