Shawn Wilson by Jim French

Does photographed by Jim French also automatically mean photographed as part of Colt Studio? Just wondering. Beautiful fuzzy blond man! Thanks!

9 hours ago, JohnnyLlama said:

Does photographed by Jim French also automatically mean photographed as part of Colt Studio? Just wondering. Beautiful fuzzy blond man! Thanks!

Interesting question. I like to mention French as the artist/photographer where credit is due.

French was one of the founders of first Lüger Studio (where he published mainly drawings) and later Colt Studio. Colt Studio exclusively published French's photography and drawings in post-order prints, magazines, calendars and books, until 2003, when he sold the company. But French also published artbooks through his other company State of Man: less porn, more art. So he founded Lüger, Colt and State of Man especially to publish whatever art he wanted to make

Through his work that he published through Colt and State of Man his images became the benchmark for hypermasculine erotic photography. And in a way he still defines the iconography of what we admire in male porn! His impact and influence on gay male visibility compares only with Tom of Finland.

This is what French himself had to say: “I see my work as erotica, not porn. Frankly, pornography bores me, because 99.9 per cent of it is lacking the one thing that makes it successful. And that is, it’s not erotic! It’s people doing a job for X amount of dollars in front of the camera. Pornography does not interest me. Photography interests me. And making marvellous-looking men look their most impressive. That’s what I’ve always been about.”

So to just see him as a pornographer would be a huge underestimation of his work and influence.

Just download this magazine and read his interview: thank you Maleart

Thank you, Knutsel63, for that excellent answer to my question! I really wasn't expecting a response, just kind of thinking out loud and hoping someone would offer something up. I got so much more than I expected. Colt Studio is (or was) one of my favorite sources for gay erotic entertainment. I love hearing about the history of Jim French and his companies. Many thanks! 

Oh, and I'll check out that article.

beautiful

interesting interview, he talked about sleaze but some of his photos are sleazy? and he is miles better than tom of finland.

Participation Mystique is a thing porn producers tend to get wrong.  If they let performers follow a natural flow the imagry would be more intense.  Porn is mostly, "lets see them do this, then that and then something over the top".  It becomes Tab A into Slot B tedium.  

A huge sign of arousal is precum, most generic porn have incredibly dry dicks.  Which is why I tend prefer retro, the men are more natural looking and so is the action.