Michael Anthony Downs |
Stunning
Drake Abshire is an American model and personal trainer from Louisiana but he
currently lives in Houston, Texas. He also has his eyes on acting.
Click the photographers' names to see more of their work
This
friendly 24 year old guy is outgoing, fun loving and enjoys working out – like you
couldn’t tell – he likes travelling, swimming, watching movies, reading and
just hanging out with his friends.
Drake
has just joined AllAmericanGuys.com and he hopes that it will be a stepping
stone into modelling.
He
is a dedicated and passionate guy who will not let anything or anyone get in
the way and prevent him from achieving his goals and dreams.
Drake
has been doing photography for 4 years and this is also a serious passion of
his.
We
are really thrilled that he accepted to feature at Stunning Men and do an
interview with us.
Vital
statistics:
Height:
6’0”
Weight:
183lbs
Chest:
41”
Waist:
30”
Eye
colour: brown
Hair
colour: black
Have
a look at Drakes Facebook page and check his work as a photographer here!
Here is the interview in full
Welcome to Stunning Men Drake and thank you so much
for taking the time to do the interview.
Thank you for the opportunity! Really excited to
be a part of this.
Could we start off with talking a little about yourself and your background?
I believe you are from Louisiana.
Yes! I’m originally from Abbeville, LA. Abbeville is a
great southern town with amazing food and some very down to earth, friendly
people. Now I currently live in Houston,
TX, which I have come to really love as well.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have two sisters and one is 26 and the
other one 23. And before you ask … No I
don’t have middle child syndrome … or at least I think I don’t. (smiles)
I wasn't going to ask ... How did you get into modelling? Was it something you had always
planned to do?
I never really had plans at all to be a
model. I first became interested in
photography and then realized how much I loved expressing myself through
art. I modelled for some of my own art
and people started commenting on how I should give it a try. Never really believed I had what it takes, but
the more I stepped in front of the camera the more my confidence was built, and
the more I realised I had a passion for it.
What do you enjoy the most about modelling?
I love
wearing the different clothes … which sometimes is not much at all … (Drake
laughs out loud)
Well, you don’t hear us complain!
I also
love just trying to immerse myself into whatever character the photographer is
wanting me to play. In a lot of ways I
think you can compare modelling to acting.
You have to be versatile and really delve into what you are doing to
make it believable to the viewer, so yeah you may be acting, but you don’t want
the viewer to feel that way.
What advice would you give a new model?
Don’t give up. It really is a very competitive
industry and there are a lot of doors that will get slammed in your face, but
if it’s really something you have a passion for and you want to do it, don’t
let anyone take your dreams away from you.
Fight and work hard and people will see your passion and desire and will
work with that.
You have just joined AllAmericanGuys. What do you expect to get out of
this?
Hopefully more work! (laughs) ... I really love
meeting new people in the modelling industry, so being on a website I think
presents more opportunities for networking and chances of producing more work
that I can be proud of.
How was working with Mike Downs on the shoot?
So much fun! Michael is such a down to earth
guy. He really has an eye for what he
does and a lot of talent to back that. I think the shots came out great and I
think together we can come up with pictures that people can really
appreciate.
You have a stunning physique. What kind of exercises
do you do to keep in top form? Do you do any sport?
I don’t
really play any sports, just like to watch them. I workout 4-5 times a week. I throw in quite
a bit of core exercises to make sure the abs stay nice and tight and I do some
running to make sure I stay lean as a well as healthy.
You are a personal fitness trainer. What do you
enjoy the most about the job?
I enjoy
pretty much everything about it. I love
working in the gym environment. I
absolutely love each and every one of my clients. I am there to motivate and really help people
with direction of how to reach their fitness goals. At the end of the day it
really makes me feel good to know that I’m doing something that helps build confidence
in others, but also helps them to live healthier more active lifestyles.
How do you approach a challenge?
Head
on! There shouldn’t be any tip-toing around someone’s health or their eating
habits.
What do you eat in a typical day?
I
never skip a meal! I try to eat in intervals of every 3-4 hours. I love chicken
and lean meats, so I’m always including some kind of lean protein in my diet
along with my veggies. I’m a southern
boy, so of course I love my seafood just have to keep that in moderation.
How do you prepare for a shoot?
Doing
a lot of cardio and cutting sugar out of my diet. Really high protein foods are important so I
don’t lose my mass and just keep up with my workouts and bringing my
carbohydrate intake to what is essential for me to have energy.
One of your great passions is photography.
What do you like about it? What are your favourite subjects?
What
I love the most about photography is that it truly is a great way for me to
relieve some stress and express myself. I don’t really have a favourite subject;
I honestly just love having the camera in my hands. I love that feeling you get
when you hear that click of the shutter and then the excitement of seeing the
image appear from things we see everyday, yet give others a different view that
can build appreciation for its beauty.
What
do you do in your down time?
Love hanging out with my friends. I really love going to the
movies and relaxing by the pool and soaking up the sun, and swimming.
Do you have any role models? People who inspire you?
My dad.
He’s an amazing guy who came from very humble beginnings and despite everyone
putting down the idea of him starting his own K-9 training business, he managed
to become one of the most knowledgeable and respected police dog trainers, not
only in the U.S, but internationally. He always reminded that we are all given
gifts in life, but it’s up to us on how we will use them and I’ve always
strongly believed those words.
Now a few quick fun questions if you are game? Do
you think you are a good date?
Ha! I would say so. I really am a very clumsy and goofy
person. I would say I’m pretty easy going
and just down to earth. Just always
looking for good conversation and good laughs.
Are you a brief man or a boxer kinda guy?
I like
both honestly, but I do lean more toward briefs.
What do you listen to on your iPod?
I love
Nicki Minaj! I also enjoy some good oldies like Journey and the Eagles.
What kind of movies do you like?
Action and Sci-fi are my favourite. I’m not gonna
lie I do enjoy a chick flick every now and then.
One very last question Drake, where do you see
yourself and what would you like to be doing in 10 years time?
I
honestly don’t have dreams of being a huge superstar, but I would love to be on
the cover of a magazine one day and really make a positive and respectable name
for myself in the modelling and fitness industry. I do believe we need more positive role
models out there, so I hope to inspire others and be able to help as many
people as I can while moving forward toward my future goals.
Drake, it was great talking with you! Thank
you for doing the interview and for being such good sport. All the best for the future!
Thank you
again!
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