I have a question for those of you in my audience. And while I appreciate flattery elsewhere, right now I'm looking for an honest critique. I know you like my art - you've said as much with your faves, comments, and messages. But compared to other erotic photographers - regardless of whether they consider themselves artists or pornographers - is my work special in any way? Does it stand out, or is it just more of the same sexy pictures you get from any number of sources?
Because, though my enthusiasm for my work is charged by my interest in voyeurism and exhibitionism, there's more to it than that. I don't take pictures just because I get some sexual thrill out of it (although I do at times). I take them because I have a passion for photography. I'm intrigued by the challenge of depicting eroticism in a visual medium, but I am also concerned with the aesthetics of beauty, and not just raw sexuality.
The reason I ask is partly because I want to become better at what I do, and partly because I'm a little curious as to the reason why I don't have more opportunities to pursue my passion. For example, I want beautiful models to say, "ooh, I want to be photographed by him!" I want magazines to want to show my work. I want publishers to be hunting me down for book deals. And I want to be critically acclaimed among a larger community than "flickr perverts" (as much as I appreciate them).
And I want to know if the reason I'm not is because my work isn't good enough yet, or if there is another reason. There could be other reasons. It could be because my work is unabashedly sexual. But then, I don't have the porno industry beating down my door, either. It could be because the subject of most of my work is male, and not female which is far more popular; and beyond that, not just any male, but a very peculiar, feminine male. But then, don't people love the allure of the exotic and unusual?
Maybe there's just a much bigger audience for disposable porn - people who look at images to get off by without much concern for artistic quality, one way or the other - than there is for artistic works. Or, it could very well be because I - not only because of the nature of my art - like to keep private (in relative terms), am not extremely sociable, and am not super enthusiastic about putting my skills out on the market and advertising what I do and what I want to do.
It could be any of these reasons, or others, but all I'm asking you is about the quality of my art. Is it exceptional, above average, or just average?
Well, if you are interested in the opinion of an ugly old lady that, in spite of that, still likes to take her clothes off for self portraits, here it comes:
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You are handsome, very beautiful, very sexy, but, that doesn't matter so much for me.
If you see my photos, I deliberately don't look for young and beautiful models.
I try to find the beauty in each person that wants to pose for me.
What I like about your photos is that they seem so inartificial.
That you make use of the daily life environment and available light to do so.
That you aren't scared to experiment and to show your true self.
And all this with stunning results.
Your photos have an amateuristic 'feel', while at the same time it's obvious that you have 'the eye' and good photography skills.
And you have really great modelling skills, too of course!
If I hade more time, like say a day or three of four, I could write a more profound evaluation of your art.
But writing, especially in my bad English, that I just learn along the way, takes so much time.
Maybe I will one day though. Your work is surely worth it!
I would say it's well above average, and many of your photos are really exceptional!
And you are still so young, I look forward to see where it might go in the next years!
:-))
See you! And, keep up the great writing, and the photographing!
XXX
Of course I am interested in your opinion! Thank you so much for responding, I wasn't sure that anyone would. :-)
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