Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Fall Ball


"THE ALMIGHTY BALL" is the BIGGEST Ball of the fall season in Toronto Canada. Set to draw from the Houses in Buffalo, Detroit, NYC ...this is how we celebrate the ballroom scene in the city of Toronto. Charmed Monroe (member of the 1st Ballroom house in Toronto) is presenting "THE ALMIGHTY BALL" to you & the world. Come and see what the kids in Toronto have to offer.

The beats for this special event will be provided by the LEGENDARY (Mr. Elite Beats) DJ Vjuan Allure (Italy, DC, NYC) If you don`t know who this man is...Get IN! Check out his site..check out the music he produces & you will understand why he has to be the DJ for this INTERNATIONAL event. Commentator for the night: Prince TWYSTED Monroe LSS: Mother TKO MonroeSpecial Celeberty Judges will be in the house. For more details hit Facebook "THE ALMIGHTY BALL"

The Details!

The Categories!
Note: All images and post text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher "Snaps Monroe" Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

ROM Part 1 VF Portrait Exhibition

Today marked the opening of the Vanity Fair Portrait Exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. The level of my excitement could not be measured, if you knew me you would know what a fan boi of the magazine I am! It's a monthly bible of New York Culture chapter and verse... Its also a handbook, a photography manual as it were with examples of some of the most stunning photo portraiture ever created. Each month comes with more than a palpable anticipation for the next issue and once arrived I am rarely disappointed. Filled with modern day Photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, Nan Goldin, Herb Ritts, Harry Benson,Robert Mapplethorpe, Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, Mary Ellen Mark and the photographers that paved the way Cecil Beaton, Man Ray, George Hurrall and Edward Steichen just to name a few.


The entrance to the museum and the exhibit properly underscored the magazines high society persona, a true sophisticated Vanity Fair.

This is an image of Margret Thatcher shown at the London exhibition, it's size certainly added to the feeling of dominance she had in life as Prime Minister. It was an amazing image to see in person.

Launched in 1913 by visionary publisher Condé Nast and editor Frank Crowinshield, Vanity Fair magazine strove to engage its cosmopolitan audience with the vibrant modern culture that sparkled at the beginning of the 20th century. It became a cultural catalyst, introducing and providing commentary on contemporary artists, personalities and writers of this sophisticated new era. With an alluring array of portraits of literary giants to memorable images of men and women of the Jazz Age were commissioned from the greatest photographers of the period in these early years. Among the vintage portraits shown in the exhibition are iconic images of H.G. Wells, Rebecca West, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, and Pablo Picasso. In 1936, Condé Nast decided to cease publication of Vanity Fair. This marked the end of the magazine’s vintage period.


Images of actress Marlene Dietrich were frequent on the pages of VF, The later image is by Edward Steichen.

Cary Grant, by George Hoyningen-Huene

Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones

Gloria Swanson

In the affluent eighties, the need arose for a new magazine of this type, and the title was revived in 1983. The vibrant cosmopolitan spirit of the time persuaded Condé Nast Publications to resurrect the magazine. Once again, the magazine succeeded in immortalizing the newsmakers of the day - individuals of talent, stature and accomplishment who were firmly embedded in the popular culture. Vanity Fair’s iconic photographs continue to make news. Post-1983 cover images include a very pregnant Demi Moore (1991), a formal portrait of President George W. Bush’s Afghan War Cabinet (2002) and, recently, actresses Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley photographed nude (2006).

Another hallmark to the magazine is its liberal political cometary... It goes with out saying the magazine has allways had a fascination with the Kennedy's and was clear on how they felt about George "Dubbya" Bush.

Lance Armstrong shot by Annie Leibovitz in her signature style.

Julianne Moore as Ingres's 'Grand Odalisque', New York City, by Michael Thompson

Princes Diana

Michael Jackson on the cover of one of VF's most recent issues... The story of Vanity Fair can best be summed up in the rise and sometimes fall of the affluent celebrity world we live in today.

Leaving was hard but I plan on going several more times... Its one thing to see images as they appear in a magazine, but any printing process is an image at least twice removed form the original print. On my visit today I saw many tell-tale signs of how some of the images were made... On a Black and white print of comedian WC Fields the subtle pencil shading added dimensionality to what might of been flat background... While I would never dream of shading in one of my prints with a pencil it does speak to me about the impact of the enhancement to the believability of the image. I will look at images differently after today.

A small portion of my VF collection, perhaps 10 or 11 years worth... three things come to mind when I look at the stack in the image. No matter how poor I was the week each issue came out, a copy was purchased even if it meant I didn't eat that night, conversely and somewhat ironically I have always paid full newsstand price for each issue, one it fit my big city urban fantasy and two, subscriptions are so rural suburbia! Finally VF is still my next big goal in life... A cover or spread on the inside, doesn't matter. Anything would mean I would stand in the pantheon that is the modern photographer.

Note: Some of the images and some of the text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. Some text via information gleaned at the ROM. Photo credits were given where possible.

ROM Part 2 - Dinosaurs


T-Rex is my favorite... Standing next to one of the most complete fossils of this beast really highlighted the size and scare factor... The "Jurassic Park" folks really did their homework! It's that big!



Apatosaurus (Used to be called Brontosaurus) is in th far background but takes up the width of the whole image. There is a Raptor and a Stegosaurus in the foreground!

Here is a the skull of a Triceratops with its three ominous horns!

Last but mot least the Mastadon....
Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Monday, September 21, 2009

DWayne Part 1 - End Of Summer Fall Fasion ShootO


I have rushed fall a bit in this first pic via photoshop perhaps because its been fall cold here for weeks and there didn't seem like much of a summer! These three posts make my 3rd annual shoot with DWayne...He wanted an 80's retro GQ look with this fab jacket... The wood and metal walk bridge crosses road 5 stories above a wooded area... crossing the bridge is like walking through their branches! Enjoy!













Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

DWayne Part 2 The Expressway To Know Where

Another unique location is the dismantled section of the Gardiner Expressway who's final completion was abandoned in 1971..The site has now been converted into a lake shore park..The vertical stanchions are like a modern Stonehenge!



















Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.