3 photos unsuitable for outdoor display

I almost always tell the person I'm taking a portrait of to pose however they want. I have no idea why these men opted to show their penises. The folks in my portraits are all people who I've met only when I've approached them to ask if I could take their photo. The men in these photos are strangers to me. I explained my project to them and we talked for a minute or 2 and then I took their photo. I didn't encourage or discourage these guys, but I was excited to see them so fully participate in the portrait.

Often, there is a conspiratorial feeling between me and the person I've asked to photograph. Sometimes, in the few minutes we spend together, it's as if we really, really know each other and have a shared secret.

What makes the following photos so compelling to me is not just the composition of the photos, it's also the full-blown craziness of getting out your penis in a public place to have a complete stranger photograph you. Two of the photos with penises out are solid enough for showing. The last photo is weak and I wouldn't exhibit it, but it's interesting to me why it doesn't work. None of these moments were repulsive or frightening. Actually, they were great moments.




1. I was laughing so hard when I took this photo, I could barely hold the camera. Guys, god bless you.



2. This can be shown outside and I love it, but I'm on the fence about it's placement in the 2005 95 show. It will probably find it's way into the 2006 show.



3 and 4. I really like this photo, but it's not nearly as powerful as the one below it. Sometimes subtleties evoke a much stronger reaction in me. The photo below has a menacing quality, a stronger sexuality and his expression is beautifully impassive. There's a greater depth to the photo below than the one above. That being said, the photo above is one of my all time favorites.







5. This photo is phenomenally boring to me. The composition is weak and although a man masturbating in his car should really be engaging, it's just flat. In some ways, I was happy to have this picture fail. I work to have formality and intimacy in every photo. However, despite the subject and interior framing of this photo, it has neither. Sometimes, albeit rarely, I need a kick in ass to think harder.