malik m.l. williams | photography

Tony go retro

2011-04-02T11:28:00.004-04:00

Tony go retro, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

I need to remember why i love photography, why i started this journey. I need to think back to Billy and the body, the first models i shot for a Deeper Love promotional campaign at AID Atlanta. I need to remember Cornelius and Greg and Patrick, the guys i didn't know but walked up to in a bookstore, at a gathering, in a club and said, "I want to photograph you."

I need to get back to doing what i love because i love it.

ka-os|theory

2011-02-13T14:31:00.000-05:00

It's always interesting to see where my images turn up. Sometimes i'm incensed at seeing my pictures used in ads or party flyers, other times i'm flattered to find my images illustrating other blogs. I recently stumbled across this post: ka-os|theory: Natural leaders are rarely encumbered with intelligence... I'm loving the ka-os | theory blog and loving that my pictures of Terrance showed up on this post.

And congrats to Terrance on being named one of the site's Men of the Year for 2010!

Flashback: Nas

2010-08-29T15:22:00.045-04:00

Nas is one of my favorite people to shoot. He's easy to direct, obviously photogenic, and just a really great guy to be around. Maybe it's the recent horrific events in Pakistan that made me want to revisit my images of the self-proclaimed "Pakistani Prince" or maybe i'm just nostalgic for my first days shooting in my new basement studio. Whatever the case, these images of Nas are worth a second look.

Enjoy.

more photos after the jump...

I'm Batman...

2010-08-23T21:56:00.053-04:00

Aiden under the Batlight, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

I saw the briefs.
I had an inspiration
Aiden helped me realize my vision.

God, i love a willing model...

Aiden

2010-08-21T17:21:00.003-04:00

Aiden, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

coming soon...

On Drugs... again

2010-08-11T06:55:00.008-04:00

Adderall.

Sounds like some pharmaceutical ad rep's twisted inside joke of a name for snake oil. I'm a little concerned that a couple of the possible side effects are... um... heart attack and addiction. Not necessarily in that order, of course. Basically, the doctor prescribed me meth* for my ADHD.

First dose was this morning, just a few minutes ago. We'll see how this goes, if it helps me focus my creative impulses. I'm really hoping my ability to work is impacted in a positive way, that I find myself better able to execute.

Besides, it was either this or Wellbutrin....

Model: Isaac Serrano

*Okay, so Adderall is not really meth. If you're interested in the difference, check this mental_floss article.

Shooting with ADHD

2010-07-31T12:25:00.004-04:00

I was diagnosed recently with ADHD. It shouldn't be any big surprise to me (or to anyone who knows me well, probably), but it is something to think about as i work. I've joked for years that i have "undiagnosed ADHD." Now the undiagnosed part is gone. ADHD is probably the reason i start things like this blog, then forget about them when something else comes along. It's the reason i get into a project and can't seem to focus enough to take all the steps. It's the reason i get an idea for a shoot concept then forget parts of it, even in the middle of executing it.

Strangely, it may even be related to the reason i have trouble connecting with people.

This is not a post about making excuses. Rather, it's a revelation. Now that i know, i can do something about it. I can work with it. And i can create even more stuff like these images of the very dynamic J Roland.

On to bigger and better things...

Model: J Roland
Nation Kilt by TheKiltedNation.com

Thurston [un]Dressed for Winter

2009-11-08T14:27:00.005-05:00

Thurston [un]Dressed for Winter, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

I promised more of Thurston soon. Well, i hope these images were worth the wait. We had such a great time shooting these. Thurston's got mad energy, moves like the dancer he is, and was just a joy to work with. And, of course, he's simply beautiful to behold. Here are a few samples from the more than 700 images we shot last weekend. And we didn't even get to shoot with Andrew Nowell's clothes this time. AND there are two other setups i didn't even get to. Guess i'll just have to ask him to come back again.

Hmm... looking back, i see Thurston accounts for my three latest entries. Must be my OCD. (Yeah, that's it.)

For a few more images, check out my "Thurston" set on flickr.

[More Thurston after the jump.]

Coming Soon...

2009-11-04T18:47:00.007-05:00

November is National Novel Writing Month, and i am spending much of my energy knocking out a draft of a novel in 30 days. Still, i have a backlog of images i want to share. So during this month i am also prepping images from some former favorites, including Nas, Mike, Kirby, and Kingdom, and some new faces including JoJo and James. And of course, my recent subject, the very sexy Thurston, came by this week and got [un]Dressed for Winter.

Here's just a sample of this week's work:

But there's so much more to see....

Thurston

2009-10-26T01:54:00.022-04:00

Thurston #226, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

I shot Thurston Haynes for SWERV Magazine's Fall 2009 issue, along with three other models. (More from Chris Deloatch later.) The models were all wonderful, and i would work with any of them again in a heartbeat, but there was just something about this shot that i loved. It didn't make it into the final spread (maybe it was a little to gangsta to be "old hollywood"), so i decided to post it here with a couple of other outtakes/proofs now that the issue is on the stands. Thurston doesn't have the traditional "model build." He's not lanky and lean almost to the point of obscenity. But the clothes look damn good on him.

Thurston and i plan to do some shots soon with more Andrew Nowell Menswear. (Andrew provided most of the clothes for the guys on the SWERV shoot, including all of the clothes in the images here.) Until then, i – and anyone peeking in here – will have to be satisfied with these shots.

All unretouched. {shudder}

[More looks-like-a-million-bucks Thurston after the jump.]

Provacateur

2009-09-09T07:22:00.020-04:00

oh yes, you know what's coming..., originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

Some people think these images are "edgy." Aside from my distaste for the overuse of that word, i have to wonder if i'm a bit jaded. Or just more open-minded than most. These are tame compared to what floats around in my head, the concepts i've been too timid to pursue. But timidity does not serve me well; the time has come to put plans into action.

Anyone wanna join me? ;-)

Model: "Mischief 1972"

[More definitely-not-safe-for-work Mischief the NSFW page.]

Looking Back, Moving Forward

2009-09-08T07:17:00.004-04:00

Hussein & Ahmed, originally uploaded by malik ml williams.

It was about a year ago that i shot Hussein & Ahmed (cousins) during Labor Day weekend in Detroit. (Well, Dearborn, actually.) Since then, i haven't done nearly as much location work as i would like. I realized at some point that i love shooting outside much more than i do in the studio. I realized it, then put it aside somewhere and left it alone.

So i'm moving forward with a personal project that's been rolling around in the back of my brain for some time now. And i realized the missing element was that i need to shoot the guys i want to work with on location. All of them. I can't tell the story i want to tell by working in the sterile environment of a small studio. And i don't have the resources to create elaborate sets for each of the shots. So i'll be doing a lot of location work over the next few months to a year.

I'm not leaving it behind this time....

TRY STATE MAGAZINE

2009-09-06T23:07:00.007-04:00

It's funny how much of a difference a little inspiration can make. It's not something you can always count on, you damn sure better not be dependent on it, but it feels good when you get it just the same.

I had recently been planning to get back to blogging about my photography when a blogger (who also publishes a print magazine) contacted me out of the blue and asked about featuring some of my work. I was surprised and excited. But what really blew me away was what he wrote about my work.

Check it out: TRY STATE MAGAZINE

Mike [un]Dressed for Winter

2008-12-27T14:06:00.004-05:00

Mike [un]Dressed for Winter, originally uploaded by malik williams.

A little more Mike. 'Cause i just liked what he was doing...

Chris

2008-12-06T12:27:00.009-05:00

Chris [un]Dressed for Winter, originally uploaded by malik williams.

I shot Chris the same weekend i shot Mike (last entry). He's been an athlete most of his life, but got a desk job after college and put on some weight. This was his first shoot after getting closer to his old physique. If this is out of shape, i must be a carcass already. And Chris is the tallest guy i've ever shot. At 6'4", i really wanted to accent his long limbs by using a lot of low, wide-angle shots.

[More of the lanky Chris after the jump.]

Mike

2008-11-23T10:20:00.013-05:00

Dark Mike, originally uploaded by malik williams.

I've been feeling a little out of place since i moved to the DC area. Not really connected, not in touch with the surrounding community and definitely not in touch with the photo scene. It felt good recently to put out a casting call and get so many responses. Actually shot a couple of guys last weekend, so look for more updated images soon...

I Love Black Men

2008-04-11T22:28:00.002-04:00

"Queen of the Damned", originally uploaded by malik williams.

(Click on the pic above to check out my photo stream.)

Perhaps i have not mentioned this before. Nah, that's not possible. But there's no shortage of reasons to say it again.

It's funny. I've struggled so long to with finding my way in this whole photography thing. I started out shooting black men. That's who i wanted to see. That's who i found beautiful. That's who i presented to the world. Then i went into a commercial photography program. And i let other people's opinions afflict me. I let them tell me i couldn't make a career out of what i loved. I let them tell me *i* needed to diversify.

Ain't that just ironic.

Now i'm finding my way back to my true self, and in the process my true vision. The energy in me that is creativity is inclined this way. So i'm going with my voice. Let's see where it leads...

i live in the memory of trees...

2008-04-10T13:33:00.006-04:00

i live in the memory of trees..., originally uploaded by malik williams.

(Click the pic above to view my flickr photostream.)

It's Spring with a capital "S" for emphasis. Time when the sun is out most of the day, when life is bursting all around, and when i feel particularly renewed. It's time to forget the doldrums, the winter blues, the whateveryouwannacallthem and get on with life. At least it is for me.

As part of my celebration of Spring (with a capital "S"), i'm starting up this blog focused on my photography. Hell, if i'm not going to celebrate it, how can expect anyone else will. Hopefully, people will start to tune in at some point....