How Jimon Aframian is Living His Dream!
About a year ago, I found an email in my inbox from Jimon Aframian saying that he was starting a magazine here in Los Angeles and he’d like to feature some of my work from my Boys Collection. I have a soft spot for that body of work and am always eager and pleased that it continues to be highlighted and shown. I’m very proud of the body of work as it depicts to me a time in my life where I was dedicated to a certain project and it also is when I met my husband, David.
I wrote back and told Jimon, “sure, which images did he want”? At that point he had found my Blog and read where a certain editorial I had shot for another magazine didn’t run in the proper way and he asked if he could run that story. I was more than happy to find a good home for that shoot. So I told him yes! And the story came out in December in the launch issue of the magazine aptly named JIMON.
I recently sat down to lunch with the owner and publisher of JIMON, Jimon Aframian. I was really moved by his story and want to share it with all of you. His passion for starting this magazine and the hard work he has put into it shows in spades. The magazine is large, the printing is beautiful and the work in it exceptional. He has now just launched the second issue in which features an editorial shot by myself.
Jimon’s life story reads like a fast paced novel. He escaped Tehran in 1984 and ended up in Los Angeles. He got his degree in Engineering from Cal State Northride in 1991 and took a job as a jet engineer. He went through a few engineering jobs, never really feeling that passionate about it. In 1995 he bought a film camera and like many of us, found his passion in photography! He threw himself into film making, even doing a commercial for Snapple! He took a class in AVID and explored as much as he could on the subject of film making. He veered away from engineering but still needed to eat so he took a job as a film engineer, working with the Quantel machine and living in London. April of 1999 marks a significant moment for him as he decided to quit working for other people and took up photography and film making full time.
A friend gave him a Hasselblad 500 CM as a gift which he turned around and sold so he could buy a Leica, a Contax 6.45 and a Canon. He shot non-stop, which led to his images being published in European Playboy and in high end nude books, one of which was Maxim’s “Erotica”.
In mid 2005 he took some classes at my Alma Mater, Art Center College of Design. He was still shooting, still honing his skills, exploring his vision and in 2008 made the decision to start his own magazine. He explained to me that the vision wasn’t exactly there in the beginning. At first he thought that he would use the magazine as a vehicle to get his own work published. I’m sure a few of you reading this have had the same thought. I know I have. But he worked on his vision for the magazine over the next one and a half years, contacting other photographers who’s work he admired and put the magazine together. He interviewed the illustrious David Rothschild and launched JIMON Magazine in December 2009.
The magazine has grown FAST. Every move he makes with the magazine is a success. Finding distributors was easier than he ever imagined. He made a mock up and he found a distributor that also distributes Numero, Vogue Paris and Purple. For Jimon, finding a printer proved to be the most difficult because he wanted it to be printed perfectly! He explains that JIMON is not a “7-11 Magazine”. But he did find one and I have to say the magazine is gorgeous! Every one I speak to about it who has seen my spread and complimented on it has exclaimed how impressed they are with the first issue. And of course, how impressed they are with it’s owner, Jimon.
For Jimon, his dream has finally come true. He told me how he gets goose bumps when he walks into a newsstand and sees JIMON Magazine sitting on the shelf next to Purple, Ten, Numero and Vogue Paris! I have to tell you, it makes me pretty proud myself that I am published in the magazine!
These images featured in this post were shot exclusively for JIMON Magazine. I worked with Yuliya from LA Models who gracefully danced in the late afternoon sun on my friend and occasional assistant Alex Vazquez’s property. Iris Moreau did a fantastic job with hair and make up. And I pulled the clothes from Church, with Rodney Burns helping me with the looks. I used only natural, available, late afternoon magic hour light with the occasional bump from a white/gold reflector. ; ) Shot on my Nikon and using the 50mm and 85mm lenses. That’s simply it on the tech side. Tyler Mitchell was my 1st assistant on this shoot who can now add rattlesnake searching to his resume.He went out into the field in front of us all, carrying the camera bag and a long stick, pounding on the ground to scare off any sleeping, sunbathing rattlers.
The magazine is on the newsstands nationwide now and soon to be available throughout the world! Once again I’ll just say that I’m glad I answered that first email a year ago and that I am now featured twice in this fabulous magazine! Try to find a copy so you can check out the quality of the paper and printing. One thing, though: You won’t find it at your local 7-11.
(All Images © Melissa Rodwell Photography 2010)
Excellent Story, he seems like a very cool guy! Congratulations on the beautiful images.
amazing story, so inspiring! and of course the images are splendid!
so, any retouch advice on how to achieve such an amazing skin tone? and make it so even? especially when showing a lot of the bodysskin.. usually my problem is that knees turn out to red-ish or in the upper part of the legs you can see veins :-/
this story is simply inspiring. it gave me so much hope.
thank you so much for sharing jimon’s story and how he slowly but surely quit his 9-5 job to follow his passion for photography. how many are we in this position? i know i am.
i really love the first and last photo of your shoot, those were my favorite. pure light, sensual girl… you rendered it beautifully Melissa, great job!
Once again you rock. Jimon’s story is a triumph over adversity and an inspiration. I particularly love how you’ve hit the Cali feel in theses shots Melissa and they don’t look particularly processed either. I know a fast lens helps in this and you’ve used it to perfection. Your model is quite wonderful.
Another amazing shoot and I adore that you are so enthusiastic for an upstart, think of how many more people will subscribe or buy the magazine thanks to this blog! I know I will! I think many of us photographers admire both you and Jimon for being able to bring your dream to a fruitful endeavor! Rock on!
Congratulations on the shoot! These images are beautiful — I like the soft look, which seems to be a trend recently with a lot of (fashion) photography. I’ll keep an eye out for the magazine at my local bookstore!
Just goes to show you. Gods lighting is always best!
Being in the magazine industry for quite some time I know how difficult it can be in the beginning to get it off the ground. But it sounds like Jimon is making all the right decisions. Way to go!
Once again, congratulations for both you and Jimon! What an exciting endeavor. The work is outstanding and you can all be proud of it.
I’ll start looking tonight for a copy!
Very inspiring story! Thank you for sharing it. I’m certainly going to look for a copy. Magnificent photos as always, Melissa!
WOW, just wow – awesome story and strikingly beautiful images! Looking forward to grabbing a copy of the magazine!
I enjoy reading your story and the photos are amazing. You have captured perfect angle of this model as well as the emotion, the light, the mood and of course the retouch is perfect. I love this style because it remind me to the photographer Bruno Dayan.
Absolutely breath taking images. I’m I love with the monochromatic spread. Team work is impeccable. Thanks for sharing. I’m definitly going to hunt down that magazine and subscribe, so I’ll never have to hunt again.
I’ve been on pins & needles waiting for a new blog post. This was really great and inspiring. Definitely going to look up this magazine!!!!
GORGEOUS Images! Wow : )
So happy for Jimon and of course for you! BEAUTIFUL WORK and I’m tracking down a copy now!
Awesome spread, and very inspiring/motivating story!
It’s always nice to see when nudity is done in such a tasteful manner. Part of the reason is probably because you are a woman shooting women. You seem to capture them perfectly!
Lovely work again.
Mark
Hi Melissa
Amazing story! really inspiring,\.
do you by any chance happen to know where I can get this magazine in the East Coast? i live in Colombia, South America and I will be traveling to Chicago, NY and boston next week so maybe I can pick one up!!! any information would be very welcome.
Beautiful pictures, congratulations!
Best,
Such beautiful images, really love them!!! And a wonderful story behind the birth of what seems to be a must-have-magazine. Not sure if it’s on sale here in Norway, but if not – I’ll hunt it down on the web…
Cheers,
Eivind Rohne
Wowww, your best works for me, I really like the kind of back light really smoth and poetic.
Now I am gonna read your words
Jimon seems like a very interesting guy. going to def pick this up.
Absolutely Fantastic Story, LOVE the natural light
I’m always impressed by the quality of your pictures, all with natural lights and reflectors. The maitrise of the over-exposed background are perfect, tone very attractive ! Congrats to Jimon, another happy end/new start in this beautiful fashion wolrd, I’ll be extremly proud to have one copy of this in France..
Congrats to both of you, you’re awesome !
Another awesome story! Thanks for sharing.
I will be working with a model who was in the first issue and I remember seeing it and feeling out of the loop for not knowing the publication. I saw a few images from it online and thought that it was right up my alley and placed an order for the two existing issues. It’s quite the extra treat to learn that I will get to see the printed version of your shoot. Jimon’s story being similar to mine in some ways (minus the success of starting your own magazine
was the perfect read to motivate me this morning. I just wanted to thank you again because with people like you out there sharing real world tips and inspiring stories, I can smile knowing that other photographers will have a plethora of information to help prepare them for what’s out there if they decide to expand their vision to fashion photography.
Stunning images as always, thanks for sharing these!
What a gorgeous photo!
i like your blog ,very good
I LOVE Each of them but the fifth one is a piece of art
Inspirational and fantastic photography. What more can be said!
wow, seems like i repeat myself alot on your blog, but WOW again, great work and good look to you both.
Love the first photo
Lovely work yet again. Inspiring…
Thanks for all the blog entries, Melissa….I always read them with enthusiasm!
Any chance you could comment on your post processing techinque?
Thanks,
Bill
Hey, M., this post has given a lot of deep ideas to munch over… Jamin’s story is a curious one… And when you have been published in the magazine… – it is so great! Now I really can’t wait to put m hands on it here, in Europe!
All the best,
Norbert
Hello Melissa, I just found you blog and i would just like to say I love your work and all the information that you share, it’s really great. I’m a college student looking into fashion photography and reading your blogs have been really interesting and helpful.
I didnt read so much of the story.
But the pictures are gorgeous!
** I expecially like the pictures that shows her boobs, ugh! Im soo horney right now!! ** give me more!!
That is awesome.
So lovely – I would like to practice this style & have been sharing the link to friends & photo groups. I get to photograph models but it’s not like this – a vision.
Very interesting shots! attract the attention immediatelly! Thank you very much for sharing!
Photos taken with the greatest precision, the light at the first photograph is fabulous …
Oh dogs are so lovely, i wish i could have my incredibly own loved ones of dogs. It would make my day time daily to see them have fun.