A simple, monochromatic set of Satoshi Toda (Red Citizen / Marilyn MGM Paris); hair by Angelica Bautista; all clothes – Alexander McQueen & Maison Martin Margiela.
special thanks to George at Red Citizen
Portrait: Satoshi Toda for The Fashionisto
A quick, early morning portrait series of Satoshi Toda (Red Citizen), shot for The Fashionisto. See the entire set on The Fashionisto Daily Digest here.
special thanks to Carl at The Fashionisto and George at Red Citizen
Fantastic Four
It’s been a while – a long while – since I’ve had the time to update this blog; the early weeks, and now months, of 2012 have been crowded with a mixture of catch-up editing and planning and shooting new editorials. At last, I’m on the cusp of the point where I can stay on top of things, so expect lots of new, regularly posted content.
The four models pictured here (in throw-away shots from separate editorials) have become the four faces that most inspire me, and I would pretty much drop everything to shoot any of them, at any time. As bad luck would have it, none of them currently call Los Angeles home, so I will take what I can get, when I can get it. Satoshi is in the middle of a brief, hectic stint in L.A., and he’s staying a stone’s throw away from my studio, so you can expect to see a handful of upcoming collaborations…
At any rate, all four of these models have everything a photographer could ask for; great bones, great eyes, great skin, great bodies, great personalities. And most importantly, great generosity.
[Editorial outtake]: Niclas Gillis & Erika Linder (Next); styling by Jamie Lauren Salazar; hair by Kali (Celestine); makeup by Heather Currie (Cloutier Remix)
[Editorial outtake]: Satoshi Toda (Red Citizen) & Lisa Marie (Ford); hair by Caroline Ramos (Next Artists); makeup by Thea Istenes (Next Artists)
special thanks to the teams, and to Monica at Ford, Mimi and Jillian at Next and George at Red Citizen
MADE IN JAPAN: Satoshi Toda for The Fashionisto
Made In Kanagawa, to be exact: Satoshi Toda (Red Citizen / Marilyn MGM Paris) for The Fashionisto: styling by Eugene Ong; hair by Jill O’Neil @ Refuge Salon; photo assistant Kacie Tomita. Check out the story in higher-res on The Fashionisto Daily Digest here.
Of the editorials I shot in 2011, I think my favorite is called Battle Royale, and it stars new face Satoshi Toda, in his 3rd-ever shoot. The story juggles an unlikely combination of elements: pastel colors, pretty lighting, futuristic camouflage, toy weapons, and Satoshi’s b-boy contortions. Oh yeah, and freckles. At any rate, somehow it all seems to hang together nicely, in no small part due to Satoshi’s verging-on-cyborg performance. It was shot for And Men Issue 16, and since it won’t be hitting the newsstands until May of this year, I decided to shoot Satoshi again, in something that could be released fairly quickly. We came up with a story that showcases his perfectly symmetrical face, his physicality, and his (bonus!) origami and calligraphy skills for The Fashionisto. The truly marvelous and beloved-by-all Kacie Tomita helped to make it all possible on the day of the shoot.
thanks to Carl at The Fashionisto and George at Red Citizen, and extra-special thanks to Kacie Tomita
09: Chris Peterson [Photogenics]
Powered by VIA: Chris Peterson (Photogenics); grooming by Ernesto Casillas; photo assistant Kacie Tomita
special thanks to James at Photogenics
08: Ari Cooper [Vision]
Ari Cooper (Vision); hair & makeup by Ernesto Casillas.
Special thanks to Meg at Vision, and to all those waiting patiently for test edits; November & December were genuinely overwhelming for me, in terms of cranking out successive editorials. I am back on track 
Lost Portraits: Adrian Cardoso, Dylan Reitz & Luis Borges for Fashionisto
Outtakes: Luis Borges (DNA), Adrian Cardoso & Dylan Reitz ( Wilhelmina NY). Fashion Editor Carl Barnett; makeup by Georgi Sandev; hair by Colin Yeo. Order the Winter/Spring 2012 issue here.
Carl titled our story Renaissance Man, and what was on my mind as we shot (apart from “does that backdrop really stink from having been dragged through the cobbled streets of Soho, or is it just me?”) was the last, great gasp of the High Renaissance: Mannerism. The casting couldn’t have been better, because all three of the faces posted here could be staring back at you from a canvas by Rosso Fiorentino, Pontormo or Bronzino. While I half-knew that these shots wouldn’t make it into the magazine, shooting them was a fun warm-up exercize…
special thanks to Carl for rounding up this incredible trio…..