Ink -n- Iron 2009, will you be there?

So Ink -n- Iron 2009 is quickly approaching us, in fact it’s just days away, 2 1/2 to be exact, but who’s counting right? I’m one of the Official Photographers for the event this year. I have been assigned to photo the 12 finalists for the Pinup Pageant this year, and I am looking forward to spending a bit of time with each of the ladies. My Job is to photo each one for a calendar that Ink -n- Iron will be putting out, in their classy dress up regalia for the event. Now when I say classy, I mean tasteful, nice looking outfits, not some skimpy questionable outfit that you might find walking down the boulevard. Last year I was in attendance as usual, and the pageant seemed a bit uneventful. In so much as there was no tension in the crowd, there was no exciting competition between the contestants and when it was over, it was…well…over. That’s it, all done, like a bad ending to a movie that could have been done way better. You know, you’re watching a movie and it’s pretty good but then it’s done, theres no climactic ending, and your left sitting there asking yourself “That’s it?”. Yeah, that’s the way it was. Wow,That’s It? Yep. The year before, 2007, was very exciting and had a very climactic ending. One little lady that I really felt should have placed and didn’t, other than being a finalist, was Bombshell Frenchy. Frenchy had everything that I felt was classic pinup. Stance, posteur, attitude, outfit and SMILE. 2007 Ink -n- Iron Runner Up, Bombshell Frenchy. There was nothing trashy about this lady at all and she had the

classic pinup look down pat! I felt she should have at least placed but didn’t.  Anyway to make a long story short, last year there were a couple ladies from the previous year that didn’t win and were trying again, not to mention a number of faces I had never seen or heard of. To me a pinup pageant is or should be won based on talent, look, poses attitude and outfit. 2008’s pageant didn’t have many of those aspects and seemed to be more of a battle of the booty. Outfits that barely covered or didn’t cover parts, outfits that were not classy or classic at all. It was as if they were trying to win on the merit of their bodies and not their talent or ability. Where were the poses, the posteurs, the smiles and attitudes that are classic pinup? I didn’t see much, if any at all.  I am hoping this years contestants took some notes from last year, and polished up their poses, smiles and attitudes, because as I said before, last years pageant seemed to be anti-climactic. I want to be excited to see who wins, I want to see the contestants really working for their victory and showing us those  classic poses, posteurs, smiles and attitudes, not tasteless outfits, fake smiles and catfight mentality. One thing that is THE hallmark of a good pinup, if you look at any good pinup art, picture or painting, she looks happy, is smiling and looks like she is having FUN. There is nothing phony or contrived about it, it is however over the top in many aspects but it is a believeable over the top. Know what I mean? Anyway, I am really looking forward to this years pageant and I wish all the ladies good luck and knock ’em out!