I found this photograph here, and was immediately taken by it. But after a moment (you know, to give me time to get my breathing back to normal), I found myself wondering why I was taken by it. By today's standards, it's an incredibly tame photograph. An attractive woman, certainly (and I'm guessing she's an attractive grandmother by now), but why was I so taken by it, when much more explicit photography can easily be found?I think that there are two reasons, both of which are ignored by the modern purveyors of eroticism (which is a nice way of saying 'the people pushing porn these days').
First, she's got a demure smile. You can read whatever you want into it. And second, she's not all that exposed -- there's a lot of opportunity for imagination. When you take those two together, you end up with a photograph that's attractive because it's enticing. It's sensual without being sexual. It suggests rather than shouts. It allows your imagination to make the photograph what you want it to be, and thus, it becomes a photograph that's a reflection of you.
Though I have to admit, I never had legs like that!
5 comments:
Along similar lines I like a lot of 1800s British romance novels (Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, etc)because there is nothing explicitly sexual about them, it is more about the tension and the build up. Like you said, it suggests rather than shouts.
It is probably a lot easier to write (or photograph) something sexually explicit that arouses people, but it takes a lot more skill to make it sensual and less explicit, but still have people intrigued.
I agree. I remember reading scornful articles about 'bodice-rippers', and how they frequently never actually said what was going on -- there was a lot of crashing surf, startled risings of birds, and animals roaring in the distance. Oh, and pictures of Fabio.
Now I think 'you know, sometimes subtlely and elegance are a good thing.
I'll agree with that, The Imagination really needs to be encouraged in the field of photography again.
Gee, I never had legs like that either, I just pretend I do.
Even so, you still probably look better in a skirt than I do, S.
The black and white is beautiful within itself -- and it's so unexpected -- she looks so innocent. It's a fascinating photo.
Post a Comment