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Dear Frank,

I see you. I see what you do. Your books are on my shelves. Mitt Romney would call it binders full of women. It must be tough, getting all these great looking girls in various stages of undressing in front of your professional camera-eye. I know, I understand, it IS work. But admit, it beats cleaning lavatories by a monsterous margin.

I admire your savoir-faire, your métier: the eye for detail, perfect lighting, the choice of angle and accessory. You have great skill, close to perfect craftsmanship. But only… each time another of your black-and-white pictures checks into my Facebook stream, I feel a little less oomph,…. that is a sad sign that the magic is dying Frank.

I think it’s your subject: girls. When I browse through your work, I see pages and pages and pages of skinny, perfect, young girls. You pick them, what, between 18 and 25? Caucasian, Easter European? Untainted by life, with all kinds of perfect sizes for a harmonious tailored young puppet. Nice. Smooth. But no soul.

Apparently, you think people are not lining up to see models nearing 40, or steaming 50-wards. I beg to differ. Showing off your skill with girls in their early twenties is easy, and does not do your magic any justice. How about real women, Frank? Moms, women who work, saw life-in-action. Women with breasts, hips, houses, dogs, cats, kids, jobs, sorrow, happiness, mortgages, husbands, lovers and ex’s? Women with curves, lines, personalities and history? How about portraying the radiant energy of a mother of two in one shot? Or the cool mystery of a 40 something?

Here’s a free idea, call your next book 40licious.  I’ll buy a signed copy.

Danny Devriendt is the Managing Director of IPG/Dynamic in Brussels, and the CEO of The Eye of Horus, a global think-tank focusing on innovative technology topics. With a proven track record in leadership mentoring, C-level whispering, strategic communications and a knack for spotting meaningful trends, Danny challenges the status quo and embodies change. Attuned to the subtlest signals from the digital landscape, Danny identifies significant trends in science, economics, culture, society, and technology and assesses their potential impact on brands, organizations, and individuals. His ability for bringing creative ideas, valuable insights, and unconventional solutions to life, makes him an invaluable partner and energizing advisor for top executives. Specializing in innovation -and the corporate communications, influence, strategic positioning, exponential change, and (e)reputation that come with it-, Danny is the secret weapon that you hope your competitors never tap into. As a guest lecturer at a plethora of universities and institutions, he loves to share his expertise with future (and current) generations. Having studied Educational Sciences and Agogics, Danny's passion for people, Schrödinger's cat, quantum mechanics, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fuels his unique, outside-of-the-box thinking. He never panics. Previously a journalist in Belgium and the UK, Danny joined IPG Mediabrands in 2012 after serving as a global EVP Digital and Social for the Porter Novelli network (Omnicom). His expertise in managing global, regional, or local teams; delivering measurable business growth; navigating fierce competition; and meeting challenging deadlines makes him an seasoned leader. (He has a microwave at home.) An energetic presenter, he brought his enthusiasm, clicker and inspiring slides to over 300 global events, including SXSW, SMD, DMEXCO, Bluetooth World Congress, GSMA MWC, and Cebit. He worked with an impressive portfolio of clients like Bayer AG, 3M, Coca Cola, KPMG, Tele Atlas, Parrot, The Belgian National Lottery, McDonald's, Colruyt, Randstad, Barco, Veolia, Alten, Dow, PWC, the European Commission, Belfius, and HP. He played a pivotal role in Bluetooth's global success. Ranked 3rd most influential ad executive on Twitter by Business Insider and listed among the top 10 ad execs to follow by CEO Magazine, Danny also enjoys writing poetry and short stories, earning several literary awards in Belgium and the Netherlands. Fluent in Dutch, French, and English, Danny is an eager and versatile communicator. His BBQ skills are legendary.

3 Comments

  • Thank you for the nice words and compliments !
    And you might have a point with your remark about the age of the models, however so many women and men (mostly gay) ask me why I do not shoot naked men…
    Honestly I would like to do it but you can’t do everything in life…so one has to make a choice…
    And to tell you the truth I am inspired by mature women but my style is working with models , not real women…I am making fairy tales and for this my castings are based upon the best bodies in the world…I am not a journalist photographer who wants everything real.
    Nevertheless I will take your criticism into consideration !!! Maybe you opened my third eye .
    greetings from me
    frank de mulder

  • RT @MollyVerbeeck: Think @kathyvanlooy needs to pass the message on 😉 RT @dannydevriendt: dear Frank De Mulder: go 40licious… http://t.co/OmnVtTHW (post)

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