Going Green!
'After agreeing to prepare a St. Patrick’s-themed shoot featuring Alex Corso, the studio’s assistant and second cameraman, we racked out brains as to how to turn a Colombian into a Leprechaun. Ultimately, we narrowed the ideas down to two concepts that seemed to convey the über-Irish theme of the day. Unable to choose, we split the session in two and pursued both ideas.'
So I admit it, I'm greedy. After featuring imagery from New Manhattan Studio's during Valentine's and Halloween, I wanted more. With St. Patrick's day coming up, my original suggestion was to have model, and FH favorite, Alex Corso pose with nothing but a four leaf clover. Although my guess is Alex might have been on board with, Wes had a few other idea's to grace us with the green, not to mention Alex's hot body, incredible skin and sexy smile.
FH kicked off 2016 with full day celebrating Alex's work both in front of, and behind the Camera. (All Things Alex on FH:) I think Alex is worth celebrating all 12 months of calendar!. Hopefully... I can convince Wes to pick up his camera, and Alex to pull off his pants, many more times before the end of year.
'The first half of the session was devoted to capturing physique art shots in a more classical vein, using green fabric on the model and green gels on the strobes. The second involved painting shamrocks on the model and turning up the green heat under the guise of “Kiss Me I’m [obviously not] Irish.” The lights and fabric easily fell into place. To my surprise, the shamrocks turned out to be the creative challenge of the day.'
'With Alex in front of the camera, I had invited a friend of the studio to help out at the session. An architect by profession, we decided that the artistic nature of his day job qualified him for the job of shamrock body painter. Unfortunately, none of us had ever worked with body paints before and it shows. Oh, well. It’s the spirit that counts and it’s the lucky Leprechaun who finds Alex St. Pat behind his four-leaf clovers.'
'Alex has taught me to pay more attention to the behind-the-scenes shots and throw-away jpgs such as those taken while tweaking lighting. Indeed, it has been from staring at the many striking images that he has taken from unorthodox angles and perspectives that I began to see art hidden in the casual studio shot. Often Alex will be taking shots from the side or rear of the studio as the model is focused on the lead camera in front of him. The model is posing, but not for Alex. At times the shots are quite wide, and capture the mood of the studio. I find it amusing that I am the one with work history that started in photojournalism and it is Alex who has been documenting the model at work.'
'With Alex in front of the camera for the St. Patrick’s shoot and no second cameraman to “capture the moment,” as it were, I found myself searching out some of Alex’s perspectives and getting some of his shots. There are three examples here of such documentary work. Rather than relegating them to “blog shots” (our term for the behind-the-scenes shots) and segregating them, they are presented with the rest. I felt that two of them warranted additional editorial consideration and time to coax the art out of the shadows.'
'The first was taken before the session began. It’s a shot of the model, waiting quietly on the paper as the lights are being tested. The second is a similar shot taken in the middle of the session: that of the model, waiting yet again, this time as the body painter prepares the paint. The third image, is perhaps one of my favorite blog shots: a blissed-out model with the artist behind him, busy at work.'
Wes, New Manhattan Studios
You can find more images of Alex St. Pat at New Manhattan Studios by clicking HERE: For a limited period of time, a selection of photos from Alex’s St. Patrick’s Day session will be available in the Fine Art Gallery.
Alex is featured in the studio’s magazine, Captured Shadows. Issue Number Two, Model and Photographer, is dedicated to three years of his work in front of and behind the camera. It’s a double issue with more than 90 pages of Alex and ten other models at work in the studio and on location. You can preview it and find All Things Alex at New Manhattan Studios by clicking HERE:
