Northeast Ohio Weddings Magazine Photo Shoot

December 5, 2021 was the day! My very first photo shoot to be in an actual magazine. There will be no photos just yet, as we cannot post anything from the shoot until the magazine is out, but let me tell you all about it.

My time for hair and makeup was set for 11:30. I dressed and headed to the event space where the shoot was held without makeup. I had to stop at Target to do a favor for my wife along the way, so I wore sunglasses and the convenient mask (this time, at least) and picked up her order. There I did get a compliment on my nails!

I got to the site at about 11:15 and ended up waiting until I got in the chair at 2:00. I was last because I am a lot of work (no, really). That said, I enjoyed every second of my time chatting with many there (remember, I am scary without makeup) and helping my dear friend Lissa any way I could. Lissa was the featured designer for the shoot, every one of the 13 models, including me, wore her pieces.

Here are a few cherished photos of Lissa and I.

I had worked two of the magazine’s fashion shows, being sort of a hostess, helping out when I could, chatting and greeting patrons along the way. It was great fun, I posted about both here. The most recent time was at the same venue we did this photo shoot, very historic and decorative, in downtown Canton. I had my makeup done that morning by the same doll that took care of me for the shoot. I was very pleased with my look!

I was shot in two different dresses. The first, a tea length dress (you saw both of them in a recent post about getting fitted). Lissa added a pink slip under the first layer of the dress for this shoot. My first shoot was with the cotton candy vendor, it was so much fun! I had the photographer laughing hysterically, she said all my pics were so cute! Part of the shoot had me holding a giant cotton candy, which added a nice touch.

Then I took a number of shots with Trikable Treats, which you have also seen here. It is a big tricycle/ice cream wagon, that serves ice cream and other fun things, like champaign, scotch, cigars, etc. I took some fun shots, including some with a cigar and with a champaign flute. What great fun!

Since I was the last one to be available to the photographers, I had to quickly change into my Princess dress. I did multiple shoots in that beautiful gown!. One was on a couch solo. There I struck many poses, including one on my stomach, with my heel dangling from my toe. I did another on that same couch with up to six other models. We did a tea party shoot with all 13 models. I fit right in.

It was truly a wonderful and yes, exhausting experience. I am not sure I ever felt that level of complete acceptance, literally zero judgement. Let’s remember, most of the models are young, biologically female and drop dead gorgeous. Let’s review me, male, old, not the best looking person on the planet. But I do have the smile. I do project great joy and I look okay with makeup. And I was one of them! I am a model! An actual working (if still unpaid) model. Go figure……

The magazine comes out January 16.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Recent news: This past Monday I did what I would rather not have done. I was at work. I was texting a number of people on a few different fronts. I was organizing a pickleball evening. I was conversing with a friend I had made in Gulfport at a model showcase (stories next week). I wanted to send a few recent pictures to my new model friend. Of course, I sent the photos to someone I play pickleball with. F*ck! Fortunately, if I had to open myself up to someone in my group of pickleball friends, I picked the right person. Our group is a mix of men and woman and it was a female friend. We talked about it at length and I am not concerned, but it was stupid and careless of me. If I were alone in the world, I could not have cared less. But I am not and I never wish to embarrass my wife, even if that is unlikely to occur.

One week ago a television producer e-mailed me about a possible documentary series on crossdressing (it is not The Candy Store, which you have seen mentioned in our universe a few months back). Long story short, she and I had numerous telephone conversations and I participated on a Zoom call with the LA-based producers. This is a legitimate and a very real possibility. My involvement is yet to be determined, as I basically told them there has to be something in it for me and it will have to be meaningful. I will not do anything that doesn’t make sense in the context of my life and family. Their intent (and I made it clear it must be for my involvement) is not to portray us as caricatures, like on RuPaul’s Drag Race. It must be serious and empathetic. You may never hear anything from me about this again or it might change my life, which I find highly unlikely. But you never know….