boysbyryan

Grant in Nature

Added 2020-10-11 01:23:56 +0000 UTC

Grant and I met this summer to explore the woods together for a new photoshoot. It was a wonderful break from quarantine to be outdoors and creating again. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. We began our work in wonderfully soft light, shrouded by storm clouds, continuing to shoot through a rejuvenating rainstorm that cleared to a sunny afternoon. This allowed for a wonderful progression of connecting Grant with nature in different ways; playing with gleaming reflections of rain and hardening shadows…. using mud and soil to paint upon and shape his physique.

Grant is a talented 22-year-old artist and singer from my home state who moved west soon after the shoot. I immediately connected with his warm and playful energy. This was his first time creating nude art, and we spent a lot of time discussing the nature of free expression and censorship of male bodies. Grant told me;

“I’ve never seen being naked as a sexual expression. It’s always been a way for me to bond with my surroundings. The images captured by Ryan reflect on the childlike fascination I have with nature, and how I’ve always felt a deeper connection in the nude.”

The best photoshoots are true collaborations, an emotional dance between photographer and subject. To make art, we must create a space on the edge of our comfort zone between the familiar and new discovery. Grant was ready to take this journey with me;

“I’m inspired by collaboration. Working alongside someone with great creative vision has always been my favorite way to learn as a creative. Seeing someone else’s artistry applied to me as the subject matter has given me an entirely new perspective on my self image. I take pride in being a vessel for another’s craft.”

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I just released my entire photo set with Grant (Almost 300 high-res photos in both color and black&white) to full members. Upgrade now for a monthly full photo shoot. Thank you for your support! ❤️