August 26, 2010
August 23, 2010
August 16, 2010
Let the Long Journey Begin
Youth. The first stages of adulthood. Do you remember those precious few years? I do, vaguely … I remember it was perplexing, intimidating and wonderful. Here are a few images of young men enjoying their age and their bodies.
July 28, 2010
Simon Aaron James: Model/Photographer
What a man chooses to share will sometimes reveal his soul. Posing for the camera, Simon is sharing his body with the whole world. He’s telling us he is comfortable in his own skin. He’s telling us the male form is a beautiful creation. He’s telling us nudity is a natural thing and should be enjoyed by all. He’s telling us he’s a thoughtful, interesting guy we would like to know; and someone in the United Kingdom, Manchester to be exact, has this good fortune.
Charles Atlas? No, he’s not, which is, in my mind, exactly what makes him so beautiful. He’s like most of the rest of us, simply playing the cards he was dealt. What a memorable time it would be to spend a secluded summer weekend with him and a camera.
If you are as enchanted by Simon as I am, you can learn more about him, and say hi or purchase one of his prints at Deviant Art.
June 29, 2010
June 1, 2010
Barry Greenland Photography
“Just because I pose nude does not make me a whore. It’s simply me expressing my sexual side. A side of me not many get to see in the real world.”
His moniker is “The Human Form”. He’s a master photographer. His model is himself. And why not? If you had photographic talent and a body like his, wouldn’t you? He’s one of the sexist men I’ve come across on the Internet. See more of his work on his website.
May 22, 2010
May 15, 2010
May 11, 2010
Nude Yoga for Men: Interview with Per Erez
It’s not about being gay or straight or bisexual. It’s about being a man and a man’s natural desire to be with those like him. The nudity simply makes the experience more prophetic. It’s about being a thoughtful man, uninhibited by the shackles imposed by homophobic mores and society’s misguided strictures of shame. Thanks to Per Erez, male body acceptance is alive and well in Chicago.
An Interview with Per Erez . . .
From chicagoist.com
Despite their initial reservations, men in Chicago are turning the other cheek and joining all-male nude yoga classes, an exercise the Associated Press calls “a form of sensualized yoga practiced nude.” Per (pronounced “Pear”) Erez, who teaches the classes in his private Rogers Park studio, limits the number of men who attend the sessions in order to “establish clarity of intention” and to provide a more “individualized approach to teaching.” Erez, 43, a well-established yoga instructor who has taught traditional “clothed” yoga for over 20 years (Oprah Winfrey is a former client), believes practicing nude yoga offers men a chance to be less concerned about “how they show up physically on their mat,” and gradually reduces “their own inner critical voice about what the male form should look like in others.”
Chicagoist: What is the number one question you get asked by beginners?
Per Erez: Oddly enough, it is probably not what most people would think. When I first began teaching these classes, I got much of what I called the “Big E” question from men who were concerned about bodily responses during classes. You will find frank discussions of erections commonly labored over on almost all the nude yoga Web sites across the country—including mine. The most common question I get these days, however, revolves around men who want to join, but who happen to hold positions of authority or esteem in their local communities. On several occasions, rabbis, pastors, teachers, doctors, and even a few politicians have asked what happens if a patient, congregant, student, etc. comes to the same session they plan on attending.
C: And how do you calm these fears, Per?
PE: I don’t, in particular, have one answer, because I think students concerns about disclosure and revelation of nude yoga practice don’t all come from the same place. Some realize they won’t have to worry about losing their jobs for example, but social ostracism is more the issue. Some prospective students are more concerned with how co-workers or friends might think them unconventional or downright silly for even considering yoga like this.
Ultimately, I encourage members not to share anything more about themselves than their first name (or a name they would like to use) if they are uncomfortable; like all transformations, at some point, one has to be willing to step to the edge of current self-knowledge in order to explore the unknown self on the other side. Practicing this way is about taking that first step with lots of support and safety.
C: What were your initial concerns related to teaching an all-male nude yoga class?
April 30, 2010
Felix d’Eon–Art, Photography, Male Camaraderie
When you look at the pictures on Felix d’Eon’s website, you get a sense he and and his friends have created an intriguing world of like-minded wonder.
His photography:
His Art:
