Diary Archives - Tony Ward Studio

TW: A Visit From the Dead

Portrait of Ed Simmons photographer from California who passed away not that long ago — Linkedin Page: Ed Simmons 2024

A Visit From The Dead

A dear friend, Ed Simmons visited me recently. No. Not in the flesh. Ed passed away a little over two years ago on September 22, 2022. Never the less, there have been a series of events that I’ve experienced recently that gives me a feeling his spirit is very much alive. As friends for over a 30 year period, our bond principally developed by our mutual love for the medium of photography and the memories good pictures can provide us. Ed and I shared many of those photographic memories in conversations we had about each others work and our dedication to making weekly phone calls to keep in touch. Although Ed lived the remaining 15 years or so of his life in Los Angelos, we never lost our commitment to a lasting friendship.

black and white landscape by photographer Ed Simmons — Dunes. 2008. Photo: Ed Simmons

The first thing that happened recently that made me feel his spirit was very much alive, was when I visited a mutual friend of ours that was seeking my advice about selling some old photography equipment she was know longer using. I suggested that I should visit her in person so that I could access the condition of the equipment. When I arrived and after looking at the equipment, she opened a box that contained several photographs of which ran a chill up and down my spine. The first three on top of the pile were photographs that Ed Simmons produced while he was spending time photographing the American West during photography workshops in 2007 and 2008. My friend didn’t know Ed very well, although they were part of a group of artists who regularly met on South street for coffee during that time period. She wasn’t particularly attached to the photographs that wound up in her possession through a mutual friend, so she offered them to me as a gift. Ed had to have been smiling down on us a that moment knowing how much I cherished our friendship and his legacy. In an instant I became the proud owner of three Ed Simmons landscapes. What a pleasant surprise that was.

Dellenback Dunes Oregon photo by Ed Simmons — Dellenback Dunes, Oregon. Photo: Ed Simmons

So I brought them home and have had them on display in my studio just so that I can continue to reflect on the life of a dear friend. And just yesterday while I was browsing LinkedIn there was an automated message from Ed congratulating me on a work anniversary. As I looked at the picture closer, I could see that he was wearing one of my t-shirts! The memories of a lifelong friendship continues.

Bandon Oregon beach photo by Ed Simmons — Bandon, Oregon. Photo: Ed Simmons

To learn more about the life and times of Ed Simmons, link here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/ed-simmons-in_memorium/

Behind The Scenes With Savanna

Behind The Scenes With Savanna

I was introduced to Savanna a few months ago at an exhibition of my work curated by my friend and colleague Bob Neroni, owner of Prism Arts Philadelphia. When we met at the exhibit she seemed very enthusiastic about meeting me, so I reached out to cast her for The Vixens Series, a series of portraits inspired by women from all walks of life that exude; strength, intelligence, heroism and inner beauty.

We settled on a date and aligned the production crew to meet at my studio for the series of pictures that would define the beginning of a new year as we enter 2024. I contacted veteran Philly photographer, Al B For to cover the behind the scenes of the production involved in creating Savanna’s remarkable series of pictures. Al B is quite known in Philadelphia creative circles as a go to guy for candid event photography . His bubbly personality makes everyone around him comfortable as evidenced in the photographs captured on shoot day. Al B is the ultimate fly on the wall.

Many thanks first of all to Savanna, who was fabulous to work with. She’s quite daring and provocative as you can see. Thanks also to my team including: creative director KVaughn, lighting assistant Tony Colagreco, Shibari rope specialist, Scorpiana, makeup artist extraordinaire, Octavia Monroe and behind the scenes pictures by Al B For.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To access the complete set of Savanna’s pictures for The Vixens Series, link here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/savanna-autonomy/

Fashion Fetish: On Location With Beth

Partially nude fashion model posing by a window in a hotel — Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2023

Fashion Fetish: On Location With Beth

Beth first reached out to me on Facebook. She had a nice profile up. Lots of photos that showed her interest in fashion modeling. She also was photographed by a couple of friends of mine in Philly . That gave her street credit. I agreed to meet her to discuss a shoot. At that time, I was working on a new book project that eventually would be titled Fashion Fetish 25 Years. A book that would be about the cross section of fashion and erotic photography. Kind of like Vogue and Playboy merge to create a new type of contemporary magazine. That fantasy magazine never happened. The series of photographs did. This was the reason I agreed to collaborate with Beth.

young female model wearing bra and panty set at home — Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2023

We first met in person at the Copabanana on South street, a place we were both familiar with. The meeting went as expected, she was bright, sensitive and very familiar with my previous work. By the time we left Copa we made a plan to meet again at a location where we could shoot. I asked her to bring vintage fashion, as she reminded me of the type of young beauty that I could see cast in classic English films or a famous television series like EastEnders.

beautiful young woman topless wearing pearls at dusk — Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2023

After scouting a few different location, I settled on two locations, a friends house and the A-Loft in Marlton, New Jersey. I had photographed models at both locations before and was always satisfied with the style of the rooms and the available light that was a plus for certain situations. Beth always arrived before me on the day of the shoot. I’m impressed when a model is early and ahead of schedule.

As I approached the reception desk of the hotel, I noticed her seated in the lounge area reading a book looking very studious. That was an impressive look. Her thirst for knowledge and her conservative looks were at the top of my mind until we began to shoot. Then her alter ego kicked in.

Up skirt view of model seated on floor during a fashion shoot — Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2023

I quickly assessed her wardrobe and accessories then proceeded to take her through a series of classic and provocative possesses that she seamlessly adapted to as if she had made these same poses many times before. That thought couldn’t have been further from the truth. I’ll never forget when she made the comment that she had “never worn pantyhose before”, let alone the crotchless type that you wouldn’t normally find in the catalogue at Victoria’s Secret.

young model posing at a fashion shoot wearing crotchless panties — Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2023

To access additional articles by Tony Ward, click here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/mel-the-apartment/

Mel: The Apartment

The Apartment

The apartment that I rented in Amsterdam at the turn of the 2000’s was a perfect location for me to work from at that point in time. I had become friends with local businesswoman, Danny Linden who owned a fetish shop on the famous Oudezijds Achterburgwal in the Red Light district. Danny and I became friends and worked on a number of shoots together for her shop. She realized that I was going back and forth to the states on a regular basis between 1999 and 2005 so she offered me to stay at an apartment that she managed just around the corner from her shop on a tiny little street that looked on to rows and rows of prostitute windows. I was such a frequent visitor that they always said hello to me as if I was their neighbor or something. Yes. There was the something too.

In this part of the apartment where I made the photographs of Mel there was natural light entering the living area windows. The warm red walls bathed my models in beautiful afternoon light as we worked through a series of test pictures for the latest body of work.

Mel was one those visitors on a go see. I remember her most as a makeup artist. However, when I saw how exotic she looked I asked to photograph her right there on the spot. No conversation before , it was very spontaneous. I never saw or had the opportunity to work with Mel as a makeup artist this occasion but I do cherish the brief time that we met. It was fun to have bathed her in such beautiful light.

To access additional articles by Tony Ward, click here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/light-table-a-sliver-in-time/

Pat Cleveland: Legend of Fashion Modeling

Fashion model icon Pat Cleveland with star photographer Tony Ward — Fashion icon Pat Cleveland with Tony Ward. Photo: Paul van Ravenstein Copyright 2022

Pat Cleveland: Legend of Fashion Modeling

I first came to know about Pat Cleveland in the mid 1970’s when I was a graduate student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. I saw some of her earliest published photos in fashion magazines and noticed right away something unusual about her pictures. Pat was one of the earliest models of color to be published prominently in a major fashion magazine. Pat, Grace Jones and Beverly Johnson broke the glass ceiling for being the first women of color to be recognized for their natural beauty. Needless to say, Pat was more curvaceous than the standard white female model because of her exotic mix of both Irish and African American blood. She opened the door for lots of other women to explore the world of fashion and runway modeling. Iman and Naomi Campbell owe a debt of gratitude to the legend of Pat Cleveland.

I could relate to her upbringing when I read her memoir Waling With the Muses. I am also of mixed heritage, my mother was Italian and my father was African American. Pat and I had other similarities as well in that both of our parents, were artists. Pat’s mother was a painter as well as my dad. There was also the connection to Harlem, Pat was born there, my parents lived there when they got married and stayed for a time until my parent’s moved to Philadelphia in the 1940’s. Pat and I first met at a mutual friends home in Elkins Park, just a few minutes drive to where I was born and raised. In this picture we were reunited again by our friend Sandra Blumberg, an artist and humanitarian who recently had a reception of her most recent works of art at Beaumont in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

To access additional articles by Tony Ward, link here: https://tonyward.com/tony-ward-diary-happy-hour/