Ryan’s Photography Blog - Writing in Light

Do rainy day Mondays get you down?  Well here’s a picture of Jonathan Jesensky (from Major Model Management) to help cheer you up no matter how wet you are! Maybe he got caught in the rain and was soaked to the skin and needs dry clothes?

There are sooo many things that I want to do, that I try to accomplish in life. My problem is that I don’t think I truly exist within a 24 hour day (my reality has 36 hour days and not in a straight line!). I’m not sure yet how to compress my reality and stuff it kicking and screaming into this reality. Time is my enemy - it strangles me with cold unfeeling fingers. Well, there’s also my rampant insomnia and incessant drive that keeps pushing me to DO.

My mind races constantly with thoughts, concepts & images.  How do you manage to live your life fully when you are possessed, or would that be obsessed, with creating that one perfect image? That one image that I’ll leave behind. One image that will be remembered forever. One image that clearly says what I lack words for? One image that is honest and beautiful and spectacular!

How do I capture the image of my soul?

Monday’s are the day when you stretch and wake up and get ready to run the new week’s marathon. For me, I try to keep a few things in perspective. No matter how bad things get you can’t let those events define you. Everything that transpires in your life helps shape you and who you are. You always have a choice. You can buckle under the weight or accept it and make it work for you.

Find that silver lining! What’s the point of getting depressed and letting the bastards think they’ve beaten you?  Life is way too short to be unhappy. It needs to be lived and enjoyed. So yeah, bad shit happens, people are mean and stupid, and any number of calamties may occur. But really, isn’t that just part of life?

 Ok, if the sweet preaching hasn’t convinced, you then skip it and look at the pretty picture. Does that make ya feel better? How can you be down seeing a beautiful guy (Thomas from R & L Models) in boxer briefs?  I mean come on…

So, yesterday I was on my way to Central Park for a great photoshoot with 4 wonderful beautiful women from Ireland (I’ll post an image or two from the shoot later). We get to Columbus circle and notice Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and their grandchild Ryder Russell Robinson at around 5:15PM.

Now, since I’m not a paparazzi photographer I wasn’t prepared to be honest. Still I grabbed my camera out of my bag, whipped on my lens and this was the best shot I was able to get. Obviously not a great shot.

 I really didn’t want to be one of those annoying photographers so I called out to her to ask her if I could get a shot. She paused for just a second and I could tell she must’ve had ten billion thoughts running through her mind - who is this dude, where will these photos end up, what must I look like in this heat, etc.

Bottom line - she gave me the dis and turned away. As a big fan I would have loved just a quick smile, but that was not to be. :-) 

Like I said, I’m not paparrazi and wasn’t going to behave like one. Rather than running ahead and trying to catch a better shot, I decided to repsect her as an individual trying to just have a normal day.  I turned off my camera and went on to my shoot.

 So Goldie,  if you ever read this I’m still a fan and would still love to get a shot of you.

Rondo was a fantastic model to work with. He was such a natural in front of the camera. He brought an intensity and presence to his work that you just don’t find that often. It’s not surprising then that he’s been “discovered” by the Most Beautiful Man website. If you’re in Toronto, I highly recommend working with him!

http://www.mostbeautifulman.com/sambagblog/

Here is a shot of Ty.  So during the shoot Ty really put his foot into it! Ok, so the truth is I found out he’s a foot model. Naturally I didn’t shoot his feet. I feel like such a heel! MWAHAHA!!!! Anyway, check back for more images of him.

I met Spence while on vacation last week and we did an impromptu test shoot. He’s a natural in front of the camera. Spencer was so interesting to meet. He’s a man who has lived an extraordinary life (which you should really check into) both good and bad. His engaging personality and heartfelt warmth was a pleasure to photograph.

Spencer reminded me of the power and joy of just being yourself. He lives his life openly and honestly. He’s been through adversity and continues to make the healthiest choices for his life. Really, isn’t that all that anyone can do? Isn’t that all that anyone should do?

You can only be who you are. You can try to change yourself to conform to what others would like, but deep inside you still remain. You have to be honest with yourself and others to truly be happy.  This happens on so many levels from the minor to the major, but I believe it to be so important for everyone.

We all get one life to live - our own. I can’t live your life and don’t want you to live mine. Hopefully our paths will connect and invariably they will on some level. The length of time and impact our lives have on one another will vary, but every experience will change us. Spencer mentioned synchronicity when we were talking and I had to agree. I believe that people come into and out of our lives for a reason.

 Events occur that shape us and help us to grow - everything makes us who we are at this very moment in time and we should be happy being who we are.

Well, a friend of mine just sent me a link to this blog that highlighted a model I’ve just recently shot.  It’s nice to see that Ray is getting some exposure as he’s really an amazing model to work with.

 He’s got such a great energy and really understands how to model and express emotion with some very subtle movements.  So check him out at this adddress where he’s posted on April 11th.

 http://www.mostbeautifulman.com/sambagblog/