Since then he has also fronted notable campaigns for Polo Underwear shot by Richard Phibbs), DSquared photographed by Steven Klein and Macy's. He was photographed with Calvin Klein and Lucas Kerr by Steven Klein for French Vogue, in addition to editorials in Gentlemen's Option (shot by David Byun), Artistic Tile (Joseph Oppedisano), Men's Journal (Aaron Goodman), Numero (Alexei Hay), Instinct, CosmoGirl, XY and Blue magazines. He has also shot with Randall Mesdon and Tony Duran to round out a stellar list of photographers, and appeared in a TV commercial for ESPN; an in-store video for Redken; and a music video for the Pet Shop Boys.

But Joseph's journey from a small town in upstate New York to the studios of New York's leading lensmen was never easy. His initial path was blocked by a photographer known as Edelson who actively tried to sabotage Joseph's career. And as if that weren't enough to deal with when you're just starting out, Joseph stands just 5' 6" tall in an industry that demands six feet in height just to get one foot in the door.

This then is the story of how Joseph Sayers used all of the fighting skills he learned as a boy to overcome great odds — proving his doubters in the industry wrong and vanquishing a miscreant photographer in the process. For ModelSwim, this story began in the winter of 2001, when a photographer posted headshots of a stunning, 18 year-old blond in the Forum. Even in those badly-lit, amateurish images, Joseph's natural beauty shone through and the images created a firestorm of interest in the newcomer.

The images also engendered fierce objections to the photographer's plan to submit Joseph for a one-off shoot with Playgirl, with the potential to wreck any chance of a career in fashion before it got started. As a result of the discussion, Joseph got in touch with us to ask for advice and we helped him find a reputable agent he could trust. The rest of the story is Joseph's to tell in his own words. This article is based on two separate interviews with Joseph, held at our offices in New York.