Greetings Everyone! 

    I am a Cleveland, Ohio based people photographer specializing in what people tell me is a editorial/reportage style of Fashion, Beauty, and Wedding photography.

    My shoots are characterized by laughter, style and loads of fun!  I work only on commission. I have to be extremely selective in choosing my prospective working associates (models, MUA's, hair, stylists, etc.).  I have recently adjusted this site to more accurately reflect the type of content I am shooting.

I love photographing however I can no longer accept any TFP proposals..  Serious inquiries only.

Common Sense Suggestions for Serious New and/or Aspiring Models

Go to "newmodels.com" immediately.  Read it and bookmark it. Refer to it often.  I do.  Even though people may act like it, very few folks are expert in the business of modeling.  I certainly am not.  Always consider the source and/or the motivation behind any career advice or modeling critiques given to you (especially on this and other similar public sites). Be appreciative but never gullible. You know what you want to do better than anyone else.

  Study magazines in the style in which you want to work. . Get familiar with the work of the models that are doing what you would like to do.  You can visit  Barnes and Noble once a month and explore most of the magazines that you like. Figure out what you really like or don't like in a photograph. 

Using magazine quality as your standard of photographic excellence, learn to be discerning about photographic quality. Approach photographers whose work will at least begin to approach magazine quality (at least in a technical sense).  This will get you a solid portfolio more quickly than just random shoots, and at a minimum will "brand" you and your portfolio with relatively high quality images (if nothing else). 

Your reputation is everything even for local TFP markets. For you to get anywhere in modeling at any level, professionals HAVE to know that they can count on you.  Once again, with respect to my photography, serious inquiries only please. 

The common threads with all of the successful self-employed models that I know are that they are: as organized as a Swiss Bank, reliable as gravity and expressive as Shakespeare. 


My Photoshooting Procedure:

I never give or otherwise distribute photographs that are not finished (ie processed or "photoshopped").  I employ photoshop faithfully but very minimally. I much  prefer to get the image in camera rather than in post-production. My fashion and beauty photography is more reportage in style and overphotoshopping (especially skin) is inconsistent with that style. 

Escorts:

Escorts are fine with me and are a really good idea, especially if you do not know the photographer. An escort must accompany a minor. No exceptions.

However, while escorts are great, I prefer that escorts, personal assistants, parents MUA's etc.,  not be on the set or in view of myself or the model while we are shooting.  There are comfortable waiting areas directly adjacent to my studio so your escort can be very close-by.

Definitely bring a cell phone, identification, skin moisturizer and water.

There will be a model release that you must sign (or parents of those under 18 years of age) for the shoot to take place.

Thank you, good luck and best wishes!!

Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Sun Press of Cleveland, Case Magazine and Maxim Magazine.  I studied fashion and beauty photography at the Santa Fe Photoschool, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I am a former student of LA -based celebrity photographer Matthew Jordan Smith and NY-based fashion photographer Claudio Basso.

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