Edward: Welcome to Connex247 family Todd! Well, this is your moment to share your story with our Connex readers. So, tell us about yourself, your hometown and your personal and professional interests

Todd:  Thanks, it's great to be here.  My full name is Todd Christian Hunter and I'm originally from a suburb of Washington, D.C.  I worked in NYC for 5 years and currently live on the West Coast.  I very much fit the description of a typical Virgo (Type A personality, driven, business-minded...though perhaps I'm a bit more creative than other Virgos).  I'm an athletic guy, I like Kung Fu movies and I always sleep in my socks.

Edward:  What do you think about modeling world? 

Todd:  To be honest, I stumbled into the modeling world.  I moved to New York in 2001 to pursue acting work and began working as a model on the side.  An agent found me at one of those conventions, and I ignorantly believed everything he said.  No horror stories here, but he was shady and we parted ways after a few months.  I, however, was hooked on the business...and once you get a taste of how things work it's hard to leave it.

Edward:  The cross pic! One of the most impressive pic done by the amazing photographer David Vance! Well, tell us about this pic. 

Todd:  I'm glad you asked about that image from David Vance, it's definitely my favorite.  We were hired to do a shoot for a new play with music, called Matthew Passion (www.matthewpassion.com).  I played one of the characters in the show, so I was familiar with the topic and the style before the shoot began.  Three models were hired and we had three huge crosses made.  We did the threesome shot, and afterwards David wanted to play around a little and  try some other ideas.  I'm so glad he did, as we got that image from the  resulting work.  As powerful as it is, they ended up using it as the main shot for the show.

Interestingly enough, I almost always get comments from people when they see the shot, but they have yet to be negative (at least I've not heard anything negative thus far).  I imagine some religious groups/people/institutions may have an issue with it, but I think even they would appreciate the artistic qualities of the image.

I think very highly of David Vance.  He has an amazing eye, is excellent at what he does, and creates so many striking images.  I definitely look forward to our next shoot

Ha! Yeah, I think we spent about 2-3 hours doing the main portion of the shoot, then maybe an extra hour or two of playing afterwards.   I believe this was in the last series of photos we took.  Of course, I had no idea the shot would turn out like that!

Edward:  What aspect of modeling is your favorite and what is your least favorite?

Todd: My favorite aspect of modeling is getting to work with different photographers to create striking, powerful images (whether they're commercial, editorial, lifestyle or fashion).  The toughest part is constantly going to castings.  In NYC it's not so difficult to go to multiple castings in a day, but everything is further apart on the west coast and you really can't do more than two in a day.  Direct bookings rule!

Edward: I´m sure you might have some unusual/funny modeling backstages stories to share with us!!

Todd:  Actually, one of my first commercial print jobs was done as a favor for a new agent.  An up-and-coming photographer asked my agent if he had someone that could help out (read: work for very little money).  It was a beer ad, and they were doing a promotion for Halloween.  They had their two principal models booked but needed a third model to play the scarecrow.  I assumed they'd put some silly makeup on me, add a hat, and I'd at least get a fun tearsheet for my portfolio.

I got to set and they put me in a long-sleeve button-up shirt, which they began stuffing with hay.  An hour later, they brought out a large, ceramic pumpkin head!  They tied my feet together and ran a board up my pants and out the top of the back of my shirt.  Then my hands were tied to another board going across my back.  It's a scarecrow on a cross, with a 15-pound ceramic pumpkin head, and we began shooting.  I nearly lost it when the photographer asked for "more emotion."  Granted, there wasn't much I could do...

So, after all that, no tear.  My agent appreciated the favor, however, and we worked together for many years after that.  Though I'm still waiting on my next booking from that photographer.

Edward:  What do you most like when you work with a photographer? What are themain characteristics u most admire in this professional?

Todd:  When I'm doing a job, I like to see that the photographer has a solid grasp of where the shoot is going.  Now, I'm not saying spontaneity is bad, as I've got some excellent shots doing stuff off the cuff, but making it up as you go can be difficult.  Especially if complex lighting and sets are involved.  I don't like wasting time; I'm always early and make sure to respect other peoples' time.  Normally, the better my rapport is with the photographer, the better our images turn out (there are exceptions to this, however).

I implicitly trust the eye of the photographer, as I don't know much about photography.  I know a good image when I see it, but I couldn't tell you much about depth of field, contrast, foreground, lighting, etc.  I'm in awe of photographers who master all that and put together amazing images.

Edward:  How do you  rate beauty and elegance for you life? Doyou think these attributes really help a person to  succeed in a career?

Todd:  Hmm, this is an interesting question.  Because beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, who am I to judge what other people think is "beautiful." Especially in this business, it's often just a matter of "Do you have the right look for the shoot?"  It doesn't have as much to do with "Are you a good looking person?"  Ranking beauty isn't something I do.  There's enough competition in life as it is.

Edward:  Are you a guy into sports? What´s your secret to be in a good shape? Do you have any special diet?

Todd:  I'm a very athletic guy.  I grew up doing martial arts...and branched out into soccer, volleyball, crew, wrestling and football.  Athletic as I was, it wasn't until I began doing more cardio exercises (running, elliptical machines, an occasional dance class at the gym) that my body really became what it is today.  I normally do about 5 workouts per week (including weightlifting at the gym, taking classes, everything).

No special diets here, though I am aware of what I eat.  I can't stand the idea of completely cutting out foods I enjoy from time to time (like a cookie or an occasional candy bar).

Edward:  What´s fame and success for you? And if you could choose 3 important things for your life and 3 amazing places around the world to have fun, which ones you´d choose ?

Todd:  Fame is not a driving force in my life.  If it comes, wonderful, but I'm happy if I'm steadily working and able to support myself.  And can take an occasional vacation.  Three things I'd like out of life: to own a house, to start a family, and to have a savings account!  As for amazing places, on my list are Australia, the Riviera, and one day I'd like to meet the monks of the Shaolin Temple over in China!

Edward:  Todd, thanks for sharing your story with us. Leave a final message.

Todd:  To those considering joining the industry, I wish you much luck.  As glamorous as it seems sometimes, it really requires a LOT of work. I'm talking about following-up on contacts, getting to appointments on time, developing relationships, and spending a good amount of money to get started.  I would 100% recommend you keep some kind of survival job...preferably something that you like and is flexible.

Keeping your expectations reasonable will make your life a lot easier.  Just fyi, I know of VERY few men who make a living just modeling.  I know of a handful of women who can support themselves, but they are with top agencies, started when they were 16 and have developed a name for themselves.  I would have saved myself a lot of worry and stress had I known going into it that models rarely make a livable wage when they first start out.  To begin, find out which areas of print (fashion, commercial, fitness, etc) work for you and focus your energies there.  Always trust your gut instinct, too...if something's too good to be true, watch out.

Now go chase that dream.

Photos are by David Vance, Eduardo Patino, Jeff Marano, Jen Greenwald, Southern Exposure Photography, Calvin French. All are copyright 2007.