[description: series of portraits bundled up in winter clothes, and various states of undress]
Although full exposure is normally the name of my game, a little bit of restraint is sometimes necessary to push my work to wider audiences. I consider it a creative challenge. I wouldn't want to be bound by it every time (or even most times) I pick up a camera, but it's a good way to mix up my workflow, and reinvigorate those innocent feelings towards nudity that can have a tendency to fade when you're surrounded by it day in and day out.
Moreover, I am fascinated by the exploration of that fuzzy line that separates explicit nudity from socially-acceptable "partial" nudity. How close can I get to that line without crossing it? And is there a point that is so close, that the suggestion of crossing the line can have the same practical effect, like the decimal form of 9/9 rolling over to 1? I don't know the answer, but I enjoy exploring the question.
I think the "shirt cock" is a ridiculous look. I know most people don't look like models to begin with, but there's something about the juxtaposition that's not particularly flattering. Of course, that doesn't mean that it can't be made to look attractive - and a lot of that has to do with the person modeling it (case in point, I've seen a "shirt pussy" or two in my day that I didn't hate). After all, a lot of people think men in swim briefs look ridiculous - and in a lot of cases, I would agree (although that's not reason enough to restrict their freedom to wear them). But on the right person, they can look downright smoking! So tell me, can I make a shirt cock look attractive, or not?
[description: portrait of a man from front and back in nothing but a tight-fitting t-shirt]
Casual on top, party on bottom - it's the mullet of fashions!
Casual on top, party on bottom - it's the mullet of fashions!
Obviously, I don't have a problem showing my face in naked (or even erotic) pictures - I stand by my modeling decisions, and if anyone has a problem with that, it's their problem, not mine. The immortality of art is more important to me than fleeting social trends. But this -
[description: a naked man stands with t-shirt pulled up over his face]
Seminonymous
Seminonymous
- seems like it would be a great pose for people who want to show off their bodies, while still protecting their identity. I reluctantly acknowledge that some people don't want or can't afford to be noticed engaging in internet exhibitionism - and I'd rather they pursue it anonymously than give it up. But certain types of self-censorship are just tacky. Rather than smudging your face in Photoshop, or exclusively shooting cropped images of your body, it's much better if you can find creative ways to hide your face, like this one.
