'It's the man behind the music
It's the singer not the song'
Survivor
The classic chicken or egg question is a causality dilemma used to determine consequence and responsibility. The question examines the relationship between one person or event with another second person or event. The dilemma is figuring out how much the first person or event connects or determines what happens with the second.
In the case of images of the male form, the first person event is the photographer or the photoshoot and the second, the model and final image. Music groups Survivor and The Rolling Stones both sang about, and then decided, that it was the singer not the song. With photography, the question is a little more complex. When you have an incredible visual like the rocky mountains, Niagara Falls, or a stunning sunset, almost anyone with a camera, can pull off getting a decent capture. With a human subject however, even an incredibly hot model doesn't necessarily guarantee a hot shot.
It's always frustrating as a viewer to see a beautiful model poorly capture. Working on FH, I have come across many weak shots of hot model. In some cases the model may have been awkward, or felt uncomfortable, or it's obvious the photographer was looking to focus on body parts, and not the male form in it's entirety. Unlike a sunset, photography of the male form depends on the connection between the artist and their subject.
The connection isn't necessarily just social, sure they may talk, get to know each other and discuss shared creative concepts. The connection I'm speaking of however, isn't really verbal, it's more that sense an artist has for how best to capture the specific individual in front of them. These artists instinctively know what poses, what angles, what set-ups will best spotlight both a models physique, and glimpse into their sensuality essence.
Every time I feature the work of California photographer Hal Cooks, I'm amazed at his ability to weave body and sensuality and how his shots peel away the surface veneer shooting erotically organic captures of the models in front of his camera. Hal does this in various ways, the most notable being his passion for lines and curves.
'Not all photographers utilize the architectural beauty the lines and curves the male form are capable of creating, but it's something I have been especially loving in so much of Hal's work. Many focus on specific body parts, ignoring the dynamic visuals possible when focused on the overall systemic beauty of the human body.'
Through his use of pose and his eye for lines and curves, Hal manages to create images with models who move and pose like dancers, even though they're not. Lucas has no dance or movement training in back ground, and Hal describes his demeanor as casual and very laid back during the shoot Despite his causal demeanor, the amateur model, dad and father.is is captivating in front of the lens. Lucas' eyes certainly play a role, but more notably, it's the manner in which Hal so elegantly visualizes, poses and captures his subjects.
Cooks Photography on FH:
No comments:
Post a Comment