startrecker

Yesterday, November 16th 2023 I had a great shoot with Startrecker on a duo shoot in Birmingham. He arrived on time full of energy, charm good ideas, and an eagerness to get going. The time flew by, and we worked through several ideas that allowed Startrecker to show his strong skills in acting and posing. I was pleased with how the shoot went, and I think that the Photographer was as well. I would highly recommend Startrecker as a model and as someone that's eager to work and is very easy to work with. I hope to work with him again in the future.

David always takes the demands I make on him in his stride and goes about his work with his usual good humour. This was a return to the location of out first shoot together three years ago and since then we have become firm friends which says a lot about the man and the model.

A memorable and productive shoot. David arrived well-prepared and on time and we were soon at work at a location which provided plenty of opportunities for him to change the mood of the shots, including historic country house interior, croquet lawn, boathouse and countryman-and-dog. He adopted the manner of the landed owner without obvious effort and changed his expressions with more ease than any model I have so far worked with.

David was on time and as cheerful as ever and prepared for the task ahead.

This was the most demanding of the four shoots we have done together and in the circumstances (open markets were the first two locations) he bore up very well. As a friend who saw a couple of shots from the third location said, he looked like a man-about-town, the kind of person who has the knack of appearing to know what he is doing no matter where he is. He shifts into character with such ease I now just take it for granted!

David arrived as agreed with various props he had acquired for our third location shoot.

This was an hour-long shoot at a public location, but he worked without complaint, sitting at the base of a large column as people came and went. Once we realised a mistake had been made (by myself) , he showed his habitual willingness and volunteered to return after lunch to try and put things right.

It always surprises me what we get done in an hour. With the right props and the right direction, David slips into character with such naturalness, people simply believe that is the way he always is and it is easy to miss the understated atmosphere he can bring off.

All models anticipate another shoot; David picks up where we left off and puts enthusiasm into any new project. By now I am always confident he will do his best to make it work.

The location sequences of this second shoot with startrecker were a development of the first work we did together.

David arrived well-prepared, with a fair variety of items of clothing. Unfazed by working on the pavement, within minutes of the shoot beginning, I was getting good shots. From beret to binoculars, David took easily to the props I supplied. His powers of suggestion are remarkable, half-natural, half assumed, so that people often believe what they see is David as he always is.

A passer-by remarked that all he needed was the garlic. He does culture very well, not just French and English, there is more than a hint of an Irishman and Russian in him too. This ability makes him an absolute gift to any photographer interested in characterisation and reference.

In a word, he provides depth. Don't miss out.

A very first day with startrecker at Market Harborough. He had identified two period gardens as locations and with his new cap in hand, moved with ease from the adjutant on holiday at Torquay to enthusiasic gardener. The roles are endless. Landowning class, military, shopkeeper, bookie, bent detective - you name it, David does it. Give him the location and the prop, he adopts the role. Intelligent, flexible, patient, very good company, all in all a memorable, productive shoot and already planning the next.