One woman as a protector of the Sabine women. I have Google it and nothing came up. So this is the name of this image. I looked in art history and have not found a protector of the Sabine women. JESSICA is the protector of Emma a Sabine woman a constant reminder that women can be protectors too. But I may have been to rash there is a portrait painting of Allegory The Triumph of Justice (1558) oil on copper by Hans von Aachen. A German mannerist painter.
I wonder where the line is between PORN and Nude Art. Is it a degree of nudity or the subject matter or both? It is all still a great mystery to me but I continue to keep myself involved in finding out what the real answer is. I am still trying to figure out what is considered art. I was a fan of the graphic arts back in the mid 70’s with the Mad Magazines and Cracked but that was mostly an influence from my step brother. I was never a real big comic book fan and never really bought into that. At the time I was into STAMPs collecting them, well because my father was a Postal Clerk for the US Navy and he had given me [actually my mother did] a box full of unused mint condition stamps from the mid to late 60’s. Even though my father had past away and I had a new step dad it was the only connection to my father I had. Well, back to the subject at hand. I have research much into how Romans had assisted deaths when they did not want to fall on their swords and I thought maybe because of modern times how women are taking on the roles that man use to take on. I though why not have the same problems and same death as men did. Instead of the usual woman death of poison or hanging. That a woman should penetrate another woman wanting to die because of shame or even failure. (Death Before Dishonor) It is what I think is a good subject of which I had the props and again bought some clothing from a thrift shop close by. Red seems to be my theme nowadays. The idea I got from the HBO series ROME and of course the film Gladiator. A quick stab downward through the collar bone to the heart and aorta and you bleed out quickly. It looks gruesome but its over in a mater of seconds.
A hug and thanks for the different concepts! (Alex Harper)
I was thinking maybe red! (Alex Harper)
I loved working with Rose(Alex Harper). She was a trooper she comes from out of state from the “Show Me” state…yup Missouri! Today concept was mainly red but I could not get away from the spirit of Helmut. After about almost a two hour delay and have to stand in the hallway for 15 minutes. I was pretty frazzeled but the time gave me time to cool off. Once started I plan for one idea and was not able to do it. So I looked around and I loved the large mirror. I used a jacket I picked up at the art bump in Oak Cliff for ten bucks and had a great conversation with a nice white dreadlocks big boobed woman who did not mind showing them off and had a fragrance of MaryJane.
These are the words from the very beautiful Emily as I let her hold my sword I had just acquired from the local pawn shop (sword not shown). She was quite impressed with it as she wielded it about for a couple of minutes before I started snapping away. The tie she is wearing I had found it in a thrift store, it has a shield red cross and it look to me at the time a upside down cross in the left upper corner. I looked it up and found it to be the Crest to the city of London England.
Arms: Argent a Cross Gules in the first quarter a Sword in pale point upwards of the last.
Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a Dragon’s sinister Wing Argent charged on the underside with a Cross throughout Gules.
Supporters: On either side a Dragon Argent charged on the undersides of the wings with a Cross throughout Gules.
Motto: ‘DOMINE DIRIGE NOS’ – Lord, direct us.
I thought it was cool so I bought it for about $2.00 the red cross is for St. George which is a magnificent story of how he killed a dragon to save a princess.
That is the way I think of Emily when I am working with her, a princess…not a dragon. It is my second time to photograph her and she is a complete joy. Last time Emily had told me how she just broken up with her boyfriend of 6 months, just a week before Valentine’s Day…how sad but she had spent V day with friends. We ended our session with the black shaw and she loved it and she really could not get enough of it. She loves lace. Most women do!
As I was leaving the studio as I arrived carrying this huge black and silver sword along with my camera gear. The people I passed never gave me a second look, and there were many. I guess nothing surprises no one nowadays. However, while I was on my way home when I had seen a whole barrage of fireworks go off for several minutes at Fair Park, what was going on there, well it was a fitting end to my evening.
This shoot was in a Hotel and not in the usual studio. I was a bit hesitant to even go but I thought, what the hell…I packed my camera’s charged my batteries and loaded film into an old Nikon F100 35mm film camera…I had lying around. Besides the last time I had used it was back in 2006 to photograph Gordon Parks daughter at the Dallas Museum of Art almost ten years ago. Gosh time flies I really wanted to meet Gordon Parks but he had passed away earlier that year. I do admire his photography, music, films.
Well back to the Hotel where I was introduced to the lovely JordanLehn. I had brought props…a sword, bow tie, lace shaw, a mask (used in one of my short films “Hunting Diabla”). I had laid them out along with my cameras. I always think easy access is always best, since I was pressed for time.
She had asked if she need to put her clothes back on. Did I mention she was nude the whole time I had arrived till I had introduced myself. The whole time averting my eyes in order not to creep her out…Plus I am not as comfortable around naked beautiful women unless I have some sort of romantic involvement….I know it sounds prudish…hey it is what it is, I simply said that there was no need we will just get right into the props and poses. I had researched some that I wanted specific…the one on display was one of those pose. JordanLehn was very attentive and so relax and very professional…again I was a nervous wreck inside. Plus the room was vary cramped. I was snapping away. I had the administrator in the room which really did not give me a chance to speak to J in a more comfortable way also to take breaks every ten minutes to do that. I have found it Creates a bit of bonding when you do that. Once my specific poses where accomplished we kinda played it by ear. I was using a camera with a fixed 50mm f1.2 Zeiss Lens one with a zoom 28-200mm and the Film camera had a zoom 18-70mm with a large soft box strobe. I did not get to use my tripod because of space. I wanted to try a slow shutter to obtain as much detail as possible, but oh well, only hope my hand was steady enough. Used Kodak Ektar 100 color film very fine grain. all the sword poses are on film and will find out later how they turned out when I use the rest of the roll shot only about 15 frames use the other half for something else. I had five minutes left and decided that I had got all the photos I needed. J had told me she had really enjoyed the props most photographer don’t use them with her…me I used to use tones of props when I had worked for National Studio so its a little bit in my blood to do so. As we had some time we talked about B & W developing and printing(J is a photographer too)…that it dose take a while to learn and perfect. I spent many years in the dark processing B & W prints…I do miss it and do long to get back to it but its just easier with digital.
I have always been fascinated with Penthouse Magazine ever since I was a young boy, and of course my step dad kept a stack of these magazine. When the parents where away…well me and my step brother would break them out and see the photos of the beautiful women and read the Penthouse forum. What amazing fantasies of a teenaged boy and quite happy dreams. So when I had the opportunity to meet and photograph a former Pet I jumped at the chance. I raced across town weaved through traffic and made it in time. As soon as I arrived the model was ready the studio set and all I had to do is pull out my camera’s and take some light readings. I introduced myself and explained a little what I wanted and after we would play it by ear. She was very Pleasant and we proceeded into poses.
I was working with Mallory Rae Murphy a former Penthouse Pet, Hustler, and Jail Bait Magazine as well as a Vivid Porn Star. I did some research. I had actually never heard of her, since my smutty mag days where long past. I was quite taken back on how normal she was and did I say very pleasant. While posing we engaged in some banter about the life in pornography. She told me that she had to get out of the business it became to dark with creepy people and too much drugs, a majority of the girls where addicted to Heroin and she needed to get away from that sort of life style, also there was another reason, she had become a mother.
Now while she was posing and seemed like she was spilling her gut to me, I did not press to hard but she did talk about her kid, in a way all mothers talk about their child in such a proud way all too familiar to me. I shared some kid stories with her about my nephew on how he used to jump on me with his knees while I was asleep. Boys are rough, all the time…something I am sure I really did not have to tell her. Being the object of their desire and all.
By now she was totally nude and was very comfortable, and I was a nervous mess inside. She did not detect it at all…at least that is what she had told me, maybe she was being kind. She did mention that I was one of the best photographers she had ever worked with (and she has worked with some famous ones) so Professional and to the point and very respectful. Her words. Gosh, I thanked her…but I am pretty much like that anyways…I think if you are confused or upset during a shoot it pretty much reflects to the Model, of course I did not tell Mallory this, I just kindly thanked her for being so pleasant to work with.
As I reflect back on our conversation, I did notice a heavy focus on money and never having enough, being a single parent and all the stresses of being a former porn industry worker and how bad they treat these young girls..if you have just turned 18 or a MILF they don’t want you anymore. What a horrid tale! I was some what relieve to hear that she has family to rely on, because there is nothing worse then having no one to rely on when times are tough, not saying times where tough for Mallory but in general with all single moms. Mallory did mentioned to me how she chose her name….it was after Oliver Stones film “Natural Born Killers” Juliet Lewis’s role as Mallory Knox who was sexually abused by her father. Was that a mirror into Mallory Rae’s own past? I don’t really know but I think maybe so.
The problem with Models is that they get cold and are a bit grumpy at the end of the day. I arrived to the studio and already there was a back up of photographers, at the very least thirty minutes to an hour behind schedule. So the Models that where suppose to be there did not show so the administrator of the Workshop..had a replacement girl. Well I thought to myself I might leave but decided not to after I had started to talk to the other photographers about the ole film days and how much they are interested into getting back to the nostalgia of Film.
Gosh am I really that old, I guess I am, and it seems others are interested in the nostalgia of film too. I had brought my Mamiya 645 Loaded with some Ektar 100 film. Did not have enough time with the model to change out the film to Ilford F Plus 50 extra fine grain film. ah maybe next time. The 120 Ektar 100 is the finest grain film kodak has have been waiting a while to use it.
I had researched many photos from one of my favorite photographers, HELMUT NEWTON, I have always admired his work and this is a chance to briefly step into the Helmut’s shoes. The photo displayed is a full frontal nude. I had made sure the shadows would fall over the right areas of the models body. There is no flash just the model lamp from the strobes the camera setting is Manual 160/f7.1 iso 100.
the lower left is my knee while I was on the floor with the cross of the window pane purposely behind her and a pose familiar to Newton’s style photographs. There were several others with arms over the head which were also quite nice and in the style of Helmut’s poses.
Even though the model was tired we pushed on and I snapped off many more great photos. Can not wait to develop the film. As did Helmut I too have a proclivity towards women’s breasts and legs.
As I gathered my equipment, two bags of cameras and a tripod, from my car. As I thought to myself that I was still a little unsure about heading into a place I have never been before. Not because I was nervous about photographing a woman in the buff but I did not know what to expect. What lead me to this unexpected adventure was that I had just seen a photographic workshop online in a public meetup site. I would of paid online but I am a little worried about being taken for a ride or even electronically mugged. So I would pay cash when I arrived, at least then I would have some sort of fighting chance. All this concerned me but not enough to avoid the experience, so I went. Entering the building at mid evening through a side door, I did feel a little lost but finding a roving security guard who seemed like a gangsta type, although I was mildly reassured by his security shirt. After a griminess that I am sure he noticed because he stop, I did ask him where the elevators where to access the upper floors for a workshop. He did escort me to the front desk to sign in and pointed to the elevators once I did, so a place with decent security is not that bad. Besides the building was across the street from the city’s main police department.
I found the suite and was about to knock when a tall beautiful redhead exit the room and immediately asked if I where here for the workshop and invited me in. She was quiet pleasant then, but that would change when would have a discussion about marijuana, later that evening. I met the guy who organized the workshop and told me that the workshops where running a little late about 15 to 20 minutes. I reassured him I was not in a hurry and did not mind the wait. As I was waiting I notice another fellow there a bit older than me being almost 50. I would think he was at least 5 to 10 years older. An he was very chatty as he and the organizer discussed a particular camera and its performance. I set at a little more ease. I mention what Camera I was to use a bit older than theirs(by ten years) and one medium format film camera. The older man had not seen a film camera in over 10 years. He was glad when digital came available because he always worried how the images where going to turn out. I told him an experienced photographer knows exactly what will turn out on film. I had used film for ten years as a professional photographer before I switched to digital. It was a bit harsh for that guy but it is true. Of course later during my session I would experience a problem with the film camera and resort to the digital. See what happens when you are out of practice!!!….Time was up and the organizer informed the current photographer he was out of time and the older man turn was next. I waited patiently when the young red head girl returned and we spoke briefly about what she did for a living, which was a dancer at a famous club in town that most pro football player frequent. She explained that she was making so much money she was not used to how to save it…of course I gave her a couple of suggestion. Then the conversation was side tracked to drugs and how she thought Marijuana is not a drug at all. This is a topic I have heard many times from the younger generation in many different conversation with college educated people (IN ART & Phylosophy) that Pot is not harmful and even beneficial for everyone. I disagreed with her and she went into a rage that it was not a drug. Well of course she stormed off into the next room and me and the organizer changed the conversation till it was my turn but first asked if I had the payment for the workshop. Thirty minutes flew by and my worries where about all gone except when came my turn. I waited patiently out in the living area the shoot was in the bedroom and the older guy was gathering up his equipment and I could hear the voice of the girl in the next room down the hall. She sounded nice. The organizer came back into the living area the older guy walked passed and I went into the room.
So do you want a blowjob or straight sex or both is what I was thinking at that very moment before I had entered the room. But to my surprise it was a pleasant and quiet respectful young lady in lingerie. She was introduced by the organizer and said if I had any problems with the lighting just holler down the hall…that it was all set. I introduced myself and explained the poses I have selected going from clothed to bare and that I was using film and digital. She had no objections and asked how would I like her to pose first. And it began. Well I had problems with the film camera, I had locked it and was having trouble unlocking it then I must of shot about ten poses with the film but it not seem to be advancing the film(found out later I had turned the multi exposure on one frame). I put aside the film camera and pulled out my digital. I followed my pose plan which I had made prior to coming to the workshop. Mostly from Helmut Newton images online. Time flew by and I was sweating maybe I should not of drank so much coffee an couple of hours before. It was time for her remove her top, I had asked hesitantly and it was done and I was snapping away and barking orders which she had followed perfectly! And with out notice to me time was almost up we sat and talked for the last five minutes. All in all it was a pretty good experience after all and don’t know why I was so apprehensive. Those little adventures, ever so slight, are worth it!
christopherlongoria 