THE GREAT AMERICAN KNEED - 2018 (TuTchT American Swag Series) Featuring Ronald Epps. (This is a detail excerpt, scroll back to see the full image.) When I decided to tackle the “take a knee” topic for this year’s “American Swag” joint I knew I wanted to capture the essence of the young black American Football player, not just at the NFL level, but also encompassing our brothers as young as Tamir Rice. I only had to think for a couple seconds before deciding that one of my longtime TuTchTfavs, Ronald Epps, with his athleticism, affability and massive appeal would be perfect collaborator. Once I looked deeper I realized he’s been a longtime BLM supporter and felt very strongly about Kaepernick’s protests and everything that’s happened since. I’ve followed and supported his career from his days as an unknown standout to an Industry mainstay. Remaining as one of Wilhelmina’s top models since his 2013 signing, he reps some of the biggest names in High Fashion and popular Commercial Brands and he’s shown up on countless “sexiest men” lists through the years. But for me, its been watching him as a young father that ups my respect and admiration level in my book. I love this guy. THANK YOU, Brother, for sharing part of yourself with the world! @therealronaldepps @Wilhelminamodels @TuTchTig #LoJoWerkz #LoJoWerkzDailyDope #DAILYDOPE #TuTchT #TuTchTAmericanSwag #TheGreatAmericanKneed #RonaldEpps #TakeaKnee #NFL #BlackLivesMatter #Kaepernick #TopMaleModels #TopModelsofColor #ModelAthletes #TuTchTModelPortraits #AmericanSwag #IndependenceDayTraditions

THE GREAT AMERICAN KNEED - 2018 (TuTchT American Swag Series) Featuring Ronald Epps. There is a LOT I could say about this piece, the NFL “take a knee” protests and the brilliance of model Ronald Epps (which I will do in the 2 following posts.) But for now I’ll let the TuTchTness speak for itself. This is the tenth year and 24th piece in the series…and the importance of this July 4th tradition for me is growing stronger each year. @therealronaldepps @TuTchTig #LoJoWerkz #LoJoWerkzDailyDope #DAILYDOPE #TuTchT #TuTchTAmericanSwag #TheGreatAmericanKneed #RonaldEpps #TakeaKnee #NFL #BlackLivesMatter #Kaepernick #TopMaleModels #TopModelsofColor #ModelAthletes #TuTchTModelPortraits #AmericanSwag #IndependenceDayTraditions

THE GREAT AMERICAN KNEED - 2018 (TuTchT American Swag Series) Featuring Ronald Epps. (This is a detail excerpt, scroll back to see the full image.) When I decided to tackle the “take a knee” topic for this year’s “American Swag” joint I knew I wanted to capture the essence of the young black American Football player, not just at the NFL level, but also encompassing our brothers as young as Tamir Rice. I only had to think for a couple seconds before deciding that one of my longtime TuTchTfavs, Ronald Epps, with his athleticism, affability and massive appeal would be perfect collaborator. Once I looked deeper I realized he’s been a longtime BLM supporter and felt very strongly about Kaepernick’s protests and everything that’s happened since. I’ve followed and supported his career from his days as an unknown standout to an Industry mainstay. Remaining as one of Wilhelmina’s top models since his 2013 signing, he reps some of the biggest names in High Fashion and popular Commercial Brands and he’s shown up on countless “sexiest men” lists through the years. But for me, its been watching him as a young father that ups my respect and admiration level in my book. I love this guy. THANK YOU, Brother, for sharing part of yourself with the world! @therealronaldepps @Wilhelminamodels #TuTchT #TuTchTIMAGING #ThruTuTchTEyes #TuTchTAmericanSwag #TheGreatAmericanKneed #RonaldEpps #TakeaKnee #NFL #BlackLivesMatter #Kaepernick #TopMaleModels #TopModelsofColor #ModelAthletes #TuTchTModelPortraits #AmericanSwag #IndependenceDayTraditions

THE GREAT AMERICAN KNEED - 2018 (TuTchT American Swag Series) Featuring Ronald Epps. There is a LOT I could say about this piece, the NFL “take a knee” protests and the brilliance of model Ronald Epps (which I will do in the 2 following posts.) But for now I’ll let the TuTchTness speak for itself. This is the tenth year and 24th piece in the series…and the importance of this July 4th tradition for me is growing stronger each year. @therealronaldepps #TuTchT #TuTchTIMAGING #ThruTuTchTEyes #TuTchTAmericanSwag #TheGreatAmericanKneed #RonaldEpps #TakeaKnee #NFL #BlackLivesMatter #Kaepernick #TopMaleModels #TopModelsofColor #ModelAthletes #TuTchTModelPortraits #AmericanSwag #IndependenceDayTraditions

THE BROTHERS of FASHION WEEK SEASON -LUKA TuTchTFav Luka Sabbat, along with his significant other & fellow lens-charmer Adriana Mora, perfectly embodies the blend of classic 18th Century ornate elements with current street culture style of Les Benjamins’ SS18 line. He def possesses a unique kind of streetwise royal air. These lookbook captures by photog Dylan Don dropped during Men’s Fashion Month. @LukaSabbat @Moracmora @lesbenjamins @Requestmodels @dylandon_official #TuTchT #TuTchTIMAGING #ThruTuTchTEyes #LukaSabbat #MrFallback #ItBoy #TuTchTFavs #TopMaleModels #BornInfluencer #AdrianMora #LesBenjamins #DylanDonPhotography #MensFashionWeekMonth #LondonFashionWeek #MilanFashionWeek #TopMaleModelsofColor #FashionRoyalty #RunwayKings

“TIDE BEARER” this year’s TuTchT AMERICAN SWAG PORTRAIT ft. VALENTINE RONTEZ. Each year I spend Independence Day creating a new “American Swag” portrait. These have always been some of my most popular (& on occasion, controversial) TuTchT works. They also provide me a chance to take my art work into the same deeper waters where much of my musical and theatrical works dwell. This year’s piece took quite a bit longer than usual, but it survived a stormy emotional journey and arrived on the “completion” shore early this morning. HUGE thanks to the brother Valentine Rontez, who is currently one of the brightest-shining stars among male models of color. As I’ve come to know more about him over the past couple years I’ve realized that not only is he one of the most visually magnetic presences on the world Fashion stage, he’s also a young man with a generations-long view of life, with a vision of both past and future that is equally sharp. And on the real, I’m sure its hard enough to have a truthful self-insight about the swirl of attention that follows an “it boy” model on a daily basis. To be able to maintain a broader insight of your place in the world during this season is a truly admirable quality. When I decided this year’s American Swag piece would feature a young black man standing fast against the tide of American History, I knew Valentine was my model of choice. Even in the midst of a busy Fashion Week Season where his star is rising meteorically, he graciously agreed to this collaboration. Much love and respect. (S/O to master lensman Tarrice Love who’s stunning work with Valentine helped inform this joint.) @x.valentine @TuTchTig @IMGmodels #LoJoWerkz #LoJoWerkzDailyDope #DAILYDOPE #TuTchT #Valentine #ValentineRontez #TuTchTFav #TopMaleModels #TuTchTAmericanSwag #TideBearer #AmericanHistory #AfricanAmericanHistory #statueofliberty #topmalemodelsofcolor #thetideofhistory #steadfast #itboy #runwaykings #tarricelove #TuTchModelPortraits #TheAmericanSwag #TideBearer

THE BROTHERS of FASHION WEEK SEASON - LUKA in PARIS There are really only a few natural-born “influencers” who aren’t deliberately manufactured by corporate interests or created by industrial-sized efforts to gain attention. At just 19-years-old, Mr. Sabbat is one of the OGs of the world of style and fashion influencers. He was captured by a couple weeks ago on the streets of Paris during Fashion Week rocking a shirt by Haider Ackermann. The snap is by the appropriately named lensman @mrstreetpeeper for Vogue Runway. @LukaSabbat @h.a @Voguerunway #TuTchT #TuTchTIMAGING #ThruTuTchTEyes #LukaSabbat #HaiderAckermann #Vogue #VogueRunway #TuTchTFavs #MrStreetpeeperPhotography #MrFallback #ItBoy #OGInfluencer #FashionWeekSeason #TopMaleModelsofColor #RunwayKings #ParisFashionWeek #TopMaleModels #NYFWM

Got all kinda love for this guy right here! Well-deserving of all the kudos creds, props & praise being hurled at him by the Fashion Industry these days! Stay tuned for lots of posts throwing shine on this guy’s massive moves in the coming days. (The pic is a throwback to a born day joint I did last July) @x.valentine #TuTchT #TuTchTIMAGING #ThruTuTchTEyes #ValentineRontez #TopMaleModels #KillintheGame #ModelsdotcomHotList #FashionWeekSeason #FashionWeek #Rontez #Valentine #OntheRise #TopMaleModelsofColor