HardFitness Issue #32 Angela Terlesky Cover Model

[Luv2Hurt]

I shot with JC back in 2003 and 2004 as well, and there are a mixture of good shots as well as bad ones.  It is the model's responsibility as well as the photographer's responsibility to showcase the model's physique and the photographer's work in the best way possible.  Unfortunately, JC consistently chooses images--to advertise his site--that display a model in a very awkward, ungraceful manner and with poor lighting and little touch up.

I personally wish the quality of images dedicated to stage shots transferred over to the individual, model images, but for some reason, that isn't done.  I actually think JC could simply choose a different stage shot each month and create just as much or even more success in his webzine and bypass all of this criticism.  Of course, the constant chatter regarding the quality of these images only draws curious minds to his page, and this is most likely his ulterior motive.

Is there a difference in the attire between the photo of me you displayed, Luv2Hurt, and the one on JC's cover?  No.  But there is a huge difference in the stance and placement of legs, arms, and torso.  And there is a humongous difference in lighting and the polished quality of the photos.  The photo you chose of me was taken by a photographer outside of the fitness industry, one who is known for his lighting techniques and ability to capture shadows and to show the best features of his models in an artistic manner.  By the way, for photography credit, that photographer's name is Bob Warren, and he is based out of Houston, Texas.  That was one of about 12 images or so that I received from that shoot, for which I did get paid just as much as when I worked with JC when he was affiliated with HerBiceps.  There were about 30 or more images taken, but only the ones that were really good and really had potential were kept and cleaned up for public viewing.  The rest were discarded.

On the other point you might have been trying to make, Luv2Hurt, I made some decisions in 2004 to do images that I haven't chosen to do in the past year or so.  While I do think I've done some very creative work in the past, I also wish I had looked ahead to the other goals in my life and made some different choices.  It's easy to get wrapped up in this industry and forget that it won't carry you very far.  This is a hobby industry, not a career-making one, unless you capitalize on a particular skill you have and utilize your titles to advertise that skill.

By the way, I never brought up anything regarding the contract.  I'm not touching that subject at all except to say that a model should read every single word on any piece of paper she receives and is asked to sign and even ask an expert for a reading of the contract and a second opinion.

Well first off I did not post any pics of you.  Secondly I think the cover is fine. Is it sexy? yes it is.  But is that not what sells these mags? and what the audience wants?  Maybe not to some who are true to the sport.  But I mean even in the mainstream magizines like Flex, M Mag, MD the models in the ads are for the most part sex objects.  Now Iam in no way for the degredation of woman, but it is a fun sexy cover and I guess I just dont see what all the fuss is about.  But you may have a different prespective than me and that I respect.

[Jodi]

Sorry!  That was DavidPaul who posted that.

[CQ]

Many, many good points passed in this thread.

For one, yes JC's contest coverage is outstanding. Hardfitness.com is saved in my favorites, and I am always on that site. The coverage is up quick, I love the way it's sorted by competitor name etc...and in my opinion is the best contest coverage for females available online.

The cover shots though do blow, and it's not occasionally, it's all the time. I know nothing of photography, but I have literally seen better pics posted here by girls who just had their husband/friend casually take a pic. My non-photographer self wonders why the contest pics are so good, and the 'covers' are not. I think what Jodi mentioned about using a contest pic as a 'cover' seems a good idea. I have seen zillions of hardfitness contest pics posted here, posted at least 50 myself and don't ever recall the quality being slammed, but the 'cover' pic gets slammed month after month...even by the non-trolls.

[marc_thyssen]

Everyone seems to have glazed over one important point here, JC does ALL THE WORK HIMSELF!

So from the shooting of contests, to updating his website & doing all web design, to making & designing other competitors websites, to shooting girls & updating his member site

AND

its his second job, he is a Computer Engineer too.
Not bad for a Mexican JC


So penchant for gripes from flattering minds aside,
if there is anyone who, for their second job (let alone as a primary job), is doing more to cover Women's Fitness, Figure & Bodybuilding in this country..or anywhere for that matter


Indulge me & tell me who that is?

[Tre]

Everyone seems to have glazed over one important point here, JC does ALL THE WORK HIMSELF!

...if there is anyone who, for their second job (let alone as a primary job), is doing more to cover Women's Fitness, Figure & Bodybuilding in this country..or anywhere for that matter

Indulge me & tell me who that is?

Please demonstrate that you can at least follow the discussion before you 'spin' out of control again.

If you will look back at even a handful of recent posts, it will be readily clear to you that not a single person (who's decided to post) has criticized his contest coverage.  In fact, I'm one of the most anti-JC people around, yet I have always given him high praise for both the quality and breadth of his contest coverage. 

That said, your unconditional love for the guy cannot be allowed to cloud the real issue in *this* thread, which is the fact that he refuses to use his good shots on his covers.  It's a very simple reality, as evidenced by the feedback.  You are keeping track, aren't you?

We're talking about a guy who published the worst-ever shots of both Monica Brant and Jenny Lynn.  It's too bad he didn't have you advising him then.

[marc_thyssen]

well have a think about it, why would JC put Contest pics on the cover when all of you go look at them anyway?

Duh!

Marketing! The cover shots are all Muscletease member site related, and thus good promo for that site he pushes.
Ok he's not shooting the cover of MD but thats not what he's pushing. The covers, which reflect his pay site photos, push that site!
You can argue what should be on the cover, but I think its Pretty simple math.


so who's spinning now?

[Dina]

I hope JC is paying you for PR...lol 

[Lift Studios]

Marc you really love you sum JC.

A trained monkey can take decent contest shots. I'm proof of that. Offstage shots requires a bit of creativity, which is clearly lacking.

Gene and James have and are doing the best female coverage.

Dina, Tara sends her love and wishes u were here.

[Thin Lizzy]

This is a disgrace and a slap in the face to the competitors who take this industry seriously.  These covers look cheap and only add to the stigma of bodybuilding and fitness/figure women.  The model does not look graceful; her lines are not being exhibited properly, and the entire shot itself reeks of cheapness.

By the way, this isn't a magazine.  It's a webzine.  It's not on newsstands.  You can't go to Barnes and Noble and search the racks for it.  It is simply a minor portion of a website.  If any competitor out there chooses to do a cover shot like this for the amount of money I think you're getting, then you have no respect for yourself, especially when you know for a fact that absolute worst image of your body and face will be chosen as the "winning" image.

The competitors of this industry need to realize that their actions don't just create a reflection of themselves or the photographer; they permeate throughout the pool of this industry and into every single one of us.  When you allow this to continue to occur, you allow our industry to be made a mockery of.  Go ahead.  Keep it up.  We will continue to remain on the fringe of society as a freakish cult.

In all fairness, Jodi, didn't you do one of those Brian Moss She-Muscle shoots in a motel room that gets rented by the minute?

[Hedgehog]

I don't see much diifference between this picture of you and the cover shot, apart from the style of photography,

If you want to say he sucks as a photographer, then that is your right, and opinion, to judge him artisticly,

but, to call him tacky, when most of the industry is designed to cater for seedy little schmoes is laughable.

Hes the same as the rest, he may take a different style of picture, and have contracts etc, but don't make him a scapegoat for the state of the womens sport.

Where did she call Lopez tacky?

[Hedgehog]

well have a think about it, why would JC put Contest pics on the cover when all of you go look at them anyway?

Duh!

Marketing! The cover shots are all Muscletease member site related, and thus good promo for that site he pushes.
Ok he's not shooting the cover of MD but thats not what he's pushing. The covers, which reflect his pay site photos, push that site!
You can argue what should be on the cover, but I think its Pretty simple math.


so who's spinning now?

The covers looks like shyte. Garbage. One of the covers had a person standing in front of a waist-high brick wall, with nature in the background. WTF?

Case in point: Lopez pics from the contests are actually pretty good.

How about shooting against a white or black background, at least try to open the pics in photoshop and white balance the pic?

[donrhummy]

Did anyone notice he changed the picture? 

[CQ]

Did anyone notice he changed the picture? 

Not until you said it, and it is an improvement.....

[NeverTrustABlonde]

took 12 seconds to make it look a little better............ 

[Tre]

well have a think about it, why would JC put Contest pics on the cover when all of you go look at them anyway?

Duh!

Marketing! The cover shots are all Muscletease member site related, and thus good promo for that site he pushes.
Ok he's not shooting the cover of MD but thats not what he's pushing. The covers, which reflect his pay site photos, push that site!
You can argue what should be on the cover, but I think its Pretty simple math.


so who's spinning now?

If your assessment was accurate, then why was the image changed?

(for those of you keeping score at home, yes, that was a rhetorical question)

[Ron]

A trained monkey can take decent contest shots. I'm proof of that.

Thanks, Wait until the shirt you will get now at the O ... See, Hear, Speak no words...

JC does a good job with his contest shots, and he is at a lot of shows, so props there. We all have good and bad shots, it is just the ones you want to put up that matter.

[marc_thyssen]

Not until you said it, and it is an improvement.....

quite an influential thread it may seem 

Tre, i hope u have a Media pass for the Olympia so I can save u a seat in the press section...next to myself & JC

 

[Tre]

Tre, i hope u have a Media pass for the Olympia so I can save u a seat...

Thanks for the kind offer, but I haven't covered the Olympia since 2003. 

[Malibu Barbie]

He has a unique style, not to everyones taste, but you can tell a JC pic.

I love how hes somehow to blame for everything right now,

its easy to gang up against one person, when you have many behind you.

He made a contract, you dont have to sign it, you DONT have to take your top off shoots.

Well, I am not sure if I was a photographer I would want my signature style being a unique ability to photograph some of the most beautiful women in the industry and have them look like pasty white manicans with muscles in stripper shoes. Ya, you know it is definitely a J.C. cover photo when the women is shot in an upward angle with bright lighting to accentuate just how dehydrated, striated and unwomanly a beautiful women can look. The women are generally standing in some awkward weird angel while squishing their implants flat (don't you know that's what all women do when they want to feel sexy). As for the settings....looks like Michael Vic's back yard.