fotocracker – two young men in bed (2015)

This is waaay overexposed–note the highlight at top center is indistinguishable from the white frame. Also, again–intermittently–along the upper right edge.

Same thing with the man kneeling on the bed–his skin is effectively three tones–shadow with no detail, overexposed with minimal detail and overexposed.

It’s a clumsy visual metaphor–shadow becoming light; probably due to the use of a high contrast Polaroid stock. (Although, I very much dig the mussed sheets being the only part of the frame with any trace of mid-tones–another visual metaphor and one that actually functions.),

As dynamic a sight as the the lad’s erection appears, I feel that the extreme contrast detracts from the enthralling composition. I mean ditch the painting on the brick wall and offer a more balanced exposure and this would be a world class photograph.

Which is not to say I don’t like it as it is–I’m just interested in the texture of the scene and the aesthetically wondrous hard-on and this prioritizes the latter over the former.