It is always a delight to work with favorite models from days past.  In this case, it's Jacob Covert, one of several models that we worked with in the open air and sunshine on the beaches of Fire Island during the first summer of Covid.  We pivoted 180 degrees for his most recent session, pushing him into the dark shadows of the studio.

Playing with the light was creative fun at Jacob's last session.  Aiming for low-key and a moody tone, we fixed our key light on the model and used a fill light, often projected through studio props or accessories onto a V-flat or studio wall.  The patterns and dappled reflections are a way to put some texture into otherwise flat studio light.  

It has been nearly 2 years since we first worked with the model/singer/dancer and cabaret performer.  His physique is in excellent form and he is morphing from an attractive boy into a handsome man.  We think Jacob's fans will appreciate this update.

A small number of the studio's models have worked with us multiple times, often stretching over a period of several years.  We publish a series that pulls together multiple sessions with the same model.   The Private Portfolio Series documents an individual model's changing physique and appearance over a period of time. 

We have heard from many physique models that their motivation for modeling is to have a record of how they looked in their youth.  I find their self-awareness to be refreshing; an acknowledgement at a young age that all is fleeting. 

In the moment, working with models a second time typically seems to be little more than an extension of the previous session.  "Hi, How you doing?  It's been a while.  You're looking great."  Nothing appears changed as the model's personality dominates the situation.  Subtle changes in appearance usually start appearing in post-process and become more discernable when mingling new and older images together.  It has often startled me to see how much some models change over the course of just six months.

We are grateful that our models trust us to photograph them in this manner and permit us to share with you these intimate snapshots in time.  In our Private Portfolio Series, these men, captured in their twenties, aren't aging as much as maturing and we get to observe the process.  

Midway between Fire Island and our most recent session, we worked with Jacob on a private commission.  We hope to have another studio session on tap for this summer that would be his fourth.  If the collection meets expectations,  Jacob:  The Private Portfolio should be in the works by fall.  In the meantime, the Jacob's gallery now contains two folders for work taken about 2 years apart.  Enjoy the changes, subtle though they are.

Click here to enter both of Jacob's galleries.