When I Was A Photographer - A Touch Of Opium
I love these pictures for a couple of reasons, first they achieve a certain level of intimacy that is hard to recreate. The model (Lisa) wanted to make a calendar for her then boyfriend, and so we took 12 semi-nude and nude shots for it. Though I can't remember, or didn't get to find out what month this was!
Opium
The second reason I like these is because of the shot below. At the time there was an advert out for a perfume called Opium, if I remember rightly it was by Yves Saint Laurent (YSL).
The model in the advert was Sophie Dahl, granddaughter to the famous author Roald Dahl. I remember wanting to recreate the shot, which was done in a studio on black sheets, beautifully juxtaposed by the milky white skin of Sophie.
However that shot took a blacked out studio an expensive set and quite a few lights, none of which were available to me seeing as I was just doing this as a favour.
So I decided to try for a kind of 'negative' of the shot, whereby we would do it in black & white, and have her on white sheets and light the whole thing with daylight and reflector with a touch of flash for fill.
Seeing as I was always on the lookout for locations with great light, I knew that another friend of mine's living room was perfect at around earlyish afternoon, so I arranged for us to come round one Saturday and take the shots.
We got a few nice shots that day, but I think these are my favourites of this type.
Note: I do not class these as NSFW simply because they fall into the realm of art; though I welcome healthy debate, so please let me know if you disagree with me.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE OPIUM ADVERT? WHAT DO THESE PICTURES MAKE YOU THINK OF? AS EVER, LET ME KNOW BELOW!
I can see why, although a heads up may have been good. Classifying it as NSFW may have robbed it of thorough appreciation to the photographic artistry involved, so I think you're right not to. It is a lovely piece if I may say so myself
For what, though? Seriously.... One silhouetted nipple?
Lol am pretty conservative... guess I have difficulty shaking that off
Ah, ok, that's fair enough.
I've been in the adult industry for over a decade, so I'm not quite as sensitive in that area of life!
lol
Being a Roald Dahl fan, I can't help but remember that ad, as it was super controversial, for who knows what silly reason. Sophie Dahl looked stunning.
I also remember Emily Blunt stroking a leopard in another Opium ad, though that was many years later.
Your picture makes me think of oblivion: a door opening to an eternity of emptiness.
Maybe it's because they call sex the little death. But more likely it's because I love a song called "Opium" by the band "Dead Can Dance." The key passage from the song is:
"The black night calls my name
But all roads look the same
They lead nowhere"
Aha! That was my secret way of seeking out people of a similar age; lol!
Seriously though, I didn't understand the controversy until I spoke to the girl in this photo about it; we were chatting on the day and I said to her that I didn't get why people were so up in arms about it. She basically replied that it was because she looked like she was in mid-masturbation!
I was like, oh-damn, yeah, now I see it! :-D - Just made me love it more though tbh :-D
I thought that was specifically orgasms?
Hopefully I've made you seek out that pic and look at it ...
Ach, sod it, I'll save you the bother, enjoy looking at that with a new perspective :-)
Cg
Just as I remembered: the tallest, most striking model, AND the daughter of the man who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wow.
Now you mention it, THAT is why the shot was controversial. It's funny how I forgot the reason, but remembered the picture. It shows how much more primal pictures can be, imprinted insidiously in the memory, while words and reasons simply fade away.
And you're right about the phrase, the little death, but big picture, while you can have one thing without the other, it's not a circumstance most of us like to dwell on. :)
I really like looking at your shots CG. Isn't it awesome, the power of the camera? A time machine in the palm of your hand. I like to look at my older stuff and see where Ive grown and/or fallen short.
BTW I agree, its art.
I'm glad you like... You're so right it is like a mini time-machine, I've been going through a lot of old stuff recently and most of it is just meaningful to me and I would never bother putting them on here. However as you say, it is wonderful glimpsing those past moments...
Sometimes what seemed like a fairly insignificant moment then, can bring back memories that rush into the mind like a raging torrent, suddenly you're remembering an entire era just from glimpsing that 1/60th of a second...
What a feeling :-)
https://steemit.com/@cryptogee
Patriot concurs 100% with this post!
Nice..
Cryptogee is away for the weekend... I will get back to your replies on Monday. Thanks for commenting and keep 'em coming!!
Cg
Well you talked about photographs for full calender but there are only of them.
Wish there were complete 12 of them haha :D
Anyway these models are beautiful.
No
I agree with you.