Since 1975, my specialization has been photographing erotica, sexuality and gender. I am interested in photographing subject matter that offers challenges, obstacles and difficulties dealing with the pathology of our times with references to sociology.
In 1975, I began photographing male nudes and my monograph, “She Shoots Men” was published my Schiffer Books in 2003, featuring male nudes from 1975 – 2005 and currently photograph the Black Male Nude” who is not equally represented in our society.
In the 90’s, I photographed male-to-female transsexuals and female-to-male transsexuals, which resulted in a monograph published my Edition Stemmle, “Male-to-Female (La Cage Aux Folles) and resulted in receiving a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship.
I began my series “Embracing Gender/Non-Binary in 2019, featuring subjects who exist outside of the binary definitions of man or woman, masculine or feminine. The definite gender identity doesn’t make sense to/for them or existing comfortably within the social rules about gender. To be non-binary is to live one’s life as true to oneself . Being non-binary is liberation of the self.
The subject was photographed on Fifth Avenue, NYC in available light, December 2019. I did not know my subject, nor my subject knew me. I just happened to see my subject walking on Fifth Avenue, asked if I can do a few photographs and mentioned my series, “Embracing Gender” and my blog. Gender is now more widely accepted as a spectrum with variance being normal rather than weird. This photograph can be viewed as accepting the non-binary manifestations with us all and remembering that we are all different, unique and beautiful.
What do you think are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!
My subject is confident and comfortable, being true to oneself, while walking on Fifth Avenue, New York City.
If you would be able to make this photo once again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?
If I could photograph my subject again, I would do more variations of different scenarios within NYC.
Vivienne Maricevic shared this photograph in the FRAMES Facebook Group.
Photographer
Vivienne Maricevic, New York City, NY, USA
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Equipment and Settings
Canon PowerShot, f/3.3, 1/125 sec.
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Nigel Walker
February 17, 2021 at 11:46
An interesting topic and one I find cropping up many times lately. It is only in recent years that it has become acceptable to think like this much less live a life which embraces it. I would think that is still a real challenge outside large cities and, even then, fairly difficult at times. All power to those seeking acceptance and a change in attitude and to you for using the camera to help.