Marin, 23, Kickboxer

Marin, as he prefers to be called, is a 23-year-old young man with a passion for combat sports.

Getting him in front of the camera was a journey in itself.

The story of our meeting is quite unique: About two years ago, a fellow sports enthusiast, Roderik, approached me. He’d heard about my reputation as a talented sports photographer among the athlete community. He inquired if I’d be willing to capture some “beautiful” shots of him. Naturally, I agreed. To my surprise, Roderik later asked if he could bring along a friend. Enter Marin.

I had no clue about Marin, his appearance, or what kind of shots we’d be going for. In the back of my mind, I was secretly hoping for some steamy captures. Upon their arrival a week later, I was taken aback by Marin’s striking appearance.

A few months down the line, Roderik hinted that Marin might be interested in a more intimate photoshoot. When I reached out, Marin seemed on board, and we set a date.

However, a few days prior to our scheduled session, Marin pulled out. He wasn’t forthcoming with reasons, simply stating he wasn’t in the right headspace. I was gutted, having been quite eager to work with him. My suspicion was his recent loss in a kickboxing match had him down. Drawing from empathy, I reached out a few weeks later with an understanding message. He reconsidered, and we locked in another date. Fingers crossed he’d stay committed this time. Fortunately, he did. The evidence lies in these shots where he opened up more than I could’ve ever imagined!