Top model becomes top photographer

As GQ was trolling for material to help celebrate their 50th anniversary they came across this gem courtesy of Ebay. Yes thats the papa bear himself Bruce Weber as a 21 year old up and coming model on the cover of GQ Scene, a short lived spin off from the late 60's aimed at 'Teen Men Only'. Nice one Bruce ! now if only I could tap into some of your success on the heels of my own modeling debut.

Next top model

Oh yeah ! thats me (#2) above amongst the happy hipster mix modelin up some fine Calvin Klein shades for 'The Sartorialist' and the Automne-Hiver 07/08 issue of Vogue Hommes International. Although alot more comfortable in front of the camera then behind it my lack of height has seriously hampered my catwalk career but I am always available for beauty and hair campaigns where the lack of those extra inches doesn't seem to matter.

Up to his old tricks !

Well it looks like famed Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani is up to his old shock and awe tricks. Toscani was the mastermind behind the groundbreaking and oft controversial Benetton advertising campaigns of the 80's and 90's where he was not only photographer but also creative director. Most of these campaigns were pure image pieces for the brand; usually devoid of any fashion all together. Toscani's most infamous image was perhaps his portrayal of a man dying of AIDS, lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by his grieving relatives, reminiscent of a Pieta painting.

Not one to shy away from the spotlight since his Benetton departure in 2000 Toscani has continued to bring his own brand of color to the plate for other clients. This week to coincide with the fashion shows in Milan see's the launch of his latest effort on behalf of Italian fashion group Flash & Partners and their Nolita brand of clothing. The add depicting the photograph of a naked anorexic woman appears in newspapers and on billboards to highlight the effects of the illness. As you can imagine it has stirred up a ton of debate already, go here to read more.

Things to do tonight . . . . New York

© Sarah Silver

With Mercedes Benz Fashion Week going on full force in New York this week those of you requiring an extra fashion fix might want to tear yourselves away from the runways and get down to 'Click Chic: The Fine Art of Fashion Photography' at the Visual Arts Museum at SVA. Tonight see's the opening reception from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. The exhibition documents the vitality of fashion photography as a vehicle for creative expression, formal experimentation and social commentary. If you can't make it by the show runs through October 6 and might be well worth a look see for those of you with the passion for fashion.

The show features the work of six emerging and established photographers all graduates of SVA. The group consists of Guy Aroch, Roderick Angle, Maki Kawakita, Ryan Michael Kelly, and Sarah Silver and the show has been curated by Dan Halm.

Richardson & Son

Well it just wouldn't be right to bet back to business without mentioning Terry Richardson again now would it, only this time he's helping the old man, Bob.

For those of you who didn't know Terry isn't the only maverick in the family. Long before he whipped out the T4 and started 'Terryizing' us his dad Bob was the enfant terrible of the fashion photo world. He was a true maverick who's distinctive black and white imagery from the '60s and '70s helped capture an era; out with the fantasy and in with the reality that evoked his own edgy lifestyle. Bob didn't get into the game till his mid 30's but he enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top. Although difficult to work with his tumultuous personal life was intertwined with his art. He dated a slew of young women including Angelica Houston who became his muse at the tender age of 18. He battled with schizophrenia and lived hard experimenting with sex and drugs throughout his life. After making it big the constant battle with his demons won over and during the '80s he ended up homeless on the streets of Los Angeles.

'I wanted to put reality in my photographs. Sex, drugs and rock "n" roll. That's what was happening. And I was going to help make it happen. Boy they did not want that in America. Some of those editors were still wearing white gloves to couture.' Bob Richardson

Bob's relationship with his son Terry was very up and down to say the least. They didn't speak for many years. The pair even worked as a double act early on in Terrys career with Bob acting as art director on some of his sons first forays into the fashion world, but this didn't last.

'Mr. Richardson's pictures were radical because, more than showing youthful fashion in a liberated way, they sought to expose the life dramas that were then consuming young people.' Cathy Horyn The New York Times

Bob saw a resurgence in his own career in the mid 1990's when heroin chic was all the rage in fashion photography. Bobs edgy style was still relevant and was a continual inspiration to many shooters, fashion editors and designers. The enfant terrible was cool again and enjoyed his noteriety with a new adoring audience. I was lucky enough to attend a lecture Bob gave during this time in NYC. I have to be honest I don't remember much of the talk; I was a young one not aware of his legacy and influence but he was shit cool and only appeared a little worn around the edges.

'There's no textbook, no award, but there is this Bob Richardson school of photography. And it's an anti-school. He was the first guy who said it was OK to underexpose the film, to not show the clothes. So many photographers when I first started out idolized Bob. He was sort of an underground figure.' Bruce Webber

Bob died in 2005 at the age of 77 (read obituary here) and now two years later comes the first book dedicated to his work. Edited by Terry and art directed by Douglas Lloyd it is divided into three sections. The first is his early work from the '60s and '70s, the second is his autobiography with some snapshots he took and notes he wrote, the third consists of images he took on a cross-country roadtrip from L.A. to New York.

The book coming in at 352 pages is published by Damiani and is available September 1.

Testino revealing Testino

Keeping up with the this weeks fashion beat; courtesy of CNN go here to see and here to read about the inner workings of one of the worlds top fashion shooters, Mario Testino as he reveals himself. Its all terribly glamorous, just the way you imagine it should be, travel, fashion shows, go-sees, supermodels, top designers, studios, sets, royalty and he doesn't even seem to break a sweat as he traverses the globe mixing commerce and art or should that be art and commerce. Watch him and his team go through the motions from concept to execution on a Versace campaign. Will he use models or celebrities or both, how about a celebrity guest starring with models ? Genius ! I won't spoil the ending so plug in and stay tuned as one segment rolls into another and this is in turn followed by the final climactic third act, watch the video and you will know what I mean.