The life of a male model can be a difficult one. Long hours, not exactly huge amounts cash and a career that usually doesn't last beyond a few years. You have to always be at the gym and watching everything you put in your mouth. Half the time your completely naked, often in front of a room full of strangers. You pose and hold your body in all kinds of uncomfortable positions to get just the right shot.
As difficult as it is on the model, it is even harder on his snake. So much time and attention is given to the face and body, but a smart model is fully aware that even if it's never acknowledged, the star of every images is indeed the snake.
One of the industries most popular and hardest working snake is Mowgli, the Albino Burmese Python who recently signed a one year contract in the snake division with Mount Photography. Mowgli often works those long hours, bending and slithering his frame into any and every contortion created in the mind of Mount photographer Mark Montovio.
Mowgli has worked with some of the worlds hottest male models and reveals many are nightmares, usually pissed and intimidated by his girth and length. Mark Montovio reports that thus far, Mowgli has been great to work with and so far... there have been no serious issues with any model working with Mowgli. Models should keep in mind though, Mowgli is not to be messed with. Burmese Python's are nocturnal rainforest dwellers, and love to snuggle in warm moist areas. They are also excellent swimmers and are able to remain submerged for up to half an hour. They love the underbrush and when male models should remember some have been known to slurp up small furry animals and birds in a split second.
Anthony, shown with Mowgli in these images, had little to worry about though. Mowgli immediately took to him. Given Mowgli is more used to hot climates, and because it was so bloody freezing in the studio, Mowgli just loved rubbing against his fellow model to stay warm during the long shoot.
Mark reports Anthony was a little nervous on the day of the shoot. Mowgli is gentle but rather an unknown, Burmese python's they don't show expression like other animals you must watch out for signs of distress which include a slight hissing sound. They ended up shooting loads as the challenge was to get Mowgli to look good and to catch Anthony as if he slept with the snake every night. Anthony needed to be relaxed and get used to handling his snake. The shoot took about two hours, much longer than Mark's regular shoots and he ended up taking more images than he had ever done before.
'Anthony was fascinated when Mowgli stuck out its tongue - you can see in some of the pics I think - and I had to assure him that Mowgli was just checking him out and not getting ready for a snack. Of course Mowgli got a chance to check out every bit of Anthony as snakes do!'
'They say never work with animals or children and I can see why but this is the first time that both Anthony and I had to work around a model who did not understand what was happening, had no notion of the dynamics of a shoot and didn't give a hiss about the outcome even though it was the star of the show! Of course some would beg to differ!'
