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Showing posts with label Grantham And Tossy. Show all posts

Randall by Mike Tossy & Mark Grantham

Randall by Mike Tossy

It is always interesting to see how a subject is captured through the eye of different artists. We all see things slightly different and it is fascinating to see the slight, and not so slight, differences in how two or more artists choose to capture it. In my second outing of Perspective with Mark Grantham and Mike Tossy, the photographers, not surprisingly, are travelling, this time in Hawaii.

Mark and Mike met Randall on a beach in Maui. Mark says he is a bit of wimp when it comes to walking up to great looking guys and asking if they might be interested in modeling, he says Mike is the braver one of the two for that task. After Mike talked with Randall they all met up the next morning at the beach to shoot. Randall obviously enjoyed the experience as they followed up a day later with a couple of other locations on the island, including a giant bamboo grove and an abandoned mill.

Although many photographers would have been quite satisfied shooting a hot guy on a beautiful beach in Maui. It is no surprise to me though that Mark and Mike followed the beach up with the bamboo grove and abandoned mill. In every shoot, whether at home in Santa Cruz or traveling the globe, the architectural blending of model with environment is always beautifully manifested within Mark and Mike's images. Their use of lines with body and bamboo and having Randall not just laying on sand, but apart of it, is one of the reasons the work of Mike Tossy and Mark Grantham always captivates and impresses me.

Mike Tossy Official Site:
Mike Tossy on ModelMayhem:

Randall by Mark Grantham

Mark Grantham Official Site:
Mark Grantham on ModelMayhem:

With The Greatest Of Ease: Apollo Bird by Mark Grantham

cirque érotique
Apollo Bird by Mark Grantham

'Oh, he floats through the air
With the greatest of ease,
This daring young man
On the flying trapeze;
His actions are graceful,
All girls he does please,
My love he has purloined away'
George Leybourne

One of the most exciting parts of any circus is without a doubt the aerial performances. Not only does it require a high level of technical skill, there is an artistry and magic in watching bodies move so gracefully in the air high above you.

When I think of bodies moving gracefully I cannot think of anyone who captures them as well as Mark Grantham. In my feature (Beauty of Lines) I put it this way;

'I was immediately drawn to his work as he is a master at capturing moments of movement. When I think of Mark Grantham I think of space. Mark's work is not just about the body in motion it is equally about the space in which that motion occurs.'

The idea for a circus theme has been with me for awhile but I could not go forward without including Mark's images of performing aerialist Apollo Bird. Apollo performs with the Vespertine Circus, a troupe of 7 multi-talented main characters, who have performed both internationally & across the USA. Mark's work with Apollo captures so beautifully what it is at the core that draws me to Mark's work and makes it such an addictive pleasure to spend time with.

Mark Grantham Official Site:

Perspective: Mark Grantham & Mike Tossy

Above:
Andrew by Mike Tossy

Two of my favorite artists to profile are Mike Tossy & Mark Grantham. I have been featuring their work regularly on FH for the last three years. There is a magic within their images which I think comes from a number of factors. Both Mark and Mike describe photography as both a passion and a hobby, not a profession. The married couple insist the men they shoot are comfortable in front of their lens and want to be there. You can see the joy within the images that comes directly from the creative process, not because of deadlines and pay checks. Both Mark and Mike fill their lives with so many passions and experiences that you can feel them beautifully infiltrating their work.

Below:
Andrew by Mark Grantham

I have always enjoyed featuring different perspectives of the same subject. I have been fortunate to have able to do this with models and photographers several times in the past. We all see things slightly different and it is fascinating to see the slight, and not so slight, differences in how two or more artists choose to capture it. Mark and Mike certainly do not always shoot together but have done so enough to have a quite a long list of models they have both shot. Mike and Mark have agreed to share their perspectives, both in work together and separately. Perspective with Mark Grantham & Mike Tossy will now be a regular monthly feature on FH and one I am really thrilled to have their work to share on a regular basis!

First up is Andrew!

Check out my previous features with Mike & Mark HERE:

Andrew by Mark Grantham

'Andrew was a kick to work with. I've seldom worked with someone with so much energy and so many ideas, yet at the same time open to any ideas too. I remember being beat at the end of the shoot, and I was only shooting half the time. Andrew was still raring to go, and probably would have if we hadn't lost the sun. He loves to emote in his shoots, and I'm afraid I didn't give him much chance to do that (my work tends to be more anonymous).'
Mark Grantham

'I'm definitely not about fashion, but it's not all about showing everything either. For me it's more about the model's lines and how they are relating to the setting.'

Andrew by Mike Tossy

Traveling is a passion for both Mike and Mark and both have sites devoted to chronicling their journey's. Check out Mike's HERE: & Mark's HERE:

Before moving behind the lens, Mike was himself a model and one of his goals is to always make models look good, feel comfortable, and have a good time. Mike was modeling for fun when he met his future husband Mark Grantham and Mark says Mike was the first model he shot.

Favorite Pic of the Day for July 23rd

Above:
One of my favorite shots of Benjamin by Mark Grantham.
-See More Below-

Benjamin by Mark Grantham

The Chocolatier:
Benjamin by Mark Grantham

It is always a joy to showcase the work, the passion, of Santa Cruz based photographer Mark Grantham. I have featured Mark's work many times on FH and am always blown away by his ability to capture the male body in new and creative ways. Mark shoots men the same way one might capture architecture with a focus on angle, on lines, shape and form. In one of my features on Mark' work (The Beauty Of Lines) Mark said the following;

'I approach each shoot with an eye for creating art... for creating something unique... for making the model shine... for grabbing the attention of the viewer... for creating a bit of mystery or wonder... Each of us is unique, so why create the same image over and over? '
Mark Grantham

I was recently pulled back to Mark's work and his work with Benjamin really caught my eye. On his site, Mark Grantham: Photographer a section is devoted to his shoots with Benjamin and I loved the work, especially the shots of Benjamin standing alone, naked, on the highway (see one below), which are exceptional.

'Benjamin was an amazing model - one of my first muses really. He was also one of my first digital subjects - a point that was driven home when I lost part of our first shoot somehow (he readily agreed to reshoot the lost material the next week further proving what a great guy he was). All told we worked together 3 times.'

'About the time of our 3rd shoot he was shot for Playgirl Magazine, appearing a few months later as the centerfold. By the time the magazine came out he had already stopped modeling (it was just a lark for him in the first place). I lost track of him for several years, but we found each other again on line last year. He is now a chocolatier, creating hand crafted gourmet chocolates for gourmet markets.'

Benjamin is also the focus of one of Mark's books (Benjamin 2008) with close to 50 pages of the incredible images of Mark created with Benjamin. You can check out more of Mark's books and preview Benjamin on blurb HERE: