Serious Question

[jdbettes]

So I was fooling around and experimenting. I really don't know what I'm doing and do everything by trial and error. I ended up with what I believe is a very tasteful nude photograph.
The question is because I'm male, is there such a thing?
I never see this out there, so I assume there is probably a reason it isn't done.
What do people think of this subject?

[Medley]

I think it may be done, just not posted to the web.

Nude photography is nothing new, but the very fact that you have to ask the question indicates it may be offensive to some. That being the case, if I were to post it to my personal website, I'd post it as a link to the photo, rather than the photo itself, and include some sort of warning in the link, such as "Warning: Male Nudity". Then those that would be offended have the option of not viewing. Also, if posting it as a link means that you have to use an image hosting site, you should mind the guidelines of that site. Most such sites don't allow nudity, which is why you see it so seldom.

If I were to post it here (or some other outlet that I don't personally oversee), I would seek the permission of the site's administrator, or at least the input of a moderator. My intention however, would still be to post it as a link to the image, along with the aforementioned warning.

- Joe U.

[jdbettes]

I'm don't think I want to show the photo.
I just look at it and think, why would it be offensive? It's a nice photo.
It's skin.
I can turn on the TV and see blood and guts, but skin is offensive?
Why?

[Irakly Shanidze]

well, male nudes almost automatically categorized as gay interest. so, if this is not your intention, the picture has to be so good that the issue of sexual identity does not cross the viewer's mind.

[jdbettes]

This question seriously went in the wrong direction. I did not do a good job of asking it.

[opus]

I think you see a lot of female nudes for several reasons. Males are much more visually stimulated than females, so more males are interested in nude female portraits than females are interested in nude male portraits. On top of that, males are often uncomfortable with viewing nude male portraits.

So, since females don't particularly want to see male nudes (generally), and males actively don't want to see male nudes (generally), then you don't see too many male nude portraits.

I do know of many women who appreciate visual images of the male body. But most of them feel negative social pressure about admitting it.

Thus, you don't see too many male nudes, outside of the gay community, who appreciate the nude male body for both artistic and sexual purposes.

[Frog]

I dug in the nude category of the galleries and there are very few male nudes
The lack of them may be for the reasons Opus listed, though I do think they could be as artfully done as a female nude.
When artfully done they don't arouse prurient interest.
I'm now wondering why there is such a lack of them when they seemed to be so popular way back when, especially in staturary.

[Medley]

This question seriously went in the wrong direction. I did not do a good job of asking it.

So then if I understand you correctly, your question is why do people (as a group) find skin to be objectionable?

The answer to that delves into the realm of social and religious mores, and since religious topics are not allowed on this forum...... this becomes one aspect of photography that will not be reviewed on Photography Review.com.

- Joe U.

[jdbettes]

"I'm now wondering why there is such a lack of them when they seemed to be so popular way back when, especially in staturary."

This is more the direction I was thinking when asking the question.

[jetrim]

I think mostly this is due to the nature of the website, and maybe not a commentary on the subject as a whole. There are sites out there that specifically cater to the photographic genres of glamour and fine art nude, and even critique sites where relative merits of these types of shots can be discussed from a purely technical and artistic viewpoint.

One just needs to pick the correct venue. Recently I have been experimenting with abstracts, and the result of one of those manipulations surprised me a bit. I posted it at two other websites (not here) and all the feedback at the first was similar to what one often sees in the critique forum here - praise and suggestions based on the technical merits of the image. The first comment on the other site was "Hey! That looks like an @$$!". So, you can share in the appropriate place, just be careful when choosing which place that will be...