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

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

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 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

Powered by VIA: Chris Peterson (Photogenics); grooming by Ernesto Casillas; photo assistant Kacie Tomita

special thanks to James at Photogenics

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

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…..

An Irving Penn-inspired story for Fashionisto Magazine starring 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.

A few frames of beautiful DJ James (L.A. Models), in his first-ever photo shoot; complete story and credits at theones2watch.com

special thanks to Rosie at TheOnes2Watch and to Sergio at L.A. Models

Jake Madden (Ford) from our second shoot together – complete set and credits here

Actually, it was really only a couple of months, and amounted to only three shoots, but if Jake hadn’t high-tailed it back to New York, I have a feeling we’d be just getting started.   Some of the most effortless shooting of the year for me, Jake definitely nudged me in new directions; I’d lost all interest in testing, for example,  until I shot test #01 with Jake (above).  And so, here’s to J.M. – wishing you a happy and prosperous 2012!

with Samantha (Photogenics) in And Then There Were None for theones2watch.com

from an editorial in Carbon Copy Magazine – The Saddest Music In The World – complete story and full credits here

special thanks to all involved in the above shoots, and especially to Geoffrey Rodgriguez and Marco at Ford