Julian R. Photo

Julian Restrepo. Photographer / Director. Lifestyle, Swimwear, Fitness, Portraits

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GLOBAL ENTRY, OR HOW TO TRAVEL WITH REDUCED STRESS

Traveling is part of our lives as professionals, and as much as we all love traveling to new and exciting locations, doing it with equipment proves to be quite stressing. If you are based in the USA or have worked here, you know we have pretty tight security controls; not only lines can be really long, but you also have to use several trays to separate your laptop, tablet, cellphone and the rest of your belongings. Now, if you are traveling with rolls of film and film cameras, get ready for more after you request the manual inspection. However, there is a way to reduce stress, get past security fast and enjoy a little bit the process

“ It wasn’t until 2016, coming back from a job in L.A. , that I completely understood the importance of programs like this.”

I had already heard of the Global Entry Program, just after researching about the TSA-Pre program. I didn’t pay much attention as I thought it wouldn’t help much and that I could keep paying the fee with the airline I was traveling, to avoid long lines. It was just until 2016, trying to come back from L.A. after a job, that I completely understood the meaning of programs like this.

I was in Los Angeles for an Advertising Production and as usual, I do my check-in the day or night before my flight to save time, so the only thing left is check-in any bags I’m traveling with. On this particular occasion, I couldn’t do it through my laptop or cellphone because the airline website didn’t seem to be working. Next morning I tried again with no success. I have to annotate that on that particular day, we woke up to the news of the Belgium attacks, and for some reason I didn’t get it; we were going to have issues at the airport due to security.

To make a long story short, I could never do the check-in; even at the airport machines, the system just didn’t work. My odyssey started right there, and between customer service, security and the boarding counter I lost three flights. I barely made it to Miami and couldn’t afford not to, since I was traveling to New York the very next day. 

Lesson learned, I needed some help and these programs could do it. There are different programs, TSA-Pre being the most basic and probably the one that the general public recognizes the most. There’s one between USA-Canada travelers and the one I enrolled, Global Entry.

So how has Global Entry benefited my travel?

Just to begin, the program includes TSA-Pre at no extra cost. When you apply, part of the process is an in-person interview and you are cleared as a pre-screened traveler; you have your unique known traveler number. When you go through security and you mention you are part of Global Entry, you go through a different lane, you have priority to be processed, you don’t have to take your belt or shoes off, you don’t have to go through the screening machine. Basically all your stress is gone, at least mine was reduced 90%.

On top of that, when you get back in the Country, you don’t have to make those infinite lines at immigration. There’s a special lane that takes you to some kiosks, there you can scan your passport, scan your Global Entry ID or just use your fingerprints, you follow the instructions on the screen and you’re on your way in less than 10 minutes.

One of the preconceptions that I had, is that it probably was too expensive. WRONG! The application is $100 and it lasts for 5 years, so you don’t have to be a genius to understand it is the same as paying $20 a year, for something that does such a benefit to your traveling, it is a no brainer.

I am one of those who tries to make things simple, specially when you are traveling with so many things and running into so many situations that will get out of your control. Anything that can make the process simpler is welcomed. In this case it helps my business, and makes me more efficient when losing a flight could mean a lot of costs for the production, plus time lost.

If you are part of the program, let me know of your experience. Are you enrolled in Nexus or any other one? How is it?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.

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HOW NOT TO F*#@ UP YOUR INTERVIEW WITH A TALENT AGENCY.

This article was originally written by Christian Alexander. Christian is the Director of Front Management, a Boutique Model Management Agency in Miami Beach. With humor he often posts on his personal feed about the realities of the modeling world and the intricacies of being a model manager.

I thought this article in particular, although funny, touches points that are very true and useful to models and those who want to get in the industry.

Julian R.

OFTEN MODELS COME IN NERVOUS FOR THEIR INTERVIEWS. WE THE AGENTS, CALL THEM WALK IN’S, APPOINTMENTS OR GO SEES.

IT’S MORE THAN NORMAL BEING NERVOUS MEETING AGENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. AFTER ALL, EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE IN AN OFFICE YOU’RE BASICALLY PUTTING YOURSELF ON STAGE FOR SOMEONE TO JUDGE YOU.

THIS QUIET, FIRE BREATHING DRAGON, STARING AT YOU FROM HEAD TO TOE COULD BE YOUR VERY NEW BOSS. SO HERE ARE A FEW TIPS ON HOW NOT TO F*#@ UP YOUR INTERVIEW.

1 AGENCIES HAVE A HEIGHT REQUIREMENT

PLEASE DON’T GO IN LYING, ACTING LIKE WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR MINUTES AND LIE ABOUT YOUR AGE OR HEIGHT. SHOULD AN AGENCY TAKE YOU WE WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE A LEGAL ID SO THAT WOULD HAVE ALL YOUR LEGAL INFORMATION INCLUDING HEIGHT AND AGE. PLUS WE HAVE MEASURING TAPE. A SEASONED AGENT WILL KNOW FROM ONE LOOK THAT YOU ARE PHYSICALLY NOT FIT OR THE RIGHT HEIGHT.

2 DON’T COME WITH A BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND TO HOLD YOU HAND THROUGH THE PROCESS.

YOU WOULDN’T DO THIS IN A NORMAL INTERVIEW. THIS SHOWS LACK OF CONFIDENCE. UNLESS YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 THERE IS NO REASON YOU SHOULD BE WALKING IN WITH A GUARDIAN.

3 YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS.

BUT DON’T OVER DO IT UNTIL YOU GET SIGNED. SOME PEOPLE TRY TO GET PERSONABLE WITH AGENTS BEFORE EVEN GETTING SIGNED. WE ARE TRYING TO ANALYZE YOU AND YOUR PRESENCE AND FIGURING OUT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD PERSONALITY. WE DON’T NEED YOU TO OVER SELL YOURSELVES.

4 PLEASE DONT CAKE ON THE PERFUME.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SENSITIVE TO THIS AND SOMETIMES IT’S A DISTRACTION AND TURN OFF.

5 CHEWING GUM OR HAVING YOUR HEADPHONES IN YOUR EARS IS A HUGE DISRESPECT.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE OUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION. IF YOU’RE SMACKING YOUR GUM AND CHEWING AWAY LIKE A COW WHILE BLASTING TRAP MUSIC IN YOUR EARS IS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME WANT TO SMACK YOU.

6 TACKIEST LINE ON THE PLANET

TACKIEST LINE ON THE PLANET IS. “ EVERYONE ELSE HAS TOLD ME GROWING UP THAT I SHOULD BE A MODEL” PLEASE DON’T USE AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL AS A REFERENCE. THAT SHOW IS ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

7 BE PREPARED JUST IN CASE THE AGENT WANTS TO TAKE DIGITALS.

MODELS SHOULD HAVE A SWIMSUIT WITH THEM OR CLEAN UNDERWEAR. ALSO A PAIR OF HEELS IN CASE YOU HAVE TO STRUT FOR THE OFFICE AND DO A VIDEO.

8 DON’T CRITICIZE YOUR OWN PICTURES AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THEM.

TELLING ME YOU HATE YOUR PICTURES IS A BAD WAY TO PROJECT YOURSELF. BY DOING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY PLACING A NEGATIVE ON WHAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A POSITIVE. ALSO BLAMING YOUR BLOATINESS OR OUT OF SHAPE BODY ON YOUR VACATION OR BAD EATING HABITS IS NOT OK!!! WHY GO MEET WITH AN AGENCY IF YOU ARE OUT OF SHAPE?. YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION IS EVERYTHING. LOOK YOUR BEST, OR DON’T GO. OTHERWISE, YOU ARE WASTING EVERYONE ELSE’S TIME INCLUDING YOURS, NOT JUST MINE.

9 KINDNESS IS EVERYTHING.

PEOPLE WANT TO HELP NAIVE UNDISCOVERED NEWBEES. NO ONE WANTS TO HELP A STUCK UP KNOW-IT-ALL. BE POSITIVE AND UPBEAT. DEBBIE DOWNERS ARE “GO BACKS” BYE..... NO CRYING ALLOWED & PLEASE HOLD THE ATTITUDE...WAY BACK. HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD A TRAP DOOR OR AN EJECT BUTTON THAT LAUNCHES MODELS OUT OF THE OFFICE TO AVOID ALL CONFRONTATION.

10 NINETY NINE PERCENT OF THIS INDUSTRY IS REJECTION.

DON’T TAKE OFFENSE TO IT. YOU NEED THICK SKIN IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE SAYS NO DOESN’T MEAN EVERYONE WILL. YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT AGENCY THAT FITS. DON’T BE SOUR ABOUT IT. KEEP TRYING AND YOUR TIME WILL COME. I TURN DOWN ABOUT 10-20 PEOPLE A WEEK. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEIR HORRIBLE, OR I WONT SEE THEM AROUND AGAIN. SIMPLY MEANS YOUR NOT THE RIGHT LOOK FOR THAT PARTICULAR AGENCY AT THE MOMENT.

NEXT TIME JUST MAKE SURE YOUR APPROACH IS SOFTER, SWEETER, STRONGER AND SHINY AND NEW. WE LOVE NEW AND IMPROVED. NO TODAY DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN NO SECOND TIME AROUND.

SINCERELY,

CHRISTIAN ALEXANDER

FRONT MANAGEMENT

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Anatomy of a Viral Picture and how it can help Client's ROI

In today’s world being famous on Social Media can imply swimming in a pool of cash. As incredible as this could sound, having a keen sense of how the Social Media world works can translate to business success and an increase in sales.

As Photographer I have a very interesting position, because I have to create very artistic images that at the same time drive sales for my clients. It is not an easy task and surely it doesn’t have a straightforward recipe to follow.

In this post, I want to give you a few tips and a very specific case as example on how to make your images have incredible traction on Instagram which will translate into benefits for your clients.

 The case is my latest image on Instagram.

I created this image for my client Red Carter Swimwear. The brief is clear, create images that sell a lifestyle of Caribbean feel; we want the potential buyers to feel jealous of this girl who is probably in a remote island having tons of fun in the most beautiful bikini, “living the life” you would say. All those ideas are what we try to convey.

 Let’s relate that to the viral situation.

Virality is a little more systematic nowadays, it’s not necessarily related to an incredible feat that no-one has done before (although it helps), but rather several elements that, when used together, they generate buzz.

Timing. The timing is crucial to generate a conversation about my image. If I share my latest work on a Friday at 9pm, probably not many people will see it; my audience is probably out having fun, or doing something that’s not related with what I do. However, if you are a night club, by all means this would be a fantastic time to try and attract your target audience. CURIOUS FACT:  When I posted this image, I was already a little late for my audience’s schedule. I thought it wouldn’t have that much traction because at mid morning my clients are working and just starting to think about lunch. Lunch will be a better time for them to see my post. In this case it actually worked, so randomness plays in our favor sometimes.

Engagement. Getting a million likes sure it’s a phenomenal thing, but to be honest, clicking the heart button is much easier than thinking about a comment and posting it. Having comments in your post, means that your audience really see an extra value to what you are doing and they are going the extra mile to let you know. Engagement is an element that the algorithm will evaluate to give your post a boost.

Hashtags. Not any hashtags but meaningful hashtags. Yes, instacool, fun, sun and beach work; however, go beyond and think where your target audience is, what kind of clients do you want to attract and how are they searching to find you. Swimwear Photographer is one that I used, but also Wilhelmina Artists because they represent me, Miami because that’s where Swim Show is taking place. This last one is crucial, because at this time of the year, there will be lots of people/brands attending the Swim Show and being at the top of the hashtag trend could translate into many potential clients seeing your work, or potential buyers seeing your merchandise.

Piggyback on National/Local events. Along with timing of the day or day of the week, this is an aspect I thought about when planning my posts for the week. This year, Swim Show is from July 14th through the 17th. Many brands will attend, many people will create images for those brands and many people will be seeing all of that and buying their merchandise. If you are careful, you can use that to boost your work. In my case I have clients who come during this time of the year and hire me to shoot their Advertising Campaign or Cookbook for their new collection. Also, by posting during this week, I will post images from previous jobs so that those clients who haven’t worked with me can see what I’ve done for other people and realize they should work with me.

Finally a little bit of luck. As I mentioned before, there is no straightforward formula that you can use to make each post go viral. There are many things that have to align in order for it to happen and luck helps a little bit. I know I’m posting curated content, quality content, content that is relevant to my potential clients and existing clients; but in the end, after using every single trick will not assure me virality.

 How can this lucky moment help my business and my existing clients?

Some of the benefits that such a situation will bring is the expansion of my name and my work; this is a dream for any content creator because that means I will earn followers, my work will be shown to a lot of new people, some of which are potential clients and most will be a new audience.

My name will establish even more as a leader in my niche and will get stronger when I present myself to a potential client.

My actual client will get indirect benefits because I did the job for them, I am sharing it to my own audience which is comprised of people who are not necessarily buyers of the brand. They will see who my client is and they will check their profile, this can translate into new purchases to them, so the increases the ROI of hiring me to do their jobs.

To Potential Clients it will impress them to learn that hiring me means:

 They are dealing with a Traditional Professional who knows what he’s doing and how needs to be done. Someone who understands their business needs and how to solve those needs through imagery.

An artist who is represented by one of the Top Agencies in the USA. That will give them peace of mind in regards to the quality they will be getting and that each dollar will be an investment to the brand rather than an expense.

The possibility to reach a greater audience since I will publish some of the work in my feed. In my own end I have a large following and a diverse audience who are indirectly, potential clients to the brand.

The fact that my images have some kind of vitality, that means the possibility of reaching an unknown number of potential clients.

 The fact that I’m posting my client’s work in my own feed and having my following see it and interact with it, is something that clients are looking for nowadays. 

 Numbers

* At the time of this article’s publication, the image had 1,795 likes and 21 comments. and it keeps growing.

It is number 1 in the #swimshow, which has 12.1k posts

It is number 1 in the #wilhelminaartists, which has 1,450 posts

It is number 4 in the #redcarter, which has 3,457 posts

It is in the top 20 in the #photoproduction, which has 40k posts

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Mili by Julian R.

THE BRIEF

So we’re in the midst of all these image creation, there’s a point in which you are going to ask yourself, what else can I do? Let’s be honest here for a second, being in a constant state of creation is the most challenging thing, no matter how passionate you are about what you do. I pushed myself to get all these shots for a reason, I wanted to get the best images I could in the amount of time I had with the elements I had. Making them look the same way they would look for my best clients. In that way, when you get those jobs you dreamt of, you know how to think through and deliver.

With Mili, I didn’t get a lot of time, and it was just her. Those were the rules and I added to that my purpose of getting shots that looked like they were part of an AD Campaign. That means they have to have consistency, attention to detail, look polish and have some kind of concept to back everything up.

 INSPIRATION

In this case, I was already basing my creative thoughts on the many mood boards I had made before; but I also wanted to let the City, and in specific, the area we were working on, inspire me. The stoops, the gothic feeling and fences of the area, complemented the outfits she had.

 EXECUTION

THE TEAM:

Photography: Julian R. with Artists at Wilhelmina

Model: Mili Boskovic at Wilhelmina NY

Makeup & Hair: Ava Roston

Style: Gaddiel Lopez

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Elle by Julian R.

THE BRIEF

Being in New York is an ever inspiring experience for me, the City never stops giving me ideas and great energy. I wanted to create some images that represented the City clearly to show my clients that style and feel. It would leave me with some international looking images and urban landscape which is always good to have in the portfolio.

 INSPIRATION

There’s a concept I have been wanting to create for quite a while and it was using the subway with all its elements. Nothing says NY as much as the subway. I wanted to use all the elements, I wanted to bring the model into one of the wagons (but couldn’t do it due to time restrictions), the station in and out. It was this mental story that goes around what it means being a New Yorker and having to use the subway on your everyday life.

 EXECUTION

THE TEAM:

Photography: Julian R. with Artists at Wilhelmina

Model: Elle at Wilhelmina NY

Makeup & Hair: Ava Roston

Style: Gaddiel Lopez

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Legendary Fashion Photographers - Clifford Coffin

Clifford Coffin has been one of the big contributors to Fashion Photography.

The use of the ring-flash lighting in the 1950s created a change that is style in use today. This style creates strong shadows because of the blast of light into the subject, makes shiny fabrics pop and makeup as well. This technique was vastly used in tandem with a wind machine between the 70s and 90s

Coffin was known for thinking Fashion more than Fashion Editors. Every detail had to be where he had envisioned it. One of his most iconic photographs is the one created for the 1949 American Vogue issue. You can see 4 models as polka dots.

 Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Henry Clarke

Clarke was drawn to Fashion Photography by watching Cecil Beaton Photograph model Dorian Leigh. 

His work looks for balance, mixing the elegance and statuesque ways of the time with the casual effect of the snapshot’s instantaneity.

His work went from the structure and high style of the 50s to the color and layering of the 60s.

He benefitted from the exotic locations in which magazines where shooting.

 Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Guy Bourdin

One of the most recognized names in Fashion ad Advertising Photography of the second half of the 20th century.

His style is bold, full of color and strongly recognizable. 

He was mentored by none other than Man Ray.

Bourdin’s images offer a radical alternative to traditional Fashion Images, they are richly sensual, provocative and shocking. He adds erotic, surreal and sinister components to them. Those elements resonated with a new vocabulary for Haute-Couture goods and took him to the top of luxury Fashion.

As an artist, he is considered a pop-surrealist (sounds familiar a little bit, David Lachapelle), influenced by Man Ray, Edward Weston, Magritte, Balthus and Luis Buñuel.

 Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Erwin Blumenfeld

Blumenfeld could be considered ahead of his time and I personally wonder what could he have made if he had tools like photoshop in his time.

He was prominent in the 40s and 50s, famous for his collages and altered images in the style of Berlin’s Dada. 

He is the kind of photographer that is more of an artist, and adheres to an artistic movement. Not completely as to be named part of the movement, but you can see and recognize the characteristics of such in his work. 

One of his most famous examples is his cover for Vogue January 1950, with model Jean Patcett’s eye and red lips only visible.

 Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Sir Cecil Beaton

Was a multi talented artist. He was a Photographer, Illustrator, Designer, Writer, Diarist and Aesthete. 

Became famous for his Fashion Photography and Society Photographs. It seems like a common quality of the biggest photographers at the beginning of the 20th century was their friendship or connection to the high society; totally understandable since they were the only ones that could afford an art like photography. Still, it makes you think how we have always been fascinated about the lives of socialites.

 He was picked up by Vogue in 1927, influenced the work of David Bailey among other photographers that would come after him. One of his working patterns, and he had many, was shooting 6x6 format.

  Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Lillian Bassman

A misunderstood artist who happened to use photography.

Bassman began her career as a Fashion Illustrator before being apprenticed by Alexey Brodovitch (Who also taught many other very influential photographers and artists.). She worked at Junior Bazaar, later Harper’s Bazaar.

The most notable qualities of her photographic work are:

The high contrast between light and dark.

The graininess of the finished photos

the geometric placement and camera angles of the subjects.

Bassman’s work began to be re-appreciated in the 1990s

  Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Gian Paolo Barbieri

Barbieri's work blurs the lines between art and fashion. 

As you can see from his pictures, each stands by itself. Proportion, minute detail and a desire to seal the moment are the main characteristics of his work.

He was self-taught and his first professional work was an apprenticeship to the Harper’s Bazaar photographer Tom Kublin. This goes to teach us that although formal education can be useful, in the arts there are many paths to bring talent to the forefront of our lives.

  Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Gian Paolo Barbieri

Barbieri's work blurs the lines between art and fashion. 

As you can see from his pictures, each stands by itself. Proportion, minute detail and a desire to seal the moment are the main characteristics of his work.

He was self-taught and his first professional work was an apprenticeship to the Harper’s Bazaar photographer Tom Kublin. This goes to teach us that although formal education can be useful, in the arts there are many paths to bring talent to the forefront of our lives.

  Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - David Bailey

What is notable among many legendary Fashion Photographers is that they didn’t really wanted to be catalogued as such, and Bailey is not the exception.

For Bailey, models were more than just “Clothes Hangers” (term I’ve heard many times in my career).

He is characteristic for not working with many models, he preferred to develop long lasting relationships. Jean Shrimpton was his muse, they even had a personal relationship. Bailey admired her for her natural talent and said “In a way she’s the cheapest model in the world… you can shoot half a roll of film and then you have it”, it was that easy and organic to work with her.

Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Richard Avedon

One, if not the most Iconic Photographer. His style is highly recognizable, bold and full of movement.

His pictures always have some kind of movement and sadness in them, even when still, you can feel some kind of action or melancholy to them.

Avedon always wanted to bring the  vibe of street photography to Fashion, or have unexpected elements, like in his famous portrait of “Dovima with the Elephants”.

After studying Avedon’s work and watched video footage about him, I kind of feel the heavy emotions he brought to each of his pictures, there is an underlying sadness that cannot be explained. To explain in some kind of way what I feel, think about the clown that always laughs to hide his sadness; he had to move, jump, be active and shoot in a certain way, to hide in his pictures the real feeling inside of him. The is only my perception.

  Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - Eve Arnold

Arnold was bold and daring, she eschewed the use of flashes, saying that by the time you setup the lights, the image is gone.

She insisted “you have to take advantage of the variables. It might be the smile, the gesture, the light. None of which you can predict”.

The idea was to capture what was natural and subtle, she wanted to reach out and bring the subject’s soul to a space where they would show themselves as they were.

She was the first stringer for the Magnum Photo Agency, joining in 1951.

It is said that some of her best work is the result of a long friendship with Marilyn Monroe.

Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.

[julianrphotography]

Legendary Fashion Photographers - James Abbe

What made James Abbe particular in his time is that he would photograph outside of a studio.

Let’s remember how cumbersome was photography at the early stages and doing this was kind of daring.

Abbe rose to stardom by photographing theater stars and later Hollywood stars (like Chaplin). Dancers were his favorite subject and Anna Pavlova was his favorite muse.

His portraits are placid, the subject looks well mannered; they represented what Alexander Liberman called… an underlying dream of a world where people act and behave in a civilized manner.

Stay tuned because every Friday we'll look at the work of a new Photographer and examples of their wonderful work.