Anyone taking even a casual stroll through my gallery will see a lot of pussy photos. Let's just call them what they are, OK? NO....they are NOT photos of "vaginas" - learn your anatomy, people.
I'd LOVE it if there was a sweet and endearing name for them, ya know. "Pussy" sounds pretty "Playboy-ish" to me but it is the best I can do because it ISN'T a vagina photo and that sounds waaaaayyy too medical to me anyway. There are at least a billion names for that part of a woman's anatomy but that's not what this journal is about. SO - get over it, I'm gonna call it a pussy.

SO - here's the deal. I had a model come to my studio to shoot some nudes and to my astonishment she said she didn't want that part of her body to show in any of the photos because she thought it was "ugly". I told her I was shocked and asked her if she knew that MOST men (and a hell of a lot of women!) think of that part of a woman as BEAUTIFUL! I asked her if I could take a photo of it and show it to her as I saw it...and that if she hated it, I would erase the image immediately. She liked the photo. And furthermore, seeing it in a new light (pardon the pun) changed her thinking about that part of her anatomy.
I began to ask the nude models I was shooting what they thought of that part of their bodies and I was saddened to hear MOST of them felt at LEAST self conscious and many of them downright disliked their pussies. Many, like the first model, thought it was ugly.
So, I set myself a small mission to MAKE people look at them, accept them, see the beauty. Of course, part of the fun here on DA is watching how everyone reacts to these types of photos. Comments range from the sublime to the ridiculous. I get a LOT of "...this isn't art, this is porn". And then THAT is usually followed by people replying to their comment by saying, "who are YOU to decide what is art and what is porn?"... or some such comeback.
MANY comments PRESUME things about me, when the person making the comment doesn't even KNOW me!! Like "You're just a creepy old perv..." ! These types of comments reveal a LOT about the person making them and NOTHING about me!
I also get a lot of comments accusing me of shooting these types of photos to gain page views. This is particularly amusing to me.
Think about it...to what end? Why would I care about page views? Furthermore - why would I even care what ANYONE of DA thinks about my art? Let me go a step further and point out the simple fact that DA COSTS me time and money. It adds NOTHING to my business, bank account, or public image here in LA ... and it takes some effort to continue to be on here. I've been a professional photographer in one of the most competitive markets in the world, for over 30 years. I KNOW how good I am so I REALLY don't NEED to hear all the accolades I get. Likewise, I know how good I am NOT (PAINFULLY AWARE actually lol) and I LOVE looking at the work of those who kick my ass - and TRUST ME, there are PLENTY. It inspires me to keep working at my craft. (PS - I've said all this before...so - hang in, I DO have a point).

Don't get me wrong, I DO enjoy the wonderful camaraderie on DA. I LOVE the feedback, both positive and negative - I am VERY appreciative. AND I've made some really cool on line friends here. SO - a big  thank you to ALL the 33,000+ watchers I have. I am honored and flattered. SERIOUSLY - thank you.

But - back to my point.
EVERY image I submit - and we are talking here about the pussy photos in particular - is shot PRECISELY how I wanted it shot. I control the lighting, I CHOOSE the lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, color saturation, Kelvin temperature, etc etc etc. I DON'T just point and shoot. When an image is "out of focus" in certain areas, it is because I WANT the viewer to look where it IS in focus. I also spend some time in Photoshop with every image I submit.
I KNOW pussy photos are controversial. They make people talk about a usually taboo subject. Deviantart, the Supreme Court, many of my watchers, and I, DO NOT see these images as porn.
I produce these images because it makes people look, think, and usually respond. Does this, therefore, make them art? Honestly, I don't know...and ya know what? I don't care. I simply think they are pretty... yes, like flowers.
I want women to KNOW that there is a BEAUTIFUL part of their anatomy that so many of them attach negative feelings to. HOPEFULLY, I can make a teeny difference. I've gotten quite a few notes and emails from females (and males!!) that have told me they never looked at it that way and now they are MUCH more comfortable with seeing pussies. Even if they never want them photographed, it changed how they FELT.

Bottom line....if I have created discussion and improved the outlook of a few people, then I am happy. And THAT is one of the objectives of art, is it not?

And one more thing....if pussy photos are offensive to you...DON'T FREAKIN LOOK!! If you think DA's policies are "allowing  porn"... take it up with DA, not me, because all I hear is a donkey braying. It's like a "Windows" person going into a Mac store and yelling about how Macs should not be allowed.
Of course, those who feel compelled to say rude and/or inappropriate things about my models or me, will continue to get blocked.

Pussy photos... art or porn?? Personally, I see them as nature's works of art and the way I shoot them is an art form in and of itself.
But ultimately, the "art or porn question simply cannot be decided definitively any more than what the best ice cream (although, anyone with HALF a brain knows it's Chocolate Chip Mint) is...or the best beer.

And speaking of beer....it's 104 degrees in LA today....I'm off to have a Heineken!