Shooting stars with Dominique James

(Second of two parts)

Last Saturday, I wrote about Dominique James, undeniably now one of the most sought-after names in the field of photography. I had the chance to work with him recently when the clothing line Jewels, which I endorse along with Tanya Garcia, Erich Gonzales and TJ Trinidad, did a photo shoot for its new collection (these should be in the stores by now).

I can’t tell you enough what fun I had during the shoot and how relaxed I was while the pictorial was ongoing (done late afternoon of a Saturday and I had to rush there from Startalk). Dominique is now one of my favorite photographers. I was afraid to ask though if I’ve become one of his favorite subjects, but I asked just the same for his list and — sob! — it doesn’t include me (ha-ha-ha!). Here is the official list of his favorite subjects:

Jacquilou Blanco — She has this "open" appeal, says Dominique. "Every time you photograph her, she’s like a blank canvas and you can do a lot of things with her. Always open to suggestions."

Vina Morales — Orgasmic in a creative way — that is Dominique James’ description of the singer-actress.

Regine Velasquez — "While other models warm up first, Regine can turn it on in an instant."

Kuh Ledesma — "She demands perfection and the kind of perfection she demands from me makes me more creative."

Gary Valenciano — "You feel his emotions," claims Dominique. "When he smiles at the camera, that smile is not for the camera, but for you."

Borgy Manotoc — "He is the equivalent of the charisma of 15 charismatic male models," insists Dominique. "He has that kind of power over you and will just take your breath away."

Angel Locsin — According to Dominique, the top young star has an unassuming personality. "She has this amazing quiet center. Very placid — very peaceful."

Regine Tolentino — "She’ll do whatever I ask her to do," Dominique volunteers. "She’s very good at taking instructions and can guess what idea I have in my head."

Marc Nelson — He has everything a photographer requires of a model, so says Dominique. "Aside from good looks, the expression you get from him is genuine."

Richard Gutierrez — "Most people just see him as a matinee idol. What a lot of them do not know is that he has a soft spot that is vulnerable and I love capturing that on my camera."