top model

Some of you may be surprised to know that my husband secretly desires to be a model. Laugh if you want, but it's true.

When we were first dating about 20 years ago, Matt planned a special date for us. He told me we were having a picnic lunch at the Gunpowder, (how sweet and romantic and thoughtful) and that he also wanted to have a photo shoot. Not of us as a couple, mind you. Of just him, in various outfits. We called them "get-ups" back then. While I was packing up my camera, tripod, rolls of film (yes. actual film.), Matt was busy packing up his various pants, jackets and shirts all of which were purchased from Chess King. Does anyone remember that store in the top floor at White Marsh Mall? It was Matt's second home.

Matt is beside me now as I write this and he wants to make sure that I explain to my handful of readers, that there was a purpose for this. Some of you may be surprised to know that in addition to wanting to be a model, Matt, at age 18 was a one-man-show touring across Baltimore, doing concerts. He had a road crew (Greg Dutcher), a sound man (his brother Jeff) and a videographer (me). He would sing and preach from a tiny square stage that was all of 3" off the ground. No, I'm not lying.

So...this photo shoot was intended for self-promotion. After all, this tour required posters, brochures, and flyers. I took several rolls of film on our picnic date and Matt changed his outfits at least 3 times that I can remember. His blonde mullet blew in the wind and I snapped shots of him standing on rocks with water crashing behind him. Think Petra singing "I Am On The Rock."

I guess today, 20 years later, the modeling bug came back to my husband. The kids were all happily playing on the playground equipment, I had my camera on hand taking shots of my little loves, and that's when the request came from Matt.

"Can you take some pictures of me like you used to?"

I chuckled. He must be kidding.

He wasn't.

"Seriously, Sweetie. I could use some new shots for the ya Brochure," he inserted.

After I began taking a few shots and giving him some basic direction, it was like we were 20 years old again. He was fully engaged, posing, smiling, laughing (at himself).

Here are his poses.

We laughed. Then I posed him and we took these:

As much fun as I had photographing Matt minus the blonde mullet, these are my favorite shots from the day:

Twenty years never looked so good!