'So sweet the blush of bashfulness, E'en pity scarce can wish it less!'
Lord Byron
When I was a kid, I had allergies to pretty much everything that grew outside. It was a particularly cruel nightmare in the spring. While others welcomed the fragment aromas, I knew I would soon be rouged in red. It wasn't just my face, but every part of my body seemed to stand in line, waiting to take it it's turn when my skin was exposed.
Red is commonly viewed as the hue of love, passion and lust. For some however, it's also the tint of trauma, of feelings of embarrassment, nervousness and shame. Although there is nothing sensual about feelings of anxiety or shame, there can be an erotic excitement connected with feelings of embarrassment and vulnerability.
I generally don't enjoy seeing images of models posing nude who don't want to be there. Models who are desperate for cash and look as if they're in torture, or heading to the electric chair. That being said, elements of nervousness, especially with models posing naked for the first time, are a natural part of the process. Sometimes... when utilized skillfully by the model or photographer, can be incredibly sexy.
I thankfully outgrew my allergies, and those seasonal bouts of blushing. Given that model Matt Singer went on to a career in porn, I'm guessing he too either outgrew, or eventually accepted his moments of maroon. It was however, Matt's body blushing in this shoot, that really drew me into this series of shots from San Diego based photographer
Steve Jerome.
When I first saw the remnants of red on Matt's beautiful backside, I thought he must have been just sitting down, then maybe stood up for the pose. I noticed however, the redness wasn't fixed solely just on Matt's ample ass. The color flowed, much like the blood through his veins, to flush whichever part of Matt's body, Steven's camera moved over and focused on.
The shimmering cherry red blushed from both sets of cheeks, those on his face and on his butt. It cascaded over his stomach, his back, his legs, almost every part of Matt's body that was vulnerable and exposed. It didn't however, seem to impact Matt's eyes and his smile. Although he may not have been able to completely wipe away the wash of wine, Matt also didn't let it inhibit him, and seemed to almost enjoy his red reveal.