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I was first introduced to the work of Chicago based photographer Dave Ouano earlier this year when putting together a post on model Brad Baldwin. With all the competition in the fitness and fashion world it is essential to find a way to set yourself apart and Dave Ouano has done just that. Dave's work has a playful, whimsical tone which he achieves through his use of pose, lighting, color and props. One of the techniques Dave uses to achieve this tone is to put two contradictory things together, like a winter hat and scarf on someone in their underwear, or adding a burst of color, or prop which doesn't quite fit in with it's surroundings.
Most photographers strive to achieve a specific moment. Moments are generally still, quiet and specific. Dave seems more focused on capturing motion and loves to work with models with acting and dance experience. Maybe it is Dave's background in acting, but when viewing his work you can almost visualize he sets a scene, a scene based on movement with a beginning, middle and end. Dave then makes it his goal to capture that exact moment in the middle, that moment just before the ball is thrown, or just before the pants come off. My favorite shots are Dave's incredible shots hitting that exact second just after the body has leapt into the air and just before gravity returns it to the ground.
'I like to take a look at their current port, and try to create images that enhance and add to their past work. I like to challenge the models I work with, while still having fun, and get them to try different emotions, ideas, and poses they may not have tried before. I enjoy getting a wide variety of shots for the model. I usually have an idea on the types of images we will try to get, but I also like to improvise throughout a shoot, and collaborate with the model.'
Dave Ouano
Dave brings many of these elements together in these images from his recent shoot with 23 year old model Eric Anderson. Eric had just moved to Chicago a few weeks earlier and Dave was fortunate to be the first photographer to work with him upon his arrival in the windy city. Before coming to Chicago, Eric was living in Iowa. He grew up on a farm and says that he has retained many of his 'farm boy' qualities. Dave says there was no specific theme for the shoot and that his goal was to expand Eric's portfolio and to use a variety of outfits, expressions & poses to have him look as sexy as possible.
'I have been described as a walking contradiction: a scientist with the body of an Adonis, the soul of an artist, and the mind of a philosopher. While all of these labels fit part of me, I am much too eclectic to be labeled entirely as any particular thing. One aspect that draws me to modeling is my drive to perform. To me, modeling is somewhat of a performance; it is a single instantaneous moment of performance that has been captured in one frame.'
Eric Anderson
I think the instantaneous moment Eric describes very much parallel Dave's objective. There similar goals explain these incredible results.
Check out more of Eric's work on ModelMayhem HERE:
Check out more of Dave's work on Model Mayhem HERE:
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