Norbi

Norbi, 18, is a high school student from south-western Slovakia. His days are pretty much divided between school, time with his girlfriend, and the gym. Lev first noticed him at the gym and initially thought he looked like a real thug—tough, maybe even unfriendly. But after watching him more, it became clear that Norbi is actually fun and friendly once you get past the first impression. His lifting is seriously impressive; just a month ago he deadlifted 170 kg (375 lbs).

A year earlier he got into some trouble with the law, one of those cases where a young guy wanted to do something positive for others but ended up crossing lines he shouldn’t have. When we met for the first time, though, he came across well—nothing about him felt dangerous or manipulative. During the photoshoot he was full of energy, really threw himself into it, and made the whole session enjoyable.

I think it’s a shame he cut his hair so short; with his wide jaw he looked better with longer hair—it softened the rough edges in a nice way. In any case, he’s a very sexy young man and I think he has a gorgeous ass—perhaps the best I’ve photographed so far. He’s very much a macho type: has a girlfriend, loves dogs, cars, motorcycles, boxing, and of course the gym. He’s fascinated by Japan and dreams of visiting one day, both for the culture and the technology.