MY CLIENT WAS CAST FOR A TV SHOW AND HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
People are intrigued by the work I do at the Life As Fine Art boudoir studio in Red Bank, NJ. So many times, they have the most intrigued questions. Questions like…
… Do single people, that is without a spouse or partner, ever do these kinds of photo shoots?
… Do you ever get to work with any celebrities?
… Do guys ever do shoots like this?
THE ANSWER IS YES, YES AND YES. And the story I am about to tell you addresses all three of those answers.
NICK’S STORY
My client Nick is a young, single professional working in the entertainment industry. On a daily basis he works with a lot of TV, theatre, movie personalities and many famous musicians. What we didn’t know at the time we met was that in a few short years, he would have his own brush with TV fame as well. But in the meantime, as the story goes, we had become acquainted through a mutual celebrity client we had each been working with.
“I’ve worked with Cate multiple times and wouldn’t want to be photographed by anyone else! She is remarkable and sees me in a way no other photographer has before.”
Though my studio is Victorian/antique styled, it provided a nice contrast and luxe backdrop to showcase the mood and his fashion sense. (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
He was a big fan of my client and her show. And as such, he was very intrigued by the work we were doing together as shown in some public media.
Nick’s 30th birthday was approaching a few years back. He had recently acquired a few killer designer suits, and he asked me to come to his workplace and photograph him doing what he loves. In HIGH FASHION. That session (not shown here) was a 30th birthday present to himself, and thus began his love of the Life As Fine Art experience.
A few years after that first photo shoot, I had moved into my new studio and we did some music album cover work for some of the singer/songwriters he was managing at the time. That was our second shoot together. BUT THIS ONE, THIS UPCOMING SESSION WITH ME WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
Soon after this time, Nick was cast as part of a groundbreaking new reality show. One would expect the “TV Dream” experience would set a person on Cloud Nine. In this case, it could not be further from the truth. Having worked in the reality TV world myself in my entertainment and advertising career — I knew it can be brutal, demoralizing and defeating at times. Especially for the subject in front of the camera.
“Sometimes living out your own dreams doesn’t turn out the way you hope, and in my case, doesn’t feel the way you hoped it would. ”
Understanding Nick’s story in detail allowed me to capture him in a much more authentic way. So, when he’d see his photos, he would also “feel” them. Here we get a glimpse of who he is at that time — and in his great clothing, . (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
Nick brought several outfits. One look was to be a light and airy “Hamptons chic” look. I went minimalist in my space to really achieve that. The antique chair lent a pop of color. (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
That barefoot, carefree look — so fun. An overcast day and natural light…just perfect for this set. (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeAsFineArt.com
When Nick first phoned me to do this latest photo session, my normal vibrantly happy client seemed emotionally depleted. Or — even, sounded a little defeated. I knew he was not a broken man, but that he just needed a boost. We all need a boost.
We ALL need a boost sometimes. This image perfectly captures my client and who he is. Fancy stylish socks and all. ;) (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
This feeling is not just exclusive to women, but men as well.
And, as a person who deals with clients’ vulnerabilities on a daily basis, I believe it is a rare kind of man that has the courage and fortitude to express that. It is one of the many things that makes my fellow Piscean friend here so special.
“I came to Cate because after finally achieving my goal of being a television personality, my confidence felt rocked,” Nick told us, “I began to feel critical of myself in ways that I never had previously. I began to compare and compete - often with myself and the aging I was experiencing.”
This is our storytelling hint of sexy — without him needing to be in a state of undress to tell that story. Note the bow tie…and a bit of confident swagger in his pose. (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
In an age of social media, and on top of that, being in the spotlight, the online world can be a brutal place. We needed to help Nick do some recalibration, and ART is an amazing way to do this. He put this so beautifully for me:
“I knew I needed to recalibrate my view of myself and get back to air the breathed before I left the twitter commentary and opinions of others shake me from the man I really am.”
So… seriously, can photos actually make THAT big of a difference? We asked Nick, and here’s what he had to say:
“I feel as though I’ve been walking with such a stronger sense of self and confidence since my time with Cate! The experience served as reminder and affirmation to me of all that I have accomplished and the man that I am today. I have loved removing that insecurity of how I look at my reflection — and instead seeing how each day I’ve lived has created a beautiful projection outward. The experience was beyond simply gratifying...it was FREEING. ”
So while these photos are just excerpts of his whole editorial storyline, YES there are others. If you want to see those, you may just have to date him though. ;) YUP, I have officially appointed myself as his unofficial manager. Thank you Nick for sharing your story, your great fashion sense your creativity and good looks. But most importantly, for sharing your spirit here, which can inspire others to do a photo session.
I liked the dark, moody, gritty feel and the greenish tones of the light to tell this hint of sexy in the whole story. (c) 2018 Cate Scaglione | LifeasFineArt.com
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF? Contact the Life As Fine Art studio by clicking here, or call 732.676.3700.
