More info…
Meet the photographer
Photography is my art, rather than my profession. I create for fun. I create to challenge myself. I create to inspire. I create to show models a side of themselves they might not have known was there. I experiment. I play. I savor the experience.
I bought my first camera for a family trip to Europe when I was 15. I was immediately hooked. A couple of photography courses followed in college, plus a brief stint working in a photo shop. Fast forward a couple more years and I meet this amazing man who is today my husband. At that time he was modeling for a friend as a lark. He would eventually become my first figure model. In time we were both shooting models and friends and even had a darkroom in our house. That darkroom is long gone, replaced with digital shooting and a computer, but my husband remains my #1 fan even if he hasn't been in front of my camera for a while.
My intention remains to keep this fun - to keep loving the creative process! I hope you will enjoy this slice of my work!
-Mark
Mark photographs Sebastian, by Mike
Model Search...
I'm always on the lookout for that next great subject!
You don't have to be adonis, or Superman, a dancer, or a professional model. The criteria is more about handsome, fit, and adventurous... Or course the more handsome, and more fit, and more adventurous you are the better! I have a major weakness for dancers, gymnasts and anyone who knows how to move. The majority of the men in my portfolio are not professional models, and in fact many had never modeled before.
If you like what you see here, and think you might have "the look," by all means please drop me a note (preferably include a couple of images of yourself as well). The majority of the men in my portfolio are everyday guys, friends, friends of friends, or just hot guys willing to take a leap of faith for art and discover how others might see them.
Age, as long as you're 18 or over, isn't important. Ethnicity either. I love creating a diverse portfolio.
Keep reading to get more of a feel for a shoot with me.
model comments
“I had so much fun working with Mark! He’s an excellent communicator, very collaborative and open to new ideas, and he takes his time to ensure he gets high-quality shots. He is very generous and accommodating and makes an effort to provide feedback and offer recommendations. He is also just an incredible human being who is very fun to be around and have a conversation with. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Mark and I really look forward to working with him again!”
“Sometimes creating art means taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone. It was an absolute joy to collaborate and create these photos with @studiomgphotography! The human form has been sketched, drawn, painted, chiseled into marble, photographed, and can be seen in so many various mediums around the world. Art of the human form can ignite, inspire, cause controversy, and resonate within us all. For years I’ve sketched and studied the human body in art. It was a thrill and a whirlwind to be on the other side of the table...and lens! Underneath it all we are all human and we are all beautiful. ”
Kyle & Steven
“Mark!!! Thank you so, so much for capturing these beautiful shots of Steven and I. We are so amazed by the quality of your work, you are so gifted. You’ve made our holiday!! We can’t wait to get our favorites framed for the house! ”
“Fuuuuuuuck I’m so happy with these”
“Wow wow wow... You’re not only an amazing photographer but a really nice guy. What I enjoyed most was that you made me feel comfortable and we just seemed to flow. You’re very easy-going and I really enjoyed working with you.”
“Wow! Those pictures are amazing, I can’t stop looking at them. It’s hard to believe they are actually of me. ”
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to find more about life and how beautiful art is. This has given me a boost of confidence and I am truly humbled by this unforgettable experience. Your work creates a message to the world to be free and to truly love oneself fully. You have inspired me also to continue to do so and moving forward with this I am blessed and forever greatly. You’re a star!”
“Going somewhere beautiful, getting naked and jerking off for you was incredible (heart) ”
“Thank you again for that incredible experience... I still feel really honored that you agreed to shoot my photos and as I said, it was more fun, more exciting, and more work than I though it would be! All that to say that I am already more than excited to be spoiled by you and be in front of your lens again.”
“I never imagined that I could look like this. OMG Wow everytime I open my messages I am more and more amazed by the amazing photos you took”
A SHOOT WITH ME...
A shoot with me tends towards the dynamic (a nice way of saying my shoots are only loosely planned). We're likely to explore a location together while I capture that process. It could be a beach at sunrise, an abandoned warehouse midday, or a swimming pool late in the afternoon. Or maybe all three! It is unlikely to be a studio though - I seldom find those blank walls and strobes inspiring.
I'm drawn to scenes that are rich in textures, with strong shapes or structural elements, and interesting light. I love to explore.
My work leans towards sculptural, being about the model's lines and shapes more often than it is about them as a person. It is about how they relate to a location. They are certainly the main subject, but also just one element of the whole.
I'm not a fashion photographer. I might think someone looks amazing in the latest trendy underwear they brought, and I'll take a few images, maybe, but my goal is typically work that is fairly timeless, avoiding any obvious cultural time stamp. Fashion is just a distraction from the beautiful man it covers.
Models tend to be nude in all of my work. Its not that the imagery is about their junk, but it's also not about keeping it hidden all the time either. It's natural so let it have its day in the sun too...
That's a snapshot of what I think about leading into a shoot. I'm always open to a model's ideas too - especially if you have some skill I might not know about (dancing, gymnastics, acrobatics, cheer, Parkour, rock climbing, contortion, juggling, fire dancing, slacklining...), or have an interesting car we might use, or cool location up your sleeve…
I love creating more erotic work too, but that content decision is left to the model and what they are comfortable with...
PREPPING FOR OUR SHOOT...
Unless we've discussed a specific concept or costuming, you don't need to bring a thing with you.
I strive for a timeless look so my preference is always for as natural of looking body hair as you’re willing to go with. Especially the pubes (the shaved look will be dated one day). Trimmed hair is fine, but the more natural the better is generally a good guideline. And by all means don't decide to try shaving any part of your body the day before the shoot if you've never done it before - razor burn or upset hair follicles are far worse that the original hair.
For facial hair do whatever you like best; clean shaven, scruffy or a beard - it all works!
Avoid elastic on the day of the shoot - I can’t stress this enough. Elastic can leave lines and creases on your skin that can take hours to fade. That includes socks, underwear and even ribbed tank tops - all are a bad idea leading up to a shoot, especially if you have a long drive.
Please don't decide the day before our shoot that you need to top up your tan - it will just come across as reddish at the shoot I can assure you.
If you’re planning a hair color change since we started planning, please let me know in advance.
Colored nail polish makes a statement, but in photos will more likely draw the eye away from the beautiful man I’m focused on, and and his lines. Ideally either no polish or natural for the shoot please.
The big thing to remember though is to relax and have fun with it! I already love your look if we’re at the stage where we are planning!
Jordan refines his look pre-shoot
Whether to worry about the weather
The majority of my shoots are along the Central Coast of California and in the Santa Cruz Mountains. While we can have freezing nights in the winter months, and days that top 100 during the summer, temperatures generally are mild and comfortable. And changeable. The best light is typically a cloudy or foggy day for the soft light that offers. If it’s a bright sunny day I’ll instead by looking for open shadows, where light is reflecting into the area rather that the harsh sun shining directly on the model.
A warm day is of course ideal. Cold weather is not kind to the male anatomy. If you can bare it though the results from a blustery day can be be awesome… and you’ll be warm again soon enough, and have awesome images to show for the day.
I do suggest models bring a pair of sweat pants (no elastic!) that you can slip on for warmth or cover between shots if you’d like. Flip-flop sandals or similar are great for walking around between shoot spots since they can be so easily kicked off.
Gerardo kept right on dancing as the sudden snow/sleet pelted us for 10 minutes, before the skies cleared and the sun returned.
Who cares about rain if you’re next to a hot tub!
Let it rain!
Locations
If we’re shooting here in the greater Santa Cruz area I have lots of cool spots up my sleeve. We have beaches that are backed up by sculpted sandstone cliffs, or sand dunes. The coastal mountains are a glorious mix of towering redwoods, giant oaks, fern grottos, meadows, orchards… or a swimming pool, garden, jacuzzi, garage, home gym…
Costs and documentation
I don’t accept paying shoots. I have a day job I love, and I want to keep photography from becoming work. I generally shoot on a trade basis instead. We each end up with photos we ideally love (models can generally anticipate receiving 15-25 fully edited images from a collaboration - the best of the day). They are your’s to post, print, gift, use on OnlyFans… My only stipulation is that they cannot be sold for advertising without us talking about it. Similarly you might see yourself here on my website, or social media (which for me really just means Instagram at this point), or maybe in one of my books at some point.
I ask all models to sign a standard model release, and will take a photo of your ID to show you are 18 or older.
I generally always credit the model(s) when I post or publish, if they wish to be credited. Networking is good for all of us and ideally you will credit me when you post too!
frequent-ish questions from potential models
• Where are you located? I’m on the Santa Cruz Mountains, 6 miles inland from the Monterey Bay… 70 miles south of San Francisco, 25 miles from Silicone Valley, and 350 miles north of Los Angeles. It’s a little slice of heaven right here, close to everything but away from everything at the same time!
• Where will we shoot? Good question, but one without a set answer. I like every shoot to be different. I often shoot here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, or at the area beaches. For years I worked with a variety of wonderful abandoned spaces but today those are sadly nearly all demolished to make way for urban renewal. The place we are unlikely to shoot is a studio - I’m just not inspired by that empty room and blank walls, unless there is some special theme we have in mind.
• How long will a shoot last? Again there is no set answer here. Ideally I’d like at least a couple of hours of actual shooting time, plus any time we might need to drive or walk around between different locations. Best is to plan on half a day. When models have traveled to me from out of the area that shoot time can be greatly expanded to make your journey worth the time - these shoots might well span a couple of days and several divergent locations for greater variety.
• What time of day is best to shoot? Early or late! By that I mean as close to sunrise, or sunset, as possible. Those golden hours are when the lighting is lower and softer and warmer toned - in other words the most flattering!
• Do you shoot couples? Yes! I love shooting couples/duos or more! I’m not a “dating service” though - matching up models (finding guys with similar goals, and compatible looks, who are both sufficiently into each other to collaborate, is just too much work!) But if you have a boyfriend or friend you’d like to share the spotlight with, I’m very into it!
• How long have you been shooting male figure work? I started in the film era, and I went digital in 2005… I’ll let you work on the math from there.
• What if I get a boner while modeling? It happens, often. If you’re comfortable with it I’ll keep shooting, or if you prefer to stop for a minute while things settle down again that’s fine too. Many models actually maintain a bit of a chub throughout the shoot so they might look their best “down there.” No one wants to have someone look at the photos and wonder if it was a cold day!
• Will you be nude too? This question always mystifies me. No, it would be incredibly unlikely for me to be nude as well. Really, I like having pockets to carry stuff when I’m shooting!
• Will you shoot fashion work for me? A handful of images as part of our overall shoot, okay. Otherwise no thanks - that’s not what inspires me!
• When you say this will be a nude figure art shoot, does that mean nude-nude, like totally nude? Yes, generally, models will be totally nude for a shoot. I’ve said it before, but it’s not that the resulting imagery is about any specific body parts, but it’s just too hard to always keep your dick out of sight - many potentially awesome images will likely be left unshot to protect your modesty, and that leaves me frustrated about that potentially-great shot that got away!
• Will you shoot my wedding? God no. I’ve done if for friends, twice, and hated the experience both times (and they are all divorced now, although I don’t think that has anything to do with my photos). In a past life I was a wedding and event coordinator and I can’t image why anyone would want to be a wedding photographer and the stress that comes with that.
• Do you shoot everyone who asks? I’m incredibly lucky to get asked to collaborate fairly often, yet I just don’t have time to say yes to everyone. That’s one of the hardest parts of this for me. I strive to keep a balance in my life, and photography is just one activity - one part of the whole that is my life. Keeping that balance means time with my husband, time for travel, working out, biking, gardening, walking our dog, and just relaxing… Oh and turning up in my office most days Monday-Friday!
• Do you travel for shoots? Not typically, largely because I don’t know possible locations outside my area. I’m potentially open to the idea though for the right model and the right locations he might have in mind. Aside from home in Santa Cruz, and on Maui, I've shot in Fort Lauderdale, Utah, and Havana, Cuba all on multiple occasions. I’ve driven to San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles for shoots, and I’ve shot while on vacation in upstate New York, as well as Merida, Mexico and Santiago, Chile. It really comes down to my schedule, the man and the location options.
• Can I bring my boyfriend/girlfriend to the shoot? Yes. It’s not necessarily ideal for me because it changes the dynamics between model and photographer, but I also recognize that it can make the process more comfortable and safe feeling for models. Be warned though that I may put them to work with a light reflector during the shoot!
• Do you also shoot women? Very very (very) rarely, and typically only if they tagged along with their boyfriend to the shoot.
• Will there be other people at the shoot? It is usually just the model and I. On occasion I might have a helper there to man a reflector, but that’s pretty unusual.
• How long before I receive the photos from our shoot? I try to be fast. I’m excited to see the results myself and hope you will be too. As I complete the edits I will text, WhatsApp or e-mail them to you. I strive to have all of the sorting and editing done within the month, and it’s usually well under that time.
• Will you post the post the photos or what do you do with them? Depending on the content you might end up on my social media (I’m currently only active on Instagram, where content is heavily moderated). I redo parts of this website on occasion so you might be here one day. I’ve also had several exhibits, and have several books in print - all of these are possibilities.
“Thank you SO much! They’re beautiful. You’re so talented. And I’m really grateful that I got to be a part of your work.”
“Mark! Thank you so SO much! For giving me this opportunity to be myself and be confident. It was such a great and fun experience. You made it so easy and enjoyable.”
