Glam Is Just a Four-letter Word

Like most Filipinos, I was born, baptized and welcomed into some form of Christian faith. As a man, a mostly unspoken 'macho' code was passed on to me – Don't cry in public (pretend to yawn). Treat women as you would your mother or your sister (lie to them to get out of something). Don't pluck your eyebrows (say you had a shaving accident). The list goes on and on. In my upbringing, sex and sexuality were not regular dinner table fare. I remember watching 'Ghost' with my Lola and finding myself staring at the ceiling when the film's lead characters were getting creative with pottery.

I thought I had outgrown the awkward elocutionary maneuverings around the... ahem, proverbial bush. But, I was wrong. Having gotten myself into photography, I found myself being drawn towards portraiture. I've spent the past three years in semi-serious pursuit of the craft. I've thankfully gotten to the point where I am confident enough to finally have people book me for sessions.

Admittedly, most of my subjects are women and with that I was introduced to the minefield landscape of glamour photography. The sexual and sensual aspect of glamour intimidated me at first. I found myself being transported to that uncomfortable moment in my childhood when my Lola asked me what I was staring at on the ceiling while Patrick and Demi were making something that sorta looked like a vase. The seven-year old Catholic boy, the happily married man and the artist coming into his own were debating the pros and cons of adding and developing this element into my photographic repertoire.

So, why the internal dispute? What is glamour photography after all? Well, there are far better answers from noted authorities on the subject, but allow me to elaborate on three points that I believe were vital to my understanding of the genre.

• Glamour, although it has been wrongly associated with it, is not porn. We can debate the difference between nude and naked all we want, but it all hinges on intent and context. If the intent is to show the sensuality and allure of the subject, then I say glamour. If the intent is to arouse and trivialize sex, then it is porn.

• From the point of view of feminism, I will to have to quote from an article written on the subject by Carol Dyhouse because I believe she perfectly put things in perspective —

'Does glamour empower women, or turn them into objects? It is important to remember that women practise glamour, they are not simply the object of the male gaze. And, historically, glamorous women were just as likely to be seen as dangerous to men as victims themselves. Glamour can represent self-assertion, sexual confidence, playfulness, pleasure and delight. But in the end, nothing empowers women so much as a good education and a well-paid job.'

• Lastly, if I may offer my own take on glamour it would be this - A glamour photo is first and foremost about the subject. As most subjects are women, the image should not only celebrate beauty, but the sensuality of the woman in the image as well. The subject bares her vision of how it is for her to show the aforementioned qualities and my job is to translate it into an image that measures up to her view. 

 

It was a drawn-out process of deliberation, but I've finally made the decision to pursue it. I gather that most people will misunderstand my intentions and misinterpret my actions. I understand that I have drawn a line in the sand where I now have to openly confront small-minded critique of any work that I'm going to put out there. In the course of undertaking this endeavor, I took the time to talk to the people who matter most to me in my life: my wife, select family members and my closest friends. And I assuredly have their full support, so I couldn't really care less for misguided and uneducated guiltmongering about sexuality (Yes, you don't have to tell me again because I already know that I am going to burn in hell. We can continue the lively discussion there.)

In fact, proof of this support is when my best friend, Maricel, agreed to be one of my subjects in building my glamour portfolio (hers are the pictures that are interspersed throughout this article). She and I developed concepts for the shoot. My wife helped me refine those concepts and supplied makeup and accessories on top of an encouraging smile. My good friend, Queenie, lent some articles of clothing and did the makeup for the shoot. The Baricuatros, Farley, Dia, Cacing and Komodo, welcomed us into their home and did not only offer us a beautiful and versatile location, but a hearty meal as well. And last but not least, a number of friends from work (Ailenn, Jinky and Sharajen) were present during the shoot and did not only provide great company, but helped me carry and move my gear as well.

And before I end this lengthy post, I would like to reiterate that in the end I am a portrait photographer. My mission has always been to create intimate and meaningful pictures of my subjects. If I had to call it anything just for the sake of classification, I wouldn't call it  glamour, but rather intimate portraiture.

As 2012 rolls in, I look forward to not just making more beautiful images, but those that give my subjects a beautiful self-image as well. Happy New Year everyone!