'As for being naked, Joel was not the least bit bashful.'
You all know how much I love to know how images I love are created. What inspired the shoot? Was there a concept or theme in mind? How artist and model connected and everything that led up to a man standing with a camera, and another man standing naked in front of it.
Chris A. Freeman's shots of Joel were an audition of sorts. Although we all see ourselves naked every day, while getting dressed, in the shower or in a mirror, not everyone gets the opportunity to see themselves naked from the perspective of another set of eyes, or many many sets of eyes. For Joel, who was considering entering the world of porn, it was important to find out if others enjoyed seeing him naked.
Although the shoot was pulled together quickly, in the spur of the moment, I think the answer to Joel's question is a pretty resounding, Hell Yeah! 24 year old Joel has a great body, and body parts that well... look like they would fit beautifully pretty much anywhere they were placed on film. His scruffy facial hair and messy head of hair only add to his appeal.
Chris threw together the shoot quickly after Joel shared his goals, wanting some nudes for his portfolio, and some experience in front of the camera. Initially, Chris wasn't sure how the images would turn out, the room they were shooting in was very yellow, making getting the white balance correct very difficult. Chris also worried Joel's look wouldn't photograph that well, but after he posted the first set of images... knew the response they got was just was Joel was hoping for.
The room they shot in also happened to give Joel a taste of what it would be like to strip off in front of a large group of people. Although it was just he and Chris in the room for the shoot, the room they shot in was on the 4th floor. For much of the shoot, Chris stood beside, and in front of a huge picture window, The busy street below had tons of people walking back and forth, many of whom took a few minutes to stop, to look up, and enjoy the view.