I often get asked why, when I choose to go in front of the lens, I tend to push my limits. My response usually is, "Because the things I dislike about myself can be used as tools of power".


There is no shying away from it; when I get in front of the lens I prefer to do images that reveal my personal distastes about myself and address topics that society has a distaste for as well.


I also do it because I have a great loathing for the hypocrisy involving female vs. male nude photography. I only speak from my personal experience when I say the following: Male nude photography is often rejected as simplistic porn, while female nude photography is widely accepted as art.

Now don't get me wrong. Being a straight male I highly enjoy viewing the female body :D but I'm also keenly aware of the artistic values portrayed in nude art by both female AND male.

When I first published my work, "Silence is Golden", I received one comment in particular which stated, "Fucking porn". Is it really? If one were to redo that digital painting in exact form, from light, to setting, to pose, but use a female subject instead, I wonder if that person come to the same conclusion?

In the end it comes down to this for me. There are some stories, some messages to be sent, that can only be done in such raw manners. The subjects form provides an emotion that can only be captured and sent by the revelation. It should not be restricted by one gender, or the other, but equally viewed for what message you receive from the art you view.

Many are like me in this world who dislike physical traits about themselves, but there should be no shame in it. Long ago I realized that it can be a source of telling and I will continue to do so no matter how many tell me it isn't "proper".


Besides, I got my ticket to hell back in High School when I broke at least 5 of the 7 deadly sins in one evening. Ooops.