Today going through boxes of needless papers which I tend to hoard, I came across my ancient photos as a model and decided to share them with you… NOSTALGIA… MELANCHOLY…EMBARRASSMENT, even a certain SADNESS enforcing the saying ‘Youth is wasted on the Young’, I can remember many of the shoots like it was yesterday. I was a very successful unsuccessful model… I can remember the excitement and preparation of my first test, my first local fashion show and early jobs. Back then in the very late 70’s and until the late 80’s, I was always prepared, always punctual, often we had to do our own grooming. I often traveled back and forth to Milan but knew from my first day here that I would settle here. My first test in Philly with Tony Vallone, in Milan with Nick D’Alessio. Later on both shores with Mamoru Horiguchi, Thomas Anders, Danny Gonzalez, Cleo Sullivan, Anthony Daraio, Milton Perry, Tim Rice and the late Gunther Seidl-Rieglhofer and Darrell Garnett. Many names I do not remember. So many photographers and magazines and designers have passed since then. I think I ended my not so successful career around ’87. I believe that my struggle as a model has helped me relate better to models in my jobs as both booker and photographer. I know what the model goes through,I have been lost trying to find a casting, waited in endless useless lines, and have had clients say thank you, who’s next, as they barely look at you or your book. I hung out at the Hotel Arena with other models and new photographers, sharing ideas, dreams, experiences. I learned to live on one meal a day and to appreciate anything that was ‘free’ including a test with an inexperienced photographer or plate of spaghetti. It was an experience that left it’s mark on me, it brought me to this beautiful country that I now call home.