'I don’t usually like instruments as props in a shoot but if the model really knows how to play them, it makes a big difference in the authenticity of the photograph. Andrew is a talented saxophone player and he requested that we take some of those which I was happy to do. Andrew actually played small snippets of songs while I was shooting him with his saxophone so it was all quite real.'
Last month I featured 20 year old model and sax player Andrew, and his work with Unlimited Male. (The Cusp of Cool) I knew instantly from the feedback and post count that Andrew, as well as his instrument, were a hit with readers of FH. I was eager to feature more of Andrew's imagery, and fortunately, knew just where to start.
I am fortunate to live very close to some woods so we were able to drive there, shoot for a while, and be back to the house within an hour. Out timetable put us in the woods right at the “golden hour” so the light was warm. We were finishing up and heading back to the car when we came to a clearing where the sun was shining perfectly. I told him this was too good to pass up and he immediately removed his clothes without complaint and we were able to get some shots where he appears to be edged with sunlight
When I was putting together the links for the Andrew piece I noticed an image of Andrew that I immediately recognized. The image, (HERE:) was a beautiful shot of a naked Andrew curled around a flower arrangement atop a wooden table. I recognized the table right away, I have been fortunate to have featured several models adorning that particular piece of furniture before. Even if I didn't recognize the table, I did instantly recognized the visual style. I think few so beautifully blend the male form with furniture and architectural lines and design as photographer Gordon Nebeker.
I had seen images of Andrew on Gordon's Instagram in November, but didn't connect initially that he was the same model in the images from Unlimited Male. As incredibly stunning as Andrew is, he is also a bit of a chameleon, whose appearance morphs with each photographer he works with and theme and concept being captured. Given this, Gordon was the perfect photographer to capture so many looks and locations. although they only had one day together, but Gordon managed to shoot Andrew in studio, outside, in the shower and with the white fabric that Gordon so beautifully uses with many of his models.
I call this series, The Andrew Sessions, due to the creative abundance of looks and themes that Gordon captured. Although Gordon did take a few shots of Andrew and his instrument, the focus of the shoot was more extensive, with the goal to capture as many themes, looks and locations as they could fit into their time together. Although I love Gordon's location and studio work, his 'upon the furniture' theme has become a favorite. I love how creatively the models pose with each piece of furniture, the colors, shapes and lines. I especially love the contrast between warm bodies connecting physically with cold surfaces, a model's energy with an inanimate object, and soft skin against hard wood.
The Andrew Sessions
'I was contacted by a photographer friend of mine in Fort Lauderdale early this past Fall to see if I would be interested in participating with them in working with Andrew when he plans to come to Florida later this Spring. I didn’t recognize his name until I looked him up on Model Mayhem and then I recognized his face. Andrew is a college student and, in an effort to help with his education expenses, he has been actively promoting himself as a model in the New England/Southern Canada area and has worked with many photographers in the area. I decided to engage him for a shoot this past October. I also made a mental note that since a lot of his work is now viewable, I would try to capture some not so typical shots to keep things fresh and different. In the end, I think I was partially successful in doing that.'
When I try to be more creative, I will often pose the model on top of or under a piece of furniture where you wouldn’t expect to find them. Andrew ended up on our front hall table and looked rather good there!.
'On a first shoot, I will often have the model work with a long white transparent cloth in the studio. Some models have no idea what to do with it and others, including Andrew, take to it immediately. At one point he said, “how about a David?” and it wasn’t immediately clear to me what he meant but when I was processing his photos and came to a certain picture/pose, it was immediately clear to me: he was talking about Michelangelo’s famous statue of David in Florence and he had the pose down just about perfectly. I was quite impressed that he had studied the pose so carefully.'
