"Whats your Profyle?"

Soila, Model

2010-05-06T11:31:00.001-07:00

AaronF, New York

2010-05-06T11:25:00.001-07:00

model portfolio

"Dare 2 Bare the Heat"

2010-05-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

The fiery of hot summer nights.

60's Beach

2010-05-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

This shoot was inspired by classic flavor mixed with a modern day edge.

“Pain is Temporary….Pride is Forever”

2009-12-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

During freshman year, my “Dean of Pledges” gave me and my brothers the best information a man can ever learn….”Pain is Temporary…Pride is Forever!”. 2009 has been full of challenges….people walking out of my life, people running into my life, some setbacks, a few disappointments here and there, the discovery of frienemies, etc etc. Each one of those events took a painful toll, but as a result made me stronger. There were times I felt the rain wouldn’t let up…and I even wanted to give up. My photography started to grow and truly reflect the gift that God has given me, and even some folks couldn’t even appreciate that. They tried discourage me, take my talent for granted, and at one point even defame my name. It shook me for a couple of minutes, but there were hundreds of others who felt slightly different and provided the strength I needed to go on. When the door to one school I invested time and energy into magically closed, another one graciously appeared. When some people decided to take a seat in balcony of my life..others move to the front row to cheer me on. I’m grateful for everyone and every obstacle however (good or bad) … What made me reflect on this quote is because the pain we feel in our life is only a temporary side effect of the event.

The second part of the quote states that pride is forever, and is not to be taken as the pride that makes people arrogant but as the pride in which you accomplished something and you can look back at it and know that it’s something that if people ask you what you have accomplished you would tell them it was that. To me, that’s perseverance.

The quote means in life there will be times when you will be under the pressure and you will be only steps above crumbling under that weight. These situations will put you through great pain to do what you need to do and even though it would be easier to give up, you try even harder and push yourself to go through it. Once you push through, you will look back and say that even though it was hard the end result you have was worth all that work. 2010, I am ready!

“A painted picture is worth a thousand words”

2009-08-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

I like this cliché expression because it refers to the idea that complex stories can be described with just a single still image, or that an image may be more influential than a substantial amount of text. It also aptly characterizes the goals of visualization where large amounts of data must be absorbed quickly. So much bigger than photography.

“Girl Next Door”, “Lady of the Evening”, “It Girl”, “Diva”, “Pretty Girl”, and “Prima Donna” are usually descriptions giving to that young woman who stands out above the crowd. Some would even say that these types of women were often regarded as egotistical, unreasonable and irritable, with a rather high opinion of themselves not shared by others. Iman would read something like that and laugh and comment, “people too are funny Moe”. I was online and I googled the term “ jersey girl” to get a feel of what type of girl is a “Jersey Girl” and this funny summary came up:

"I am from NJ. I curse... a lot. I say "yo", and I say it often. I never had school on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. I sure as hell don't pump my own gas. I know what real pizza tastes like, and I know that a bagel is much more than a f@ckin' roll with a hole in the middle. I judge people by what exit they get off the parkway. I can navigate a circle--with attitude. All good nights must end at a diner--preferably with cheese fries. It's a sub, not a hoagie or, worse yet, a hero, and I wash it down with soda, not pop. Two words... "mother f@cker." I don't go to the beach, I go down the shore. And boardwalk brawls are just a part of the atmosphere. Yes, I drink cawfee. I know that 65mph really means 80. I've always lived within 10 minutes of a mall. When someone cuts me off, they get the horn AND the finger. And they expect it. I am from New Jersey, and damn proud of it."

I thought that was the funniest thing ever. Even though it was a rather harsh statement, I can envision having lunch with Iman and her telling me this. Iman is a model based out of New Jersey who is also another one my close friends. She is definitely like that little sister I never had; the one that didn’t want to hang with the other girls in the neighborhood but wanted to hang in the tree house. She is so multifaceted. She enjoys modeling the most, hanging with her close knit group of friends, and challenging herself to always exceed goals and expectations. Iman took time away from her vacation and did a couple of shoots with me. Before the shoot actually started, we went to a gallery to check out some artwork and one of the most common conversations that Iman and I have always deals with perception versus reality, especially when it relates to the aspect of modeling.

Her personality speaks for itself. Commonly, individuals see Iman as the edgy model, but today we just wanted to “paint” another picture. If I had to label Iman, I would use “All American Girl”. She represents a little every strong female out there. (Art Gallery courtesy of MILAGROS ART)

"I double-dare you to....Dream Big!"

2009-08-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did an awesome shoot for my friend Melissa website for her company (I will post pictures of this shoot later once she has picked the ones she likes). Prior to the shoot, Melissa had a vision of what she wanted for her company and all she was missing was the models. She glanced through my portfolio and came across Rose and fell in love with her look ; she then selected Rose as one of the three models to be the new faces of her company. After the shoot, Rose and I had time to catch on old times and she gave me a lot of personal advice about the future. I am always amazed by Rose ability to overcome obstacles and move forward. She is very strong woman who pulls her strength from within. We also talked about setting a standard for yourself as person and creating your own path. From that conversation, an additional photo shoot was inspired. After I took the pictures, I went online and search for quotes that reminded me our conversation and can share with everyone.

I hope these pictures and words inspire you to dare - reach your goals, be all that you can be! Dare to learn, to be different, to set your goals, to move out of your comfort zone, to be persistent. Dare to be successful.

Dare to be the best you can -
At all times, Dare to be!
Steve Maraboli

If there were ever a time to dare, to make a difference,
to embark on something worth doing, it is now.
Author Unknown, from Dream Big

Love comes when manipulation stops; when you think more about the other person than about his or her reactions to you. When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be vulnerable.
Dr. Joyce Brothers

Failures are made only by those who fail to dare, not by those who dare to fail.
Lester B. Pearson

The writer, when he is also an artist, is someone who admits what others don't dare reveal.”
Elia Kazan

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt

Practice rather than preach. Make of your life an affirmation, defined by your ideals, not the negation of others. Dare to the level of your capability then go beyond to a higher level.
Alexander Haig

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare,
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Seneca

Life is an adventure, dare it. Mother Teresa

“To Love vs Pain”

2009-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

What is love? It is one of the most difficult questions for mankind. Centuries have passed by, relationships have flourished and so has love. But no one can really give a proper definition of love. To some Love is friendship set on fire and for others love is like luck. You have to go all the way to find it. No matter how you define it or feel it, love is the eternal truth in the history of mankind.

The bible says that Love is patient, love is kind. It has no envy, nor it boasts itself and it is never proud. It rejoices over the evil and is the truth seeker. Love protects; preserves and hopes for the positive aspect of life. Always stand steadfast in love, not fall into it. It is like the dream of your matter of affection coming true.

Depending on your view, love can be of different varieties. There is romantic love, which is a deep, intense and unending. It shared on a very intimate, interpersonal and sexual relationship level. The term Platonic love, familial love, and religious love are also matter of great affection. It is more of desire, preference and feelings when dealing with somebody or object. The meaning of love will change with each different relationship and depends more on its concept of depth, versatility, and complexity. But at times the very existence of love is questioned. Some say it is false and meaningless. It says that it never exist, because there has been many instances of hatred and brutality in relationships.

Love involves being vulnerable. Vulnerable to new levels of happiness, but also it’s a possibility of be vulnerable to pain. Trust. Trust means enabling other people to take advantage of your vulnerabilities—but expecting that they will not do this. When we trust other people, we may not only be giving them something in hope of getting something else back in the future, we may also be exposing ourselves in a way that they can take advantage of our vulnerabilities. Love involves taking that risk, but whether its relationship, family, or close friendship you should never expect the worst. That is love, so open your eyes to it.

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.
William Shakespeare.

“Make me a Supermodel!!”

2009-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

What is a super model? Dictionary.com (because I didn’t have a Webster next to me) defines a supermodel to be “an extremely prominent and successful model who can command very high”.

What does that really mean?
Are you a “super models” superhuman?

Are they people who naturally look like a walking cs4 Photoshop file?

Are they just sex symbols or something?

Who truly knows, but of course I have my opinion.

As a photographer, my perspective of a super model is one who can inspire. They are someone who can bring any vision, garment, or commercial to life.

They are able to instantly produce that “wow” factor! I still believe that super models are still ordinary people. My favorite types of models to work with are the ones aspiring to become super models. They are fresh, full of energy, and not afraid to try new things.

"PROFYLE Take YOU to the Top"

2009-06-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION ATTENTION***ALL MODELS AND ASPIRING MODELS***ATTENTION ATTENTION

PROFYLE Take YOU to the Top

WANT TO BE ON TOP?

A top model is a muse. A top model is a chic and flawless waltzing stimulation. A top model has a captivating portfolio that evokes raw, intense emotion and inspires minds from all walks of life.

So...WANT TO BE ON TOP? Let PROFYLE, Inc., the South’s premier photography and imaging agency take you there.

As you've all heard, AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL is looking for the next potential supermodel in a city near you for their cycle 14. PROFYLE is what you need to upgrade your portfolio from drab and mundane to effortlessly impeccable. And for those of you who don't have the proper headshots yet, PROFYLE, Inc is the best way to start.

You've seen the work and the creativity, so you know what it's about

WANT TO BE ON TOP? Book a shoot with PROFYLE now!

Our rate starts at $100, and with that comes:
1 hour shot
unlimited frames
4 retouched images ($20 extra for additional retouched images)
2 wardrobe

Also, ask about our composition cards

To schedule a shot, email us at isabelle.profyleinc@gmail.com

"Aspirations: Simple but FReSh!"

2009-06-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Aspirations are where you want to be in life and essentially how you will get there. A goal is nothing but a dream with a deadline. My dreams, hopes and aspirations are still dynamic and ever changing. When I think I have finally found my true calling, something more intriguing sparks my interest. The only thing that has stayed consistent throughout my journey of discovery is the fact I want to do something that truly makes me happy. Doesn’t everyone? I want to be a part of the creative force that will ultimately lead to the creation of a product or way of life that others will enjoy.

This blog and these images are dedicated to all the dreamers out there who are not afraid to live out their dreams. Having a good quality of life is discovering what you enjoy doing and doing it! Often, it’s not easy at time to just do everything you want and dream about doing. Especially when you face obstacles that seem impossible to leap over.

“If you want something you never had, you must do something you never done” is Aaron, an upcoming model from Atlanta Georgia favorite quote that he lives by. To me, the quote is about taking chances to get somewhere you want to be. What would you do if you weren’t afraid is one my favs and to me Aaron quote is the solution.

Aaron can be described a very driven individual who still find time to be “normal”. Aaron interests ranges from bowling, running, swimming to aspirations of military involvement and airline management as a future career. He also values his strong connection to family and friends, because that his is foundation for who he is a person. One of his short term goals is to give the modeling industry a try.

Also Aaron prides himself on having a unique look and unparalleled look. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” He is a glimpse of the future.

~ Moe

"The Greek Experience"

2009-06-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago…well wayyy more than a couple of years ago, I had the greatest undergraduate privilege bestowed upon me as I like to see it. I became a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Inc. It was definitely an uncanny experience and most college individuals do not get to take on that challenge at such a young age. Personally, I believe being a part of black letter Greek organization is an honor. Each organization represents a sub culture of a college community that represents a larger culture as a whole. What I enjoying seeing the most is Greek unity. For anyone who doesn’t know anything about “The Divine Nine” or didn’t go get that book and read it forty times because you were “interested”, I am going to try and shed some light on this great and powerful community! As people in Florida commonly say, “at the end of the day” it’s all about networking, scholarship, unity, personal growth, service, brotherhood and sisterhood. Those are some of the most common goals and strengths of these nine unique organizations.

A couple weeks ago, one of my fraternity brother’s magazines (Inspire Magazine) hosted an eventful weekend for the Tallahassee community. Apart that weekend included an open panel discussion concerning the state of black Greek letter organizations. The panel consisted of national representation from each of the NPHC (National Pan- Hellenic Council) organizations. The panel was amazing! It was like watching “real talk with real people” (yes I just made that up, but it sounded like a good show to watch for the facts...right?). The panel also included national presidents, which is very rare. These national presidents not only run their perspective organizations, but they are also full time parents, businessmen and women, international, and very involved in their community as a whole. So for them to take the time and chat about the issues and positive aspects that black Greek letter (BGL) organizations are experiencing is very noble. It made me once again see what I feel honored to be apart. The discussion ranged from the quality of the members of the organizations, belief systems, the evolution of hazing and the consequences and how each organization have overcame obstacles.

I was very disappointed in the attendance. The event was well attended, but I expected to see more individuals who are not affiliated with these organizations. Tallahassee has two large college institutions, both with BGL representation on their campuses. Every year many people put on their best poker faces and chase the members down trying to be a part of these organizations; Doing and saying whatever thinks will get them brownie points is what I call them. Everyone wants to know about these BGLs beyond what they read on the chapter website. So I was slightly bothered by the lack of interested people. When I found out that the panel was going on... I felt like an “IG” who just found out about the “interest meeting” and had to be there! On the other hand, I was disappointed in the lack of new members that attended. These are individuals who just became a part of these BGLs and as a new member you don’t know all the good, the bad, and the ugly first hand. You deal in what your older (sometime jaded) chapter members tell you. So this would have been a chance to see and experience for yourself the power of a BGL and discover a path to take to help the organization to continue to grow! But overall it was a great experience and I would do this blog an injustice if I don’t mention how stellar of young man my frat brother Charles Davis is as well! The event overall was a great success in my opinion and anyone who had the opportunity to attend truly treasured the moment.

The next weekend I took a road trip to Atlanta for the “Atlanta Black Greek Picnic”. The picnic is a vivid example of Greek unity amongst BGLs. Even though it was so hot that it felt like hell’s kitchen on the 4^th of July, it was still great to see all the Greeks fellowshipping with each other. It is always interesting to see the individual chapters culture fused with the organization cultures. Lol...sometimes it can be a little confusing. Like the definition of a pretty boy and pretty girl in the south and be totally different from the north...extremely different. Or how laxed some chapters are compared to others. IDK…just most view. But I had a good time all and all… seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

"Real Choices. Real People."

2009-06-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

This project is dealing with overcoming negativity. Throughout my life I have met great people who have provided strength for me to fight adversity. The lesson has always been the same, “do not give in to hate, jealously, or misery”. So I pick 25 plus randomly individuals (some models, some Greek, everyday students, workers, athletes, friends or just perfect strangers) that represent real people and their choice to not let negatively destroy them. Some laugh at it, some are disgusted by it; but they all choose how they personally deal with it. Sorry no “contrasting backgrounds” this time. :)

Background info: The three wise monkeys are a pictorial maxim. Together they embody the proverbial principle to "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. Sometimes there is a fourth monkey depicted with the three others; the last one, Shizaru, symbolizes the principle of "do no evil". He may be shown covering his abdomen or crotch, or crossing his arms. Some simply take the proverb as a reminder not to be snoopy, nosy and gossipy.

Today "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" is commonly used to describe someone who doesn't want to be involved in a situation, or someone willfully turning a blind eye to the immorality of an act in which they are involved.

"Welcome to Hollywood, take my picture!"

2009-06-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

One of my summer goals is to go to Los Angeles and spend about a week there. Even though I feel that I am defiantly an east coast guy, I want to travel around the west coast… hey I may even like it and become a west coast fella. Los Angeles is one of the world's centers of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, science, technology, education annnnnnddd fashion! It is no doubt the city of "The City of Angels". It has an estimated population of 3.8 million. So imagine that, 3.8 million people, and a fraction of them are models, actors, stylist, and photographers. So I am, in the words of my friend Britney, “super excited” about my vacation there.

I hope to one day have a studio in LA and New York! Wouldn't that be hot! I believe that LA produces some great models and opportunities for anyone who is interested in this big “industry of illusion”, as my mom calls it. But what I noticed about models or better yet individuals from the Cali is that they offer a different presence. Laid back, relaxed or very “chill”.

Speaking of a relaxing environment, it was a song that I remembered named “It never rains in southern California...and they tell me” (forgive me if messed that completely up). A couple of months ago I met this professional model from Cali. She was an amazing individual to work with…amazing! We were scheduled to do some causal and “Cosmo” shots (if you’re not from the college city of Tallahassee, you’re probably scratching your head wondering what does “Cosmo” mean, well its Tallahassee version of “upscale nightlife attire”...I know, right!) outside and at a restaurant to enjoy the nice Florida weather. Well Mother Nature was having a serious mood swing and decided to flood the city with rain and wind. So we decided to add a twist. Nicole loved the rain element and we decided to go against the nature with our shoot. I think Nicole did an excellent job with showing aspiring models that if you want a good shot that stands out, you will do whatever it take and still look good! Tyra Banks would be proud! Either one of us was sick after the shoot, so that was a great thing. Nicole loved her pics, which was even better! So if that is a taste of what I can expect to work with in LA, I am “super excited” about my trip. ~Moe

"Isabelle as Muse"

2009-06-10T11:47:00.001-07:00

Last week when I decided to start my blog, I was reading different friends blogs to see what they actually talk about. I came across a friend of mine blog who is somewhat of a “fashion journalist guru”. He had a picture on his blog that said “model as muse” referring to a book that he wanted. I thought the picture was hot and of course I had my interpretation.

I have had the luxury of working with some great people and models. Through photography, you meet people and help them become an icon to others. So I asked myself, who is my muse? I started to think. One of the first people that came to mind is one of my best friends Isabelle. I met Isabelle during the fall of 2007. She was a senior in college and I was starting my first semester out of school. I became one of her mentors through Epicurean! Fashion Experience. Isabelle inspires me in a lot different ways. She is the type of person that is beautiful no doubt on the outside, but beautiful on the inside as well. What a lot of people don’t know about models is that they are real people… inside. They go through the same procedure to get “glamorous”. So the reason why I consider Isabelle my muse because she is the type of person that can be taken in the simplest form and made into beautiful art. There hasn’t been a vision of mine yet that Isabelle doesn’t make into a reality for me! ~Moe

The "ProFyle"..

2009-06-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

Photography inspires me...

I am a self made photographer, but I can give credit to all the great and amazing people who have been fantastic to work with and supportive friends through my journey. I am in grad school right now, but I plan on traveling more and expanding my port. I love doing new photo concepts, especially with models that are strongly committed to making my visions reality.

I started my own gig entitled “ProFyle Inc” to showcase my talent. I chose to play on the word “profile” because of the mere definition. It’s a representation of something in outline; especially: a human head or face. It is also a degree or level of public exposure. So mixing that together produces a picture that depicts status, an idea overall thought. Modeling fused with photography is a great way of expression. PROFYLE, Inc. specializes in fashion, beauty and editorial photography; model portfolio, creative conceptuals, special events & parties, image consulting, and any other type of event worth capturing in the moment.

So what encouraged me to blog? Well first and foremost, I am not a writer or aspiring writer but I feel any work I do tells a story. I can be doing work for a client that has nothing to do with modeling but getting their brand out, my pictures still have a story. It’s my signature. From my work, you can tell that I love for my pictures to evoke feeling, make a statement, encourage conversation, open minds, provoke thought, entertain, captivate, explore imagination, beautify reality, cross boundaries, break ground, set standards, make rules and break them, fill voids and even challenge morality.

In addition to taking models portfolios to the level after the next, I love to get the “Wow factor” I can get with my models. I’ve been blessed to work with some talented people, you can contact anyone I have worked with and I am certain they will tell you it was a great experience.

So this is my blog..or shall I say “My ProFyle”…It will feature my pictures and I will share the inspiration or story behind them.

Once again, I am not a professional writer or aspiring writer….I am a PHOTOGRAPHER…so my writing style will include all types of errors and grammar disagreements… it makes it fun..lol…so just be awed by the pictures…but enjoy!

Maurice also known as “Moe”