So it was the weekend of the Mr SA Finalist announcement...but I had other things planned also, and it was going to be a massive weekend...I woke up at 5am on Friday morning and was at the airport by 6am as I had a 6:45 flight to Johannesburg. I was picked up from OR Tambo at 9am and taken to the Randburg sports complex where I was due to shoot the Heat Manwatch 2010 calendar. The shoot went very well and its going to be a hot calendar ;) I was then dropped off at the Fourways Virgin Active Gym in town where I was going to be training with Pieter and his trainer and Durban Mr SA finalist Murray Clark. The trainer put us through the ringer and I was sore in places the next day I didnt know existed.
It had been a long day, but that night Gareth Cliff had invited myself and Murray to FTV Cedar Square, so we decided to go check out the JoBurg night life...I almost regretted that decision as Gareth can be very persuasive and is a real party animal, but Murray and I pretended to go to the bathroom and made a dash for it! We had escaped and were home by 12.
Good thing, as we needed to be up at 7am as we had a big day ahead of us. We met at the Black Eagle Lodge, where we would be staying, and I met the 11 other finalists. We had breakfast and did some official Mr SA photographs. We then went through to the Silverstar casino where we had an all you can eat lunch, a 2 hour spa treatment and it was also the official finalist announcement at the Silverstar FTV.
The next day we woke up and went for a great spin class at Little Falls Virgin Active. After that it was off to Fournos Bakery for a great breakfast and pictures and mingling with the public. After that the Mr SA weekend was officially over...but I was not done yet. I had a shoot with avant garde photographer Louis Botha. The shoot went very well and Louis is a very good photographer.
All in all it was a great weekend. I had some great photographs done and met some awesome people. The Mr SA organising committee is a great buch of people and I am so happy to be working with them. The Black Eagle Guest Lodge where we stayed is so beautiful and I am definitely going to stay there again. And finally the other 11 finalists...all I can say is what a great bunch of guys, I definitely have some friends for life. It was a truly incredible weekend and an amazing piece of the Mr SA experience.
Pic top: Me with finalists Murray, Johan and Geoffrey
Pic 2nd from top: Me with last year Mr SA runner up and ultimate nice guy Jaco De Bruyn
Pic 3rd from top: Me with the gorgeous Tahlita and Jessica
Pic 2nd from bottom: Me with head of Mr SA, the enigmatic Susca Stemmet
Pic bottom:All the finalists, the top 12 most desirable men in SA!!! ;)
Hi Bodgod, with all due respect to all those guys, becoming a Mr SA, is like becoming an Ambassador for your country and since I am an Ambassador in Israel already I can guarantee u that the qualities and the presence u have, I first thought it was a great photographer that managed to capture your essence but as time progressed...I observed and u have been photographed by a few different photographers and still there is always a 'presence' that is captured that just shines.... outshines... My wish for u is to never loose that spark, no matter what happens. Also the feedback I have from several other Ambassadors and friends around the globe that have their eyes on u, I see u interact with them, u are fun, u are approachable, u are absolutely extremely sexy and charming, and compassionate and all the qualities of a Mr Right let alone Mr SA. U have my vote and all my support. U are gonna make your country proud Jeff Tsoutsos. I am honored to know u and interact with u. From one Ambassador to another... Respect, Awe ~ Namaste
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