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LINK LOVE:PHOTO OF THE DAY | STERLING & THE BEAR by LOPE NAVO

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LINK LOVE:Ronnie Kroell by Lope Navo | Playgirl

FashionIndie.com contributor Lope Navo shot Make Me a Supermodel’s Ronnie Kroell for an x-rated spread scheduled to hit the next issue of Playgirl Magazine. Reports are coming in that we can expect full-frontal, fully-erect shots of fashion model Kroell. Are you ready? Check out another exclusive image after the jump.

LINK LOVE: Playgirl

A message from Daniel Saynt, “Attention idiotic bloggers of the world. Taking a photo of a beat up man is not a style of photography invented by Steven Klein so get off your high horses, attempt some real journalism, and piss off.” Navo take it away…

THE MISUNDERSTOOD MR. COLTON

The widely misunderstood and misinterpreted Mr. Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832) is well-known for his eccentricities. An English writer held up by scholars as an example of someone often quoted, yet rarely understood. Colton’s forgotten work includes books and collections of epigrammatic aphorisms and short essays on conduct, like Lacon, or Many Things in Few Words, addressed to those who think., Lacon, Vol. II, The Conflagration of Moscow, An Ode on the Death of Lord Byron, and an unpublished poem of 600 lines called Modern Antiquity,  all of which has phenomenal popularity in Colton’s time. In the present-day Colton is one of the most quoted author since the twentieth century, and on the book Lacon, volume I, no. 183 is one of my most favorite quotes of all “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

Like the Englishman, Mr. Colton I feel I am widely misunderstood and misinterpreted sometimes, and I seek refuge on books, books give me a high that no opium in the world can ever give, no critic in the world can ever sabotage, books don’t judge, it’s just there to nurture you, and to heal you, now I sound like a hippie, but being a “photographer” who shoots men with six packs or eight packs (its fun) like the rest of the fashion industry, I can’t help but feel “shallow”, especially when most of the people around you quotes “Madonna” and “Ana Wintour” like their “Jesus Christ” or “Buddha”, excuse the pun.

ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES, TOMORROW’S ANOTHER DAY

I’m working now on a novel that channels my creative energy, my juicy life experiences, my fantasies, my hopes, and my secrets into a book, I’m working with a published fiction author/ghostwriter and an editor to help me polish what I wrote and just hope it pays off. I remember writing about my mother for a short story contest back in highschool, if it’s any sign at all, I bagged the first prize, and I remember the judges actually thought it was written by a senior when I was a sophomore at that time, it was the same ART WEEK, I also got the first prize for a painting competition. And now I am a photographer who is trying another chance into that route I never took back in highschool. Filipino’s are known for being over-achievers, and thats how I grew up, to always give my 100% in everything, to be the best version of me, and I assure you it is a bittersweet struggle, the story of my life. Another thing Filipinos are known for, “they are all  fighters”, they thrive on adversity, “Roll with the punches, tomorrow’s another day” like in the movie Jerry Maguire. The greatest and the most literal symbol of those punches is the island nation’s great 21st century hero, he is a fighter who always roll with the punches of life, known to boxing fans and aficionados of the world as “Pac-Man” and the cover boy of the latest Time Magazine Asia Edition, the unstoppable force in the boxing world, Manny Pacquiao. One of the inspiration for the latest cover of MATE MAGAZINE that I took in L.A. and out this month as their year ender for 2009, with the actor/model Marco Dapper.

NAVO: COPYCAT OR PAYING HOMAGE

I love the sadomasochistic film “Fight Club” (1999) based on the Chuck Palahniuk novel that starred Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Edward Norton as The Narrator, this film adaptation will always be on my top ten list of best movies in the last decades, I also love the David Cronenberg car-crash fetish film “Crash” (1996) based on the J.G. Ballard novel starring James Spader as James Ballard. Fire is also an important element in the novel that I’m working on, obviously I’m in the mood of burning things, creatively I’m on my “arsonist mode”. The Steven Klein Cover of Justin Timberlake for Arena Homme Plus that never got published to respect the 9/11 attack, they published an alternate cover without the US flag icon, and noted that along with the first cover choice on the inside page with this explanation. Now the million dollar question is, am I a copycat or paying homage? Let the years where my true inspirations talk, Fight Club was released 1999, Crash was 1996 and the Steven Klein’s “Alternate” Arena Homme Plus Cover was on 2001 (a pivotal year for most of us), whether Mr. Klein have seen Brad Pitt’s Fight Club and David Cronenberg’s Crash, one thing is for sure, Mr. Klein worked with Brad Pitt several times and I’m 100% sure he has seen it. Does Film, Magazines, Books and People inspire me?, YES. Do I love Steven Klein’s work?, YES. Is there a lot of “COSMOPOLITAN Magazine educated, PEREZ HILTON wannabee bloggers” out there? YES. Did I pay homage or I ripped off a Steven Klein? You’ll be the judge of that, along with the people who judged, misunderstood, and misinterpreted the man who coined “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html

http://www.mate-magazine.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Pacquiao

The always engaging Navo gives us his picks for best films of about photographers. He also gives us a little picture into why he became a photographer. Read it, memorize it, bring it up in conversation. The Navo will be happy.

DAMN, I NEED TO HIT THE GYM AGAIN

Why did I become a photographer? Do I really love taking pictures or I just like the idea of being a “photographer”? Do I have the right reasons for my passion and obsession for this hobby, for this job? Can a person fake his talent, his eye, his happiness, his vision? Can I just act like a photographer for decades, for the rest of my life and get away with it? Can I just be easily a photographer the moment I invest in a digital camera? I think the most important question is - CAN I FOOL MYSELF AND THE WORLD? I was 18 when I took my first pictures in art school, that was right after I gave up painting and writing and focused on my photography and after a couple of years worked as a graphic designer in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, later Hong Kong, my designing job supported my love for travelling and documenting them, the skylines, the people, the parties, the beaches, the friends, then one day got tapped in Dubai to shoot a DSquared2 advertorial and the rest is history as they say, that was roughly 6 years ago, and the first 3 years was a slow pace into the transition to photography and giving up graphic design altogether, once you learn to love something you need more time to care for them, being a camera person keeps me busy and occupies most of my days for the past years, I take portraits of beautiful people, “Damn, I need to hit the gym again” is the no# 1 reaction to my work, especially with men, I don’t know if thats a good sign, but for some reason I think I should get a commission to all the countless gym memberships I sold, I take pictures of men like I take pictures of buildings, they have to look magnificent, naked, architectural and mysterious.

THE ARTIST & THE POLITICIAN

It’s been a work in progress and a never-ending learning and developing my style that I could call my own, I love the struggle, makes life more interesting and journal-worthy. But like any other industries, you don’t only have to worry about your trade and your own business, the industry of beautiful people is also filled with the nasties, politics is deeply entrenched in the very structure of the fashion industry machine. There’s more politics in the fashion house than the white house, and half the wit and education, thats the irony. Thousands of very talented individuals, countless photographers gave up the battle, lensmen who loves photography to their bones, but hates the politics, artists who can’t stomach it, or just basically not built for it. Everytime you look at a billboard in Time Square,  you can’t help but wonder, what this people behind this beautiful pictures have to give up, have to sell, have to kill to get this job? Yes, gone are the days when photography is only about taking good pictures, knowing the camera, going to an art school or just get a Photography for Dummies book, it’s not only about lenses and tripods and reflectors, it’s not only about models and lighting and creativity anymore. You have to be a hustler, a mobster, a bully, a pimp, a thief or a prostitute to be on the top of the foodchain, and unfortunately there’s no university in the world you can learn Fashion Industry Politics or even a Fashion Politics for Dummies book.

MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, THE SEQUEL

L. B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies, Billy Kwan, Harlen Maguire, Anna Cameron,  Jeff Kohlver, Laura Mars, Dick Avery, Seymour ‘SY’ Parrish, Lucy Berliner, Alexandre Rodrigues, Russell Price , Charles Castle, Robert Kincaid and Richard Boyle are some of the most unforgettable characters that I’ve ever seen in the silver screen and there’s one thread that binds them all together. The hunky thespians (some of my favorite actors today)—Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes 2009), Patrick Wilson (Watchmen 2009), and Bradley Cooper (Hangover 2009),  cinematic legends—Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino 2008),  James Stewart (The Man Who Knew Too Much 1956), Fred Astaire (The Sky’s the Limit 1943) and Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire 1993), and Hollywood megastars—Nicole Kidman (The Portrait of a Lady 1996), Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman 1990), and Faye Dunaway (Bonnie and Clyde 1967) have something in common. They will always be my personal favorite actors, because they played once in their remarkable careers a role with bravado, grace and intelligence—the role of a photographer.

If your life is a movie, will it be a Romance? A Thriller, a Mystery or Crime saga?  Perhaps Drama, a War or Adventure Epic? A Horror or a Comedy? A Musical or an Action Sci-fi? Some people who thinks they know me (the Frenemies**) will say my life is a downright HORROR movie, a gay psychopath monster photographer who makes everyone’s lives miserable, sounds like “The Midnight Meat Train, The Sequel” to me, some people say I’m also DRAMATIC, so i guess, there’s a possible bromance lurking between the bloodbath, my life has been casualy summarized into a D-list cult flick in the 70’s.

OSCARS LOVES SHUTTER BUGS

Obviously film and photography are close relatives both use film or digital cameras to capture the world as they see it and tell their different stories. The Academy Awards (Oscars) obviously loves photographers, most films featured on the list are either nominated or have won a major award, most of them for their roles as photographers, many iconic and important films all over the world revolves around that guy (or girl) holding a 35mm, whether they’re risking their lives to reveal a monster of war or a revolution, psychopatic photographers tracking or stalking the protagonist or a photographer tracking a psychopath,  fashion photographers having illicit and scandalous sexual affairs, shutter bugs falling in love with their muse or just becoming obsessed with their subjects, or a combination of all that, these are the characters that have helped millions of moviegoers around the globe (including me) a glimpse into the life of the imaginary, the gritty, the tender, the romantic, the obscene, the savage, the genius and the human—the photographer.

**a future article you’ll find here in Dangerously Naive.

1.

Rear Window (1954)
Through his rear window and the eye of his powerful camera he watched a great city tell on itself, expose its cheating ways…and Murder!

The legend Alfred Hitchcock exerted full potential of suspense in this masterpiece.  Could easily be my favorite movie of all time. James Stewart as L. B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies, a wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Grace Kelly co-stars as Jeff’s girlfriend Lisa Carol Fremont. Nominated for 4 Oscars (Best Cinematography, Color – Robert Burks,  Best Director – Alfred Hitchcock,  Best Sound, Recording – Loren L. Ryder, Paramount,  Best Writing, Screenplay – John Michael Hayes and other 4 wins and 5 nominations.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: John Michael Hayes (screenplay) Cornell Woolrich (short story “It Had to Be Murder”)
Release Date: 14 January 1955 (Japan)
Genre: Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

2.

The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
A Love Caught In The Fire Of Revolution.

A young Australian journalist (on his first job as a foreign correspondent), Guy Hamilton (played by Mel Gibson) tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a half- Chinese dwarf photographer Billy Kwan as Guy’s local photographer contact, a role for which Linda Hunt won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jill Bryant (Sigourney Weaver) as Guy’s love interest, a British Embassy officer. Combining political intrigue, steamy romance, and engaging characters, Peter Weir’s well-crafted, highly enjoyable adventure is one of the few successful efforts to make a Casablanca-like movie for modern audiences. The film was shot in both Australia and the Philippines. An Oscar win and other 7 wins & 15 nominations. Also on the list of my all time favorite classics.

Director: Peter Weir
Writers: C.J. Koch (novel) C.J. Koch (screenplay)
Release Date: 21 January 1983 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance | War

3.

Road to Perdition (2002)
Pray for Michael Sullivan.

Jude Law as Harlen Maguire a psychopathic assassin who likes to photograph his victims, Harlen tracks hitman Michael Sullivan Sr. (Tom Hanks) and son in Illinois during the Great Depression. Paul Newman (in his final theatrical screen appearance) as John Rooney, an Irish American organized crime boss of Sullivan Sr., and Daniel Craig as Connor Rooney, the crime boss’s son. A story that had minimal dialogue and conveyed emotion in the imagery. Somber, stately, and beautifully mounted, Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition is a well-crafted mob movie that explores the ties between fathers and sons.  Winning several awards, 17 wins & 51 nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Cinematography win, and nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Paul Newman. One of the best film produced this decade in my list.

Director: Sam Mendes
Writers (WGA): Max Allan Collins (graphic novel) and Richard Piers Rayner (graphic novel)
Release Date: 12 July 2002 (USA)
Genre: Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

4.

Closer (2004)
If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.

Julia Roberts as Anna Cameron, a quietly independent divorce and successful art/portrait photographer, Jude Law as Dan, a thoughtful but unsuccessful novelist and journalist, who authors a book about Jane (Natalie Portman), a gorgeous young runaway from New York’s seedy sex industry, and Clive Owen as Larry, a dermatologist with the lust and manners of a soccer hooligan. The plot revolves around the infatuation of the couples for one another, an elaborate character study of two London couples as they engage in an ultimate game of partner swapping. The film was recognized with several awards and nominations, including Oscar nominations (and Golden Globe wins) for both Portman and Owen for their performances in supporting roles, and other 8 wins & 20 nominations.

Director: Mike Nichols
Writers (WGA): Patrick Marber (play) Patrick Marber (screenplay)
Release Date: 3 December 2004 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance more

5.

Hard Candy (2005)
Strangers shouldn’t talk to little girls.

After three weeks chatting with the 32-year old fashion/portrait photographer Jeff Kohlver (Patrick Wilson - Watchmen 2009) ‘Lensmaster319? in Internet, the mature 14-year old Hayley Stark (Ellen Page – Juno 2007) finally meets. Suspecting that he is a pedophile, she goes to his home in an attempt to expose him. The first feature film for director David Slade, who previously had worked mostly in music videos. Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, a well written with strong lead performances. A movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater, garnering 5 wins & 6 nominations in different award giving body.

Director: David Slade
Writer (WGA): Brian Nelson (written by)
Release Date: 14 April 2006 (USA) more
Genre: Drama | Thriller more

________

One Hour Photo (2002)
The things that we fear the most have already happened to us...

Robin Williams as Seymour ‘SY’ Parrish, a creepy photo developer and photographer. He has a vast knowledge of modern photography and develops photos at a one-hour photo lab in a local department store and becomes obsessed with one of his customers, a young suburban family, the dad, Will Yorkin (Michael Vartan), the mom Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen) and their kid. Williams won a Saturn Award for Best Actor (2003) for his work in the film, other 5 wins and 14 nominations.

Director: Mark Romanek
Writer (WGA): Mark Romanek
Release Date: 13 September 2002 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Thriller

6.

Cidade de Deus/ City of God (2002)
If you run you’re dead…if you stay, you’re dead again. Period.

Based on a true story, a shocking and disturbing, but always compelling story of two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood slums of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer (Alexandre Rodrigues as Buscapé – Rocket), the other a drug dealer (Leandro Firmino as Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé). The story is told through eyes of Buscapé, a poor young fisherman’s son who dreams of becoming a photographer one day. The film received four Academy Award nominations in 2004: Best Cinematography (César Charlone), Best Directing (Meirelles), Best Editing (Daniel Rezende) and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Mantovani). Before that, in 2003 it had been chosen to be Brazil’s runner for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but it was not nominated to be one of the five finalists.

Directors: Fernando Meirelles  Kátia Lund (co-director)
Writers: Paulo Lins (novel) Bráulio Mantovani (screenplay)
Release Date: 2002 (Russia)
Genre: Action | Crime | Drama

________

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
The most terrifying ride you’ll ever take.

Bradley Cooper as Leon, a documentary/art photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer named Mahogany (Vinnie Jones) dubbed the “Subway Butcher” and discovers more than he bargained for under the city streets of New York. A creative and energetic adaptation of a Clive Barker 1984 short story of the same name (which can be found in Volume One of Barker’s collection Books of Blood), with enough scares and thrills to be a potential cult classic. 4 wins in different categories.

Director: Ryûhei Kitamura
Writers (WGA): Jeff Buhler (screenplay)
Clive Barker (short story “The Midnight Meat Train”)
Release Date: 7 August 2008 (Russia)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

7.

Funny Face (1957)

Fred Astaire as Dick Avery, a fashion photographer in search for an intellectual backdrop for an air-headed model, expropriates a Greenwich Village bookstore. When the photo session is over the store is left in a shamble, sales girl Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) comes to the rescue. They offer Jo a modeling contract, which she reluctantly accepts only because it includes a trip to Paris. Eventually, her snobbish attitude toward the job softens, and Jo begins to enjoy the work and the company of her handsome photographer. Richard Avedon designed the opening title sequence and consulted on the film, and Bill Avery was the still photographer. Nominated for 4 Oscars and other win & 5 nominations.

Director: Stanley Donen
Writer: Leonard Gershe (written by)
Release Date: 13 February 1957 (USA)
Genre: Romance | Comedy | Musical

________

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Clint Eastwood as Robert Kincaid, a photographer in the farmlands of Iowa on assignment for National Geographic magazine and wanders into the life of a bored, middle-aged Italian housewife Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep), for four days in the 1960s. They fall in love, but she’s married with children. A film adaptation of Robert James Waller’s wildly popular, bestselling novel. Eastwood and Streep, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1996 for her performance in the film, other 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers (WGA): Richard LaGravenese (screenplay) Robert James Waller (novel)
Release Date: 2 June 1995 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance

8.

Under Fire (1983)
This wasn’t their war but it was their story…and they wouldn’t let it go!

Nick Nolte as Russell Price , a star photographer, one of the journalists in a romantic triangle are involved in political intrigue during the last days of the corrupt Somozoa regime in Nicaragua before it falls to a popular revolution in 1979. Ed Harris as Oates and Gene Hackman as Alex Grazier. Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Writers: Clayton Frohman (screenplay) Clayton Frohman (story)
Release Date: 21 October 1983 (USA)
Genre: Drama | War

________

Salvador (1986)

James Woods as Richard Boyle , an American photojournalist down on his luck in the US, drives to El Salvador to chronicle the events of the 1980 Salvadoran civil war. While trying to get footage, he becomes entangled with both leftist guerrillas and the right-wing military.  The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Woods) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Stone and Boyle), and other 3 wins & 6 nominations

Director: Oliver Stone
Writers: Oliver Stone (written by) and Rick Boyle (writer)
Release Date: 23 April 1986 (USA)
Genre: Biography | Drama | Thriller | War

9.

Photographing Fairies (1997)

Toby Stephens as Charles Castle, a photographer numbed with grief after the sudden death of his young wife, devotes himself to his work as a photographer in World War I. Charles is given some photographs purporting to be of fairies. His search for the truth leads him to Burkinwell, a seemingly peaceful village seething with secrets where he becomes drawn into a web of passion, romance and violence. Ben Kingsley as Reverend Templeton. 5 wins and 3 nominations.

Director: Nick Willing
Writers: Chris Harrald (written by) Steve Szilagyi (book)
Release Date: 19 September 1997 (UK)
Genre: Drama | Fantasy | Mystery

________

High Art (1998)
A story of ambition, sacrifice, seduction and other career moves.

Ally Sheedy as Lucy Berliner, a very talented drug-addicted lesbian photographer that contributes with high-art photography magazine Frame meets a young female intern for the magazine, Sydney ‘Syd’ (Radha Mitchell) both of whom seek to exploit each other for their respective careers, while slowly falling in love with each other. Berliner’s photography (Sheedy) was based on Nan Goldin’s work. The photographs themselves were made by Jojo Whilden. 7 wins and 14 nominations.

Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Writer: Lisa Cholodenko (writer)
Release Date: 12 June 1998 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Romance

10.

Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)

Faye Dunaway as Laura Mars, a very successful high-end fashion and advertising photographer and Tommy Lee Jones as Detective John Neville notes striking similarities between her art photos and those of real crime scenes. The screenplay, adapted from a spec script titled Eyes, written by John Carpenter, was Carpenter’s first major studio film. Producer Jon Peters, who was dating Barbra Streisand at the time, bought the screenplay as a starring vehicle for the actress, but Streisand eventually decided not to take the role because of “the kinky nature of the story”, as Peters later explained. The role went to Dunaway, who had just won an Oscar for her performance in Network. It was shot entirely in New York and New Jersey. The famous sequence where the Laura Mars character photographs a group of models against a backdrop of two burning cars was filmed over four days at New York’s Columbus Circle. Gallery Exhibition Images of Laura Mars are shot by Helmut Newton. Despite its lukewarm critical reception, the film was a box office hit, earning $20M off of a $7M budget, 1 win and 1 nomination.

Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: John Carpenter (screenplay) and David Zelag Goodman (screenplay)
Release Date: 2 August 1978 (USA)
Genre: Horror | Mystery | Thriller

________

Blow – Up  (1966)

David Hemmings as Thomas, a successful mod photographer in London whose world is bounded by fashion, pop music, marijuana, and easy sex, feels his life is boring and despairing. But in the course of a single day he frolics with young models, then meets the mysterious Jane (Vanessa Redgrave), he accidentally captures on film the commission of a murder. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars and other 7 wins and 4 nominations.

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Writers: Michelangelo Antonioni (story) Julio Cortázar (short story)
Release Date: 18 December 1966 (USA)
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Thriller

________

Other film’s that centers around the life of a lensman:

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)
Nicole Kidman as Diane Arbus
Robert Downey Jr. as Lionel Sweeney

Mad Dog and Glory  (2000)

Gentlemen’s Relish (2001) (TV)

No Small Affair (1984)

Stardom (2000)

Head in the Clouds (2004)

Femme Fatale (2002)

The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997)

The Photographer  (2000)

Harrison’s Flowers (2002)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)

Catch & Release (2007)

Pecker  (1998)

Navo shares his true love for the country that makes him “Take risks” and “Be brave”.

(BR) A very successful Brazilian novelist once said “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” I absolutely agree.

I love the Brazilians, the way they live, the way they celebrate, the passion, the enthusiasm, the smiles, the sensuality, the pride, the diversity, the culture, the history, the food, the view from your hotel room, the optimism against all odds, and most of all- the beauty. Have I mention the enthusiasm and passion?

When the star of the latest blockbuster The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) Robert Pattinson was asked in Jimmy Kimmel Live! in LA “Where in the world are the craziest (passionate) fans you’ve ever met while promoting New Moon?” the 23 yr old actor replied without hesitation “Brazil!”, and I wouldn’t be surprised. Have I mentioned the enthusiasm and passion?

The largest country in South America, the 55 yr old Peruvian fashion/celebrity photographer Mario Testino’s favorite destination to shoot his photo books, the world’s fifth largest country by geographical area, the world’s eighth largest economy, the world’s fifth most populous country, and the world’s largest population of fashion models and supermodels working today.

The sultry brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima said in an interview “If you look around Brazil you see pregnant women everywhere. Here you don’t see that as much. There the only thing they do is babies, babies, babies! Especially the poor families.”

Yes, Brazil is the home to a diversity of culture and wildlife, the home of the supermodels, and the home of the most photogenic landscapes and getaways in the world, my friend Antonio Bezerra (the blogosphere have known as Didio), my favorite São Paulo-based photographer is sharing NAIVEBOY.COM readers a slice of how he view this exotic wonderland through his lens.

The Top Ten Most Beautiful Brazilian Men and Ten Most Beautiful Brazilian Locations where he photographed them.

_____________

DIDIO’S TEN LOCATIONS IN BRAZIL

1.   Didio’s cottage in São Roque, São Paulo

2.   Ubatuba, São Paulo

3.   Dunas of Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro

4.   Floripa Beach
5.   Joao Pessoa, Paraíba
6.   Torres, Rio Grande do Sul
7.   Beaches of the North of São Paulo
8.   Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goias
9.   Vitoria
10. Rio de Janeiro

2.     Jonas Sulzbach?
3.     Isaac Fioravante
4.     Fabio Beck
5.     Felipe Dellanegra
6.     Jayme Siciliano
7.     Bernardo Dornbusch
8.     Guilherme Cruz
9.     Lansing
10.   Leandro Cagliari

LINK LOVE: DIDIO’S BRASIL by Navo

Navo explores the art of Piccinini, better known as the master of the wrinkle. An artist who finds perfection in imperfection, his work has been seen by millions and brings a sense of unreal to the natural folds of age.

Golem of Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

I haven’t seen the Spike Jonze film “Where the Wild Things Are” (2009), but the brilliant work of acclaimed Australian Conceptual Artist Patricia Piccinini (born in 1965 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) reminds of such wrinkly creepers, including the Middle-earth’s Golem of Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), New Orleans’ Ben Button in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and Transylvania’s Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992).

Piccinini explores what she calls the ‘often specious distinctions between the artificial and the natural’. By displaying the similarities and differences between the organic, natural and our constructed material world, Piccinini challenges our classification of life. This inspires her to combine human and animal physiology and technological development in many of her works.

www.patriciapiccinini.com

Location: ?Melbourne, Victoria?, Australia

Here’s the Puma Index video featuring Miquel Iglesias…

You can check out unrated photos of Miquel Iglesias in Lope Navo’s new book, Stark. Click Here to Purchase.

Photographer Lope Navo shot the Spring/Summer 2010 campaign for Mossimo Asia.

Find more photos like this on CULT