The FHM Year That Was 2011

FHM has played an integral part in my life and now, on my blogging. Most of my sites’ views are either from incoming search terms regarding FHM, referrals from FHM Bullboard and Jinri Park.

2011 has been a good year for FHM. They had 10 new cover girls and 3 returning cover muses over the past twelve months. Their articles have been better than ever. The 100 Sexiest campaign vote turn-out was overwhelming. And their covers for this year are impressive altogether.

I actually scored 11/12 issues, only missing the June 2011 issue with Stef Prescott on the cover.

Below is my review (nitpicks) for the issues FHM released this year in a nutshell.

#126: Carla Humphries on FHM January 2011

“Desert Fox”

PH: Doc Marlon Pecjo

HIGHS:

• Nice cover shoot concept
• The 2011 Forecast

LOWS:

• A not so explosive start for the year
• Thin issue
• The inside babes
• The free calendar

#127: Misa Campo on FHM February 2011

“Happy Camper”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Misa Campo’s almost impossible cover appearance
• The stunning cover
• The articles (47yo Virgin, Philippine History myth busters)
• Inside babes (Sachie Sanders, Aya Alonzo)

LOWS:

• The cover price increase
• Thin issue

#128: Solenn Heussaff on FHM March 2011

“Bon Vivant”

PH: Mark Nicdao

HIGHS:

• Solenn’s photos
• Tourism via the Bikini Special
• The articles (Death of Pinoy Rock, Dog Breeds)

LOWS:

• The cover
• An underwhelming anniversary issue
• That crazy Premiere Condom page

#129: Regine Angeles on FHM April 2011

“Total Recall”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Some of Regine’s Photos
• The articles (Myth Buster about certain body parts, Azkals)
• Given Teves

LOWS:

• A less daring Regine Angeles
• The cover

#130: Rich Asuncion on FHM May 2011

“Packed”

PH: Doc Marlon Pecjo

HIGHS:

• The cover
• Jinri Park
• Nika Madrid’s photo shoot
• OPM Songs

LOWS:

• Rich’s underwhelming photo shoot

#131: Stef Prescott on FHM June 2011

PH: Doc Marlon Pecjo

#132: Eula Valdez on FHM July 2011

“Full Circle”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Eula’s photo shoot
• Inside babes (Nathalie Bee, Linda Persson)
• Female Imperfections
• Thick issue

LOWS:

• Eula looking ‘mad’ in most layouts
• The 100 Sexiest Women supplement’s layout

#133: Niña Jose on FHM August 2011

“Super, Super, Super Nice”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Niña’s face
• More 3D pages
• Lingerie Special
• Articles (Php500 in 5 days challenge, the art of torture.)

LOWS:

• Niña’s noticeable weight gain
• PhotoShop

#134: Lovi Poe on FHM September 2011

“Her Royal Majesty”

PH: Mark Nicdao

HIGHS:

• The cover
• Some of Lovi’s photos
• Articles (The 90’s, Super Pinoys)

LOWS:

• Some of Lovi’s layouts
• The inside babes
• The FHM Collections

#135: Daiana Menezes on FHM October 2011

“All Yours”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Pinoy Horror Death Match
• Inside babes (Chiaki Morita, Erica Bacani)
• Pizza

LOWS:

• The cover
• Daiana’s photo shoot

#136: Ornusa Cadness and Sanya Smith on FHM November 2011

“Deconstruction”

PH: Doc Marlon Pecjo

HIGHS:

• Sanya Smith
• The interview with the cover girls
• The comedy feature (Ramon Bautista, Jason Gainza, Tuesday Vargas)

LOWS:

• The cover girls’ solo spread
• Inside babes

#137: Sam Pinto on FHM December 2011

“Future Perfect”

PH: Xander Angeles

HIGHS:

• Sam Pinto
• The photo shoot’s concept
• Thick issue
• Act Your Age

LOWS:

• Other articles
• Some inside babes

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SPECIAL MENTIONS

Photographers who did the covers for this year were Mark Nicdao (March, September), Doc Marlon Pecjo (January, May, June, November) and Xander Angeles (February, April, July, August, October, December).

Cover of the Year:

Lovi Poe’s cover looking not like FHM. The cover looks expensive and oh, so exotic. The composition of the photo is very commendable as well as the positioning and the colors used on the texts.

Lovi Poe’s body, the elephant, Thailand and FHM. Whoa!

Inside Babe of the Year: Jinri Park

It’s a big deal when FHM features you on their pages. BUT it is a BIGGER deal when two months after they feature you, they feature you again.

Korean model Jinri Park first appeared on FHM in the May 2011 ish. Then she covered the 100 Sexiest supplement released on July of the same year. Her second spread then appeared the following month.

No wonder that she was voted number 79 sexiest woman of 2011.

She is now currently spreading love on the airwaves via Monster Radio RX93.1 late night show with DJ Tom Alvarez.

BEST ISSUE OF THE YEAR:

Stunning cover. Equally stunning cover muse and story. Interesting articles. Hot lineup of inside babes…

FHM’s February 2011 issue is their most loaded one this year. Although along with this issue wass the 15 pesos price hike in six years, FHM set the bar high on this issue.

_____

Here’s for a bigger, better 2012 for FHM!

MORE INTERESTING COVERS AND ARTICLES FOR 2012! I am hoping for fresh faces and long-time highly requested babes to pose for the country’s leading magazine. More risque concepts, too. And more traffic for my blog here.

See you next year!

Follow @gigadom

#136: Ornusa Cadness and Sanya Smith on FHM November 2011

When was the last time FHM featured real, working models on their cover? I mean, those days when TV stars don’t frequent the cover of this rag? The closest I remember was Misa Campo’s February stint, but I don’t think Misa is a “model-model”. Not the glossy one, I mean. Well, back in 2007, Brazilian babe Ariani Nogueira did FHM. She was here mainly for Eat! Bulaga, though. In 2006, Amanda Griffin appeared back-to-back with Karel Marquez on the cover. There. 5 years since a real-deal model did the cover of FHM.

Ornusa Cadness. Sanya Smith. Silver-ish. Naked-ish. Side-by-side.

COVER

It’s really refreshing to see these girls on the cover. It’s been a long time since we last saw something this raw on the cover. Although the comparison with Aubrey Miles’ July 2009 cover is inevitable, I can say that this one’s a bit different.

The cover layout was rocking, pretty much coherent with the attitude of the cover muses. And have you noticed that there have been no red-colored logo on the cover of FHM this year? WalaLungs.

COVER GIRLS

Seeing these girls on the cover is a breath of fresh air since TV stars have been frequenting FHM as of late (since 2005, I mean). I believe models like Ornusa and Sanya will make better subjects when doing an interview since we only have little knowledge about their lives. Unlike those TV stars whose personal stories are almost always readily available.

This month also marks the return of Doc Marlon Pecjo as the main lensman after his June 2011 stint. I wonder why FHM rarely get him as the cover shoot photographer nowadays. I remember him doing 11 out of 12 covers back in 2009.

Also, it’s hard not to compare this month’s photo shoot to that of Aubrey Miles back in 2009 because of the utter similarities of the shoots’ setting. And yes, Doc Marlon did these shoots. The thing that’s almost always noticeable with Pecjo’s photos is its rawness.

And with the girls, the shoot is kinda underwhelming. I mean this is not Ornusa’s best FHM photos (although this one’s the one with the least articles of clothing) and Sanya should have more photos.

 THE GOOD:

The girls, being fashion models, are known to be high-fashion but their photos are very relatable.  At first, I thought they would have very editorial-like photographs and poses but they toned it down to be suitable to the men’s magazine reading masses. Their interviews are very entertaining, too.

 It’s also a plus to know that we have girls doing their poses like they mean it. I mean they know how to work with he camera well, thus the good-looking photos we have on the magazine.

 THE BAD:

The girls could use more photos. I believe they have more photos worthy of being included in their spread.

 And they should have included more variety with the photos of them together.

 And yes, this could be their last men’s magazine appearance.

 

I would say that Sanya Smith delivered better photos. Her lines are rockin’ and her eyes are just so tantalizing. Add to that her sexy jaw line. Ornusa’s still a big crush of mine, though. I just hope that FHM featured Sanya as much as Ornusa.

 FEATURED READS:

The only one I found worth reading is the comedy feature.

The first part includes Ramon Bautista with other comedians of different styles giving advice on laughing your way to a girl’s heart. It was entertaining on most parts. I just hope that Ramon did more talking.

The second part has comediennes doing a photo shoot, the FHM style. We have there Chariz Solomon, KitKat, Rufa Mi and Tuesday Vargas.

Some of the interviews were bland, though some of their photos delivered. I have always admired Tuesday Vargas, though. She knows how to do her comedy while taking herself seriously. Plus slapstick has grown old and distasteful for me.

Who am I kidding? The one about the Philippine Dragon Boat team looks interesting, too- although I haven’t read it yet.

 FEATURED GIRLS:

We have Zo Duro and a girl named Ally. Nothing really note worthy.

This issue’s almost a winner. The cover girls are enough to enjoy this month’s release.

*cover image from FHM.com.ph