ERROR RG P4 6.12.1999 A story in the Lifestyle section on Tuesday incorrectly stated that a calendar by photographer Ras Mykkal was a "history making calendar''. In 1988, Bermuda Press printed an all Bermuda girls calendar with photographs by Chris Wilcox.

From the little acorn the mighty oak will grow, and so it is with Ras Mykkal's career as a photographer.

This Bermudian's unusual name is a combination of Amaric and Hebrew. Ras is Amaric meaning "head or leader of''. His surname is the Hebrew alternative for Michael which means "he who is like the Lord''.

From tentative beginnings as a self-taught photographer during his time as public relations officer for the Bermuda Autocycle Racing Union years ago, Mykkal began taking photographs to submit to the newspapers on a freelance basis.

"Tim Hodgson told me that if I came up with any interesting pictures they would give me a couple of dollars. That gave me the interest to continue,'' he said.

With help from well known photographers Dexter Flood and Tammell Simmons he began to improve his work by asking things like "what am I doing right and wrong''.

When personal problems struck, Mykkal left Bermuda for Tennessee to stay with his parents. While there he learned the finer points of photography. He took a course with the New York Institute of Photography, which he completed in eight months.

Mykkal's first big break came when Judy Mowatt, a back-up singer for Bob Marley and solo artist in her own right, showed photos he had taken of her on stage to a friend.

Mowatt's friend, Bridget Anderson, then showed the photos to Unfold magazine.

He was soon offered a position at Unfold's Jamaica office.

However, after seven months of working at the magazine, Mykkal, who was missing his children, returned to Bermuda and began freelancing again.

Today Mykkal works for both the Mid-Ocean News and The Royal Gazette as a full-time photographer.

"I am not a photojournalist,'' he said.

"If anything I am a sports photographer. Even though I do news, I do not want to be identified or known as a news photographer.'' His love for photography has led him down may roads, shooting everything from outdoor portraits and community events to glamour photos.

But his most recent project, a calendar of Bermudian women, was very much a case of stepping into the unknown for the 38-year-old.

He had taken a handful of pictures of women he knows who then showed them to their friends. As a result Mykkal was soon being approached by other women who wanted their picture taken.

"The thought occurred to me that there has never been a calendar of the beautiful women of Bermuda,'' he said.

Mykkal had his work cut out for himself when he undertook the project.

Locations had to be scouted, models had to be found and made to feel comfortable and pictures had to be taken.

"Bermudians like to party -- you make plans to move early to get the sunlight at the right time and she has a hangover or she is tired -- different things happened to slow things down, but at the end of the day we have a finished product.'' After three years of work the first ever Bermuda Triangle Girls Calendar 2000 is set for release.

The calendar is full of beautiful Bermudian women shot all over the Island, mostly people that Mykkal knows or met in some way. But he hopes that if sales go well that the next one will be even better.

Although the majority of the models featured in the calendar are black women, with one woman of Portuguese descent, Mykkal hopes to get a better mix of Bermudian women next time. However, all the women in the calendar come from a variety of backgrounds.

"One is a track star, one is a former Miss Bermuda, one is studying to be a graphic artist,'' he said.

Mykkal admits that he had little experience with this kind of photography and most of the models he used were also inexperienced, but he did his best to make everyone feel comfortable.

"Glamour photography isn't as easy as people think. Some might think that a guy gets on a beach somewhere with a beautiful girl and starts taking pictures.'' He worked hard to make his models comfortable in order to get the expression and attitude that he wanted and that his model was comfortable with. Once everyone was comfortable thing were easy. He had hundreds of pictures to choose from.

Mykkal is hopeful that Bermudians will purchase the calendar not only because it is "a home-grown quality product'' but also because it is history.

"I'm 95 percent happy with it. For a history-making project it is good,'' Mykkal said.

With only 3000 copies printed, sales will predict if Mykkal tries the calendar again next year.

The calendar is a swim suit glamor product. However Mykkal says it is not about nudity or exploiting the girls.

"I not only have the girls' reputations to take care of, but my own.'' This history making calendar can be picked up at Phoenix and People's Pharmacies, Mall Magazines and gas stations around Bermuda.

Ras Mykkal Glamour girl: One of the images that will appear in Bermuda's first glamour calendar.