Hard Embrace

An art director friend of mine said she found this image disturbing.

I had not thought of it that way. Any opinions would be welcome.

Thanks!

This is beautiful William...

Only disturbing if the grease marks on her skin represented blood. Apart from that, a good mix of textures

i love this! i don't think it is disturbing at all. the shine of the light on the metal works great with the shine on the skin. the only thing that slightly bothers me about the pic is the surface the model is sitting on. sorry, but i think it is a little distracting. other than that, i think this is a truely awesome pic.

Hmmm...a woman bound with handcuffs, nekkid, with metal tubes around her crotch in a suggestive way not disturbing? How can anyone with a wife, daughter and mother not see this as disturbing?

 

Personally I can see why your friend, and a lot of women, might think it disturbing. I have never gotten the interest by men to show women bound, especially knowing how much violent crime is against women.

 

With all that said, the tones are nice.

 

Alexis

Thank you, Rajeev.

 

David, the grease only represents grease, added with the baby-oil to give more contrast to the skin-tone. The comment has been made to me that the grease on the inner thigh looks like a large bruise; also not intended.

 

Tiffinee, thank you. The surface the model is sitting on is carpet, and it kind of bothers me too. I have been thinking about shooting a sheet of stainless steel and digitally inserting it in place of the carpet. What do you think?

 

Alexis, I thank you for your honesty and hope the image did not offend you. I hadn't thought about this image being disturbing or offensive because, to be honest, I didn't put much planning into it. Normally, all of my shots are well thought out in advance, but with this one I came up with it during the shoot. I found a roll of conduit left in the building by contractors and knew it would photograph well, so I just added elements I had at hand. You bring up a very valuable point.

 

Bill

I wouldn't worry about offending anyone with this. Some people are just too uptight. I know plenty of women who enjoy being tied up. It has a very erotic feel to it. Kudos to you on a job well done.

How refreshing for a photographer here to actually listen to an opinion. For that my hats off to you. I'm not that offended...there are many, MANY worse things than your image. However, like I said, personally I have a hard time with men who seem to like representing women bound. This is not to say some women don't like bondage, etc. It is to say that in America's society, in particular, images with bound women resonate quite hard. And since I am surrounded by women...mother, wife and daughter, maybe I look at things like this differently than, say, the above poster.

 

Anyway, thanks for your openness...you should be an example to most photographers on this site.

 

Alexis

 

www.alexisneel.com

 

BTW, I looked at your portfolio. Alone in my Crowded Mind, Voodoo and Tattered Perceptions were especially interesting, good and thought provoking.

 

 

6/6

I do not think this image should be taken literally. That is, the handcuffs and constricting tubing symbolizes our bondage to the body and its brute laws. We are emired in the physical, susceptible to fatigue, hunger, physical coersion, aging, death. We are susceptible also to our appetites and our lust, as well as to those of others. We can never be free of our bodies or the limits the physical world puts on us.

 

This is a sexual image. But we human beings are dramatic creatures. We need props, costumes, roles to play, even in our sexual encounters. Our erotic lives are partly mental and imaginary. They require the enhancement of culture. Moreover, there is a world of difference between tying a woman (or man) up in a dramatic scene, and literally restraining and raping her (or him).

 

One last thing, I am not saying that anyone who finds this offensive is hypocritical and square. Some may find it too strong. They should not be compelled to view it or laughed at because they will not. I do think it should be allowed to exist in its own separate space for those who are receptive to its message.

 

For my own part, I think it is a beautiful image. It is subltle and suggestive. The dark shadowy feel is appropriate to the subject.