JUST SHOOT ME!

All Photos by Natasha Gornik






Last Sunday, I had a photographic experience of the third kind. Instead of buying it, reviewing it, judging it, curating or creating it, I became the subject in front of the camera. To me in order to understand Photography more as an art media, I want to expose myself to every different aspect and angle of it!

Over the years , I had being a model or posed before for several photographers and artists but, this time was different in so many ways. It has been at least 8-10 years!

I am not a 25 yrd old anymore, which is what most photographers are perpetuating in photos these days. I am not also a very tall , or a lanky skinny young model boy like the ones photographer Ryan Pfluger creates great portraits of.

What I am is a strong September 11 and car accident survivor. While physically, I have no scars, they are deeper than my skin. I felt that is a point on my life that, I wanted to celebrate fitness, health and perpetuate the joy of life for all my friends who over the years has passed away from AIDS.

Youth is a very important part of anybody life, but if your life revolves about that... Beauty Fades easily.

I met Photographer Natasha Gornik through Photographer Jen Davis. Later on Jen told me that Natasha will be interested in photographing me for my physique. I said OK, not knowing anything about Natasha's work. I looked at her web site and became intrigued of how this girl can push the envelope with some of her photo series. I also saw that she created very honest and endearing portraits so...what the hell...why not?

After 10 years or so , I wanted to see how my body and my looks have changed. I don't think, I look or feel the same after being hit and almost killed by a taxi in NYC , or coming out of the Towers on September 11. All that plus the fact that, I am older now seemed the perfect facts to see how time and events changed a persons life and it is translated into photographs.

Having a good boy/bad boy quality it is something that I don't hide , I celebrated it!

We all have a dark side, role play and fantasies and me and Natasha agreed that, it will be out there. Sorry folks but, my life is too far from a boring one to change it now and aging, is not going to be a changing factor in it.

Natasha likes to photograph her subjects in their homes so, in this case my apt (which it is not exactly an average looking one) . I was nervous at the beginning but, then things changed and, I think we had a great collaboration!

Natasha seemed very pleased and I hope that one of those shots demonstrates other than. how my very well kept physique has been kept over the years, how much I had tried to work in my true inner beauty. Will keep you posted with the results!

These are just digital test shots, the final ones coming up soon!