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It is interesting how many of you will find this beautiful...

 

Thank you,

The amount of biological detail you're passing along detracts from the beautiful simplicity of the overall image in my opinion. Shooting from a slightly higher angle would have avoided this. By shooting from the more anatomically revealing angle you did you'll probably offend quite a few more people. Many will probably consider it porn.

Gynecological, definitely, but porn, not IMO. This one strikes me for its composition. It definitely belongs in your triangles folder. Very, very creative.

Love it.

Admire the composition FIRST.

It's beautifully shot.

Skin is flawless.

It's nicely toned and a gorgeous abstract.

NOW.

What's it a picture of?

THEN I suggest you deal with it...

IMHO let's give credit where credit is due.

Lovely image.

I do think it's a well-executed photograph. the tones and composition are very nice, to the point that i wouldn't suggest a single improvement. nice clean lines and subtle tones make the darker, more complex labia a natural and eye-pleasing focal point. as far as the actual subject matter goes, i'm not sure where i stand. i certainly don't think it's pornographic, but there is something contrived about it. the composition suggests flower petals to me, but, to be blunt, her parts seem very clean and arranged, stark and without the 'natural' feel other artists have chosen to evoke with the same subject matter and even similar compositions. you've taken a big risk to use this subject matter, and you've presented it in an original way. i'd be interested to hear what you have to say about the implications of your presentation of the most female of the feminine body parts. what made you choose to shoot it so starkly, with the veils and shadows nature provides removed? so clean and smooth and symmetrical, this is a body part not connected to a body or personality.

Chalk up one more positive. FWIW I like it

Good on ya for having the balls to put it up. It is a beautiful shot. I think if we want to admire the human form we admire it as a whole not just the parts some people feel "comfortable" looking at.

How did you light this?

Michael, your work is beautiful, thoughtful, clever, challenging, and to some people, somewhat threatening.

 

I find it extraordinary that people have used the "P" word in relation to your work. Even more extraordinary that they have used the "G" word.

 

I think this picture, like the rest of your work, is unflinching. Like so many other images, it celebrates the beauty of the female form. But unlike most of them, it refuses to be constrained to traditional, acceptable norms.

 

Your image demonstrates that this part of the female form is at least as beautiful as any other part. Great work. Keep posting.

 

Brian

I have to come down on the side of those who like it. Very well done. It saddens me that there are not many females who have commented on this photo. I think this would look stunning on a wall next to a male photo shot from the very same angle. Keep up the great work.

kevin

I am a woman and the first thought that ran through my mind upon seeing this well-balanced photograph was, geez could you get any more rude? Then like a previous post, I see the female genetalia as somewhat like a flower and very beautiful in it's composition. For those of you considering this a pornographic peice, I beg to offer that porn usually requires some cheesy use of baby oil and mud. This is a fine peice and think that it is a job well done.

Congratulations.

"Sexy" but not pornographic. Looks like she's smiling. Very well composed indeed.

Dear Beth, it is always a pleasure to read your comments. I find them inspiring and interesting. Not a long time ago I bought an anatomical reference of a human body and a variety of animals for artists, where every single muscle and bone is drown in a variety of views... except the muscles of genitals... I think the artistic integrity of acceptance of the body of a living organism may not be that limiting. There is no such exclusions in medical textbooks...

 

My intention here was to present this image as one of the most intimately beautiful moments of a female body. It is somewhere on the edge of a forbidden commonality, but this challenge inspires me even more:)!

Hey Michael, well done. No more beating around the bush (pun intended). This picture is beautiful, composition is good, and the subject matter...well, is also beautiful. And that's it. The most interesting thing about this picture is the reaction it provokes, it gets everybody going about art or pornography. Art being good, and pornography being bad. This is a sharp detailed picture of a pussy, it works as porn. You put it up in a forum, call it art, and people start debating the qualities of art and definition of porn. One of the few things that can be said (for sure) about this thing called art, is that it should spark emotion and perhaps debate. Well you have. So it works as art! My point is that the line is fine. I think this image is only interesting in a place like the US, where people are really, REALLY paranoid about porn. So you can tease them a little. (When Duchamp hung the urinal, it caused a scandal, the timing was right and he won himself a bid for The artist of the 20th century) Here in Denmark, I doubt that your picture would cause any sensation at all. Pornography was legalized in the early 70's and nobody pays much attention to it, or worry about it. And if I see a picture like this, in a forum where it is defined as art, I look at it and expect to get more than, a picture of a (very nice looking) pussy. What's your point. Sure I can enjoy it aesthetically...but, I feel that you need to present an argument, art I feel, should postulate something. This image points, and says look! I look and say "yes, nice...and?". But I think that this is a very important image in this forum! Let's get the debate going why is it important if a picture is art or porn. If it is in a gallery, defined as art, is it then art? If it turns you on, is it then porn? If it does, why is that a bad thing? Is a shoeshop catalogue porn, if a shoe fetishist is turned on by it? Have a nice day all :-D

And thank God for that!! When I first glanced at this image, I thought, "Wow! Is that........? It's simply stunning! and I mean simply does it here. No hinting or partial hiding, no power of suggestion, just the beautiful simplicity of a woman bieng a woman. Photography gives us the rather profound ability to express ourselves in ways that will echo in the eyes of the human exsistance. Thank God.

Michael:

 

One thing that has struck me about all of your work is the exceptional lighting and tonality that you bring to your images. In addition, you also push the envelope with respect to poses (the human sculpture one comes to mind) and angles (this one in particular). I think your work is beautiful and unabashedly direct.

 

Having said this, Anders made a point about the cultural acceptance of the human form in the rest of the world vs. the US (and I'm going to broaden this to include all of North America since I live in Canada). While I respect and appreciate your effort here, there is NO WAY I would be able to hang an image like this on my wall at home. First of all, I'm not sure it would be appropriate for my kids to see, and secondly, I would be concerned that friends and family would be labelling me as some sort of pervert - and I really can't see myself expending the energy to refute all of these assertions. While your work is unabashedly proud, I guess I'm ashamed to admit that I would "bend" to societal pressures on this one. Hopefully, with the continued efforts of artists such as yourself and others at this site (Amy Powers et al.), I may not feel compelled to bend in another 20 years or so.

I totally agree with A. Hald. This is an excellent piece of work technically as well as artistically. We(especially in the US) have created the atmosphere(or rules) where the human body cannot be appreciated for what it is, the most beautiful creation in the world. There is nothing wrong with appreciating the human body. I know the debate will go on porn vs. art. I say art!!! Keep up the good work. D.C.

Isn't this wonderful?! People discussing, People thinking, evoking emotions...This is the purpose of art. Porn being mindless, I vote art for this one.

Porn at all. Remember, only the offensive get offended. Beautiful composition. Bravo!

I thankyou for giving a childs view of a naked mother, clever thinking and great tonal, contrast,and smooth looks, well done, 9/10, marc

I can only imagine how a photo shoot like this went.

"Uh-hum, I was just thinking-how about this idea..."

Part of the intrigue of this shot, for me anyway,

is trying to guess the subjects age-Which I'm SURE is of the legal type.

I have to agree with Anders that the main artistic element in this photo is the shock / surprise reaction which is rather specific to North America. In many parts of Europe you can see similar pictures in women's magazines and hanging in chemist shops. The lighting and composition are actually quite matter-of-fact and nowhere near as sophisticated as in some of your other excellent work. Still, from the comments, it is apparently breaking new ground in popular art photography in the USA so congratulations!

This is absolutely stunning. I am not the least bit offended, and I definitely don't think this is porn. I'm a woman, and not attracted to women, yet I just can't stop looking at this photo. It's art.

I love the subject matter. Like the photographer, I wish it wasn't such a taboo.