Yesterdays pic of the day of Miami Beach model Oocelot by Michael Kilgore had me on a hunt for more shots from the shoot. There is very little info out there about Oocelot (would love to know the origin of that name) but I did find out more about photographer Michael Kilgore from Studio 4496.
I love Michael's work. There is a maturity and beauty to his shots that I truly enjoy. Firstly, his models are not all 19. Secondly though his models are not all conventionally perfect, they become so in front of Michael's lens. One theme that continued to surface as I saw more of Michael's work, and read more about his experiences was detail. His passion for detail not just with his images, but with his life. Here is a brief biography of Michael from his deviantART page which can be found HERE:
'I've been an avid photographer since my college days in the 60s and 70s though the interest back then was mostly architectural. Among (many)other things, I've worked as a photojournalist through which I developed an appreciation and skill for capturing "a moment" which tells a story.
My specific interest in male figurative work became serious in the early 90s when I owned a gallery in Key West called "Bodyscapes", one of the few galleries in the country at the time which would feature fine art imagery of the male form. Through the gallery I met and represented some of the finest photographers of the genre in the United States. And, subsequently, thought "if they can do it, why can't I?"
Fifteen years later, practicing my craft, I'm finally arriving at a style that's uniquely my own, gaining some recognition with several one-person shows and building a new career as a photographer. Though what goes around comes around...most of the paid work is as an architectural and interiors photographer. My passion, however, is the male figurative work. It's my intent that can become part of the new career as well.'
Michael also has a amazing blog. The blog is different than many in that Michael, besides being a gifted photographer is also a gifted writer. Again detail is key as he recounts his experiences with some of his models, and shares with the reader not just details of the shoot, but as well, what is going on him and the models he is working with. It was through reading some of Michael's blog that I found out a bit more about Oocelot.
'While Oocelot is relatively new to being in front of a camera, he's a graphic artist with an extraordinary eye. So he's quickly learning to see in his mind's eye what the camera sees and moves to poses which further flatter his already amazing physique. With each session we both learn something new about our mutual crafts and how they contribute to a successful image -- or not, as is sometimes the case. Almost always when looking at the outtakes from each set we agreed on which images were the strongest. I can hardly wait to work with him again -- already planned for one of the last two weekends in September'
That was just a small sample of Michael's account of working with Oocelot. I encourage you to check out his blog HERE: to read more. What a joy to spend some time today with Oocelot and Michael Kilgore. You can also check out his Official Site HERE: And if that is not enough Michael has another wonderful blog (that should be turned into a book) about Living with Zelda. You can find that blog HERE:
