Homotography congratulates stylist and casting director John Tan on the launch of his new project, Visual Tales magazine. The premier issue of the quarterly magazine features two books/covers: model Nick Hinman by Bell Soto above, and actor Luke Grimes by Dustin Beatty, below.
We asked John Tan about his motivation to start the new magazine and he explained, “It is my vision to start Visual Tales because I can foresee where independent fashion publishing is going. And since the US mens' titles are getting smaller and smaller due to the economy, I just felt it is a good time as any to introduce another alternative way/title to get some excitement back into the mix and not solely rely on the European big books as our only source for great fashion/inspiration. There are lots of talented people here that crave their chance to shine, and I want to hopefully give them the opportunity to do so. It is a work in progress, so this is only a taste of what's to come, from my perspective.”
John continued, “The magazine represents a mixed bag of who I am and what I am known for thru my styling and casting work; but also throwing in ideas that other contributors might bring to the plate as well. Not one Visual Tales issue will be the same as another. I think a good and successful magazine should have surprises thrown in, such that not every issue is so predictable. With the internet, the creative freedom to explore and the possibilities are endless. For example, the mix of image, film and design. I also love the fact that it is very immediate, you don't have to wait for a long time to see the end results, unlike print. I am planning many varied projects to associate with this magazine, so a lot of creative things are definitely in the works.”
So how did the Visual Tales actually come to fruition? John explains, “I started this project very organically, I felt as though it created itself thru me...Yes, it is a bit daunting to think that I did a very large part of the work on my own, but I couldn't have done this without a bit of luck and support from my colleagues who took a chance and joined me for the ride. I am most grateful to them. It just goes to show, if you really love what you do, you can make things happen. I would encourage anyone who wants to do something they truly believe in for the right reasons, to just go for it... you got nothing to loose.”
We wish John and Visual Tales the very best, and we will surely keep you updated on their new features and issues.
The smaller images throughout this post are alternative covers celebrating the launch of Visual Tales. They were all shot by Bell Soto, featuring models Jans Vlas, Addison Duffy, Brady Donnelly, Spencer Brown, Jules Hamilton, and Martin Gruca.