'I remember thinking he was amazing with the pale skin, freckles, great strawberry blond hair and an amazing body and probably would be one of the best models I would ever get to work with.'
It is always interesting to me the impact that certain images have on you on certain days, or at certain times of your life. There are many images that I have come to love, that I initially skimmed by them the first time. Then, at a different point in the future, they become a visual that speaks to me in a new and completely different way.
Dallas photographer Michal Boothe first sent on a series of images of Mark last December. I had shot Michal a list of images that I really loved, and one of the models on that list was Mark. I chose Mark based on a full body shot that I loved, especially his strong face, great body and hair chest. When I was narrowing down images this week to include, I struck by how the images of the back of Mark's neck became the image that kept pulling my focus.
When you're a closeted high school student with a girlfriend, there aren't many safe opportunities to stare for long periods of time at guys you find attractive. That is of course, unless they sit right in front of you in Economics class. Economics was one of the most boring classes I ever took, and daydreaming was a must in order to get through the monotonous sixty minute class without going completely crazy.
Many of those minutes for me, were dedicated to staring and studying the back of the neck, and top of the butt, of the guy sitting in the desk in row ahead of me. I remember counting freckles, checking out his hair cut, what shirt he had on and of course, if there might be a glimpse of skin between t-shirt and jeans. Now the guy in that desk in my economic class didn't have quite the same amount of sexy freckles as Mark has, but the back of his neck helped me get a 'barley' passing grade in that Economics class.
Michal certainly noticed those freckles, and Mark's beautiful skin as well, when first seeing images of the 6' 1" model from photographer Mark Lynch. 'I thought if only I could get a model like that.' And... he did, after connecting with Mark on a non MM Model site about getting together for a shoot. They shot twice together, and if you check out the images closely, you can see a subtle change in Mark's hair between the two shoots.
I love how natural Mark appears, and as always, Michal captures his subjects sex appeal in such beautifully subtle, but powerful ways. Mark's images stood out to me, not because of any particular concept, dramatic poses, colorful fashion or exaggerated sexual expressions. Michal's captures Mark's organic, but strong charm and appeal by simply keeping his focus on those freckles, Mark's body and skin and his beautiful blue eyes. All models should be lucky enough to get a photographer like that.
