TONY DURAN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR BELLO MAG
In the new issue of BELLO mag available worldwide since this morning, an exclusive interview with Los Angeles based photographer Tony Duran, after the release of the 10th anniversary issue of the famous Dieux Du Stade Calendar.
Tony Duran is talking about his Parisian experience, like shooting naked rugby men in 45 degrees [which is about 7 degrees celsius] and how he empathized with the players by ripping his clothes off ... not all the way but enough to say - I feel for you!!
But also on the amazing hard cover coffee table book project [which was only done once in the past by Francois Rousseau] The book should be out by the end of April 2010. He also answered to a few fun questions from my dearest Proust Questionary, about reincarnation, favorite heroes of fiction, greatest fear, most treasure possession ... All those answers and more in Tony Duran's Exclusive Interview for BELLO mag
+ BELLO mag
+ Tony Duran on OhLaLa
+ Tony Duran Official Site
The full interview and more photos AFTER THE JUMP
How did you get the calendar?
It is funny--I have followed the calendar for four or five years and in the beginning of this year I started to wonder how they pick the photographers and what is the process. I thought that my stuff relates to this project and it looks like it would be fun--I should approach them. It wasn't two days later and I got a call from an agent friend in Paris that said he is friends with so and so and thinks I should do this calendar. He knew the people responsible for picking the photographer-can he put my name forward. And low and behold-after a bit of back and forth I was in Paris beginning the shoot. In a way--that is how my whole career has worked. It has all been about timing and having the right goods for the project at that time. Lots of visualization.
Favorite player/model?
It is very hard to say who my favorite player was to shoot. I have to be honest--in my whole career, I have not run into such a group of willing and collaborative subjects. They all wanted to be there and enjoyed shooting for the most part. I really enjoyed Thom Evans and his brother Max. They are Scottish , so honestly it just was refreshing speaking English as opposed to grunting directions because I did not speak French!! The brothers worked so well together. They are very different but have great similarities. Henri-Pierre Vermis and Alexis Driollet were very cool. Quiet yet very sexy and handsome. We called Maxime Medard Wolverine all the time. He has such a great look with his sideburns and scruff. Joe Van Viekrerk knew my work through his model girlfriend and was pumped to shoot with me and show her up!! He put a ton of energy into the shoot andreally got into it. I really liked Thomas Combezou.
As I said , they were all great. I was warned that these guys are not models--they are athletes and I should not expect them to perform like models. They actually did tons better!! Being an athlete, you are used to taking direction and coaching. That is exactly how I treated the project. I was an athlete for fifteen years and that is what I respond best to-concise, confident direction. They were all so focused. It was like it was a competition!
How was Paris...?
I had not spent time in Paris in years so it was so fresh for me to arrive there. Everything seemed inspiring. It just wasn't the typical monuments that interested me--it was the fact that there were amazing clouds in the sky. We rarely if ever get that in LA. It is always sunny. The architecture is amazing old and new. All very inspiring!
Wasn't it cold...?
For the most part it rained nearly every day at some point. There were a couple of nice days. But as I said, there were these amazing clouds. It was also pretty cold maybe 45-50 degrees sometimes it got warmer. But pretty much the weather was all over the place. We just kept shooting no matter what. I ripped my clothes off a couple of time to have empathy for the naked players . Not all the way-but enough to say--I feel for you!!
Are there more images to see soon as far as the Stade project...??
The calendar has just come out and I am in the works of putting a hard cover coffee table book out near the end of April 2010. It will be of a different point of view than
the calendar. Many, many different images that don't have to fit into a certain format. I shot so much while I was there-45 guys in all. This is a great way to let these images be seen. It will be fun to produce.
How do you like having camera around. Filming while you shoot...?
For me, having a secondary camera around while I am shooting is a constant. On so many of my projects--a lot of the celebrity shoots-there is always one or two different cameras shooting behind the scenes for one reason or another. I am used to the chaos. It has almost become my style. I have to be a very quick shooter and make the most of every situation because there is so much distraction on the shoot.. My main concern is that my ass crack is not hanging out. I have seen that one too many times on MTV or Entertainment Tonight!
What turns you on...?
For the most part, confidence in one's self is the biggest turn on to me. I am all about people owning who they are and what their power is. Power is not about money or looks. It is about confidence. If you can stand face to face with me and say, " I am the shit!" without being egotistical-I am all over it!! People confuse confidence with ego all the time, but it is usually people with none themselves. I find beauty in so many things and I always try to surround myself with beautiful things. But I have a warped sense of beauty. I am all about textures and smells. I can remember the smell of Thom Evans cologne from months ago. I own it myself now because it stirred my senses. I am a very driven person with huge goals. Meeting completely unexpected goals gives me a big woody! The ability to praise and elevate others turns my crank. To be able to inspire. The ability to work my ass off until I drop , but then get a great night of sleep can rival sex for me!! In a lot of ways--it is sex.....
Reincarnation...?
If I was to be reincarnated, I would like to be reincarnated as myself again, but with two or three key life decisions being different. I would love to see what direction that would take me. I got a lot in my head and not a lot of time ,so it would be good to use up some of that brain space!!
Favorite heroes of fiction...?
Really a big fan of Darren Stevens from Bewitched!! He had a really cool advertising job--very Mad Men AND he was married to a hot witch. There has got to be a lot of adventure there! Lol I am not a big super hero fan--I am much more reality based as a person.
Greatest Fear
Definitely my greatest fear is that I will not have a chance to live up to my greatest potential. We live in a world of mediocrity and compromise. People would prefer to take the easy way out. I LOVE a challenge--to myself and I love to challenge others. There should never be anything wrong with wanting to be the best you can be. One should never have to dummy it down to save face with others.
Most treasured possession.
Without a doubt my most treasured possession is my adult relationships with my family and very closest friends. I have no commitment to material things--they can always be replaced. Relationships take a lot of work and when it is good, it is such a great thing.
Where would you like to live?
Exactly where I am.
What are you working on now?
I have a lot coming up over the next six months to a year. I just finished designing a house-now it is back to work taking over the world. As long as I am creative--I am happy. I have books coming out, gallery shows. Magazine things blah , blah blah. But key for the most immediate goal--find myself a date. Go out to dinner!!
