I guess it’s time to explain a little more about who I am, what experience I have and the direction I would like to go in the near future.

A few years back I realized that my body wasn’t coping with the life of an Infantryman as well as it did in my twenties, or early thirties for that matter. Fortunately, rather than lose a good Soldier the Army is always willing to retrain. I’ve always had an interest in photography so I chose public affairs and began training as a photojournalist.

Though I learned my way around a camera, there are major differences between photojournalism and what I really wanted to do. First of all, in journalism nothing is staged, or it shouldn’t be anyway. There are no props, no makeup and typically either available light or flash only. The biggest thing though; post capture alteration is a big no-no.

I began working with some of the best photographers in the Army to learn the things that are taboo in the field of journalism. I worked with Lightroom, Photoshop and studio lighting. Finally, near the end of my last tour in Iraq, I found a broadcast studio that was not in use and began spending my off time shooting anyone who would get in front of the camera.

I had some ideas but for the most part let the girls tell me what they were looking for. We’d work together and usually come up with a good outcome. Though we kept the work very tame, the prudes I worked for began to get nervous. There was some implied nudity and some of the shots were downright sexy, but nothing the models wouldn’t post on Facebook or show their families with pride.

Then came the infamous shot of Stephanie nude behind the guitar (see my photos). The brass had a total meltdown. You would have thought I joined Al Qaeda. Since there were no Army Regulations against what I was doing the brass could not reprimand me or order me to stop. Instead, one night while I lay sleeping they went into the studio and destroyed my personal camera equipment.

I showed up to my shoot the next day to find a $5,000 paperweight. So it would seem the bastards won…yeah right! Pentax K1000 and Yashica 635 to the rescue;-) The Canon 1Ds kit has since been replaced. Well, I’m home now and no longer under their control.

Now, the direction I’d like to head. I guess you could say Rob Zombie and I think a lot alike. I love anything dark and twisted. I want to work with MUAs that will push the limits. I want to work with models that aren’t afraid to be covered in dirt, mud, grease or fake blood. I want to work with photographers who have experience along these lines.

I’m putting a shoot together now with two MM icons. I am so stoked. There will be fangs, fake blood and crazy makeup. All the things I live for. I have other more classical endeavors I’m interested in, but right now this is the turn I want to take. I guess to sum up my project goals for the foreseeable future; I want people to look through my portfolio before going to bed and not know if they will have a nightmare or a wet dream. Yeah, that about sums it up.

Planned shoots:
End of February (date TBD) Lascivious Vampire, Twisted Alice in Wonderland
Classic lowkey nudes, silhouettes and whatever else we have time for.

Ideas stirring in my head:
Nude lying in the arms of an angle statue (cemetery in York)
Semi nude body dump, what you wouldn’t see on CSI (spring or summer, I hate cold)
Chained to a mausoleum, dirt covered, bloody tears
Cranes and chains, in a plant I worked in years ago. Working on permit.

I know this was long winded but there’s three foot of snow outside. What else am I going to do? If you think you may want to work with me sometime send me a message or friend me. If you have a great idea, or need a photographer but are short on cash; contact me. I truly believe this is one of the last fields in which we all want to see each other succeed. I hope I’m not just naïve, I don’t think so anyway.

I’ll pay to work with experience. If you’re a new model or MUA looking for experience my time is free for you. This is not about the money for me. If I’m broke one day looking through a gallery window at my work, well, that’s what it’s about.

MUA Bunny Greene Mayhem #1472753

Model Mandi Malfunction Mayhem #871184

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