Mar 14, 2019

Nathaniel / Morning Wood

Masturbation is something we don't really talk about, let alone see portrayed in an honest way. Oh, I know the internet is full of pictures and videos of people touching themselves - it's called porn, and that's all fine. But I'm not interested in porn. What I am interested in showcasing the human condition. We all masturbate. It's probably the one normal thing we all do, but why is it something that we're ashamed of?


Society has a lot to do with it. Religion too. I also understand good manners and not discussing private matters with others. But when we do bring it up, it seems the intention is to sexually arouse. I don't think that has to be the case. The way I see it, jerking off is a form of self-care - not unlike brushing your teeth. I wanted to show the act of of masturbation without making it phonographic. A tough order to fill, I know, but I knew it could be done. I wanted Nathaniel to act naturally and pretend like I wasn't there. It was important that the photos felt raw and believable, so very little editing was done to them. The finished product is a series of photos that show off a normal human behavior without sexualizing it. What do you think?

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Mar 11, 2019

Shon / This Is Me


Shon has one of those smiles that makes everyone around him smile too. You would never imagine from these photos that he considers himself to be a very shy and anxious person. Getting to know him during the shoot, he shared with me where a lot of his insecurities come from. Unfortunately it's a story that most of us are all too familiar with.  

Shon grew up in rural Missouri. Going to high school in a town with a population less than a thousand people was a challenge for an openly gay kid. Shon opened up to me about his experiences with bullying and his struggle to accept himself when his peers did not. He told me that it was hard for him to even walk down the street without being harassed. I guess if there's a silver lining to experiences like these it's that it instills a drive and passion in us to achieve more and expand our horizons beyond a small town where few come to, but even fewer leave. 

Though Shon has moved on from high school, the insecurity and anxiety burned into him by small minded people still affects him. The week leading up to our shoot, he expressed to me that he was feeling nervous because he doesn't feel secure with his body, and that he is naturally quite shy and awkward. He was feeling fearful of opening himself up to the judgement of others, something he dealt with on a daily basis growing up. This shoot would be a big step for him and he didn't want that fear to stop him. He's glad it didn't. I am too. 

The best part of shooting people, nude or otherwise, is showing them how they look through someone else's eyes. You can look in a mirror all day, but you will never be able to see yourself objectively. It's the best feeling to have a small role in people's lives like that. During our shoot I could tell Shon was nervous at first, as most people are. Making the model feel comfortable and confident is something I've perfected through the years, and it shows in these photos. Like I said earlier, you would never guess that he harbors so much anxiety over the way he looks. I love how the photos turned out, and even better; he does too. Thank you, Shon, for sharing your story and your body with me...you're a wonderful human being. Cheers to learning to love ourselves!

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Mar 4, 2019

Alex / Faded Summer Nights


Posting these photos because I miss summer and I miss Alex. The dude moved to Alabama, and I rarely see him anymore. It's good though, he's down there getting some shit together. I am happy for him. Getting faded and not worrying about a damn thing is what nights like this are all about. Let's do it again soon, brother. 

Click Read More to see the rest of the photos.
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Mar 1, 2019

Nate / Mighty Mites

From the vault - a couple of test shots from my first shoot with Nate.
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