More Work for Pride

I enjoy manipulating these images in Photoshop.

Pride

I have not worked with nudes for several months but would like to create something special for this year's pride celebrations.  I would particularly like to photograph and paint men who have interesting tattoos.  This type of art is fascinating for many of us: the work is becoming more and more delicate and colourful, the meanings of the symbols deeper and deeper. I also want to explore what can be done with photoshop and its various artistic tools. 

Here is an example of work done very recently with a very handsome model.

Black and White

Black and white photographs are very much in vogue at the moment.  

The medium emphasizes the beauty, subtlety and masculinity of the male nude.  The lack of definable colour seduces the viewer into an appreciation of the texture of skin, the sensuality of body hair and the interesting modeling of muscle and sinew brought out by the richness of shadow and contrast.

Deep shadow adds an air of mystery, stimulating a desire to probe the depths and awakening the need to touch and stroke in order to feel as well as see what remains veiled or vaguely suggested. The highlighted areas are rich in that they reveal delicate, silky smoothness  of soft skin and contrastingly robust roughness evoked by hair.  These contrasts are what make black and white nudes so satisfying.

Models Needed

I am constantly looking for in-shape men of any age who are willing to pose for me.  I use these photos as the bases from which to create watercolour paintings similar to those seen earlier on in my blog.

I share a studio in the Distillery District with my photographer/partner who may also help

with the photography. We guarantee privacy and discretion for whomever wishes to participate.

We request that the models sign releases which spell out exactly what we can and cannot do with these images. (Nothing goes to the net without express permission!)

Each shoot lasts a couple of hours.  I fully expect the model to bring and change into whatever clothing he thinks appropriate, even if that is nothing.  We work out poses that suit your needs as well as mine. If you would prefer not to show your face or your genitals, so be it. Should you wish to have poses shot with a significant other, that can be  easily accommodated.

In rare circumstances we might consider shooting in another location, even out of doors.

What does the model get from this?  We put the best shots on DVD as a reward for time and effort expended.  It might contain as many as thirty images.

 No money changes hands and there is no suggestion of sex being involved. 

If you would be interested in a photo session, I can be reached at tomlei15@hotmail.com

Rendering the Figure

A prominent Toronto illustrator and painter once remarked to me that one was not a real artist until he or she had mastered the complex job of rendering the human figure.  Part of the difficulty in performing this feat lies in the fact that, because of constant exposure to and interest in this subject, we are adept at spotting the imperfections  in any representation.  

At present I am working in watercolour to experiment with the human form, trying to attain some degree of accuracy while maintaining a looser style that I hope will be expressive of whatever emotions I am portraying.

A major problem lies in finding appropriate models on whom to work.  I would like to photograph more varied subjects than those available through art classes and so have been seeking victims through male websites- most people whom I contact are reluctant to pose for any number of reasons but those few who have volunteered have proven to be excellent subjects (though I would guess that they would have difficulty seeing themselves in the finished paintings).

Photographs do not necessarily involve total nudity.  One question often arises: what do I charge?  The answer is nothing. I have a studio in the Distillery that I share with a fellow photographer.  We sometimes collaborate with a willing model.  Nothing is used on the internet without the model's written consent.  I prefer to do the shooting there.   I often am able to provide a DVD  of the best photos as a thank-you.  

Experimentation

The joy of digital photography comes partially from the endless diversity one can create with the various software editing systems now available.  Check these out.