'It was a pretty humid day so Mon's muscle tank top didn't stay on for very long.'
Those who live up and down the east coast know that dusk offers little to no relief from humidity. In fact, the golden hour just before the sun sets, is often the most humid time of the day. Depending on weather and clouds however, it does offer photographers a beautifully rich light. This Crepuscular light occurs at both dawn and dust and acts almost like natures own dimmer switch. It also provides the time of day with the most visible and dramatic contrasts between light and dark.
It was Rae Ellaine's (Stahfysh Photography) use of rich blend of light and darkness that initially had me pausing to enjoy his imagery. This period of half-light provides an almost after glow from the setting sun that beautifully lights model Mon Pattakan in this series of images Rae shot last week for FH. I guess we thank the city of Richmond, known for it's humidity, for helping getting Mon quickly out of his tank top. Not just because we wanted to see the 6'2 model shirtless, but because the light really spotlights his incredible body and the beautiful contrast between the light and the dark of his skin and tattoos.
Rae says that 22 year old Mon, (who goes by Pat) is one of his favorite models to work with. From day one, they had instant connection and felt comfortable with one another from the start. On the day of this particular shoot, they met up for an early evening shoot around 7:30 pm at a local park in the city. They got straight to work so not to waste any of the available light. They started off by a bridge overlooking a river and then made their way into the woods. Rae and Mon ended the shoot near some train tracks in a more secluded area just as the sun was starting to set.
'Mon's very kind hearted and always open to creating beautiful work together. He really knows his body and angles which makes my job easy. Mon also takes very good direction and isn't afraid of taking risks. Each shoot just feels like two close friends enjoying a laugh and snapping a few pictures together, that easy going energy makes for all of the best photos. I would say this is my favorite shoot that we've done together so far and I'm excited for what we'll create together in the future. '
