Man Power

I was gushing about Super Models in my August post. You didn't hear much about the guys. Now I want to call your attention to an indispensable element in the equation. I called it Man Power.

When I was starting out in fashion, Father's Day ads for my favorite retail client were a good opportunity for me to test out this concept. Ruth Brody at B. Altman and Company had a preference for “men with strong chins.” Lucky for me there were plenty of guys with Man Power when I needed it, right next to the Super Models at Fords, Willie’s, and Elite.

The ultimate “strong chin” was Wade Lewis, a model who was also a busy actor in community theatre. He could take on almost any role, from the guy next door ...



I actually had Burt Reynold's centerfold for Cosmo in mind in this shot of Wade for a New York Times ad ...



to a formidable Dracula for a designer promotion. Wade supplied his own costume, while our stylist Elise provided the lingerie.



Vampires don't wear the cape much anymore and I added some blood in post production. But, it is safe to say that they are here to stay, judging from the success of "Twilight" and "True Blood."

Guys ... and girls, Halloween is coming. Maybe you should get an early start on your costumes!

David Olander rocks in a 3-piece suit against mylar, an all weather solution for the studio. It's tricky to work with, but creates interesting reflections, adding depth and dimension with the play of light. David appeared so "in the moment," I could not quite put my finger on it, and then ...



... I could hear it in my head over and over again, “The name’s Bond, James Bond ... ”

After this epiphany anything goes, and Patrick Saint-Clair shows up, like he is standing in my kitchen with his morning coffee. I can dream!



I was shooting this ad with Patrick in the best Bert Stern and Avedon backlit tradition, using gobos to prevent flair. I like the ones that are black on one side and white on the other. It was noted that Sandy, my stylist, took extra pains to make this minimal outfit look good. We clearly both enjoyed basking in the glow of pure Man Power.

Eric Milano was everywhere in print, like a Super Model. And, you already know that French guy, Michel Castellano, whom I paired with Kim Alexis in my August post. It was a Father's Day shoot for B. Altman's in Central Park near the Bethesda Fountain.



Back to the park again for a designer shoot, we liked having a location bus standing by for wardrobe and refreshments. On this day we had Jay Hemphill with Cecilia Olsson, Nina Tremblay and Heidi in tow. Nina appeared with Jay in my July post.



Jay was the perfect Super Model accessory -- manly and sophistocated. He was playboy, aristocrat, sugar daddy, boy toy, companion -- whatever it took. I like that he seems aloof, but maybe he was still thinking about his motor cycle being stolen off the streets of NYC.

Randy French took everything in his stride and did very well in men's fashion. The way it went down I suspect he was in New York primarily for moral support for his sister Lucinda, an aspiring model.



But when she found her niche working in Europe, Randy found his way back to his real estate business in Florida, shedding the mantle of protective brother. Our loss.

It was more than “a day at the beach” when Bill and I took Darlene and Kirsten to Robert Moses State Park with Jeffrey Calenberg to test for a swimwear account. Jeff added sport and competition to the scenario.



He definitely brought the Man Power quotient to the party. The sun is still a little high, so we'll just warmed up with the ball for a while ... and I shoot Jeff one-on-one with Darlene.



So, what happens at Robert Moses stays at Robert Moses, unless it ends up on my blog.



Bill shoots Jeff one-on-one with Kirsten, as the sun gets lower. Magic light starts when the models don't have to squint anymore. Too bad it doesn't last longer.



This was a great lesson in synergy with Super Models + Man Power. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A good time was had by all.

Check out my slide show on photo.net:
http://photo.net/photos/Leora

... and check out Bill's while you are at it:
http://photo.net/photos/BillLong

Tip for the day: You don't have to be a Super Model to stay fit, just some daily exercise -- even if it's squats and push ups at your kitchen sink, plenty of water, small meals and some yogurt added to your diet.

Have a good one!

Leora

All rights reserved © 2009 Leora Long and © 2009 Bill Long

Remember The Towers

Today we were following the replay of September 11 with Katie Couric on MSNBC. It is time to remember the dear souls who perished and their bereaved families. And I also believe that we need to remember the Towers and what they meant to us up until that day. Bill and I always had a special connection to them as photographers.

Driving by the World Trade Center one evening at sunset, Bill made a quick exit from the car with his camera and strobe. He came back 15 minutes later after taking this



stunning shot, looking up from the Plaza. It reminds us of how the Trade Towers might have looked on September 10, when the world seemed a much simpler and safer place.



What a view we had from the Towers. Bill shot this at a slow shutter speed toward the New Jersey sunset. I was just fine sitting calmly by the window. But if I stood up and looked down it was VERTIGO .... we were on the 107th floor!



Standing on the roof deck of the South Tower was always a thrill. Now, looking at Bill's video of a sunset or his photos of a distant horizon at twilight brings back the experiences intensely, especially this view north to the George Washington Bridge.



We loved viewing the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges from above and seeing Coney Island and beyond, laid out to the east. Click on the website below for more about the Observation Decks. The page was taken down after 9-11 and brought back by popular demand. Some people still need to know what it was like before the disaster.

http://www.fieldtrip.com/ny/24357379.htm

This view to the Towers from Staten Island during Fleet Week in 1986 became a challenge to me. My shot evolved into a “what if” project.



I started to "work" the natural highlight in the sky to create a protective bubble for the Towers. Wishful thinking, of course.



Bill caught the New York skyline from Hoboken with the after glow of the sunset. On another day we went back early to get the sunrise.



The Trade Towers were great beacons of our freedom and I hope that remembering them will keep alive the joys we felt pre-9/11. Now the Towers are permanently part of a cautionary tale. The message is, "Be prepared, so this never happens again."

This evening we watched with interest the History Channel's story about Rick Rescoria, Security Chief of Morgan Stanley at the South Tower. He is the hero who heeded the danger present after the bomb attack of 1993 below the North Tower. "The Man who Predicted 9/11," describes how this platoon leader and Colonel from the Vietnam War diligently prepared the employees for the inevitable with evacuation drills up until 9/11. Then, on this fateful day eight years ago he shepherded close to 3,000 to safety from over 20 company floors. He went back upstairs, only to perish with the six or seven individuals from his group who could not make it down.

I highly recommend the program, described in the synopsis below:
www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=481958

Tips of the day: Remembering is a gain. Forgetting is a loss.

Be hopeful, Leora

All rights reserved © 2009 Leora Long and © 2009 Bill Long