Courtesy of I have no clue. Let me know.
Well, hello class! Yes, AGAIN. I know I’ve been away quite a few times actually but think of it as your teacher taking sabbaticals for her – mental health. Please know that the blog will transition away from Richard Armitage as soon as I start cranking out original stuff – but not just yet. There are still issues I need to address about him. Let’s get on with the foolishness, shall we?
I’m as shallow as I’ve always been. I have the uncanny tendency to pick actors starting in their mid-30’s at the height of their masculine beauty then following them until their 40’s when they reach the cusp of youthfulness. Then it’s downhill from there and I kick him to the curb. Well, imagine my wistfulness when I beheld this picture from a last year’s photo shoot after being away for awhile. (This is not a great one but my source of current photos seems to have tried up.) At first glance, he’s quite the fit, handsome, dapper man. But look closer. Use a magnifying glass. The lines are more pronounced. The softness around the eyes is disappearing. The lips are paler. The jawline isn’t as firm. Yes, our Richard is aging.
Well, this may not be a shock to you, but it was to me after all this time. Now this ordinarily would not be a big deal. I’m sure many men would love looking like this at 45. But RA is an actor who doesn’t move in ordinary circles. His vocation idolizes youth and the ability to project youthfulness as long as possible. Here is he is just finally achieving wide success and The Powers That Be ordain that men his age should either move on from lead roles to action parts or secondary characters. He has reached the time when moisturizer is a given and dermabrasion is recommended. Dare I mention a facelift on the horizon? (Personally, male beauty care if fine, but I don’t like facelifts on men. It makes them look too artificial.)
What’s he to do class?
Class?
I think he already moisturizes. At least he did in 2010.
I think he’s had dermabrasion too, unless he has naturally oily skin. 🙂
I’m trying to imagine his beauty regimen. Pretty sure he has a dermatologist because his skin is really smooth. Hell, I need his dermatologist!
oh, and email push worked.
Heh, and I did not a thing. There must be gremlins in my WP.org
Ooooh, con-tro-ver-sial… 😉 Or should I say “blasphemous”? Just kidding. If truth be told, I agree with you in that I did not like the NY hotel shoot, at all. And not necessarily because Mr A is ageing. We all are, and since I notice an increasingly loose jaw-line on myself, too, who am I to point fingers? Anyway, I still find RA incredibly attractive. But I really dislike the hotel shoot because the photographer (in my opinion) did not manage to do what he *should* do – make the subject look as attractive as possible. Shooting from below is a big no-no; the styling wasn’t exactly flattering, either (a turtleneck *inevitably* draws attention to even the slightest imperfection around the chin…). In fairness, the photographer looked incredibly young, so maybe he was inexperienced. But for me, RA’s youthfulness and attractiveness was not captured in this shoot – however much he may or may not moisturise…
So what is RA to do? Smile more. Keeps the jaw line firm and increases the face value 😉
Controversy? Moi? *cough*. That photo shoot had all the ingredients for a good one. I wondered what you thought. Was the lighting too harsh too? Too much makeup? I know the camera magnifies everything but like you say, something was wrong. Yes it does seem that the photographer was not up to the task. Imagine, if you had been in charge…. 😉
Ooooh, con-tro-ver-sial… 😉 Or should I say “blasphemous”? Just kidding. If truth be told, I agree with you in that I did not like the NY hotel shoot, at all. And not necessarily because Mr A is ageing. We all are, and since I notice an increasingly loose jaw-line on myself, too, who am I to point fingers? Anyway, I still find RA incredibly attractive. But I really dislike the hotel shoot because the photographer (in my opinion) did not manage to do what he *should* do – make the subject look as attractive as possible. Shooting from below is a big no-no; the styling wasn’t exactly flattering, either (a turtleneck *inevitably* draws attention to even the slightest imperfection around the chin…). In fairness, the photographer looked incredibly young, so maybe he was inexperienced. But for me, RA’s youthfulness and attractiveness was not captured in this shoot – however much he may or may not moisturise…
So what is RA to do? Smile more. Keeps the jaw line firm and increases the face value 😉
The fundamental bone structure remains – it will continue to carry him with it 🙂 Why do photographers shoot human subjects from below? I never seems to end well….
Hey there Judith! The man does have good bones and a handsomeness that doesn’t depend on youthful beauty, so he should age well. There was a better picture of him from slightly above but I couldn’t find it, alas.
I’m not a fan of this picture. To me, the lighting, the clothing, the makeup, the hair colour, and the lack of body fat all combine into the aging effect. Not his best look in my opinion.
Agreed. The pictures should have been great, but they weren’t. As Guylty said, the photographer did not know his stuff.