MasculineCurves

MasculineCurves

One of the things I felt used to make this blog unique is that I created orginal nude photo art and posted it here. It's been a while since I've done a nude shoot. Essentially, it costs your DesperateArtist quite a penny to hire guys brave enough to strip for the camera (all in the name of art of course). If you enjoy the blog and/or my original photography please consider making a donation via PayPal (donation link in right column of blog). Of course you can always buy my book too!

P.S. Today's image brought to you by the craftiness of my iPhone and edited using the PhotoShop app on my iPad.

the incomplete collection...

MasculineCurves Volume I by Aaron Douglas | Make Your Own Book

I chose to title this book "the incomplete collection" because I couldn't decide on a thematic direction to take the book. Would it simply be a book containing images? Would I include narrative documentation of my experiences photographing the men who posed for me? Or would I write about the creative process of capturing the male nude? 

The other challenge to putting this collection together was the fact that it never felt ready. I doubted that I photographed enough men or had the right array of men to actually put an entire body of work together. I believe that most artists struggle with this sense of incompleteness. It can always use one more brushstroke.

Essentially, I hit an emotional rock bottom towards the end of 2011. I was unhappy in my 9 to 5 corporate life and disappointed that I hadn’t done anything about my passion to live life as an artist and not as a slave to the corporate machine. Here I was experiencing the most lifestyle discontent that I had ever experienced, and I literally had two hard drives full of images I had created as a hobbyist and amateur photographer that were begging to be printed and bound. Although I knew this collection would be incomplete, it would be the next step in my path to pursuing my life as an artist.

Since I first picked up a camera in 2004, I learned quite a bit about myself and others as a result of my experiences behind the lens. Between these pages you will find some of my favorite images I’ve shot and some random narratives about the men and the process. I hope you enjoy this incomplete collection. I certainly enjoyed being the person behind the lens composing it.

...in print!

This book was eight years in the making (okay, so maybe that's a little dramatic, but it is a retrospective afterall) and seeing it bound and printed for the first time is an absolute thrill for me. The proof print arrived yesterday. Starting tomorrow it will be available for sale in my Blurb bookstore (and under $40 too!).

MasculineCurves the book

It seems as though I've been talking about producing this book for years now, and I, myself, am in disbelief that it's almost done. Only one more round of proofing and finalizing the cover art and it will be ready for production (working cover art above, what do you think?). I'm fortunate to have a great friend and the smartest person I know help with editing the narrative.

Here's what she had to say:

Oh my dear, I'm so sorry for the delay. I promise I will review your next book much more quickly! My two cents are marked on the attached... like I said, I really like it even though I can't see the photos [in the manuscript]. It's all interesting but I especially like the process/technique info, such as how you meet/connect with potential models (craigslist, giving someone your card on the bus ;), how you set the lights "incorrectly" to get the effect you're looking for, when to/when not to Photoshop, how you've grown as a photographer, all that stuff. It's just neat to get a behind-the-scenes peek into the actual making of the work in addition to the background on the models and shoots. So I think the "blurbs" are great; I think you have a wide range of information that will appeal to different kinds of readers, and you do it in nice, short packages.

I hope this is helpful, take what you like and ignore what you don't ;)

Love, Jess

Masculinecurves Remixed

 

A reader recently asked me about the apps I use for my iPhoneography series. So without giving away too many of my magical photo secrets away (lol), I'll try to make a point of sharing which apps I use from time to time. The above image of Shawn was originally shot with my Nikon D80, but I've "remixed" it using the qbro and Instagram apps. I especially enjoy Instagram because of the ability to network and share your images with other Instagram users.

anonymous...

for members only

 Due to the huge advertising revenue I’m making from this blog (not) I can’t display full frontal on here. But if you’d like to see more of my artistic physique photography with the MasculineCurves models you can do so by requesting a password for my member’s only blog, MasculineCurves Portfolio2. What’s more, is that it’s free (for the time being). All you have to do is send an email to aaron@masculinecurves.com with the word “Password” in the subject line. In your message be sure to include your name and the following statement: “I am over age 18 and may legally view this content.” I will respond within 1 to 24 hours with your password and link to Portfolio2. Note: If you are not of legal age DO NOT request access. By requesting access you are attesting that you are of legal age.

Above: featured model Ced. 

impromptu

I apologize to all my loyal blog readers out there for not having posted much of my original photography in what seems to be ages. I really haven't been shooting much this year. But here's a sort of impromptu shot I recently captured on my iPhone. Dude has a great body, don't you think? Yes, there is a bit of a story behind this image, but I'm saving that for my other soon-to-be-unveiled blog. hehe...

Happy belated blog-i-versary to me!

Hey fellas! It seems as though I somehow neglected to acknowledge this blog’s fourth anniversary which occurred last month. Yep, I’ve been doing my thing in the blogosphere for four years now and will hopefully keep it going for a long time to come. Sure, the blog has evolved since its inception, but as I look back I’m pleased to see that its become what I’ve always intended it to be -- a blog about male image. If you’re a new reader, you should know that not only do I derive my content from the web (and I’m pleased to say that I make my best attempts to credit photographers and models unlike other bloggers) but I also photograph quite a bit of content myself. You can check out my work on this blog’s parent site MasculineCurves.com, or via the MasculineCurves tag here.

Oh, and y’all know I ain’t too proud to beg. If you like what I’m doing, please help support my blogging efforts by making a donation via the PayPal button to the right of the page. Each and every little bit goes a long way in keeping this blog up and running, and beautiful men in front of my camera. I really appreciate it! 

 And one more thing: follow me on Twitter. Thanks ; - )

 

It was all so spur of the moment...

Note: this is a repost from the MasculineCurves blog archives and one of my favorite moments as a photographer. One of the things I love most about this art is the interesting situations my pursuits put me in. It's hard to believe this experience was three summers ago.

I spotted him on West 25th. We made small talk as we sat there waiting for the bus. He oozed an undeniable sensuality. The question was at the tip of my tongue, but I hesitated as I always do in these situations.

The light conversation was a polite way to pass the time as we both brewed with frustration over the tardiness of the number 20. Still, I hesitated. Time passed. The small talk dwindled. And still no number 20. A half-hour had passed and the diversion of conversation was only occasional at this point.

He was rough and rugged. All street, I suppose. I feared he'd perceive my softness, so I hesitated. The bus came.

I don't know where I found the courage to do what I did next, but when I saw him pull the string I hopped off. This was a different neighborhood. It was a neighborhood that suited him. I called his name, or at least the name he gave me on West 25th. He turned and looked at me with a hard glare... I put myself out there, and it was too late. I could no longer hesitate... It was the question I had been wrestling with for the past 40 minutes.

"Hey man. Can I take a picture of you?"

At first, my only intention was to snap a few shots for my street portrait series. But his loose fitting tank and the low-riding boxers revealed the allure of sun-kissed Latin skin. Without hesitation I asked another question:

"Do you mind taking off your shirt?"

It was all so spur of the moment....

 

Ced 'da Model'

As you may recall, I had the opportunity to shoot Ced back in May. Today I’m pleased showcase the first of a two-part fine art nude series with him. This gallery features 21 images shot with my Nikon D80 (the second part - soon to come - is shot with my iPhone). I love how these images came out and I’m amazed how comfortable he seems for his first time posing nude. Ced’s gallery can be viewed in the members’ only section of this blog. Click here for info on how you can get a free password for access.

P.S. If you enjoy my work please consider making a contribution via the “donation” in the right column of the page. Any amount big or small goes a long way in help keeping this blog up and going and beautiful men like Ced in front of my camera.

anonymous poser

Ex·pres·sion·ism

Ex·pres·sion·ism

noun - an artistic form seeking to represent emotions rather than external reality: characterized by the use of symbolism, exaggeration, and distortion.

My afternoon with Ced "da Model"

Ced is an aspiring model whom I first met and photographed in clothes a couple years ago (here and here). I already knew he looked great in front of the camera with his angular face and slender sexy body. So I was curious how he’d photograph in the nude. After years of begging him to get naked in front of my lens, today he finally indulged me. Being a straight man, he admitted he had reservations about doing this sort of thing and appearing on my web site. But once we got into it he was relaxed and comfortably stripped to the full monty. We experimented a bit with chains (more to come on that later), and in addition to shooting with my DSLR, I shot quite a bit of the session with my iPhone which is what you see here. Ced really brings it with sex appeal and is hairy in all the right places. This, of course, makes for really great texture in black & white photos. By the end of the shoot he said he felt completely comfortable with me and would be glad to do it again. Thanks Ced!

censored

Digging through my digital archives I came across this shot from my photo shoot with Stephen a few years ago (doctored up a bit here with the help of my iPhone). I invited him over to my new apartment prior to me actually moving in so we could take advantage of shooting in a vacant space. I almost forgot he brought a friend with him who made a cameo appearance in a few of the frames. See the uncensored version (and more of the MasculineCurves models) on my password protected blog MasculineCurves Portfolio2. Click here to get your password (it's free). 

censored

An image from my photo shoot with Terrence. See the uncensored version (and more of the MasculineCurves models) on my password protected blog MasculineCurves Portfolio2. Click here to get your password (it's free). 

censored

A never-never-before-seen image from my photo shoot with Phil. See the uncensored version (and more of the MasculineCurves models) on my password protected blog MasculineCurves Portfolio2. Click here to get your password (it's free).

Male Nude

I apologize for not having posted any artistic nudes in some time, but I haven't been shooting any lately. Here's a revisit on one of my favorites of Marc that I shot a few years ago with my DSLR (edited here on my iPhone with the QBRO app). 

On this date in MasculineCurves history...

Since I've been blogging for what seems like a gazillion years now (well, for 3.5 years, but that's like a gazillion in the interweb galaxy), I thought it'd be interesting to dig through the archives and dust off a photo-blog post from this day in MasculineCurves history. A year ago to the day I posted a preview of my work with one of my favorite models, Art (here). My full photo shoot with Art is featured in the members only section of this blog, Portfolio2. Click here to learn how you can get a free password for Portfolio2.

If you enjoy my photography, please feel free to drop a few bucks in my tin can via the PayPal button below. That way I can, perhaps, bring Art back for another shoot someday soon.

 

Mulatto

Today I photographed a particularly camera shy individual with some of the most beautiful body art I've ever seen. It's interesting how some people back away from labels while others embrace them. Labels or not, I guess we're all striving to define our existence.