I was asked if I’d mind modelling for a friend who’s working on a specific project, so we spent Sunday morning rearranging our house to get the right backdrop and lighting. I’ev been sent a couple of images from the first pass – not particularly flattering images of me, but that wasn’t the intent.

This project aims to explore what Carl Jung called ‘the shadow’, which simply refers to the unconscious side of our psyche. While not exclusively about the darker side of our nature, it does encompass that side purely because it is into the unconscious side that we push the things we are less comfortable with. Jung argued that a key stage in our development as people is to integrate the shadow and embrace those aspects of our psyche that might be uncomfortable to us. 

I would ideally like the subjects to be shirtless because this enhances their vulnerability and creates an aesthetic that jars the viewer into seeing something that they would otherwise not have seen. But this isn’t a deal breaker, and if you’re not comfortable with this, we can simply keep you fully clothed. 

As you can see, going shirtless wasn’t a huge issue, I might even have been persuaded to go Full Monty (though Mrs NBT would be less keen on the idea).

It was an interesting experience, not really what I expected – previously I’ve had my picture taken, or I’ve done a bit of modelling for MTB / gear photos, but this was my first experience of someone taking my picture to get the shot they wanted. Lots of “move your arm this way” and “look that way, but move your head and look straight at it”

and

I said during the prep, although I’ve done some photography (did an As level a while back), I’ve never started by saying “this is the type and style of image I wanted to capture”. I’ve always seen something and tried to capture it, so it was an interesting way of working for me – and may go some way to explaining why ultimately, photography didn’t really work for me. I can see how these photos do fit the photographic style already established with the previous project, and I’m looking forward to seeing future images from this series.

I do think the images are thought-provoking, as was the process of creating them. Constuctive feedback welcomed…

(bonus points for the oblique title reference, anyone?)

I’ve modelled for Halloween cakes in the past.

You look like you’ve just realised there’s no loo roll.

he images are thought-provoking

Yes, I’m thinking ‘why did I open that image?’

You might want to try a photo hosting site rather than Dropbox.

Cougar wrote:

You might want to try a photo hosting site rather than Dropbox.

Yeah, didn’t work as I expected. Should be fixed now but I’m not certain it will be helpful 🙂

Are you Limmy?

Yeah, working now. 👍

You look like you’ve just realised there’s no loo roll.

Still chortling 5 mins later 🙂

Up until then I thought the photos were a good shot at what they were aiming for.

I needed to pee, I should’ve gone before reading bearnecessities post 😣😂

photos look like they’re made for a ‘you should speak with a health-care provider’ leaflet.
🙂

“Blue steel MK3”

Will there be prints for sale? Would look really good printed huge and framed in the lounge.

Not my lounge though, but you will be amazed what people hang on their walls…

not particularly flattering images of me

You’re not wrong there 😉

I think that loo roll needs to be empty or maybe the last half torn sheet?

Maybe he’s distracted by something out of the window?

SEND ME SOME MORE BOG ROLL!!!

As with the grot mags of my youth, I couldn’t be bothered with the wordy bits and went straight to the pictures. But these are definitely harder to masterbate over.

Fair play, not an easy thing to do – at the risk of inviting ridicule, Mrs Pondo is a big America’s Next Top Model fan, so I know there’s much more to taking a decent shot than putting a nice model in front of a nice background.

That’s the face that stares back at you in the gents after a few too many pints, no. Does Jung talk about that at all? 🙂

I reckon I could get the same effect by plying you with beer then stealing your shirt.

brave man

cant wait for the planetx promo to go with this one…..

No one has mentioned Mads Nikkelsen yet.

No one has mentioned Mads Nikkelsen yet.

Did he play Jung in the film?

No one has mentioned Mads Nikkelsen yet.

Top marks dknwhy (it took me a while)!

Thanks all for the amusing responses, especially DKNWHY – the badger one had escaped me for quite some time.

For those who still give the slightest of ****s, here’s a link to the photographers
site:

http://gregoryjohnturner.com/

yes, this is erstwhile forum contributor geetee1972

and a link to an article about the prior series, “Here among the flowers”

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/greg-turner-here-among-the-flowers

Imagine my dismay to not find more Airfix.

Dammit need to pee again thanks to dknwhy 😠😂

Me and this thread