St. Paddy's Day

Just for fun!  I enjoy these exercises.

Figure on White

On the other hand, studio light can be nice, as well.

Figure in the studio

For no particular reason, a figure from a studio session with one of my favorite models, Darin.


I enjoy the romance of natural light when I can get it.

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF EROS

Some of you may have noticed that I've taken a break, which began with the holidays but has extended somewhat.  Thank you for your continued viewing.

When I began this Blog I organized it in roughly chronological order, beginning with my earliest work on film and continuing into digital.

Now that I am into the present, this order does not seem to make sense, so I have been searching for a new organization - by model, by session, by theme - but I have not made a decision.

It is possible that I will not "organize", but simply post images as they occur.

The first example, below, was done for an upcoming exhibition,"Uncensored:Queer Art and the Church" Leslie-Lohman Gallery, NYC.

It is a digital photograph superimposed onto a religious illustration by an unknown artist.

A Mid-winter's Eve

Shot in low one-source light.

David, Blindfolded

Another attempt with the blindfold, this one in the studio.


I consider this one a success for a number of reasons.

Shot with one light source.

David on White

Another from this session. We seem to do better when he isn't facing the camera.

Studio shot with high-key lighting.

David, with a straw hat

OK, it's a new year, and we pick up where we left off:


Back to David (Sunday, December 4, 2011)  In a continuing search for a pose that made him comfortable, we tried this studio set-up, with a straw hat.

Shot in studio light on a white paper drop.

Naughty

Let it snow!

I do love the holidays, and these are fun! They exercise my design muscles.

Figure shot in the studio; everything else is CG.

A Little Christmas

Let's take a break and have a little holiday cheer.

David, T-shirt pose

Next we tried the classic T-Shirt pose.

Sorry about yesterday.  I got preoccupied and didn't post.

Figure in Bed

We tried everything.  Here is our attempt at a sexy boudoir shot.


Now that I look at it again, it's not bad, for what it is.

Shot in low light, desaturated color.

David, Blindfolded

We discussed the problem of facial expression at length, and David thought perhaps it was simply that he was shy of the camera, so we tried a blindfold.

David, fireplace

I know it may seem I'm picking on David, but I'm really not.  I've always felt that a good photographer can photograph anyone, regardless of his or her expertise as a model. David presented a challenge, and as an artist and photographer, it was a problem I wanted to solve.


Besides the issue of his expression, David was tall and angular, with few curves, and he was not experienced enough to know how to break up his lines.


Here I have posed him in an attempt to alleviate these issues, but it seems forced.

Triptych

Another approach.

Shot in low light, allowed to blur.

David, Torso

Please forgive yesterday's rant.  Censorship upsets me.


And now, back to David.  His first shoot was a disaster, although I did get the one image.  By his second shoot I had begun to realize that careful posing was necessary if I was to get anything usable.


As I mentioned, David was taller than I usually shoot, and that presents a different set of problems.


But it was his facial expression that was the biggest difficulty.  I attempted to solve this with shadow and pose.

Shot digitally in low light.

A small rant

I am a paying member of an on-line site that provides exposure and a clearing house of sorts for models and photographers.  The site is called (unfortunately) Model Mayhem.


The image below has been posted on the site - accessible only to members - since last February.  Today it was removed, citing the rule against the "non-flaccid" penis.


Censorship is alive and well.

Shot digitally with a one-light source, sepia toned.

Figure

A new model, with a back-story.


I had a shoot scheduled with my favorite model, Brandon. (Sunday, September 18, 2011)  He called an hour before to say he had a conflict and couldn't make it, but he had a friend who wanted to sub for him.  He had never posed before, but he really wanted the experience.  Since I was already set up, I agreed.


The model, who I will call "David", because that is his name, showed up about a half-hour late - a sign of things to come.  As I recall, it was March, and still a little chilly, but David was wearing a plaid flannel shirt, long-sleeved, buttoned to the wrist and the neck.  Not a good sign.


I attempted to warm him up with a series of clothed head shots, and after a few of these I suggested that maybe he could unbutton the top two or three buttons of his shirt.  He reluctantly complied, only to reveal another shirt - this time a long-sleeved rugby - underneath, also buttoned to the top button.


It took me about half an hour to get his clothes off, and even then I had to practically pry off his socks.  (He was self-conscious about his feet.)


Things weren't going well.  He was tall - a little under six feet - and well but not over muscled.  A nice body.  But his face, although attractive, was contorted in a mask of what can only be described as sheer terror.


I tried every trick I could think of to put him at his ease, but nothing worked.


Finally, after nearly an hour, I just gave up and turned him around.  The result is this image, which is one of my favorites.


MORAL:  Keep shooting.


I have worked with David now for four years, and it's still a struggle every time, but there will be other images of him.  Some will be surprising.

Shot with digital with a one-light set-up, sepia toned.

Figure in the Studio

Finishing out the week:

Shot with studio light on white seamless.