Zach Van Way @ On Display Men

Zach began modeling because “my friends had always told me I should try it out, and a few opportunities kind of just fell into my lap.” Since he began, he has “just shot for photographers' portfolios so far, and some trade show modeling as well.” But he would love to model for “any fitness magazine, Calvin Klein underwear and Abercrombie & Fitch.” as for his personal style, “I like fitted shirts and jeans, not too tight, just right.”

Zach believes that to be a success in the modeling industry you need “dedication and street smarts. You have to be weary of people who just want to take advantage of you.”As for rejection, he “just moves on.” He is excited to be a part of On Display Men because “it seems like an amazing opportunity to get noticed.”

Zach's main goal in life is to “get my bachelors and go to law school.” He is driven to achieve his goals by “seeing others succeed and watching my body grow.”

Pictures by Josh Camero Photography You can read more about Zach at On Display Men

Austin Otto @ On Display Men

Austin began modeling because “I always had an interest and once I got an opportunity to test shoot and be in a local commercial, I was hooked and decided just to go for it.”

So who has he modeled for? “At this point I am new and fresh into modeling, so my first is still yet to be seen.” But he would love to model for “Calvin Klein, its just classic.”

To be a successful as a model, it takes “determination, dedication and a passion to be part of something beautiful.” As for rejection in the industry, “I will just learn from the experience and make sure I do everything possible to be prepared to succeed in the next opportunity.”

He is excited to be a part of On Display Men “because I have experience first hand Alan [Rust's] genuine dedication to making a productive, positive impact on the modeling industry. That kind of heart is the key element to success and has been very inspiring.”

You can read the full interview at On Display Men

John Stan @ On Display Men

John began modeling when “a friend thought I should try it out, he's a photographer and ever since my first shoot I haven't stopped.” Since then “I have not modeled for any agencies or companies yet. I am in the process of still building my portfolio.” But someday he would love to model for “Guess or D& G, any really big clothing company would be amazing.”

To be a successful model, “I think it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to making every shoot its very best and keeping up with my appearance at all times.”

So how does he cope with rejection? “I see rejection as a challenge to do better and keep pushing forward to other opportunities.” He is excited to be a part of On Display Men “so everyone can see what I'm really about and hopefully show everyone a different type of model.”

John's life goals are “to start my own construction company as well as to have a wife and kids someday.” He is driven to achieve his goals by the fact that “I hate failure and don't find it acceptable so I put 100% into everything I do.” His biggest inspiration is “any successful person who has made it on their own.”

When he's not modeling “I don't have much time for other things besides my job and going to school to get my degree.” When he's with his friends, “we usually just go to different bars or restaurants and relax and just catch up because we don't always get to hangout.” To relax “I either ride my motorcycle or lay in bed and watch a movie because I never have time to do that.” As for his dream vacation, “I would go to Dubai and India just to see a completely different culture.”

You can read the full interview by Loni Perry at On Display Men

John Stan’s interview for On Display Men

Alon Dankner

Alon began modeling when “I was approached by a photographer who wanted to take my picture, which sparked my interest in becoming a professional model.” He has just begun his career, “presently I haven’t modeled for any brand names or companies but I do have experience in modeling through local runway shows in New York and random photo shoots.”

However as he looks to his future in the industry, “my ultimate goal is to be on the cover of any male fitness magazine, but I would also like to be a model for Abercrombie and Fitch, Diesel, Prada, Hogo Boss, D & G, and any sport name brands like Nike.”

Alon hopes to revolve his future around modeling. “The goals that I have set thus far are to be successful, well respected and to develop a strong network, all of which I hope can center around the modeling industry.” He is driven to achieve these goals by “my positive personality which motivates me to set high goals and my endurance which enables me to work hard to achieve them. Fortunately I have a strong support system that allows me to never lose focus on my desired goals.”

The one person who inspires him is “my uncle, he taught me to always do the right thing, to value others and help them whenever I can, to be a lifelong learner, to smile and keep a sense of humor even when things get tough, to work hard and do my best in any situation, and love, support and protect my family and friends.”

Photos by Eli Hue Photography You can read the full interview at On Display Men

Ray Travis-Baker

Ray was discovered by On Display Men’s very own Alan Rust while he was working out at his local gym. He has only just and is “looking to model for something interesting.” Looking to his future in the industry, he would like to model for “any fitness company or major clothing brand.” When it comes to his own personal style, it’s got to be “a comfortable pair of jeans and a nice shirt.”

Ray stays in shape by “constantly working out and staying active.” He is also an avid athlete, “I have been part of many sports, football, track etc.” As well as being a huge sports fan, “I’ll watch big games in just about anything.”

First impressions of Ray are “that I am courteous and really am about respect toward me.” And to his friends he is “friendly and outgoing.” When it comes to making him laugh, “I have a very lively personality and it doesn’t take a lot to make me laugh.”

You can see the full interview at On Display Men

Dan Flood

Originally from Chicago, Dan is now a resident of Fort Worth Texas, who began modeling when he was asked to model for a clothing store. Since then he has done sunglass ads, clothing ads, live mannequin, fashion shows, fitness modeling, and advertisements for Crimson in the City, Fuse, Jet Lag Jeans, OutlawEyewear.com, The Voice, D magazine as well as in many biker ad magazines, all in Dallas.

He dreams one day of working with Prada and Versace. “I’m Italian so modeling for my family’s country would be amazing.” He believes that to become successful in the modeling industry you must “keep yourself current and fresh. Stay open to new ideas, always stay focused.” When it comes to rejection as a model, “every door closed is another one open. Never give up, keep researching and network.”

He loves to model because “I love working with different photographers and seeing the end results. I love getting proofs and seeing my shots in action.”He believes that what sets him apart in the industry is his work ethic. “I enjoy working when there is a certain shot we need to get. I am very much disciplined and always striving to be better.”

Dan’s advice for up and coming models is to “volunteer for all types of work, within reason, and always try to learn from other people in the industry. You are never too old to learn.”

You can see the full interview and more pics at On Display Men

On Display Men : Dakota

Dakota is a fledgling model that shows great promise. He spends most of his evenings dancing at Labare and was recently featured in one of their photo shoots in Downtown Dallas. He and his friends may get a bit crazy at times, but they definitely know how to have fun. Dakota admits he doesn’t know exactly what he wants to do with his life but says, “I just want a job I love that pays the bills.”

Dakota, a resident Texan, began contemplating a career in modeling at the age of eighteen. He’s brand new to the modeling world, but he already shows amazing potential. He just completed his first photo shoot from Labare, part of which took place in Downtown Dallas. “I really enjoyed the studio aspect more than outdoors, only because you can control the lighting and conditions, but the whole thing was a really great experience.”

When he’s not modeling, Dakota is a self-described night owl. “I’m not up too much during the daytime. I’ve been dancing at Labare for almost a year now, so I’m pretty active at night. I can’t say I really enjoy the job, but it’s good money.”

You can read the full interview here

Michael Blasingame

Michael Blasingame is just starting out in the modeling industry, but this native Texan knows what he wants and what it takes to succeed. He first felt the call to model while admiring pictures in magazines and malls. From there, it was an easy choice to make the leap into the modeling world himself.

Part of Michael’s appeal as a model is that he keeps himself active. In fact, “active” is the key word he lists in relating how his friends would describe him. “I enjoy skating and recreational sports,” he explains. “I’ll play anything with a ball, and I also like to watch college football.” Michael also includes rock climbing in his list of hobbies which definitely helps keep him toned.

Despite being a novice model, Michael is aware of the effort and determination required to succeed. “Eating right is the most important thing, along with working out. I use rejection as motivation, and if it’s something that I can’t help then I just put it behind me and move on. Self-satisfaction is what drives me to achieve my goals.”

Photos Adam Medders Photography, Interview Angie Workman.  You can read the whole interview at On Display Men

Lance Winters

Lance is a relatively new model with stunning potential. Modeling is not his ultimate goal, however. "I want to finish school with a Doctorate and become a psychologist for teens. My big dream is to be an actor, though. Overall, I just want to be the best person I can be."

This model stays in shape doing both cardio and weight training. He also plays the occasional game of golf, basketball or football. If Lance doesn't get chosen for a particular job, he doesn't sweat the small stuff; rejection simply doesn't faze him. "Rejection doesn't bother me. I don't care what people think." That being said, he also has a softer side.

I had a chance to speak with both Lance and his roommate during our interview, and Lance's roommate was more than happy to give his friend a good referral. "I'd describe Lance as extremely honest and blunt. He's also a very loyal friend, though, and he can be the life of the party."

Interview by Angie Workman.  You can see more of Lance here

Andy Ashton

You need only glance at Andy Ashton’s amazing physique to realize that he is prime modeling material. He has attained the chiseled and sculpted figure that many wish they could possess and a level of success that many covet.

Most male models dream of modeling for Abercombie & Fitch, and Andy will be the face of the acclaimed brand in 2009.

Among his other titles, Andy is a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach. “For many years I have been passionate about Holistic Health and fitness.” His website notes him as a prominent expert in the field of holistic health & fitness, corrective exercise and lifestyle coaching.

Andy is able to help his clients by treating the root cause of a problem as opposed to the symptoms. In nutrition, “The one size fits all approach has consistently failed. [My] concept is to treat the body as a whole system.”

Interview Angie Workmen, Photos Nate Jensen Creative  Full interview and more pictures at On Display Men

Chase Wright

Chase began his modeling career about two years ago at the behest of friends who urged him to consider the profession. He took their advice and enrolled in modeling school at Lisa Maile in Orlando, Florida. Since then, he has appeared in several ads, commercials and runway shows.

“I have done work with the WB Daily Buzz and Golf Weekly performing TV fashion modeling. I have also done three commercials including Hyundai, Banco Popular and Cheap Guys Computer repair. Print modeling I’ve done includes work for UrbanBody.com as well as Caribbean Resorts Clothing line. I have also participated in runway shows for McDonald’s, Prime Outlets and Xtreme Clothing.”

Chase has already achieved success in a fickle business, but the end is nowhere in sight as far as he is concerned. “I’m fine with rejection because it’s such a big part of the industry.

You just have to realize that the career-making job might be just around the corner. You can’t be complacent about the present, and you always have to be looking ahead for the bigger job.”

Interview by Angie Workman  Photos by AJR Imaging 

You can seen more of Chase at On Display Men