Monthly Archives: April 2011

As props go, this one’s pretty silly. It’s an elaborate, antiquey, rotary dial, telephone. But it serves to illustrate one of Sofi A.’s strengths as a model. Here is a young woman so naturally beautiful, and so stupendously gifted, that it doesn’t matter! Bring on the silly props! Give us your bowling trophies, your failed taxidermy experiments, your kitschy tchotchkes, your rummage sale rejects – Sofi is so stunning it doesn’t matter!

And it doesn’t matter that, in many of the shots here, Sofi pretends to be talking on that prop telephone. And her performance is completely convincing! That is true talent, and I mean that with all sincerity.

Of course, Sofi is a striking specimen, and our Goncharov captures both her physical structure and her personality with seasoned skill. Early on I find #0014 noteworthy. The model, shot from behind, arches her back and admires her reflection in a mirror – and it’s impossible not to share her admiration. In #0042 and #0050 the poses are different but her breasts, body, and subtle expression are wonderfully captured. Oh, and #0064, a headshot with gripped breasts offers a pleasingly moody abstraction.

This production differs from other MetArt movies I’ve seen in one key respect: the sound is live, there is no music, and all one hears is the clicking of a still camera’s shutter, the photographer’s comments and instructions, and the blowing of the wind. I don’t object to the music in other videos, mind you, it often serves to enhance the images and create a mood. But here the natural sound gives a real sense of the place and the photo session itself.

Posing against a backdrop of dark volcanic boulders at the seaside, Eufrat A. is a natural beauty in a naturally beautiful setting. She is nude but for a necklace and a bit of diaphanous orange fabric that floats and flutters on the breeze. Although Luca Helios does call out an instruction here and there, for the most part Eufrat appears to be improvising, and watching her subtly shift her position gives insight into the considerable skills of a talented model.

While this is a record of a still photo session the “action” moves along at a pleasant pace. And there are several unexpected moments that add to the documentary quality of the film. In one section the model momentarily loses her footing, but recovers with skill and poise. And, at the 5:31 mark, she sneezes – spontaneous, pure, involuntary, cuteness.

An old friend of mine had an expression he’d use to describe a girl who was attractive, but who wasn’t really his type. If someone in our group said he thought a particular girl was beautiful, my friend might say: “She has her days.” No disrespect, just a statement of opinion.

And that’s pretty much my feeling about Jenya G. She is a bit more plushly upholstered than I generally prefer. I can easily imagine her fulfilling any number of fantasies and even being someone’s absolute ideal. But, for me, she has her days. Or, in this case, she has her images.

To my eye, she’s particularly pretty in #0053, a topless shot in which she’s frozen in the act of removing her white panties. #0072, 0073, and 0074 are evocative, extremely erotic images. I tip my hat to photographer Ron Offlin for #0082, a dreamy, inverted headshot. And for joyous bedroom flavor it’s hard to resist #0092.

A model’s first appearance at MetArt is a special event, a rare opportunity. New faces and fresh talents are always in demand here, and our members are accustomed to the almost daily arrival of newcomers. The right model in the perfect introductory series can find herself thrust into the Top Model spot on a wave of unbridled enthusiasm (I’m thinking of relative newcomers like Divina A. and Janice A., among others). I doubt very much that this set will experience a similar fate.

If Chloe C.’s debut is less than stellar, I think it’s safe to lay the blame at photographer Catherine’s feet. The set design, a deep blue background, couldn’t be simpler, and that’s fine. But I really must question the choice of costume. Disposable painters overalls. Really? Maybe for a couple of shots, and maybe with a more confident and more voluptuous model. Maybe. But this model is slender, she is inexperienced. She gets lost in the garment and it does little to flatter either her face or body. And it is in virtually every shot in the set.

Out of respect to Chloe C. I will wait until she appears in another set (with a different photographer, perhaps) before I formulate a more definitive opinion. I wonder how other members feel about this pictorial. Are there any disposable overall fanciers out there?

This series opens on a sweet and innocent note. Natalia G., holding a yellow flower, looks directly at the camera, a slight smile on her plump lips. She’s wearing a white dress, which is modest and sexy at the same time, and her necklace brings a bit of vintage/antique style to the image, that seems in keeping with the rather old fashioned wall paper behind her. The next twenty images restate the theme of beauty and innocence.

Then things get decidedly less innocent. When Natalia raises the hem of her dress and parts her thighs the viewer is greeted by explicit, exceedingly frank views of sex in full, succulent flower. In fact, the presence of an actual flower in many of these shots seems a bit overdone. Yes, Mr. Offlin, we get the visual pun! Full credit to you, sir, now back to this sensational model! One favorite image: the look on Natalia’s face in #0033 — along with the fleshy delights she so proudly displays — is priceless. And there is a lot more of this type of brazen eroticism to be enjoyed here.

I had to chuckle, when I got to #0060, in which the model is again fully covered and coyly teases the strap of her dress off her shoulder. Are you really going to take us back to sweet and innocent after all we’ve just experienced? I love this girl, and  I love this set, but I don’t refer to it as “Ladalia.” In my notes it’s titled: “Gen-Natalia!”

I had some trouble connecting to this set. And I can’t really explain why. There is nothing “wrong” with it – the technical aspects, the location, the styling, are all quite fine. And Hunter A. is a skilled model, with an appealing personality as well as physique. Still, something was missing.

When I stopped musing about my visceral reaction and simply enjoyed the photos, I did discover some very pleasing images, however.

#0056 is one favorite. Thanks to the lighting – a break in the clouds? – the scenery takes on a diffused, painting-like quality, while the model “pops” in the foreground.

In #0061, a very “posed” pose, Hunter’s expression, and her eyes, is difficult to resist – I can imagine that the model would be particularly pleased by this shot.

And in #0058, it’s Hunter’s attitude – the way she interacts with Leonardo’s camera, not simply the pose – that intrigues. I wonder how other members feel about this series?

I usually choose recently released MetArt movies to review. This time, however, I chose one that was released about a year ago. Why? Anna AJ. If that doesn’t seem like a good enough reason, you obviously have never seen this Top Model and I urge you to correct this unfortunate oversight as soon as possible. You can thank me later.

Let me trot out some superlatives, because I know I’m going to need them: Stunning. Striking. Gorgeous. Yes, Anna is all those things. Here she’s posing in front of a somewhat cheesy painting of a tropical beach. As the movie begins she’s wearing a crocheted outfit that flatters her bosom and leaves her blissfully nude below the belt. The garment comes off and the perfection that is Anna AJ is fully revealed. Really. Hit the pause button and take it all in.

I have two minor complaints, one for Leonardo, one for Anna. There is a lot of zooming. And there is a lot of fading. I suppose this adds a bit of dynamic energy to what might otherwise be a somewhat static presentation. I would prefer to linger. But perhaps that’s what the pause button is for. And I do wish Anna would break character, if only for a moment, and bless us with a smile.

Still, Anna AJ is stunning, striking, gorgeous and generally breathtaking. If you haven’t seen “Vacations,” or even if you have, I suggest you schedule a screening. Soon.

On the day this set debuted at MetArt, the model received so many high rankings from the membership that she temporarily held the title Top Model. Janice A. has dropped back, slightly – as I write, she’s currently #15 – but the strength of her performance is still impressive, and not at all surprising.

This blonde sweetheart radiates a cheerful, youthful energy and vitality wholly appropriate in an 18-year-old. And for a model so young and, presumably, inexperienced, she appears to be completely at ease in front of the camera. She delivers formal, complex poses that are truly impressive, as well as spontaneous, off-the-cuff stances that seem entirely unrehearsed. Although she is smiling in many of the images, her happiness isn’t forced, and she also exhibits a wide range of expressions and moods. Impressive.

Working with a natural beauty with such well developed modeling instincts must surely be a pleasure for a photographer, and Antonio Clemens has kept the session simple and free of distraction. A vivid background color, an unobtrusive chair, and a black bra and panties for the model. A noteworthy debut, a very enjoyable series, and a model with a bright future.

The laws, ingredients, and equations of attraction are complex. A great body and a bad attitude can make a woman magnetic. A plain face combined with a playful personality can be irresistible. But few things are more powerful than pretty. In describing Helen of Troy, a great beauty of myth and legend, it was written that hers was “a face that launched a thousand ships.” No mention is made of her sense of humor or intelligence. Enter Julia I., a mesmerizing miss with truly fantastic face.

Julia has a face of inspiring, uplifting, pulse-accelerating beauty. And it seems to have inspired photographer Leonardo. This set is a masterful mix of the natural and subtly manipulated artifice. The use of light – both natural and man-made – is particularly effective. There are some images – #0015 is a superb example – that have a multidimensionality that is so real it almost looks synthetic. The shot I refer to almost looks like a collage – the composition, the light, the perspective and depth of focus. So, the photography here is exemplary, and worthy of examination in its own right. But what about the girl?! Yes, she is a wonder, a delight.

I could rant and rave about this model and the artistic technique on display, but I’ll conclude with a few favorites. #0037, a profile, from behind. What’s that word, again? Pretty! #0099. Totally nude, beautifully posed, and…pretty! Same for #0114 and #0130…and so many more. “Escape”? As long as Julia I. is here, I’m staying put!

When she first appears in “Semper,” I feel it’s safe to say that Avia A. is overdressed for the occasion. She’s wearing an elaborate matching camisole and panties set in shades of blue, a large blue bracelet, and chunky necklace of bulky blue stones. This seems a bit much for a photo session in a lush, overgrown farmyard adjacent to a disused outbuilding.

While her costume may be overdone, Avia A., herself, is done to perfection. This brunette is the very definition of statuesque beauty. In #0049, having stripped off her lingerie, the model stands tall in her stiletto heels. Her long limbs, trim waist, full hips, and ample breasts are stunningly proportioned.

Luca Helios does a commendable job here. There are abundant detail close-ups, some pleasing headshots, a variety of postures, and full length images that capture Avia’s breathtaking physique in its exquisite entirety. And, thankfully, by the set’s end, Avia has taken off the unnecessarily distracting jewelry and appears completely nude, effectively rendering whatever trivial complaints I have with the set completely immaterial.