Tyler Shields - The Dirty Side of Glamour

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO YOU
THE ONE WHO TAUGHT ME WHAT LOVE TRULY IS. Tyler Shields saved my life. Right after he almost killed me. This is something I dont really tell people. Attempted murder should stay between friends, right? But if I was ever going to tell anyone, nows the time. I mean, I did survive. He was doing a shoot in downtown Los Angeles, and I went along for fun, not really planning on doing anything in particular.

Before I knew what was happening, there I was, on top of a bridge wearing a black party dress and Christian Louboutins. I couldnt breathe. The height, the heelsthere was no way I was moving. I cant, I kept telling Tyler over and over again. I just cant. You can, and youre going to, he said.

This was a fact, not a plea. And then, right before I could even decide whether I wanted to jump off a bridge for Tyler Shields, he pushed me. He told his friend to let go of my legs, and I fell. And theres the picture to prove it. Im going to kill you, I said. Instead, I walked around, got back up on top of the bridge, and jumped again.

And this time, I jumped without having to be pushed. That is our relationship in a nutshell. I adore Tyler. I admire him. And, of course, I would jump off a bridge for him. He seems to know what Im capable of before I do.

He makes me feel like anything is possibleboth in his photography and in our friendship. If I dont know who to call, I call Tyler. If I dont know who to ask, I ask Tyler. Sometimes Im crying and sometimes Im laughing, but either way it doesnt matter. He always answers. Come over.

And he does. And more times than not, I tell him to bring his camera too. The first thought I had upon meeting Tyler Shields was: Oh shit, Im going to like him. I didnt know Tyler at all when we first shot together, but I knew there was something special about him. As I learned more about his work and his personality, my initial thoughts were validated. This man was unlike any other, and I was falling in love.

I pride myself on being able to run in heels, so I went to Tyler and told him that he should shoot me running in heels down a street. Tyler, of course, thought that a man should be chasing me. And he should be on fire. Of course. We did a couple takes of me running being chased by our friend Brett. Around the third take I was running down the street and finally glanced behind me.

In that moment I actually realized what was happening: I was being chased by a man on fire. My natural instincts kicked inI screamed and took off even faster. The pictures from this shoot are some of my most favorite. Tylers commitment to using real elements (fire, in this case) rather than opting for some simple (and safe) photoshopped flames is what makes his art so interesting and exciting. Every photo is an adventure. Tylers creativity and spontaneity set him apart from any other artist I know.

When you are with him you cant help but feel inspired. He ignites passion inside the most disconsolate of people. His dedication and talent make it easy to describe this complicated mans work with a simple word: legendary.

First of all I want to thank everyone who is in the book and everyone who has gone above and beyond to help me make each photo inside this book represent a moment in time that will never change. Weve made a frozen piece of history, kept as it should be for all of time! Special thanks to: Francesca Eastwood Jordon Fink Emma Roberts Robert Fiely Brett London Morgan Peszko Ashley Simko Fraser Kee Scott Jeff Barry Kristyn Keene Michael Kagan Jeff Jenkins Russel Jay Daniel Pittack Jaqueline Brantjes Jared Eng James Smith Rod Keller Ben Trivett Ben Yefet Joshua Karp Fallon Khan Connor Paolo Gary Busey Shiloh Fernandez Lydia Hearst Brent Bolthouse Rose Mciver Dan Dubeki Jenna Ushkowitz Britney Lee Ustis Juno Temple Steve Carson Jessica Carson Dennis Colonello Ashley Ann Harris Australia HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

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