I discovered the work of Austin, Texas, based Photographer Carlos “Trey” Salazarwhen he was doing some photo work at Box Menswear’s 2019 photo shoot in Texas.
Carlos EffortSeth HolbrookCarlos Effort
I saw some Trey’s photos from the Box Menswear photo shoot on Instagram, which I liked and wanted a physical print. I emailed him and found out prints were possible. I have bought several prints over time.
Trey provides some information about himself and his photography niche.
Trey has been a photographer for over 10 years now. He started his career as a wedding photographer, traveling the country from NYC to Napa Valley. Trey shot weddings with 50 guests to 500 guests, he loved meeting new people and making new friendships. A few years into his career he began shooting senior portraits for Texas high school seniors.
While on location shooting he was a victim of an accident and lost his right foot. After months of therapy and recovery, Trey made a career move into fashion/portraiture. He began working with male clients in the Austin area, that grew to the Texas area, then grew to national clients and now he works with male clients from all over the world.
Trey works out of his home studio in Austin, in addition to traveling to NYC, LA, and Florida for shoots.
Alejandro Victoria hosts the Yo Soypodcast, which is also based in Austin, Texas. In 2019, Yo Soy had an interview with Trey.
In the podcast, Alejandro and Trey discussed several topics, including how Trey transitioned from working in retail to entering photography and owning his own business. Trey also discussed how he entered the male portrait photography niche. Also, Trey provides his view on being a Latino within the portrait photography industry.
Trey is open to providing photography advice to people who ask him for it. He noted in the interview that while he provides technical advice, each person has a different eye and will produce different images.
While Trey posts photos of stunning models on his Instagram pages, those models’ business is based on looking fantastic in photos. Those photos attract attention and create business leads. Trey takes photos of all people, focusing on helping the person to look their best.
For people looking to enter photography, Trey encourages people to take a lot of photographs of everything. This is the way to discover what type of photography the person likes.
Alejandro asked Trey if he had any favorite models. Trey responded that he likes working with models that are comfortable in their skin. (Interestingly, Trey himself prefers to take photos rather than being in photos.) Trey named two models as favorites, Keith Laue, and Kevin Mize, though I got the impression that he likes working with all people.
I have provided a summary of the 30-minute interview. I recommend listening to the podcast, as you get to learn more about Trey the artist and person creating the images.
Topher AlfordDon HolidayBrock GradyFelix Fox (see blog post on short shorts)
James Maxwell and Dom BlanchardKeith Laue (see blog post on short shorts)Carlos EffortJackson SkateGriffin Barrows
Need portraits for your project or want to buy a print? Contact Trey for more information.
Other photos that I have bought: Box Menswear model Alex Parker and another model named Jordan. The photos are more of the models interacting with space. The models have been in the gym or have a physique developed with athletics. Most have sunlight and one is under studio lights.
Why Buy Photo Prints?
With the Internet, there is a lot of photography to enjoy. However, photographs are a form of intellectual property that is owned by someone, usually the photographer. The issue with the Internet is that the photographs are enjoyed without credit being given to the model or the photographer. So, on the blog, I make sure to locate model and photographer names and provide links for each. To the extent possible, I ask if prints are available.
Need portraits for your project or want to buy a print? Contact Trey for more information.
As things have moved to digital and there is more concern with conserving paper and the use of chemicals, prints are less common than when I was growing up (there was not the Internet as it exists today. Photography was based on the use of film and having prints made.)
Also, I want to support the artist making the photos that I enjoy. So, I buy a book or a print to do it.
Trey’s Blog
Trey has a blog on his website. Below are some entries from 2018 (no longer on the site) that I liked.
Topher Alford
One model that had fantastic photos that I have come to love is Topher Alford. According to the blog post, Topher is a model represented by Raw Connects Model Management.
Topher was with Trey in 2018 to take test photos and, unsurprisingly, was getting calls for modeling gigs. I wish Topher the best in his career.
Trevor
One blog post was about a New Yorker, Trevor, who is an artist. Trey met Trevor through Instagram. All the photos are great.
Need portraits for your project or want to buy a print? Contact Trey for more information.
Box Menswear
Trey had been taking photos for Box Menswear clothing since 2018. Based on his blog posts, he likes working with the brand. An interesting side note: In the Yo Soy podcast (discussed above), Trey mentioned that Luke Mills, the owner of Box Menswear, had asked him to take photos in Thailand. Trey had declined the invitation.
For the next big trip, Box Menswear brought the photo shoot to Trey’s state–Texas. I noticed that some of the photo backgrounds for the 2019 photo shoot were the same as some of the photos on Trey’s Box Menswear blog (spring 2018 commercial shoot with Keith Laue and a selection of Box Menswear editorial photos with several different models).
(I have a blog post on a model in this post, Kyle Hynick.)
Need portraits for your project or want to buy a print? Contact Trey for more information.
After the Box Menswear photo shoot in Texas, one of the models there, Carlos Effort, returned to do another photo session with Trey.
Calvin
Another photo set was with a model named Calvin. Calvin has several talents: art, dance, and baking.
Conclusion
The models are seen in many photos and advertisements, the photographers also responsible for the image are not seen yet are an important part of the field. I heard about Trey’s work while seeing the numerous photos related to the huge Box Menswear photo shoot.
Also, I was happy to find the Yo Soy podcast in which I was able to find out more about Trey’s background and approach to photography.
I look forward to enjoying more photographic art from Trey.
Please write your questions or comments about photography or male modeling industry in the comment section.
Kyle Hynick is a mens physique competitor and fitness model from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He did a photoshoot for Box Menswear in New York.
Kyle is 6 feet (1.83 meters) tall. Kyle is a Leo (birthday August 16). Kyle also has a page at Model Mayhem.
Along with fitness influencer physique and workout photos, Kyle also has an Instagram page where he models streetwear outfits, including the grunge style.
The grunge style includes flannel overshirts (including some with customized embroidery), graphic tees, and distressed jeans or cargo pants. It is a rugged, relaxed look.
Kyle lives in Atlantic Canada. With the pandemic, there are some Canadians leaving the cities to live in less-expensive areas, for example, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
According to Statistics Canada, about 33,000 people from other provinces migrated to the region of 2.5 million people in the first half of this year alone, compared with about 18,500 in the same period in 2005.
Many of the new arrivals are millennials, Ms. Freestone said, motivated by the new “You only live once” economy. Some were filling important labor gaps in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland, including in the technology and health care sectors.
Dan Bilefsky, reporter, New York Times
Kyle in the United Kingdom, 2021
Kyle returned to the United Kingdom in November 2021 to do a photo shoot with Box Menswear. (Get more details on his Instagram.)
The photo shoot location is Westbury Castle in Wales, UK. The photographers on the photo shoot are–
Alex and Jake were photographers on Box Menswear’s 2019 photo shoot. (Kyle also did the 2019 photo shoot.)
Jade Young in Manhattan, New York City
When Kyle posted these photos on Instagram, I thought they were a photo montage. (No one in the crowds of people is looking at him.) Nevertheless, the 2019 photos are really in Times Square, New York City. Someone who saw him there wrote a comment. The photographer is Jade Young.
Check out a related blog post on Times Square, Calvin Klein billboard ads, and today’s fitness influencers.
Author’s note: Some of Kyle’s photos with Jade were featured in DNA Magazine.
In doing a search on YouTube, I found that Kyle had been a fitness YouTuber starting about 8 years ago. At the time, Kyle was focused more on bodybuilding. A transformation video received 2.3 million views in 2013, according to an interview of Kyle in a Canadian newspaper.
In mens physique, the contestants wear board shorts and do semi-flexed body poses. The emphasis is on overall physique not muscularity. The categories are determined by height only; there are no weight classes.
While at the Texas Box Menswear photoshoot, Kyle was in pre-contest condition. In October 2019, after the Texas photoshoot, Kyle competed in and won the novice mens physique division at the 2019 St. John Fall Classic in Canada.
Photographer: Paul Girvan. Board shorts, Chula Wear.
Kyle had some photos from the contest period.
Kyle’s Photo Shoots
Blair Bartlett
Blair Bartlett is a photographer and makeup artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
In early 2019, Kyle was in New York for a photo shoot for Box Menswear, with Photographer Jade Young. In July 2020, DNA Magazine featured some of the images from Kyle’s photo shoot with Jade.
In November 2020, Kyle was featured in an advertorial in Attitude Magazine for Box.
Kyle Hynick at Photographer Jade Young’s studio for Box Menswear.
Texas
Later in 2019, Kyle was in Texas for the 2019 Box Menswear photo shoot.
While in Florida, Kyle did a photo shoot with Photographer Steven Schmidt. Photographer Schmidt mentioned that Seth Holbrook connected him with Kyle. I have noticed how the models from the Box Menswear photo shoot in Texas have supported each other.
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