I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED BY THE MACABRE AND DARKER SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE AND OUR PSYCHE, THAT BEING SAID IT HAS LED TO SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING EDITORIAL WORK I HAVE COME TO BE KNOWN FOR THUS FAR. BELOW YOU WILL FIND A SAMPLING OF THIS WORK.
THE ESCAPE
SHOT IN AN ABANDONED TUBERCULOSIS WARD IN GLEN GARDNER, NJ THIS IMAGE WAS ONE I SOUGHT TO CREATE FROM THE MOMENT WE ENTERED THIS FACILITY. I WAS SEEKING A WHEELCHAIR OR ROCKING CHAIR WITH THE SINGLE INTENT OF CREATING AN IMAGE THAT IMBUES THE IDEA OF ESCAPE FROM THE ENVIRONS.
I SET UP MY 4X5 CAMERA ON A TRIPOD AND TOOK A FRAME IN BLACK AND WHITE WITHOUT THE MODEL, THEN I HAD HER SIT IN FRAME AND SHOT WITH A DSLR TO CREATE THE OVERALL IMAGE. I WANTED IT TO SEEM LIKE SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STAND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SO LONG TO ESCAPE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAD BEEN HOLDING HER CAPTIVE IN BOTH MIND AND BODY.
I TOOK GREAT CARE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY LINE LED BACK TO HER, THAT SHE WAS FRAMED IN THE FAR DOOR FRAME, AND THAT YOU GOT THE SENSE OF ESCAPING THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR IN FRONT OF HER FROM THE NARRATIVE OF THE IMAGE.
THE AGE AND DECAY ON THE IMAGE COMES FROM THE 4X5 NEGATIVE I HAND MANIPULATED AND SCANNED AND OVERLAYED ONTO THE DIGITAL PRINT IN PHOTOSHOP.
THE DEEP DARK SOUTH (A GOTHIC FASHION EDITORIAL IN DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX.
SHOT ON A MASSIVE RANCH IN DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX JUST OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN OWNED BY THE FORMER ARCHITECT OF AUSTIN, TX. THESE IMAGES WERE CONCEPTUALIZED BY MYSELF AND THE HAIR, MAKE UP AND COSTUMING WERE ALL DONE BY MY MARVELOUS MAKE UP ARTIST SARAH CONTEY.
CORY WADE IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA, PA
I FIRST MET CORY AT A COUPLE OF EVENTS IN PHILADELPHIA, WE BECAME FAST FRIENDS AND TALKED ABOUT A COLLABORATIVE SHOOT. HE STATED TO ME THAT OFTEN AS A GAY MALE MODEL HE IS PERCEIVED AS SOFT AND NOT AS MASCULINE AS MANY OTHER MALE MODELS AND WANTED SOMETHING TO SHOW A HARSHER EDGE. I DECIDED THE PERFECT DESTINATION WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD OF PHILADELPHIA OFTEN FORGOT BY MAINSTREAM AND LEFT TO ROT (BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY AS IT’S SURROUNDED IN ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.)
HIS PIERCING GAZE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND INTENSE THAT I HAD TO CAPTURE IT IN THE FIRST FRAME. WE SHOT THESE AT SUNSET SO THE AMAZING DIVIDE OF NATURAL LIGHT MAKES FOR A BEAUTIFUL CAPTURE. BLENDING BOTH THE ELEMENTS OF DECAY IN GORGEOUS RICH COLOR WITH THE ALL BLACK AND STARK OUTFIT, SHOES AND BAG WAS ALSO A CONSCIENCE CHOICE MADE IN THE APPLICATION OF THE FINAL PRODUCT SHOWN HERE.