How it all started
This crazy dudoir calendar adventure actually started as a simple idea for a website blog post about taking better selfies. An online discussion about the horribly awful photos guys use on their dating website profiles served as the inciting incident. "Those up-the nose ones are horrible" one friend commented "I don't want to inspect his nose hairs!" "Oh, those ones of them shirtless in the bathroom are awful too" another friend replied." The next day I posted an open call on facebook looking for average looking men to meet me in a sunflower field. While some were coaxed to attend by wives and girlfriends, five brave men showed up with the understanding I would get some photos to use for my blog and they would get some new profile shots. I had them take some selfies on their own with no instructions, and then I took some basic profile shots. Then things got interesting.
I knew most of these guys from community theatre so I knew they would be comfortable getting goofy. I asked them to think of the selfie/portrait poses that women take. Out came the pouty lips, seductive leans and funny use of sunflowers as props. While the images are hilarious, they are also beautiful. Because confidence and fun are beautiful.
At one point we did a Grace Coddington-Vogue magazine style pose send up of the men spaced apart and striking stances. After getting that dramatic sunset shot I knew I had my men of fall. At that point the calendar idea just kind of came into play because I knew I could feature different seasonal locations all throughout Northeast Ohio. I also decided that any proceeds would go to Meals on Wheels of Cleveland and each calendar sale will feed a senior for a day.
The real irony came when I was pausing in between shots because two girls were in the background taking selfies with the sunflowers and posing with pouty lips. When life imitates art.
Here's a little preview:
