Freedom’s just another word

Fremont20109953, originally uploaded by DavinS06.

It is said by some that nude photography is exploitation, but I have never bought that. It is always the patriarchy that fears the female form and female sexuality, they either cover it in cloth like the Taliban or in plastic and silicone like penthouse.

Where the wild roses grow

Where the wild roses grow, originally uploaded by ♥ Sabrina Dacos ♥.

Beauty is found most often when we remember to seek it

Blinding

Blinding, originally uploaded by ♥ Sabrina Dacos ♥.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for the sun to come to Portland….

When in Rome

autum, originally uploaded by David and Emma.

Portland is a city that has a naked bike ride once a year through the streets. Nudity is legal in public in oregon as long as you are not trying to sexually arouse anyone. Basically, you can walk through the streets nude but not put on an erotic show.
Given this, why are we so nervous about shooting on the streets of Portland?
We do not really want to offend folk, but are we being too cautious here?

Make some love along the way

2008320044, originally uploaded by veryhairy.

I can usually spot the photos taken for ATK almost instantly. It’s many photographers, some good, some not so good, tend to focus on making what we call “Hairy Porn” and tends to fall into certain patterns. We have been experimenting with a more erotic style of shooting lately ourselves but really trying to let that happen in a more organic and real way. I’m not claiming any high ground here or declaring anything wrong with that style at all, only acknowledging the focus.

Ours tends to be a more art-nude meets adult fusion. It’s less about hair for us then about the alternative subculture that for lack of a batter definition we poorly and improperly classify as “Hippie”

In fact the social movement that sprang forth in that incarnation during the 60′s under that names has always been around and likely always will. It evolves and changes with time and culture but it always marked by a desire for social and inner consciousness, for thought and enlightenment and most of all by an unrestrained love of living, of being and growing. It’s that energy I most love to try and capture in imagery.

Image from ATK

Suicide Girls

SG – Boxe Francaise, originally uploaded by Purdey 2000.

I have mixed feelings about Suicide Girls.
The positive is that these folk focus on aspects of beauty and form that are outside the mainstream.
Like Hippiegoddess they illuminate a sub-culture.
Suicide Girls has pretty much hit the mainstream in partnering with playboy from my understanding and maybe that is a good thing.
What are your thoughts on SS?

OCF3041

OCF3041, originally uploaded by DavinS06.

Summer comes, it is time to laugh and dance and ring in the new

Apparition of Truth

Apparition of Truth, originally uploaded by lucidRose.

body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Wenseay

Wine Glass Girl

Wine Glass Girl, originally uploaded by David and Emma.

In the thick of the evening when the dealing got rough
She was too pat to open and too cool to bluff
As I picked up my matches and was closing the door
I had one of those flashes I had been there before
Been there before

Table Blossoms

Table Blossoms, originally uploaded by David and Emma.

she had rings on her fingers and bells on her shoes
and I knew without asking- she was into the blues
she wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls
I knew right away she was not like other girls
like other girls

TODAYS MEETING

Ok people. Todays meeting we are going to start the process of getting reid of the lobbist…speacial intrest groups,pharmicuatical companys, the health insurance companies, the crooked wall street bankers and last but not the least both political parties.
Any questions…ok then lets get to it.
peace
Dave L.

Art or Is It Pornography

Today I came across this 1898 painting by John Collier. It so startled me that I had to look Collier up and find other of his paintings and one or two works by other artists that I share with you here.

Art or pornography? I don’t care care—I know what I like. But back in the days before the Internet, Playboy, and Hippie Goddess; and not long after George Eastman developed dry gel on paper;  what did men (and many women) do to stimulate their prurient interest. Ogle paintings, of course, and sculpture too. What an effort it must have taken to produce just one masterpiece.

Lilith, 1898, by John Collier

Before I go on, and speaking of sculpture, I’ll tickle you with an aside. I’ve written lots of erotica—neurotica someone once quipped,which I thought was funny, though I did take offense. I’ve even contributed some tales to this blog. From one of my stories, here’s a vignette about two women who worked in the business of art and a comment on sculpture that makes me laugh.

***

“I know you want to see them,” Leslie said.

Katie smiled. “What makes you say that?”

“You’ve been looking at them all day.”

Katie laughed. “You caught me! What can I say? Well if you really want to… I think you’re beautiful.”

Leslie took a deep breath and let it out slowly between pursed lips. “I’m going to cover myself with a towel.” She covered up and, beneath her towel, she untied the bow holding her top together, and slid its straps off her shoulders. “I’m giving this to you for safe keeping,” Leslie said with a flirtatious smile. She slipped her top out from under the towel and gave it to Katie. “Don’t run away with it, okay?”

“How about if I walk down the beach a little way, like to those guys over there, and lend it to them for a while? I’m sure they’d be glad to give it back to you if you asked them nicely.”

“Don’t you dare,” Leslie said, looking scared for real, like Katie might actually do it, being the tease that she’d been when she took her top off in front of the two men. Katie tried to give Leslie back her top, but Leslie wouldn’t take it. They started pushing it at each other, each refusing to hold on to it, and Leslie’s towel nearly fell off and she only grabbed it at the last second. They giggled, and looked around, but no one seemed to have noticed their playful tussle.

“Okay,” Katie said. “I’ll keep it safe for you. No man’s touch shall ever cross your precious bra. Now let me see them.”

They lay on their sides, facing each other, and Leslie lifted the towel so that only Katie could peek under, and she kept it that way for a long time while Katie studied her. “What a body you’ve got,” Katie said. “I’m jealous. I’d like to have a copy of you in marble.”

“Those girls really had hard nipples,” Leslie replied.

***

The Greek Slave - Hiram Powers - 1869

The Greek Slave, a girl with really hard nipples and handcuffs, too, ripe fodder for 1869 bondage fantasies.

And while I’m on the subject of subjects, here’s another painting by John Collier.

Pharaohs Handmaidens by John_Collier

And following is one more by John Collier, this one depicting the story of Lady Godiva, a true heroine of the people. Here’s a version of Lady Godiva’s story, taken from Wikipedia.

***

According to the popular story, Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, who were suffering grievously under her husband’s oppressive taxation. Lady Godiva appealed again and again to her husband, who obstinately refused to remit the tolls. At last, weary of her entreaties, he said he would grant her request if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town. Lady Godiva took him at his word and, after issuing a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, she rode through the town, clothed only in her long hair. Only one person in the town, a tailor ever afterward known as Peeping Tom, disobeyed her proclamation in one of the most famous instances of voyeurism. In the story, Tom bores a hole in his shutters so that he might see Godiva pass, and is struck blind. In the end, Godiva’s husband keeps his word and abolishes the onerous taxes.

***

Poor Tom was struck blind, but what a final vision, a vision of a Goddess, for sure.

Here’s the last image for today, a painting of Mary Magdalen by Jules-Joseph Lefebvre. Mary Magdalen was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was mistakenly characterized, in historical tradition, as a repentant prostitute.

Mary Magdalen in the Grotto by- Jules-Joseph Lefebvre

Mary may have been a follower of Jesus and no prostitute, but she sure looks good with her clothes off. Apparently she liked lying around naked, at least according to Joseph—Lefebvre that is.