'Models often question me when I want to put them in an uncomfortable or what seems like to them, an awkward pose, but when the model puts trust into me, symmetry happens.'
It was close to two and half years ago that I first found and then quickly featured the work of Boston artist Eddie Christie. In that piece, (Symmetry Happens) Eddie placed model Jeremy Rowback in a dilapidated old building that long forgotten by most almost seemed to welcome in it's human, breathing visitors.
I loved how Eddie was able to weave model with location. Jeremy's strong, muscular body moved lightly, seamlessly and rhythmically from room to room. The beams, wood and run down walls of the environment contrasted with Jeremy's naked skin and energy to almost blend together both the young and the old, the fit and broken and the smooth and the rough for a set of visually spectacular images.
This symmetry is again beautifully presented in these images featuring Eddie's recent September shoot with artist Samuel Isaias Lora. Many of you may remember Samuel from earlier this summer when I presented his work with YogaBear Studio. (Snake On A Train and On The Mountain) In those posts, Samuel demonstrated his ability to use his body, mind and yoga skills to merge both his physical, and emotional presence into wherever he was posing. Samuel's work as an artist and photographer (Toy Soldier) helps him to get into the mindset of not just placing his body where it needs to be, but his entire being seems in beautiful harmony with his surroundings.
Eddie and Samuel came together when Eddied recently headed down to Washington DC to spend time with one of his best friends from High School and to help him celebrate what Eddie calls one of those, 'Oh I'm getting old' birthdays. Whenever he travels, Eddie tries to book photo shoots so was searching Model Mayhem for models in the DC metro area. At the same time, he was looking at some new images that a fellow photographer had done and discovered that several artists that he knows and communicates with had all done photo shoots with a model he had not come across before. The model was based out of Utah but stated in his profile that he was sometimes in Washington DC, so Eddie shot him a message. Within ten minutes Samuel replied, not only that he was interested, but that he would be in DC at the same time Eddie was going to be there! 'The universe was on my side. Eleven messages later, a few Skype calls and some text messages lead to booking a shoot with this model named, Samuel A very wonderful and delightful person.'
'Samuel said he likes what I do with poses and angles and has a thing for balance and yoga as well as working in nature, all themes I have worked with. Extreme poses, balance, strength and working within the boundaries of nature is what get's me excited when working with a model and Samuel was keen for all of the above. We discussed locations over and over. Finally I decided we would try shooting at an abandon fort and if that didn't work out, we'd move on to private property to complete the shoot.'
'Working with Eddie was lovely. He is subdued, kind-hearted and an explorer. Working with him gifted me the pleasure to lower my inhibitions. We created some beautiful nudes just a few spaces away from bikers, drivers and a crowd. Eddie pays close attention to angle and point of view which is why (I believe) his images work so well; they are the captures that make one go "That is it!". We had a great time discussing ideas and brainstorming as we were inspired by each other's work and others'.
Samuel had just flown in to DC and had very little sleep. After picking him up, and a brief stop to eat, they headed to the fort. Eddie reports first spot was small but basically private, easy enough to see cars in the distance to be able to duck and cover if need be, or time enough to put clothes on if someone walked toward the location. They then moved to a larger building, it had lots of hidden spots and many places that would make for some great images, Sadly however, they were overrun with some preteen boys who given it was a weekday, should have been in school. At one point an adult did come over, and Samuel and Eddie were hoping she was there to gather the boys up to leave. Sadly, she was just doing a head count and making sure all were accounted for.
'Two of my favorite things I loved to do, as a child was climb (climb trees, rocks, mountains) and the other was to explore. I love caves, old barns and abandoned buildings so it was only natural that I started to do nude model shoots in the places I love the most.'
Eddie Christie
Even with their unexpected visitors, Eddie and Samuel accomplished their task by capturing some magnificent moments of skin on stone, limbs on leaves and most amazing, a never to have been expected erotic reversal of intent and purpose. The old fort embracing Samuel's naked body into places and cold spaces the structures creators could never ever have imagined.
