Gallery 19 – Reclining Cyrus – Part 2 (NSFW)
The reclining nude has been traditionally reserved for the female gender. Recall the Manet’s Olympia or Titian’s Venus of Urbino, Yes, masterpieces no doubt! What we rarely see are male versions of the reclining nude, let alone an Asian male. Nearly 2 hours of shooting has already transpired (of which you can see the result in Part 1), before reaching to this particular stage. Cyrus’ fear and inhibitions seemed to completely subside, allowing him to freely express himself to me and the camera. Covering the sofa with a large sheet of cloth, I decided light him by bouncing a strobe off from the ceiling. I did not provide Cyrus with any posing instructions or what to project for me; it came from him. Spontaneity. Looking into the viewfinder and on eventually on the monitor, I could only be in awe over the sheer beauty of form, color and expression.