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I'm in Love

No Really, I am head over heels in love with this incredible place.

And in the way love will make you do crazy things, and uproot your life and make you change directions. I too am changing my plans. 

I will be back in Moab Sept 15th 2018- Oct 31st 2018.

I truly believe that some of the shots I have been getting out here is some of the best work I have ever done. I also have managed to make very good friends with my Airbnb Host "Dailey" Who happens to be a Moab Native, with all kind of fabulous shoot locations, that are out of the tracks of lots of tourists. 

Everyday is an adventure here, as I learn more about my new obsession.

A little #BTS at Arches National Park yesterday! Photo By Riley Suit

Moab Bound

in just 3 glorious days I will be able to unpack my car which I have affectionately been calling "The closet pod" and stay put in Moab UT for an entire month.

For Years I have wanted to rent a place in Moab for an extended period of time and have photographers come out to me to shoot in the boundless magical scenery found everywhere in the area.

Also Who better to start off the month with, then Andrew Bacha. Who was the first photographer to bring me to this remarkable place back in 2015. It was that trip that inspired the vision of being here for a while allowing me plenty of time to really get to know the area. I cannot wait to create here. in the meantime here are some images from the 2015 trip.

Vegas Baby!

Made it to fabulous Las Vegas.

Its about 95 degrees outside and looks like its going to stay in that area over the next few days.

Yesterday I went out to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, An abandoned warehouse somewhere outside of the city and a dry lake bed at Sunset. Photographer was Keith Holmes. Lead by vegas model/guide Wonderhussy. The two models for the day were myself and Amelia Simone. It was a great day and to be honest it gave me a new appreciation for Vegas.

Previously my trips to Vegas were spent on the strip or in the sprawling suburbs that surround the shiny blinking interior of the city. I never explored the scenic areas outside of the city. It is there where magic exists. A friend of mine described Vegas as "Disneyworld for reprobates" Which can pretty much sum up my sentiments for the place. Everything about it is a testiment to modern societies propensity towards mindless overindulgence and squandering of resources. I must admit I was relieved to find its redeeming natural beauty outside of the city.

More images coming soon!!

Throwback from my last trip to SF

I patiently awaited these photos.

A set I did with Daniel Chase and Stacey Khuu last time I was in the Bay area. And I finally got the results back very happy to share... Hopefully my next shoot with Daniel I'll have posted in less then a year.

Photographer- Daniel Chase

Hair and Makeup- Stacey Khuu

Model- Zoe West

Week Three

Very excited to have made it to Denver. 

Although, I still don't really know what will happen in the next few months I have been feeling more and more that I shouldn't retire from being a traveling model.

What I should do is to travel continuously. and rather then spending 2 days to a week in each city to spend closer to a week- two weeks in each place. Check back in at home 2-3 months out of the year. I never feel better when I am on the road, I'm healthier, more productive, happier.  Traveling forces me to live in the moment, to accept my surroundings and be totally present in my circumstances.

I used to feel like I was "running away" but I know now, that I am not running away at all. I am living my life exactly how I want, without any pressure, or guilt that I should be doing anything else. 

Photographer- Jonathan Frings

Model- Me

The Big Cross Country tour has begun!

Very excited to be back on the road again.

After a very long two months home after my father leaving and my partner moving across the country. My feelings of grief and loss are quickly transitioning to feelings of relief and total freedom.

There is something about being on the road for me that doesn't happen anyplace else. I feed off of being alone and traveling alone, and have no distractions as I go from one destination to the next.

Here is an Image from day number 1 in Buffalo NY. Shot with ambient light

Photographer- Zachary Rose

Model- Zoe West

Modeling with Friends

I modeled recently with my Dear friend Emily. She is very new to modeling but we certainly have a connection when we shoot together. I have known her since highschool and I really enjoy being in her presence, here are a few images from our shoot.

Models- myself and Emily

Photographer- Ian Hemmingway

I'm back

After a grueling Holiday season with plenty of life altering changes inbetween. I am back to the land of the living and getting my life in order.

Back in Early December, my brilliant father who had been battling stage 4 cancer took a turn for the worse. he passed away Feb 6th 2018. 

Although he had effectively beat cancer, his body was too weak to fight off the myriad of different infections that he kept contracting at home and then after he was admitted to the Hospital. I am going to share here a post I made on facebook. Just some words to honor him as a person.

Also, I realize that some may feel this sort of self promotion at a time like this would be "inappropriate" however, knowing my dad the way I did, I know he would approve of me making the following statement, for both practicality and the commitment of my convictions.

For those of you that have been interested in working together in the US. I would recommend you check out my schedule and if you have been thinking about setting something up, now would be a good time to reach out. This will likely be my last year of extensive traveling. Come 2019 I plan on switching gears and focusing on a new career path that I have been contemplating for a very very long time. 

Now the FB post and a few images of me and my Dad

RIP John Anthony West 9/7/1932- 2/6/2018

Thank you Dad for teaching me so many things...

Thank you for teaching me that whoever pushes my buttons becomes my master.

Thank you for teaching me that the only relationship that truly matters is the one I have with myself.

Thank you for never telling me what to do and allowing me to make mistakes on my own.

And thank you for teaching me that anything that comes from a politician, academic or mass media should immediately be distrusted.

Thank you for countless memories filled with happiness, vodka, and relentless character building. 
I will hold you in my heart for eternity.

I'm setting my mourning aside and celebrating your amazing life and the massive impact that you had on mine and so many others.

Cheers Dad! I'll see you on the other side

Underwater

I was very excited when I was asked to do an underwater shoot at night in San Francisco. Although I have done a few underwater shoots doing one in the dark was a first for me.

In order to get enough light it required taking a large piece of white fabric and stretching it over the deep end of the pool. The fabric was on light stands then using very bright lights shining up at the fabric and reflecting back into the pool. It created a dramatic Moody effect. And I just love how the results turned out!

Photographers-Leon Saperstein and Mechasean

Studio Shoot with Shantia

More work With Shantia! I just love how all of these came out.

Photographer- Shantia Romine

I am wrapping up the end of this very long tour and will be home this Friday!!

Its been a really wonderful tour. worked with fantastic people and have already started working on plans for next year. Stay tuned!

Pin-Up

I love shooting classic pin-up!

there was a revival of this style a few years ago and I loved seeing all the pop up vintage inspired businesses and photography. It has waned since then. So I enjoy when I can get shots like this.

Location- Dallas TX

Photographer- Jordan Pro Images

Desert Woman

There are some photographers who never stop looking.

and Shantia Romine is one of them. This jawdropping redhead beauty was a model hersel for many years which would explain her ability to see women the way they want to be seen.

After our photoshoot in a nearby park we stopped at a great restaurant and bar with a few friends. Laughing over drinks and dinner I noticed Shantia take out her camera and start shooting areas of the restaurant there was some beautiful ambient light in the room and she pointed the camera at me and started taking photos. I have many images from our earlier shoot. But I loved how impromptu this shot was.

Photographer- http://shauntia.com/

Joshua Tree National Park

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Joshua Tree National Park. I have heard amazing things about it and even during my brief 6 month stay in LA somehow the opportunity never presented itself. 

I plan my modeling tours about 2-3 months in advance. So I knew I would be heading into southern CA for a while. It turned out that a photographer in New England, whom I have been shooting with for years was planning a trip to Socal during the same time. And I was thrilled when he suggested we take a trip to Joshua Tree. 

It was about 2.5 hours from Burbank and well worth the trip, although I wish we could have stayed there longer to shoot. The Park is where the Mojave and Colorado Desert meet and it provides a very unique environment. The iconic Joshua Tree is not found in many places in the world. And the park is one of (possibly the only) place you can find them. 

There will be more over the course of the next few weeks. 

"Menswear"

Ella is the type of friend, that I can call up and say "I have something I want to do" we will talk on the phone at great length discussing ideas and visions. I wanted to do something with suits, something inspired from the white collar world. We worked at the idea and this is what we came up with.

Hope you enjoy it. We woke up at 5 and starting shooting as the sun was coming up in the Napa Valley.

Photographer- www.ellasophiephoto.com
Model- Zoë West 
Glasses- 2Seelife
Bow Ties- SONSON

Another from The falls

I like this one more.

Photographer- Michael Stearns

New Paltz

This is very near to my hometown in Upstate NY, it was a really cold day and I was very happy I made it through this shoot! 

Photographer- Michael Stearns