Red Rock State Park, Las Vegas, Nevada Revisited

I appreciate all of you, my friends that have written me to advise me that you missed my blogging! That means a lot to me. I find it cathartic to write, and I really miss it when I do not make time. It keeps me focused, grounded, and centered in my life. You know who you are, those that have taken the time to write me and let me know.

I have lived in New Mexico for the past 20 years, and that has entailed much hiking, climbing, and mining. For the past five years, I have chosen to live a more cosmopolitan lifestyle, opting to spend more time in concrete jungles than desert landscapes. My passion for the desert is something that will never die, however. Some of my best photoshoots have been with both professional and amateur photographers in New Mexico and Nevada. I particularly enjoy the white gypsum outcroppings of the Zia Pueblo region in New Mexico, as it makes my brown skin stand out even more. And, some of my favorite rocks are situated in what I call my backyard now, Red Rock Canyon State Park right here in Las Vegas, Nevada. The reddish brown sandstone reminds me so much of my skin color, that I feel like I am part of the earth, and I really love the look and the feel of these rocks. I find that outdoor shoots are where I belong, favoring them over indoor shoots. I enjoy the hike in the desert heat and finding fun rocks to play and pose on.

This photo was taken two days ago by a friend of mine, George Kontaxis. For years, I have admired George's work. He has a natural "eye" for what looks good and has his own artistic flair. Whenever I admire a photographer, I get a bit starstruck of their talent, and this sometimes makes me too nervous to shoot, and I sometimes lack creativity. This happened when I worked with the late Douglas Kent Hall. I get mesmerized by the artist at work, and lose track of myself. At the end of the day, they are only human. As George and I sat out on the rocks after this photo was taken, we chatted about the evolution of our lives as both photographer and model. We shared common stores about being smitten by people in our industry, and then, when we finally do get to work with them, we find that they are just as human as anyone else, perhaps to a flaw, if that makes sense.

George and I talked about what we have achieved in our short careers in the physical culture industry, and where we are heading. We initially met in 2003, at the USA Bodybuilding show here in Las Vegas. I still remember George, and he was just a young man starting a photography career, and I was just starting my bodybuilding journey. We both have come a long way in the past 7 years, and we have a mutual respect and admiration for how far along we have come.

All you have to do is take a look at some of my photos from the early days, in 2003 from Bill Dobbins in Red Rock State Park. It was just after my first bodybuilding show, and I weighed in at around 175 pounds. In this photo, I weighed right at 200 pounds. Hence, the title of this post, Red Rock--revisited. I hope you enjoy the evolution of my physique and lifestyle as much as I have enjoyed the journey.

I have a feeling, the best is yet to come.