Favorite Pic of the Day for March 31st

Above:
Ocho Kwon by Marlen Boro.
Check out more below!

Happy Birthday today March 31st to:

Actor Facundo Arana turns 39 today.

Check out more of Facundo and fellow birthday boys; Richard Chamberlain, Paul Mercurio, William McNamara & Loic Jacquet HERE:

Ahhh Those Glee Guys!

By the end of last season the writers had sort of ruined my love for Jessie. Jonathan Groff on the other hand remains near the top of my list. His Bohemian Rhapsody remains one of Glee's best musical numbers. Very happy to hear Groff will be back for the last three episodes of the season. Hopefully he will get another chance to shine!


And...just because...
Harry Shrum for Yellow Magazine:


Yeah Harry, looking good!

힘 Ocho Kwon by Marlen Boro

승리
Ocho Kwon
The Gentlemen of Marlen Boro


Breaking stereotypes is always a battle. America for some reason seems to be a country who hold on to prejudice. and corresponding stereotypes, more tightly than others. In 2011 stereotypes about everything, a handicap, your sex or sexual orientation or your race are still pulled out by uncreative writers in the media and ignorant individuals within our society. With highly populated groups such as women, African Americans and gays still fighting for equality for in some cases basic rights, what are smaller groups to do...




21 year old Ocho Kwon from Minnesota has found that for him, the way to deal with stereotypes is to challenge them with actions. Instead of complaining, Ocho chooses instead to live his life in a way which proof no one group can shoved under the same umbrella.

'Stereotypes have definitely impacted my 'work.' Stereotypically, Asians = textbooks, computer games, scrawny. Lemme tell you something, i hate reading, I have a short ass attention span only when in class, I don't play computer games except for like Call Of Duty on xbox (which is entirely a white peoples game and game system), and if you haven't noticed, I'm hella NOT scrawny. I've also never played Starcraft ever in my entire life. its not that I don't appreciate my people haha, but i pick my own shit. I've experienced two different cultures and instead of leaning towards one more than the other, I have found the happy medium, great success.'
Ocho Kwon

If you picked up the sarcasms in the above quote than you can see humor also plays a major role in not just how Ocho deals with stereotypes but in addition how he responds to lives challenges in general. Humor is a also something Ocho says connected him to Marlen Boro. Ocho says they are both laid back with a similar way of looking, and laughing at the world.




'I want to do this for myself. If the industry likes fit physiques, sweet, because I like the challenge of pushing myself physically. Growing up playing sports and competing at the college level for soccer has taught me how to use my discipline to reach my physical and mental goals. Pushing myself for everything related to this particular industry is just another happy excuse for me to go to the gym so its a win-win. Y only live once, might as well test what something like this could be for me. Gonna hit it with an open mind, a positive attitude, and have some fun.'




'Working with Marlen is sweet. The shoots are efficient and it doesn't feel like work. He doesn't bombard me with ridiculous commands and stuff am not comfortable with. Winning!'

You can check out Ocho on Model Mayhem HERE:



'More so than most models I work with, Ocho has a vision of the image he wants to capture. If it weren't for his awesome sense of humor, he'd probably be a pain in the ass to work with!'
Marlen Boro

MarlenBoro.com is moving to a new server - faster load times - fewer error messages. In the meantime you can join Marlen on Facebook which he updates with new work on almost a daily basis!

Favorite Pic of the Day for March 29th

Above:
Keith Griffin by Carl Proctor
-See more below-

Happy Birthday today March 29th to:

Happy 65th to an inspiration to many of us the incredible Bruce Weber.

Check out more of Bruce and fellow birthday boys Nick Beyeler & Christopher Lambert HERE:

Thumbs Down: ABC

I did not really pay much attention to the recent stories about Chris Brown until today. Anyone who reads FH on a regular basis knows I loath cruelty and violence, but decided there was no need for Chris Brown to get even another second of my attention. But... over the past couple of days I have reading some bloggers and forum posters making some interesting comparisons to how ABC reacted to Adam Labert (who although acted out sexually did not break any laws). Brown, currently on probation, admitted to losing it on the set of GMA. I guess being gay is a much greater crime to some of the suits at ABC...
Read more HERE:

Visual Stimulation: Keith Griffin by Carl Proctor

'I've always been fascinated by visual stimulation and photography of all kinds.'
Carl Proctor



I don't think there is much we do as adults that cannot somehow be connected to the first decade or so of our lives. For some it is a great thing, pulling childhood dreams and goals into adulthood. For others it can be a painful process trying to get as much distance from those years as possible.

I feel lucky that although not perfect, my first 10 years were full of fantasies and dreams of the future. I am going out on a limb here but I am sure I am not the only person who answered pretend questions from famous interviewers while sitting on a lawn chair in the backyard. I of course was being asked about my latest movie and how I prepared for the role. Perfecting my autographed required countless hours of practice.



There was nothing better as a kid to dive into a great book and be taken on a wild and exciting adventure. For Carl Proctor his interest was in faraway places and says he would spend hours at the local library looking at photos in travel magazines. As an adult Carl has spent 35 years in the travel industry living out his childhood travel fantasies.



Eventually Carl moved from experiencing to capturing his fantasies something he says was helped by moving to digital photography which allowed him to do his own online editing to get the results he desired. Although Carl's portfolio is diverse and he loves shooting all types of subjects he says, 'I am most interested in capturing people either by surprise or by design.' I love this line as I am sure like many, if it was not for the fear of getting the crap beaten out of me, I would love to go around photographing people as they go about their day.



When I read Carl's about me section on his web page the words Visual Stimulation were a perfect description of what I felt viewing his work. Colorful, creative, erotic and alive are all words I would to describe Carl's work. What most stood out to me though was how specific and detailed Carl's images are. I have often assumed editing is generally about covering, hiding something you don't want the viewer to focus on or see. Carl however also uses his editing skills to highlight something, sometimes the smallest of detail, which enhances the viewing experience.



When it came to choosing a model to showcase Carl's work the choice was easy. Carl's work with 21 year old Keith Griffin embodies each of the adjectives I used above. Keith's energy shines through every shot. Something I rarely comment on but that stood with Keith is how exceptional and skilled he is with posing. Keith hits just the right physical and emotional mark. This may be connected to Keith's extensive acting experience. Keith, primarily a stage actor and has been in many local theatre productions. He believes that being able to perform on stage night after night and consistently be good is the mark of a true actor.



Keith also has visions of his future. Keith says he wants to always stay positive and confident in the pursuit of his dreams. Unlike many actors who dream of stardom Keith's goals are quite specific. Besides the cover of Men's Health Magazine Keith hopes one day to win an academy award for best supporting actor. I love that Keith says supporting. Firstly, I think it says a lot about who he is as a person. Secondly, the supporting category is still seen as somehow secondary even though it has been won some of the best actors on the planet. One of my favorite performances ever was Timothy Hutton in Ordinary People. His portrayal of Conrad led to Hutton's only Oscar thus far in the best supporting category.



'Working with Carl has been one of the best experiences of my career so far. Some of the best images in my portfolio were taken by him. Not only has he taught me so much about the art of creating a unique and brilliant photograph, but he has also helped me grow so much as a model. Working with Carl is so much fun and his shoots are always relaxing and stress free. He is always professional and respectful and he always notices the little things that really make his work standout. I can't wait to work with Carl Proctor again in the future.'
Keith Griffin



'I have had the pleasure of working with and getting to know Keith in three amazing photo shoots over the past couple years. During that time I've also been enthralled watching him lose himself in a couple highly entertaining stage productions. As I would watch Keith on stage I would often think, "If the people in this theatre only knew how good Keith REALLY looks!". He would give me as much while modeling as he did to the audiences he performed for. In his theatre playbill bio, when asked what his hobbies were, he said "Working out. Acting. Working out. Acting. And working out." It shows! He has become leaner and more defined with each shoot. He comes to each photo shoot excited and fully energized and willing to push the envelope in any direction. Watching someone like Keith mature and continually improve is very gratifying. After nearly ten years of working with hundreds of models, it is no stretch to say that Keith has become one of my proudest portfolio stars.'
Carl Proctor

Thanks to Carl and Keith for sharing their work together with FH!

Check out much more Carl's work on Model Mayhem HERE: & at his official site HERE:

Favorite Pic of the Day for March 28th

Above:
Mark Remly by John M Clum
See More Below!

Check out today's birthday boys including; Matthias Koeberlin, Ben Richards and Vince Vaughn HERE:

Favorite Click of the Week

One of most memorable and creative shoots I discovered last week was Scene Model Jarrod Scott by the incredible Elvis Di Fazio. Elvis' blog Diaries Of A Smutographer is a visual feast to each of one's senses. Although they appeared everywhere last week thanks to YVYMag where I first discovered the set.

Kudos to Matt Elrod

When the latest installment of Survivor began I skipped the first episode. I do not share the producers obvious 'woody' over Russell and was also not to thrilled with the fact they also brought back Rob. Well a couple of things happened. Firstly Russell happily took an early exit and Rob, as always quickly grew on me. There is something about his personality that draws you in.



Matt Elrod also played a role. The 22 year old is a pre-med student (who obviously does a little modeling) in Nashville. Called the 'poor mans Fabio' and 'wannabe Jud' Matt got the boot early in the game and barely had time to make any impact. But...this season Survivor added Redemption Island and Matt has been winning every challenge put in front of him since. The odds are against this continuing until the end so I hope the producers find a way to reward his success with a return to the game.

Mark Remaly by John M Clum

Although I didn't know it when FH began, I think one of the reasons I began the blog was not just to feature the creativity of others but as importantly I have learned, to channel my own. Stories have always played a large part of my life, reading them, telling them and sharing them. I try when time allows (which is getting harder and harder) to tell a story with many of the profiles that I put together. Although the degree of success has been mixed it has been my goal to say something about an artist, an actor, a model, an image that maybe has you view it just a little differently.



Last fall when I contacted photographer John M Clum it was initially to get his support to showcase his work with model Brock Chapman. (An Ealaíontóir: Brock Chapman by John M. Clum) There is something quite special about Brock and his career seems to be really be taking off.

The profile of John's work with Brock also was one of my favorite 'stories' to put together. Seeing Brock's shots were hot from the start, but after learning and subsequently sharing the factors that drive John's creativity his images taken on an additional layer of enjoyment. I knew then that I wanted to make John's work a regular part of FH.



When deciding on which model John has shot to focus on next the choice was not a difficult one. Model Mark Remaly is originally from Bloomsburg, PA and now lives in Washington DC. Mark is also an actor and appeared in the 2008 horror flick Frat House Massacre. Mark has a great body, a beautiful expressive face. The fact Mark is a red head did not hurt. I have an affinity for red heads which I talk a bit about HERE: It was Mark's hair color that first inspired John as well.

'Autumn had me thinking about doing a shoot with a red head and then along came Mark. I was infatuated with the color of his hair in combination with his light complexion. On top of all that a stunning physique. I don't often get to work with red heads so I love it when I get the chance. When I saw him in the orange Aussie Bums he brought, the shots all came together around his hair color. I placed the warm lights below making the briefs glow like embers while his light complexion reflected the cool light from above giving the shot a sense of sky. Mark was the perfect model for an autumn shoot.'



You can see more of Mark's portfolio on his Model Mayhem page HERE:

Also check out John's Fine Line Fine Art site HERE:





Cutis et Ossa

'My photography is filtered through the eyes of a painter; looking for the story in the moment at hand whether it be imagined or real. In the process I document the endless variations of the male body type, so many that there truly is no specific standard or type except for that which is imposed on us by popular culture. I explore the many variations and their unique qualities and beauty through my art. Some of the most beautiful men will be found around the next corner where you least expect to find them. I capture images of men that will span body structure and physical manifestations of form, frailty, variation, infirmity, strength, power, beauty, arousal and the exotic or any combination thereof.'
John M. Clum 2010


Above: Orion the Hunter... born of the earth as a result of Zeus, Hermes and Poseidon masturbate into a bulls hide and bury it in the earth where Hyrieus digs up the bull hide with Orion in it and raises him as his son. His unfortunate death happened when Apollo tricked his sister Hyrieus who loved Orion into shooting him in the head with an arrow while he was swimming.

Last fall John began a new site as another way to showcase his creativity. Cutis et Ossa (Skin and Bone) is a blog featuring some of John's fantasy photo edits. Check out more HERE:

'There are endless variations of the male body type, so many that there truly is no specific standard or type except for that which is imposed on us by popular culture. I try to explore the many variations and their unique qualities and beauty through my art. Some of the most beautiful men will be found around the next corner where you least expect to find them. I will present images of men that will span body structure and physical manifestations of form, frailty, variation, infirmity, strength, power, beauty, arousal and the exotic or any combination thereof.'