...a milestone of a different sort

Just over a week ago Uniquenudes nominated and wynnesome honored my photo "Kiss" with a Daily Deviation. First of all, thanks to both of you for noticing the piece and choosing it.

"Kiss" is a simple studio nude of two partners, who happen to be men, kissing. Technically, it isn't my best work. In fact, it was shot before I had even finished setting up the studio lights. They were just lounging on the floor waiting. And then there was this moment that I just barely grabbed -- hence some of the cropping issues. But it was a real moment. And there's something I've always liked about how genuine it felt so I worked with it a bit and included it in the port. Interestingly, one of the technical aspects that several people criticized about the image is something I added. Buff bodybuilders are usually shot with high contrast to show off their cuts (which is how I was setting up my lighting at the time); but because the shot wasn't about their bodies; but their emotion, I decided to soften the focus a bit -- so the image reflected more the feel of what was happening. Call it artistic license, if you will. Many of the people who viewed the image loved it for that and a few thought it was just terrible.

However, most of the support -- and criticism -- which the piece engendered had nothing to do with the photo's technical merits/demerits; but, rather, its content.

In fact, there was a bit of a firestorm. The photo was viewed approximately 34,000 times in one evening and received over 1,300 comments and almost as many faves (one reason I haven't been able to comment back personally to each person who commented). And it generated quite a bit of controversy that made for some thought-provoking reading when I got home from work that evening not knowing the piece had even been selected as DD.

For me, at least, one measure of what makes an image a work of art is that it engages the viewer at some level -- visually, intellectually, emotionally. And by that measure, the image clearly succeeds. There was definitely no lack of engagement. Some people felt compelled to attack it because of what they viewed as the "abhorrent" behavior depicted. And, in the face of what can only be termed hateful comments, many others defended the image as if it were there own.

In point of fact, there were 17 people who condemned the work (sometimes repeatedly, saying the same things over & over) while there were over 1200 who either staunchly defended the work (also repeating themselves over & over) and/or simply reacted positively to it. Thankfully, from my perspective, most comments were those of folks just giving their own personal reaction. The only comments that I hid in the stream were those comments where the language was downright vile (again only a few) and those comments where the authors (pro & con) were simply repeating themselves ad nauseum, in effect, the Internet equivalent of yelling at each with neither hearing the other.

I'm not going to defend the content of the piece. It is what it is. These guys really do love each other. And interestingly, I suspect some of the hateful comments had to do with that simple fact. If the image had been some sort of pornographic depiction of that moment, I'm betting that it would have been more easily accepted (or discarded) by the people who are offended by same-sex love. Pornography objectifies and makes love-making of any sort (gay or straight) impersonal. If it had simply been "porn" it would be easy to discount both the image and the people it depicted as trash. But neither the image or the people in it are trash -- they're simply different from many in the mainstream. No amount of yelling or fist-shaking can ever make the point that different equals "less than". Different is just different. And,thankfully -- again from my perspective -- most people who reacted to the photo understand and accept -- in some cases, even appreciate difference.

That's probably enough on the topic for today except to say "thank you" to those who can appreciate the image for what it is and to suggest to those of you who cannot to look a little deeper inside yourselves for what's real rather than condemning what's real for others.

In times like these one word is too much and a thousand words cannot explain anything.