Casting Calls: 1994 - 1995

Tony_Ward_Studio_early_work_casting_calls_black_white_model_Catja_topless — Catja

CASTING CALLS: 1994 – 1995

Between the years 1994 to 1995, I was in the midst of planning one of my biggest photography projects to date, the creation and production of my book of Tableaux Vivants, published by Edition Stemmle of Zurich Switzerland, in the year 2002. To create a body of work with such a large cast of characters, I often called upon actors, actresses, models, friends and on occasion even strangers that I discovered on the streets of Philadelphia where I often worked. For the book of Tableaux Vivants over 150 subjects were cast for the complex photo shoots which normally included at least three characters per scene. A casting call consisted of a brief sitting at my studio, that enabled me to see how the subjects performed in front of the camera. I was also able to gauge how the subjects reacted to my direction. Moreover, I was able to determine whether a subject was comfortable enough to shed their clothing for some of the more provocative scenes I become known to produce for my books and exhibitions.