Do you like being photographed and do you like what you see in pics of you?

[doitb4ugo]

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I posed for some photographs with a professional photographer who is doing a project of shooting ordinary everyday gay men in the nude to create an exhibit to emphasize that male beauty is not just about perfect bodies, etc.

 

Given how much I hate having my picture taken and avoiding it most of my life..I found the session to be very liberating and made me feel good about my body image. Don't know how I will feel when I get to see them however....

 

I an wondering what you think of doing something like this...

[Diverdan]

Rich... if you enjoyed it, it is no one else's business... however, I would never do something like this...for many reasons which I won't get into here...

[seeker630]

I salute you!

 

I remember, in my 20's and 30's, feeling that I looked better (in terms of sexual attraction, at least) OUT of my clothes than IN them. But I tend to be somewhat shy and I doubt that I would ever have allowed anyone to photograph me. And now...no way!

[jjkrkwood]

For the past 10 + years Ive avoided having pics taken cause I thought I looked horrible. Unless I needed to update a profile, its a no pics policy for me, althoguh I am told that others are not seeing the pics the way I see them....

[josephga]

it wouldn't bother me to do it

[BostonPhil]

I think it is a lot of fun and every one should do it!

[bigvalboy]

Rich I think that it is fantastic that you did the photo shoot, especially since you said that you found it liberating. As I get older, I find myself doing things that I never would have done 20 years ago.

[Epigonos]

M-A-N-Y years ago when I was teaching photography I decided to take a class in nude photography in Monterey, CA. At the time I was big time into major body building, steroids and the whole nine yards. One of the models failed to show up and the instructor asked me if I would mind filling in. The only difficult thing about the experience was the instant I removed my sweat pant and underwear. From that moment on it was a complete bore. At this point in my life and being a total and complete body fascist my mirror tell me absolutely NOT!!!!!

[Decatur Guy]

I pretty well cringe when I look at pictures of myself ... so I think it's pretty cool you enjoyed doing this!

[+ purplekow]

i hate getting my picture taken nor do I enjoy my own reflection. In fact, I have avoided mirrors for about 20 years. If I didnt know what i looked like, I might not be able to identify myself at this point. Occasionally however, i will look back and see pictures of myself which I thought were horrid but, now, with a few decades behind me, they look damned good. I think it is unfortunate that I have had a negative image of myself, but what is odd is that though i dont enjoy and in fact actively avoid seeing myself, I really dont mind being seen. So, I would not mind having my picture taken as long as I would not have to look at it.

[jjkrkwood]

I would DO it only to see what THEY could possibly do with ME..... My body is fine, but the face is starting to show signs of "wear"... eventhough at 61 I get mistaken for 45.... BUT you know,,,People LIE !

[jawjateck]

I'm not photo-worthy; best to keep these bulges covered to protect the innocent. I prefer my look from 20 years ago, as do many escorts, which is why they still post photos of themselves from a different era. HA! Sorry for the momentary diversion....

 

I have no need for professional photos of any nature, and have very few personal photos taken of me these days.

[Phil_musc]

I get that sometimes too, JJ. I tell myself that they're just being honest, but really I think they have an undiagnosed eye problem - like maybe there should be a dog walking with them.

[+ Archer]

Despite being in pretty good shape, no, I don't like having my picture taken. Whether due to my general coloring or the vagaries of the universe, I fade into the background in every photograph ever taken of me.

[unsub2O17]

Yeah, I get a lot of pictures taken of me, and I'm always shocked at how old and sickly (read bent over) I look--at least to myself. Others don't seem to notice, but I sure don't get "you look young for your age". So, "no" Rich, I wouldn't feel liberated. I'd just feel embarrassed, but I'm very happy for you.

[jjkrkwood]

I get that sometimes too, JJ. I tell myself that they're just being honest, but really I think they have an undiagnosed eye problem - like maybe there should be a dog walking with them.

 

OR there IS a dog, and it has a keg around its neck ????

[+ honcho]

When I was in my early twenties , I always thought I looked bad in pictures ...

 

When I was in my early thirties, I still thought I looked bad in pictures, but knew a guy who made his living selling photosets to porn mags

like Honcho, Mandate , etc ...

 

The guy had an MFA, and his preferred art-form left to his own devices would have otherwise been oil-painting landscapes and portraits,

but did have an eye for composition.

 

So, he suggested a speculative arrangement in which he would take pictures, i and if he did make a sale he would pay me 40% of what he got.

(the photographer did make a sale, and I conned a friend on the board here to include one of the pictures in a beach party set ... nobody

here commented at all on the particular photo, but I do admit the competition was *STIFF* )

 

I learned, that even highly-skilled professional photographers take *LOTS* of pictures and discard most of them.

 

And sometimes people look a lot more appealing in the best of the pictures than they do in real life.

 

I'm glad a did it, enjoyed the experience and posed for two other photographers.

 

Photographer #2 took 200 photos, selected 40 of them and 20 were printed

Photagrapher #3 took 300 photos , selected 40 of them and offered them up to the same magazine group

and was turned down. (I was 33 when photographer #1 shot his set, 39 when photographers #2, #3 did theirs).

 

I thought they were fabulous, and a year later, had gone to the Drummer office in SF to get tickets for the Mr. Drummer

contest (as an audience member), and showed two pictures from the sety to a couple of the folks who worked there.

 

They agreed about the quality of the work, and subsequently made an arrangement with the photographer to

publish around 15 or so pictures from the set.

 

Of course now having just turned 60 I don't quite look like that any more ...

 

It is interesting that photographer #3 also sold photosets to the magazine

"Charon Rising", for which even at 60, I'd be a bit young to qualify ....

[bigvalboy]

M-A-N-Y years ago when I was teaching photography I decided to take a class in nude photography in Monterey, CA. At the time I was big time into major body building, steroids and the whole nine yards. One of the models failed to show up and the instructor asked me if I would mind filling in. The only difficult thing about the experience was the instant I removed my sweat pant and underwear. From that moment on it was a complete bore.

 

 

That was VERY brave of you Epigonos...LOL LOL

 

I have taken a few of those art classes along the way when I was younger. I remember saying to myself, "How could anyone get up there in front of all these people and just sit there Butt naked. I couldn't understand it then, but now that I am older, I don't think that I would hesitate.

[maxwellissmart]

That was VERY brave of you Epigonos...LOL LOL

 

I have taken a few of those art classes along the way when I was younger. I remember saying to myself, "How could anyone get up there in front of all these people and just sit there Butt naked. I couldn't understand it then, but now that I am older, I don't think that I would hesitate.

 

Just about everyone can look good in a picture with a good photographer who knows what looks natural and what doesn't. Most people cringe at themselves in pictures because that's not what they normally look like—it's an "off" expression. I agree with the comment about throwing shots away—good pics are like diamonds, and you may have to take dozens and dozens to get the perfect one.

[doitb4ugo]

Yeah, I get a lot of pictures taken of me, and I'm always shocked at how old and sickly (read bent over) I look--at least to myself. Others don't seem to notice, but I sure don't get "you look young for your age". So, "no" Rich, I wouldn't feel liberated. I'd just feel embarrassed, but I'm very happy for you.

 

I felt liberated during the photoshoot...I can;t tell how I'm going to feel when I see me in the pics....I don't think I am very good looking particularly without the clothes....lol.