I first had the pleasure of getting to know Charles Paz almost two years ago when I featured him as the Wake-Me-Up Wednesday spotlight at my blog, Past The Print. Charles was the first romance cover model that I interviewed and I will never forget how personable he was, or how gracious he'd been to answer all my questions.
Between coaching youth soccer and owing his own photography studio, Charles has taken time out of his busy schedule - again - to answer another round of interrogations and be with his romance fans.
So, please make welcome...the endearing, the talented, and the oh-so-sexy Charles Paz.
Q. How did you first get into modeling?
A. I’ve always been overweight. I love food. What can I say? Lol. I decided I was tired of being the FAT GUY of the group so I decided to do a Body Building show. In 16 weeks I lost over 90lbs. strict diet and lots of cardio. Was it fun? NO WAY!! Hahaha. But I was happy with my looks and wanted more. Decided to get some pictures taken of me and all my hardwork. Next thing you know, one shoot led to another, which led to another, which led to oppurtunities. Guess I wasn’t the only one who liked what they saw.
Q. What do you like most about being a cover model?
A. THE ATTENTION!! Hahaha. No in all honestly, what I love most is the proof that I have achieved something not too many people can do. Being a ‘Cover Model’ is a testament to all my hard work and sacrifice that I have done to get to where I am today. Its always nice to look back and see the accomplishments I have in my life.
Q.What is the most difficult aspect of the modeling world for you?
A. Lol. The Modeling world. The ‘Industry’. When I say ‘Industry’, I also mean the world of Romance with their publishers, authors, etc etc. I honestly don’t focus on any of those things as much anymore. Ive grown to realize that either they want ya or they don’t. It seems like the Industry want to recycle the same looks for their covers over and over and over. Yes, Ive been on a few covers myself, but it gets very old and stale seeing the same face on EVERYTHING. Its even sadder when the cover model doesn’t represent the character for the author AT ALL! I think the hardest thing is the favoritisim. I could pull off many looks from a cowboy to a cave man, but its funny to see these people try to make a one dimensional model try to pull off something out of their league because they are selling ‘a name’. Im pretty sure though that next year, ill be ‘Changing the Game’ a lil bit.
Q. Tell us about The Fifth element and how it came to be.
A. The week before I went to Florida for the MR ROMANCE competition, I was actually flown out to VEGAS as part of a Meet/greet and studio shootout. Guest model of course. Lol. I met A LOT of AMAZING PEOPLE in Vegas. Doin shoots till 4 in the morning. Lol. It was great. Day of the studio shoot, the Man in charge of putting it together, Mike Lee, handed me a camera and said “Here, lets see what you can do.”
Now mind you, I've never held a DSLR before. Ive always been a disposable/ point and shoot kinda guy shooting family events and just friends. Never a model.
So, I pose the model and take a shot, look at it, adjust the light and settings and the model, take another shot and then showed him. He was so impressed that he had to show all the other photographers that was there.
If you look at the shots Ive done as a Model and the shots I have done as a photographer, you will see a similar style within everything. You see hints here and there. BUT, I must go on record and say that if it wasn’t for MIKE LEE, ‘Fifth Element’ would never have happened. And I will always be honored to call him my Friend.
As far as the name ‘Fifth Element’, well heres the story… My ‘Charles David Photography’ is what I use when I doing photography with families, kids, portraits. Ya know, the clean cookie cutter stuff. But I've read that some photographers go by an Alias, much like Authors do, to hide their identity. Plus, I cant really advertise a picture of a 99% naked model on the same page I have Family protraits on right? Lol.
I was thinkin of a name and that movie ‘The Fifth Element’ came on. In one scene, the guy was askin who she was and she points to herself and says ‘Fifth element… Supreme Being’. And that’s when it hit me. 5TH ELEMENT. A model/photographer hybrid, or what I like to call A MOTOG, is the perfect combo. Someone who knows what its like to be infront of the camera is perfect for giving direction behind the camera as well.
Q. What do you prefer… being behind the camera or in the cameras sights?
A. I honestly have not been a model for quite sometime. Ive been workin behind the camera for quite some time now. Ive shot the models but now focusing more on Body Builders and even couples. You can see the connection these couples have. Im very good at capturing the realness and simpleness of these shots. I don’t over photoshop, nor make people fake. I keep them real. Which is why I think people like my photography a lot. I don’t make fake people like most photographers do. I love being behind the camera and makin HAWTNESS, But don’t be surprised if you see a return of Mr.Romance in the future.
Q. With all the directions you’ve taken in your career, is there one job you’ve thought about trying but havent attempted?
A. Father. Ya, Ya ,Ya… I know. Corny, but it is somethin that has been on my mind as of late. Havin my mom pressure me to have grandbabies for her is pursuading as well. Lol.
I'm a Great uncle. I love ‘MY KIDS, and by that I mean all my Nieces and nephews, but everyone says I would make a Great Dad. Im not getting younger, and although I can probably be 67 and still be able to have a kid, id rather do it now and soon. God has a plan, so my future is in his hands.
Q. You’re a former “Mr.Romance 2009”. Tell us about your competition. What was the atmosphere among all the contestants?A. Lol.Wow. You makin me think WAY back now. Wasn’t I just sayin Im getting old? Hahaha. None of us guys knew what we were getting ourselves into. We were all nervous. The guys were cool. Didn’t take us long to figure out what we had to do. Walk around. Look pretty. Mingle. It was pretty Awesome.
I was comin off a very hard time in my life so I just looked at it as a vacation while having fun with all these wonderfull people. I was being MYSELF. No sugar coating. No butt kissing. It was just me enjoying Life and living it to the fullest. And apparently, the readers and publishers saw something in me because I won not only the CoverModel Award but also the Peoples Choice. I can honestly say it was one of the best weeks I have ever had, and also something I needed in my life.
Q. You have a wonderfull and long resume of your fabulous career. What will be added to your next list of accomplishments?
A. I won the Novice Heavywieght class at the 2010 NPC SACRAMENTO BODYBUILDING Competition.That is one thing I am very proud of. I don’t think the ‘Industry’ knew about that, but just throwin it out there.
Something else they don’t know about, and that I have accomplished, is that I Coach Youth Soccer. U-8 girls to be exact. Our Fall team, CHARLIES ANGELS, just went UNDEFEATED! Im very proud of my Angels. I love having the chance to make a difference in the lives of our youth. I have been focusing on A LOT more than myself as of late. I didn’t do any shows or even any modeling in 2010. I focused all my time towards other projects and doing things that will make people better. Donating my time and volunteering as a coach is just an example of that. I also want to get back into modeling and possibly on some more book covers. My next show will be in March and Im hoping that I will be able to go to the next RT which is in Chicago. Show off my work as well as myself to publishers and get back into the industry.
Q.When it comes to finding that special someone, What is the one thing you look for in a woman?
A. Lol. Good question. And to be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea at all. God is Great, Beer is good, and WOMEN ARE CRAZY. Hahaha. I think the best way to put it is that I would rather feel WANTED than NEEDED. They need to be secure with the fact that I want them and in return, need to reassure me that I am the one for them. Make time for me, because when I am with someone, my world revolves around them. I do believe though that they way a woman represents herself or displays herself is what makes them ugly. There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness. Also, just being loud, rude and disrespectful in general shows how much a woman respects herself. I’ve been seeing it A LOT lately on facebook. Makes me shake my head sometimes. The quickest way to turn me or any guy off is to come off like that.
Q. What part of the female body grabs most of your attention?
A. The face of course. Eyes and lips to be exact. If the eyes are looking and the lips are smiling, then that says everything. Lol. I don’t discriminate body types either. Big, small, short, tall. All women are beautiful in their own way physically.
Q. What would you say to a woman if you wanted to let her know you were interested?
A. More Than Words….. If I have a connection with someone, ill know it between the conversation we have and how it is going. Im not blunt, but I will flirt a lil and if I’m feeling an attraction, than I don’t hold back. It may be bad, But I’m not afraid to lay all my cards out on the table and show my hand. I don’t play games, and If I want someone, I go for it. If a Female can’t get the hint at that point and keep up with the convo, then there would be nothing there. Just a physical attraction and Im beyond that by now. lol
Q. And since some of us just celebrated Thanksgiving, what holiday food Item do you enjoy the most?
A. LEFTOVERS!!! Hahaha. Who doesn’t like that right? Everything is good. You just can’t single out one item. Anything my Mom makes is my fave. The Macaroni salad. The Green Bean casserole. Biscuits. Do I just have to keep it with holiday foods? Lol.
As far as one item, I’d have to say Pumpkin Pie. Think about it. All the food you eat on Thanksgiving or even during the Holidays is food you can eat all the time. BUT, When Thanksgiving comes, Pumpkin Pie fills the shelves and they are delicious. I can eat a whole Costco sized pie by myself. I love food and I love life. What can I say?
So, please make welcome...the endearing, the talented, and the oh-so-sexy Charles Paz.
A. I’ve always been overweight. I love food. What can I say? Lol. I decided I was tired of being the FAT GUY of the group so I decided to do a Body Building show. In 16 weeks I lost over 90lbs. strict diet and lots of cardio. Was it fun? NO WAY!! Hahaha. But I was happy with my looks and wanted more. Decided to get some pictures taken of me and all my hardwork. Next thing you know, one shoot led to another, which led to another, which led to oppurtunities. Guess I wasn’t the only one who liked what they saw.
A. THE ATTENTION!! Hahaha. No in all honestly, what I love most is the proof that I have achieved something not too many people can do. Being a ‘Cover Model’ is a testament to all my hard work and sacrifice that I have done to get to where I am today. Its always nice to look back and see the accomplishments I have in my life.
Q.What is the most difficult aspect of the modeling world for you?
A. Lol. The Modeling world. The ‘Industry’. When I say ‘Industry’, I also mean the world of Romance with their publishers, authors, etc etc. I honestly don’t focus on any of those things as much anymore. Ive grown to realize that either they want ya or they don’t. It seems like the Industry want to recycle the same looks for their covers over and over and over. Yes, Ive been on a few covers myself, but it gets very old and stale seeing the same face on EVERYTHING. Its even sadder when the cover model doesn’t represent the character for the author AT ALL! I think the hardest thing is the favoritisim. I could pull off many looks from a cowboy to a cave man, but its funny to see these people try to make a one dimensional model try to pull off something out of their league because they are selling ‘a name’. Im pretty sure though that next year, ill be ‘Changing the Game’ a lil bit.
A. The week before I went to Florida for the MR ROMANCE competition, I was actually flown out to VEGAS as part of a Meet/greet and studio shootout. Guest model of course. Lol. I met A LOT of AMAZING PEOPLE in Vegas. Doin shoots till 4 in the morning. Lol. It was great. Day of the studio shoot, the Man in charge of putting it together, Mike Lee, handed me a camera and said “Here, lets see what you can do.”
Now mind you, I've never held a DSLR before. Ive always been a disposable/ point and shoot kinda guy shooting family events and just friends. Never a model.So, I pose the model and take a shot, look at it, adjust the light and settings and the model, take another shot and then showed him. He was so impressed that he had to show all the other photographers that was there.
If you look at the shots Ive done as a Model and the shots I have done as a photographer, you will see a similar style within everything. You see hints here and there. BUT, I must go on record and say that if it wasn’t for MIKE LEE, ‘Fifth Element’ would never have happened. And I will always be honored to call him my Friend.
I was thinkin of a name and that movie ‘The Fifth Element’ came on. In one scene, the guy was askin who she was and she points to herself and says ‘Fifth element… Supreme Being’. And that’s when it hit me. 5TH ELEMENT. A model/photographer hybrid, or what I like to call A MOTOG, is the perfect combo. Someone who knows what its like to be infront of the camera is perfect for giving direction behind the camera as well.
A. I honestly have not been a model for quite sometime. Ive been workin behind the camera for quite some time now. Ive shot the models but now focusing more on Body Builders and even couples. You can see the connection these couples have. Im very good at capturing the realness and simpleness of these shots. I don’t over photoshop, nor make people fake. I keep them real. Which is why I think people like my photography a lot. I don’t make fake people like most photographers do. I love being behind the camera and makin HAWTNESS, But don’t be surprised if you see a return of Mr.Romance in the future.
A. Father. Ya, Ya ,Ya… I know. Corny, but it is somethin that has been on my mind as of late. Havin my mom pressure me to have grandbabies for her is pursuading as well. Lol.
Q. You’re a former “Mr.Romance 2009”. Tell us about your competition. What was the atmosphere among all the contestants?
A. I won the Novice Heavywieght class at the 2010 NPC SACRAMENTO BODYBUILDING Competition.That is one thing I am very proud of. I don’t think the ‘Industry’ knew about that, but just throwin it out there.
And since it’s a romance blog, we have some more personal questions we’d like to ask you on the subject of romance...
Q.When it comes to finding that special someone, What is the one thing you look for in a woman?A. Lol. Good question. And to be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea at all. God is Great, Beer is good, and WOMEN ARE CRAZY. Hahaha. I think the best way to put it is that I would rather feel WANTED than NEEDED. They need to be secure with the fact that I want them and in return, need to reassure me that I am the one for them. Make time for me, because when I am with someone, my world revolves around them. I do believe though that they way a woman represents herself or displays herself is what makes them ugly. There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness. Also, just being loud, rude and disrespectful in general shows how much a woman respects herself. I’ve been seeing it A LOT lately on facebook. Makes me shake my head sometimes. The quickest way to turn me or any guy off is to come off like that.
A. The face of course. Eyes and lips to be exact. If the eyes are looking and the lips are smiling, then that says everything. Lol. I don’t discriminate body types either. Big, small, short, tall. All women are beautiful in their own way physically.
A. More Than Words….. If I have a connection with someone, ill know it between the conversation we have and how it is going. Im not blunt, but I will flirt a lil and if I’m feeling an attraction, than I don’t hold back. It may be bad, But I’m not afraid to lay all my cards out on the table and show my hand. I don’t play games, and If I want someone, I go for it. If a Female can’t get the hint at that point and keep up with the convo, then there would be nothing there. Just a physical attraction and Im beyond that by now. lol
A. LEFTOVERS!!! Hahaha. Who doesn’t like that right? Everything is good. You just can’t single out one item. Anything my Mom makes is my fave. The Macaroni salad. The Green Bean casserole. Biscuits. Do I just have to keep it with holiday foods? Lol.
As far as one item, I’d have to say Pumpkin Pie. Think about it. All the food you eat on Thanksgiving or even during the Holidays is food you can eat all the time. BUT, When Thanksgiving comes, Pumpkin Pie fills the shelves and they are delicious. I can eat a whole Costco sized pie by myself. I love food and I love life. What can I say?
Places to find Charles Paz:
