Tyler Shields, is notably one of thee most creative photographers out here in Los Angeles, on top of pushing the envelope with controversial images that many tend to teeter totter. Known for his jaw dropping and perilous work with many of Hollywood’s young socialites and celebrities ranging from Emma Roberts, Lindsey Lohan, Shiloh Fernandez, Evan Peters and Brittany Snow Snow just to name a few, he’s gained the recognition that’s well deserved.

I’ve been a fan of Tyler’s for years and  have always admired his risk taking in getting the perfect shot. Not one to hold back from walking the lines of fire in order to get people talking, the illusions alone will have you second guessing your mental health and sanity. Over the years, I’ve found his work to be hypnotic, calculating and raw to the imagination. So what makes this showing different from the rest? Well for a number of reasons.

Looking back at all his work, he’s been very selective  with his range of young celebrities that he’s photographed and with all due respect, as talented as they are off the screens of our televisions, they all tend to look the same.

Work done by Tyler Shields

Young, white and privileged, while telling a story of a life when the cameras stop rolling. Not too much diversity has been used from what I could recall. Even his following alone lacks a bit of diversity leaving the “tokens” to compensate the missing colors of his art. Regardless, growing up as a “token” myself, my admiration still runs deep. I remember a few years back when I became aware of him. I had once asked to be used in his famous videography that you could find on YouTube showing scenes of what he’s directed from behind the camera only to turn it into a short film. Then, I wasn’t familiar with the protocol and thought nothing of differentiating myself as a fan from that of a young established starlet. In my mind, I was claiming my title as a socialite myself, finding my way around this city of smoking mirrors. I never had the honor of actually working with Tyler once I started to notice the obvious pattern that I just didn’t fit into, so I just stayed as a loyal fan.

Every year Tyler puts together an exclusive and uber private show to showcase his work around the time of his birthday, and every year my anticipation grows fonder wondering what new work he has in store.

Earlier in the week through Facebook, a photo of a nude black male held the grip of a rope that hung a klansman by the neck that started circulating through the Internet and social media. At first, the photo itself gave me chills due to the overall nature of the black and white eerie tone. Linked to the photo was an article noting the photo for being compelling and remarkably beautiful in its right of telling a story in reverse.

Historical Fiction was the concept.  Some of the most talked about and powerful historic features of our American history. And this was to capture the attention of those in order to get everyone ready for what was to come.

After commenting on his photo, I had received a private invitation to his showing by an old friend of mine that I had assumed to have worked with him in coordinating his event. I wasn’t going to pass this invite up and knew he’d have a great turn out as he always does.

Years ago at one of the first events I attended, I remember him as the guy who shot himself in the chest with a real pistol only for it to have been a dramatic performance to show everyone just how far he’d go for the right reaction.

So, I could only imagine that while I’m sure he wouldn’t go to the greater lengths of hanging himself, he’d definitely speak volumes in his art alone.

Lauren and I made sure to arrive at the decent hour that the show began. People had already filled up the gallery as more attended throughout the evening. The walls were decorative with his work, but non that I could say were as powerful as that one in the black and white. Definitely a little more calming than most that I’ve seen him do, but just as beautifully captured. While looking for my friend Farrah, who I expected to be in the room, was no where to be found until my eyes darted at a bright and yellow jaw dropping photo.

Photo of Vanessa Chester, Tiffany Hines and Farrah Rhea

Four black women photographed in the early era of Martin Luther Kings death. A gorgeous and vibrant photo capturing the raw emotions of such a traumatic experience in our time that will never die. Jaw dropping not because of the photo in itself, but that I knew two of the women captured. Now, being that this might be a rare view of having several women of color in this photo, my heart completely sank thinking back to the years I would’ve paid him just to have worked with him. A sense of anguish came over me from a deep rooted feeling of envy, but I put that aside to look at what he had done and the intention behind this piece.

A clear replica of a photo he had done with four Caucasian women reacting to the death of Marilyn Monroe, this was the counterpart from someone’s reflection in a different traumatic experience. Historical Fiction is work shown from dramatic experiences of the generation before us and what still exist till this day having a huge impact on how we view life as we know it. We’re getting a feel to see through the eyes of those that we never truly understood or even failed to try and do so in compassion. Seeing the remake from his former work, but using it in different instances with those of a different ethnic background, was a new path that was surprisingly excepted, but not expected.

Blogger Lauren, Actress Tiffany Hines and Myself

My friend, actress Tiffany Hines, had shown up just in time to emphasize her side of this in depth and emotional tribute through scenes that she had to create without words. Playing the part of an actress with dialogue is clearly much different than acting solely through emotions without words, so I wanted to know how she felt about her experiences as being the right fit for Tyler’s visions. As happy as I was for her, I hadn’t spoken to her in months since our last run in, so to hear that he was in need of black actresses for the shoot, I would’ve jumped at that opportunity. She was stunning in her photo and a true matured actress at heart since the time of her past work on Beyond the Beach.

Actress Tiffany Hines

I was able to meet one of the other lovely actresses Vanessa Chester, who shares a crazy resemblance to the Set it off Actress Kimberly Elise, and had the chance to genuinely explain her experience in shooting with Tyler. A videographer, who was near by asked if he could record our conversation, which of course I didn’t mind. Our conversation just flowed, as I didn’t pay any mind to the camera in our face. Come to find out, she had not seen Tyler’s work prior to shooting with him and was doing this as a favor, so she really wasn’t all that familiar to his rawness. Nothing like having a piece of raw meat in her mouth or having to play tug of war with a live crocodile . This was a more deep rooted event.

A few people had gathered around a small tv that showed video footage of people in the early eras of the 30’s in a plane about to crash. I didn’t understand how it correlated with the whole concept of historic events in our time, but just to the effect that he combined so many different elements of our American history in different versions of art was astounding.

After making our way to the bar to grab a drink, we saw the soon to be famous photo that will be having people talking for a long time. Surprisingly, not that many people were gathered around the photo, though there was a gorgeous gentleman who seemed to be personally attached to the shot.

While Lauren and I deliberated on the mix feelings in the illusions of how the photo was taken, we were in hopes that Tyler would make his grand entrance to explain his motives behind his work. The guy seemed to spend just as much quality time near the photo, taking photos of himself in front of the black and white capture. I just thought he was another admirer until Tyler showed up and went straight towards him with open arms.

Apparently Tyler knew him. I’ve never seen the guy before, which again I’ve had yet to remember any black guys in any of his work. A young guy and woman started rolling their video footage recording the conversation Tyler and the guy were having. Lauren and I stepped back a bit giving them their conversation space and we waited patiently before a mob would form around the famous photographer. My patience grew a little thin and before I knew it Tyler had ran off. Well there went that.

I didn’t really take the time to acknowledge some of his other work, as it didn’t speak to me like the other ones did. I think the whole idea of it all was to step out of the comfort of doing the repetitive. Being a well established photographer for what’s to be considered a decade, and with all that has happened in media and movies with Selma and 12 years a Slave, why not add to the topic of discussion.

At one point, I wanted to challenge those that were in the same room, but in their own personal inner circles where thoughts and words might appear to be underlying in its true honesty. Sure many state that this shot was beautifully done, but to challenge a persons real inner feelings outside of their comfort just piqued my curiosity.

I found a younger couple standing in front of the controversial photo just staring and I decided to calmly approached them to get their perception. While the male seemed completely and utterly unattached by the looks of his body language, I read him as the type to show oblivion with much pride of never having to face any real challenges throughout his privileged life. Though on the other hand, a very enthusiastic young female actually surprised me with her out of the box way of thinking where she expressed the same amount of interest that Tyler had shown. An idea where he could’ve flipped the script in using a different scenario of the reactions with the opposite nature. Basically instead of the photo of four black women reading the death of Mr. King, there could’ve been four white women to make it less predictable.

I was taken aback by her views and how receptive she was to my questions in finding common ground, unlike her more pompous other half who was as dry as a tree branch in personality. The whole purpose of Tyler’s work is not just to be there to casually look at the photography, but to gain an insight behind his visions. Clearly the kid missed that mark.

I finally had the chance to get a hold of Tyler which of course he had people waiting for their turn to ask a few questions. Actually it was pretty hilarious when one blonde Texas oil tycoon was so desperate in wanting her shot with the two of them as she wiggled her way in.

Once I got my turn, I wanted to let him know how respectable his photos were adding the essence of such a dark period of time that we still unfortunately have to face. Both he and I were surprised by the positive reviews and responses he’s been receiving thus far, granted being encouraged not to reveal to his audience which would’ve been playing it safe and a bit on the cowardly side. Tyler is far from being that coward and my respect for him is on another level that words couldn’t match up to.

A young Caucasian man showing a world that we still continue to live in so blindly, and even in our own world, we’re too timid or pigeonholed to step over the boundaries in fear of critical responses. No one wants to step outside the conservative bubble to challenge those who subliminally prefer to live in a box filled world of just black and white with no grey zone in between. Tyler smashes those boxes throwing them in the recycle bin to recreate something more beautifully transparent.

During the course of the evening more of his other artist in the short film and photos started to emerge in the midst of the crowd. Some humbled by their experiences, like Farrah who showed up later with her mother in complete bliss, and others who had a better rapport with the photographer. The essence of the crowd was just like that of a typical young Hollywood crowd with tweens dressed as if coming from a brothel and the fashionista extremist wearing Halloween props taking away from the actual art just for the mere attention.

Come to find out, that same handsome gentleman in the baseball cap whom Tyler knew, just so happened to be the man in the photo. Lauren found him on Instagram @RickyWhittle while researching a story involved in the social media perspective. Leave it to her to hunt down, the man behind the phenomenal body of work was just another lucky specimen of Tyler’s mind. I would’ve loved to have spoken to him in regards to his work, but I can also appreciate and respect his discretion in not wanting to broadcast that it was his nude body that I’m sure had eyes bouncing. After reading some of the comments on his page in reaction to his work, he too received majority rule of positive reviews. For having a great ass.

Another photo that seemed to have been overlooked by many admirers, was a photo of two black men physically attacking a policeman with an American flag pole. With this idea, I took from it, the betrayal of our nation from the perspective of a segregated group of Americans who have struggled to overcome all and any difficulties placed upon us by society. A look into the past that has now molded what is today.

I applaud Tyler in his new evolution of work that he’s done. Though for many years while his ideas have been vibrant and full of creativity putting morbid and questionable ideas out on print, this makes you look at photography in a different light. It questions if it’s the work of the photographer or the person before the camera that becomes the magic behind the art, making the photographers work easy and less thought processing. All in all, I look forward to his future work in continuing this captivating series that recognizes the viewpoints of an artist not only from a different ethnic background or generation, but as a person who exceeds the ordinary way of thinking.

For more information on Tyler Shields and his impeccable work of art, you can go to his website at www.TylerShields.com find him on Youtube or find him at @TheTylerShields

Thank you for having us! Until next year