'I’m excessively hairy, and I’m so happy to know that hair is evidently “in” right now, because if it wasn’t I would be spending a lot of time and effort shaving the Norwegian sweater all over my body. I have also worked very hard over the years to develop a defined chest, so I think that with the combination of my hair has become my trademark.'
Hairy is definitely in, especially when it graces a gorgeous chest and body like Joe's. Carl Proctor is one of my favorite photographers, and as 2017 flies by, I could't believe Carl's last appearance on FH was during last years Ten celebration. Well, time to rectify that, beginning with Joe. Joe first connected with Carl the way many models and photographers do, with friend request on Model Mayhem with the comment 'Hey, I like your work.'
They began talking about possibly working together, and as he usually does, Carl was curious about what Joe was looking for in his shoot. Joe wanted his images to be fun and sexy, but also, given his career, also work career friendly. They got together just a few days later and shot for close to six hours capturing the looks and themes Joe had been hoping form.
Although the resulting images are certainly career friendly, (unless maybe you're a member of the clergy or kindergarten teacher...) the resulting images from Carl are still sizzling hot. Joe exudes a seductive vibe in his poses and his sultry gaze that give his shots a sexy edge, teetering perfectly on the line that he had set. Carl describes Joe as very enthusiastic about the shoot and the opportunity to expand and update his portfolio and looks forward to working with Joe again. Joe graciously took the time to fill me in on his work with Carl, why he enjoy's modeling, and his experiences so far.
Getting Started:
'The first time I ever modeled I was contacted by a local photographer was on Myspace. He wanted to take a few photos for his portfolio and it’s hard to turn down an opportunity to showcase your blue steel side (Zoolander reference), so I agreed. After he added the photos from our shoot into his online portfolio I kept landing freelance jobs all over Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. The epiphany that made me believe I should consistently pursue modeling came to me when I decided to participate in a model open-call convention called ProScout. I heard an ad on the radio for it on the way to school one day and begged my mom to do it with me. After a weekend’s worth of auditioning I ended up getting three callbacks from reputable agencies in New York and Los Angeles. I ended up not signing with any of them because my mom convinced me to finish school first, but mentally I always placed it to the side to pursue later.'
Skin in the Game?
'The climate of our society is sadly one that still stigmatizes nude photos, and regards being the subject of a nude photoshoot as something unbecoming or indecent. I caution myself to think about those things before every photoshoot. Even though I personally do not have a moral dilemma against tastefully posing nude, the reality is that those types of shots can come back to haunt you. The internet is a quick way for your naked body to become ubiquitous or go viral, and if that happens prospective employers may decide not to hire you simply because they don’t want a risqué model representing their company. It’s a tight rope to walk sometimes, but my general rule of thumb is, “Would my mom be okay with this?” If my answer is no, I don’t do it (lol).'
Why Modeling?
'I really enjoy envisioning concepts and making them come to life in attention-grabbing or thought-provoking images. Art through photography can speak a thousand words and inspires many. I love knowing when I’m a part of that.
I think most models like it because it’s a way for you to enjoy yourself by showing off. Showing the world that you’re confident in yourself through an artistic medium is a very empowering thing. It also feels really cool to know that an image we helped produce may become a benchmark for a specific time in history, or be the representation of an era. It kind of immortalizes you in a way. For me personally, it’s a good way for me to preserve my youth so I can remember a time when I felt pretty good about my aesthetic. In addition to that, modeling can convey a message or story in a way that can’t be written in words, and you can sometimes use that to create a powerful statement that resonates with masses of people. As cheesy as it sounds, you can wield a lot of power modeling if you do it correctly.'
Working with Carl:
'Carl helped a lot with impromptu concepts once we started shooting, but most of the original concepts we used to anchor the shoot were my ideas. I sent him a folder full of images I wanted to try to emulate before we even started shooting. After looking over all the ones I found, it occurred to me that I was channeling some serious young Marlon Brando vibes because a lot of the pics involved guys smoking cigarettes in classy attire.
The other half of the photos I found were guys posing for fitness themed shoots. We decided to combine both themes together and see where it took us. The baseball bat prop was one of Carl’s improvised ideas, which ended up being one of my favorite shots. I played football, so I was more in character for the football equipment shots we did in the shoulder pads. He literally had me growl fiercely at the camera for a few of those shots lol. My intention was to create some tastefully sexy images that you might find in a Calvin Klein ad, and we were able to branch off that concept and make several more through some creative deliberation. That’s another thing I like about modeling; you never know quite what images you will end up with by the end of the shoot, and what you end up with could be better than what you originally planned on.'
