Nudity advance acting/modeling career?

[ss197820]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:01 PM, Kawika said:

I don't know how much  more I could possibly add to this conversation

You've contributed a huge amount and thank you!! I very much appreciate your input and knowledge.

 

On 9/15/2020 at 2:01 PM, Kawika said:

I knew someone who posed for Playgirl and when the agency found out they called and Playgirl agreed to toss the photos in exchange for returning the money they paid.

I really feel bad for the model who had posed. 😞 He was robbed of his chance to appear nude in a national magazine. That sucks.

In addition to MIke Sodini who I mentioned above, Brian Bianchini (now deceased) was repped by Click Models appeared in print in the October 2001 issue of Playgirl. Click Models MUST HAVE KNOWN months before the issue came out.

One thing I've noticed is many of the Playgirl models also appeared in Men. Did the photogtaphers they worked with give them that option? Of all of the major models who appeared in Men, where are they now? Did they regret working as a model for the magazine or was it a major highlight of their lives as a pro model?  

[ss197820]

One thing I have always wanted to know is, what SPECIFICALLY was involved with the audition/interview process to become a model for Playgirl, Men, Torso, etc?? How was the audition/interview carried out?? 

[jonny]

When I was around 22 at the beginning of this century and had just moved to NYC, an older guy who lived in my building talked me into modeling for photos for him. I never intended to do nudes but he was pretty insistent and I ended up posing twice, fully nude and masturbated on camera.

He talked about his connections with various magazines and how he would love to submit the pics to various places. I was pretty wishy-washy on the whole thing, wary but thinking it would be exciting. I don't think the pics ever saw the light of the day, and now that's probably for the best, but it would have been interesting, even though I was never trying to "make it" in showbiz.

I do wish I had those pictures.

[ss197820]

I just now remembered a question I had about this topic that I've been meaning to ask. The question kept slipping my mind and I kept forgetting what it was I was wanting to ask...........

I remember years ago a photographer on Craigslist told me if you did a photo shoot for an adult magazine like Men, Playgirl, etc there was a six month wait for the photos to be published. And you weren't paid for your shoot until the magazine issue was published.

Why the six month wait???? I get that it takes time to review the photo shoots and edit/crop the photos but shouldn't that take only a month? Why 6 months???

[twistedriotous]

Can someone please enlighten me as to why in the United States, there is still a general queasiness about male frontal nudity?

[ss197820]

I've lived here in the US all my life and I wish I knew the answer to your question LOL

American culture has ALWAYS been this way. As long as I can remember. Back in the 80s the idea of a man completely naked for public view was considered OBSCENE. That's not an exaggeration.

[twistedriotous]

1 hour ago, ss197820 said:

I've lived here in the US all my life and I wish I knew the answer to your question LOL

American culture has ALWAYS been this way. As long as I can remember. Back in the 80s the idea of a man completely naked for public view was considered OBSCENE. That's not an exaggeration.

There's the question of religion, of course. I don't get it though. Is it because they think seeing penises makes people gay?

In Europe, it is possible to see peen in telefilms or reruns of films even during the daytime. Frontal nudity is allowed for as long as the situation is not sexual e.g. skinny dipping, changing clothes.

IMHO, hiding, erasing or blurring of the penis is a form of castration. I get a little peeved whenever I see photo portfolios of male nudes with shots where the penis was obviously photoshopped out. This is why I admire photographers like Rick Day, Paul Freeman, Michael Stokes, Mariano Vivanco, in their efforts to normalize frontal male nudity in their work.

[ss197820]

12 minutes ago, twistedriotous said:

There's the question of religion, of course. I don't get it though. Is it because they think seeing penises makes people gay?

I think it boils down to them (the antigay homophobes) wanting to control other people. I think it also boils down to their hostility/animosity towards gay men.

What I really found frustrating about the earliest Playgirl issues in the 1970s and most of the 1980s was they rarely showed the men fully erect. How emasculating that must have been for a man to be forced to show his penis totally flaccid. 😞 But I do think Playgirl improved this issue in the 90s and early 2000s.

What I've kind of wondered about the male models who did do the full frontal photoshoots for Playgirl, Men, Torso, Mandate etc is DID posing nude IN FACT have hugely negative reprecussions to their careers??? Were they just not able to find work in any field PERIOD because they took their clothes off?????

[ss197820]

23 minutes ago, twistedriotous said:

IMHO, hiding, erasing or blurring of the penis is a form of castration.

I totally agree. It is extremely emasculating.

[jpuleo1967]

This depends on what you calf "Nude" modelling  Any porn whether its film or print will nix any acting or modelling career Casting agents and modelling agencies will boycott you You may think a little work here or there won't matter but once its out there Its out there forever and word travels fast 

Now as far as pictures go the business has a penis phobia Nude modelling is fine if you want to do acting as a career or male modelling but if the pictures you've done show your penis regularly ... if that's the main reason for the pictures or especially if you are hard in any of them again kiss your career god bye 

Now with social media it is imperative that you actually do have a presence on the many platforms on instagram on twitter This is going to be your calling card and you are going to need constant content So all of this is going to count If you do nude pictures make them as artsy as possible They can be sexy but sexy above the waist I know this all sounds prudish but unfortunately for now that's the way of the business 

Here I have posted a picture of a model who knows where the limit is He even is looking for photographers who will work with him in the same vein 

Finally word of warning when you do get out there There are photographers out there who do not have your best interests at heart They will try and push you into doing things that can hurt your career Remember you are the one that is going to have yo live with the images you produce 

[Devon]

On 9/25/2020 at 4:50 PM, twistedriotous said:

Can someone please enlighten me as to why in the United States, there is still a general queasiness about male frontal nudity?

IMHO it has to do with homophobia and perhaps some (not all) heterosexual male insecurities.

During the late 60's / early 70's when I was in high school most of the guys in the locker room were not shy about nudity (changing their clothes / showering etc.). High schools in the Midwest required nudity for boys in swim classes. In fact boys who didn't swim naked or were shy about showering or changing in the locker rooms were often ridiculed by their classmates. Casual male nudity wasn't a big deal and in most cases (not every case) was accepted.

Then a combination of LGBT activism (Stonewall, etc.) & conservative Christian backlash (Anita Bryant, pedophile priests, etc.) brought gays into the media spotlight. This attention brought with it a lot of much needed social justice, examination of bias toward the LGBTQ community and unfortunately, homophobia along with their radical political and religious zealots. This is why the LGBTQ & allies must always have a presence and be vigilant in protecting and promoting our rights. Anyway, all this attention made it easy to stoke fears that sexual predators, especially naked men are lurking in locker rooms, school yards, clothing optional beaches, etc. 

America is still a very puritan society that still equates nudity with sex, and sex with power. Therefore, fully nude women are vulnerable sex objects and their bodies are open to criticism. Men who appear fully nude find themselves in the same position. They are objectified for sex and may not measure up if their penis isn't big enough or if their bodies aren't handsome. It's the same body shame issues women have dealt with for generations when nudity is equated with sex and power.

As long as nudity = sex & power, any body-type less than perfect is open for judgement. 

Your body is just something you walk around in.

[ss197820]

I've really enjoyed this topic because it's about professional nude male photography. This is something that really interests me. I have always frequently WONDERED what goes on behind the scenes at magazines that feature full frontal nude male photography. I've only gotten partial answers to my questions. This type of photography has for the longest time been considered extremely taboo and it's not surprising then that I've only received incomplete answers.

I found a photographer earlier this year who used to contribute photo layouts to Playgirl. He seemed nice but he also seemed reluctant to talk about this type of business and what was involved. His answers to my questions were pretty vague.

[twistedriotous]

On 9/26/2020 at 11:26 AM, ss197820 said:

What I've kind of wondered about the male models who did do the full frontal photoshoots for Playgirl, Men, Torso, Mandate etc is DID posing nude IN FACT have hugely negative reprecussions to their careers??? Were they just not able to find work in any field PERIOD because they took their clothes off?????

 

I also wonder about the lives of gay porn actors. I'm quite curious as to how these guys got into porn in the first place. Were they thinking about the possible repercussions? Did they have agents who advised/encouraged/discouraged them? Were they aware of the exploitation / predation quite rampant in this industry. It's also interesting to know the impact, if any, on their careers after porn. As for those who are married with children (Kurt Wild, Curtis of Sean Cody), I wonder how they will explain their porn stints to their kids one day, because it'll be difficult to keep it a secret in this era of the Internet.

[twistedriotous]

On 9/29/2020 at 12:43 AM, ss197820 said:

I've really enjoyed this topic because it's about professional nude male photography. This is something that really interests me. I have always frequently WONDERED what goes on behind the scenes at magazines that feature full frontal nude male photography. I've only gotten partial answers to my questions. This type of photography has for the longest time been considered extremely taboo and it's not surprising then that I've only received incomplete answers.

I found a photographer earlier this year who used to contribute photo layouts to Playgirl. He seemed nice but he also seemed reluctant to talk about this type of business and what was involved. His answers to my questions were pretty vague.

 

I also wonder about this too, especially since this is an industry where predators abound. Of course we now have making-of videos of such shoots like Les Dieux du Stade, where they have quite famous photographers and everything appears very professional. With regards to the work of Rick Day, Michael Stokes, David Vance, etc., I'm curious about the creative dialogue between the photographer and the model, how they discuss poses, erections, and such, and how they discuss pushing the boundaries.

In the case of Playgirl, I guess the expectations of the outcome of the shoot are pretty clear from the start. But it's quite interesting the reluctance of your photographer acquaintance. Adds to the mystery of these things.

[Devon]

7 hours ago, twistedriotous said:

 I wonder how they will explain their porn stints to their kids one day, because it'll be difficult to keep it a secret in this era of the Internet.

I've wondered the same, especially for the guys who claim to be "gay for pay." That would be an interesting conversation. The model could describe it as fluid sexuality, sex based on physical attraction, sex based on love for the person and physical attraction, sex just for money (gay for pay) instead of love, there could be many explanations.

I've also wondered how many guys modeled nude to capture their physical beauty. How many  looked back at those photos after 10, 20, or more years and we pleased they were able to forever capture that moment in time at the peak of their physical beauty?

[ss197820]

13 hours ago, twistedriotous said:

I also wonder about the lives of gay porn actors. I'm quite curious as to how these guys got into porn in the first place.

Well, I'm sure they had a CHOICE in the matter. They didn't HAVE to say yes.

I've also thought there is a difference between doing a Playgirl or Men magazine photo layout and doing hard core XXX penetration videos. Even though both require the model to be completely naked they are not the same thing. IMHO

[ss197820]

12 hours ago, twistedriotous said:

With regards to the work of Rick Day, Michael Stokes, David Vance, etc., I'm curious about the creative dialogue between the photographer and the model, how they discuss poses, erections, and such, and how they discuss pushing the boundaries.

I have wondered the same thing. What do they say when they talk to a model about his cock and ass and wanting to shoot pics where he is fully erect???

Apparently Rick Day was accused of sexual harassment when the me too movement hit the media. No idea how he's responded to the allegations. The man does have talent I admit. No idea what he's like as a person IRL.

[jpuleo1967]

There's a fine line about what is acceptable in a modelling portfolio and what is not Also this has changed a bit over the years A decade ago full frontal nudity was taboo no matter how artsy the photographs were Now if frontal shots are part of a fine art series that will be ok They can even be homoerotic in a mild way as well But if you go over that edge you can kiss your career goodbye 

As far as photographer interaction goes they pretty much are the director and tell you how to pose and what they want in a picture If you are experienced as a model the direction will be minimal If you're new or don't know what you are doing the photographer is going to have to tell you how to pose in every frame 

Sexual harrassment at least in my experience was rampant I am not sure after the Me Too movement but back in the nineties it was something a model had to put up with You mentioned Rick Day I did a shoot with him back then and while he was a bit touchy he wasn't harrassing Here's a screen shot of a print of one of the shots 

[ss197820]

Beautiful pic by the way.

[ss197820]

I just came across a photo that Eric Turner posted of himself on Instagram. He certainly *appears* to be fully nude. You can see a lot of his butt and there's no underwear in sight. No full frontal.

Seeing Eric's pic posted to his personal IG account made me think of a question that has frequently crossed my mind. How many of the men in the modeling biz very much WANT to do full frontal nudes but have been scared to do it because of society and taboo???? How many pro male models have secretly looked at issues of Playgirl and fantasized about doing centerfold work themselves???? Eric very much likes showing skin on his IG!!!

One of the models on legendmen.com on his profile page CLAIMS to have worked as a fashion model. Whether or not he's telling the truth? I have no idea. If he is telling the truth and was a fashion model at one point. Maybe after his fashion career ended he said the hell with it I'm gonna do what I've wanted to do for a long time?

[NateSF]

Back in the early '00s I did a couple of nude photoshoots that I hoped would make their way into print. I was not trying to get into conventional modeling or acting, I was more interested in emulating the guys I'd seen in Playgirl. I wanted to be like them.

I first met a photographer who did spec shoots. I can't remember how I met him, but I'd wanted to do a shoot for the reasons some have mentioned here, to capture myself at a point in time and be able to look back on later. It was also a bucket list thing, wanting to do a nude photoshoot. He said he had a couple of his submittals published in Men, and although he did not plan to submit the photos from my shoot to any magazines, he asked if I'd be interested in doing a spec shoot with another guy that he'd submit to "2" magazine. I said yes, he found another model and asked if I'd like to do a shoot with him, and I said yes. But the other model didn't want to do the shoot, so it never happened.

About a year later I'd met a guy at the gym and somehow we got to talking about photos. He asked if I wanted to do a photoshoot, and said he would give me the photos so I could submit them to Playgirl for its "Real Men" section. I thought this would be fun, and would partially fulfill my fantasy of being in Playgirl. So we did the shoot, I sent in the photos, and a couple of months later they sent a letter saying my photos would be accepted. It would be a few months before they'd be published, and they'd send the check once the issue prints. My guess for the delay is that they had layouts lined up a couple of months in advance. Eventually the issue was published, they sent me a check, and then they sent me a copy of the issue itself. I kept the acceptance letter as a keepsake:

I had an office job, so had no illusions of this becoming anything more, other than hoping they might choose me for a regular pictorial (which they did with Real Men from time to time). And it satisfied my goal to make it into the pages of Playgirl, even if it was just the Real Men section. I figured if anyone saw my photos it meant that they were looking at Playgirl too, so I wasn't too worried. This was before the internet became so easy to post and send things infinitum, and I suppose a bit naive too.

Nobody seemed to notice the photos, so it had no effect on my job or anything else. Some friends bought an issue, and it was a bit odd knowing some of my friends had naked photos of me in a magazine, but it was also part of the fun. It was a bucket list thing, but otherwise did not have any lasting effect either good or bad.

Edited December 7, 2020 by NateSF

[Devon]

2 hours ago, NateSF said:

I'd wanted to do a shoot for the reasons some have mentioned here, to capture myself at a point in time and able to look back on later. It was also a bucket list thing, wanting to do a nude photoshoot. He said he had a couple of his  I kept the acceptance letter as a keepsake:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nobody seemed to notice the photos, so it had no effect on my job or anything else. Some friends bought an issue, and it was a bit odd knowing some of my friends had naked photos of me in a magazine, but it was also part of the fun. It was a bucket list thing, but otherwise did not have any lasting effect either good or bad.

Nate,

Thanks for sharing your story. The model acceptance letter is wonderful momento to celebrate your physical beauty forever. Congratulations 

[jonny]

On 12/6/2020 at 10:20 PM, NateSF said:

Back in the early '00s I did a couple of nude photoshoots that I hoped would make their way into print. I was not trying to get into conventional modeling or acting, I was more interested in emulating the guys I'd seen in Playgirl. I wanted to be like them.

I first met a photographer who did spec shoots. I can't remember how I met him, but I'd wanted to do a shoot for the reasons some have mentioned here, to capture myself at a point in time and be able to look back on later. It was also a bucket list thing, wanting to do a nude photoshoot. He said he had a couple of his submittals published in Men, and although he did not plan to submit the photos from my shoot to any magazines, he asked if I'd be interested in doing a spec shoot with another guy that he'd submit to "2" magazine. I said yes, he found another model and asked if I'd like to do a shoot with him, and I said yes. But the other model didn't want to do the shoot, so it never happened.

About a year later I'd met a guy at the gym and somehow we got to talking about photos. He asked if I wanted to do a photoshoot, and said he would give me the photos so I could submit them to Playgirl for its "Real Men" section. I thought this would be fun, and would partially fulfill my fantasy of being in Playgirl. So we did the shoot, I sent in the photos, and a couple of months later they sent a letter saying my photos would be accepted. It would be a few months before they'd be published, and they'd send the check once the issue prints. My guess for the delay is that they had layouts lined up a couple of months in advance. Eventually the issue was published, they sent me a check, and then they sent me a copy of the issue itself. I kept the acceptance letter as a keepsake:

I had an office job, so had no illusions of this becoming anything more, other than hoping they might choose me for a regular pictorial (which they did with Real Men from time to time). And it satisfied my goal to make it into the pages of Playgirl, even if it was just the Real Men section. I figured if anyone saw my photos it meant that they were looking at Playgirl too, so I wasn't too worried. This was before the internet became so easy to post and send things infinitum, and I suppose a bit naive too.

Nobody seemed to notice the photos, so it had no effect on my job or anything else. Some friends bought an issue, and it was a bit odd knowing some of my friends had naked photos of me in a magazine, but it was also part of the fun. It was a bucket list thing, but otherwise did not have any lasting effect either good or bad.

That's a great story! Would love to see the pics, I like these "real men" pics, I wish I was brave enough to send pics in.

[jonny]

On 9/27/2020 at 2:04 PM, Devon said:

America is still a very puritan society that still equates nudity with sex, and sex with power. Therefore, fully nude women are vulnerable sex objects and their bodies are open to criticism. Men who appear fully nude find themselves in the same position. They are objectified for sex and may not measure up if their penis isn't big enough or if their bodies aren't handsome. It's the same body shame issues women have dealt with for generations when nudity is equated with sex and power.

I've photographed a number of women over the years for art and hobby purposes and found that women are often willing to undress, topless or fully nude. I'm talking some women who consider themselves models, some random replies from craigslist, some who were friends or acquaintances.

I haven't photographed many male models, but I've been in situations where I'm shooting a clothed female friend and loosely suggested she undress, only to have her immediately agree to get fully nude on camera. I feel like many guys would be very reluctant to do this.

Maybe it's because women are societal and cultural conditioned to be seen as sex objects, and for better or worse everyone just gets used to it, but it still seems a little more shocking to see nude guys in media, but it's definitely getting more common to see a penis on a netflix show or movie or something.

There's the difference that women are not really showing their full genitals without doing spread shots. Some models were willing to do this when I asked, some not. Female spread shots are generally considered erotic, but guys doing frontal nudes are always showing everything. Of course we can take it to the next level by showing our erections, which is almost always an erotic image.

Anyway I would really like to try posing for some new photos (soft and hard casual "real men" style shots) just to have for myself and maybe to share a few non-identifiable shots on sites like this one, but I am quite concerned about a photographer having the digital images so would like to find someone to shoot me using my own camera, or may just try taking them myself, tho that's difficult.