Thursday, September 17, 2020

Risk Management: Tehranboy


'There is no community for photography of the nude male form.I’m actually doing this as an under cover work mostly for foreign viewers at this time.'


Regular FH readers know that I have a pattern, one I frequently follow when piecing together a model's story. The patter begins with a face shot. Usually a clothed portrait shot to introduce the model to viewers.  I do this, as my hope is to introduce the model as a man, a human being and more than the just the beautiful body in the images that will follow.  This images is usually considered quite safe, an image, unlike some of the nudes, the model could share anywhere, on social media, or with friends and family


In the case of Tehranboy, that face shot actually holds the most risk.  Although the 22 year old has been passionate about model his entire life, it's not something supported or condoned in his home in the province of Tehran.  Even with the potential dangers of publicly sharing his nude images, Terhranboy was determined.  He considers himself a bit of an exhibitionist, and loved modelling naked so much, he didn't want to see or deal with obstacles.  In order to follow his passion, Terhranboy didn't  didn't fight them as much as ignore them.


'It's a kinda secret work I do. Only some close friends know about it. Nudity is not accepted in my community for sure. All nude works are secret works and with limited viewers. Female nudity is more common here because most of photographers find male nude works as homosexual activities. They prefer to do what they like.'


 Except for with one close friend, to date, Terharnboy's only been naked in places where where he can't be seen.  He dreams however, to be naked in more public places with more people around to enjoy the thrill of being seen.  Because of the risk issues, Terhanboy has taken most of his images himself.  He did try, but wasn't able to find a photographer.


I did a quick search on Model Mayhem for nude male models (18-30) in Tehran, and of photographer who shoot the nude male form. I was able to find on one or two photographers who shot men, and only one male model, Tehranboy.  There are so many photographer's he'd like to work with one day, but until then, he'll continue to push his creative and erotic boundaries through his self-shots.


When I first came upon Tehranboy's images, I wasn't aware of his location, or his story.  I was struck by the quiet beauty he both captured, and expressed within his imagery.  FH viewers know how much I love windows within photography, especially imagining what's on the other side.  What the model see's looking out, and whether anyone's looking back in.  These questions were especially intriguing with Tehranboy.


When I asked Tehranboy if he had additional shots he wanted me to include, he sent on a series of shots, most featuring erections.  I don't often use erection shots on the site, mainly because I find so few I actually like.  With Tehranboy, the images took on a different meaning, and the quiet beauty I referenced was even more powerful within this series of images.


Regardless of how much we try, it's still so easy to take for granted, the freedoms we have.  In much of the world, male nudity has become far more acceptable that it even was a decade or two ago.  Sure, there are some risks, mostly with jobs, but they pale in comparison with what some models experience.  I'm grateful to Tehranboy for taking another risk with FH.  I'm hoping when the pandemic eventually subsides, Tehranboy might connect with some photographers travelling to Iran, or travel himself to experience working with another artist, and has the opportunity to get naked, in a busy, crowed location.



No comments: