Somewhere, in a limbo suspended between the realms of erotic photography and that of high fashion photoshoots, lies the partly controversial and partly misunderstood industry
of glamor photography. From the advent of the 20th century to today, the genre has seen a
rapid rise, encountering harsh criticism and continually evolving in style.
To precisely define what is glamorous we will probably have to describe any such photo: usually female models with long, silky soft hair, attractively dressed, with sensual poses and captivating facial expressions.
And, if there is so much fashion and accessories to characterize the subjects, why can't we call it fashion photography?
The truth is that glamor photos are simply neither one nor the other, but since
show a semi-nude female body, continue to encounter disapproval and
even hatred on the part of moralists bordering on the extreme.
From an artistic point of view and from the desire to clarify the role of this imagery, not
we can help but ask ourselves: is this attitude perhaps justified?
What is glamor photography?
A brief history of the genre:
Glamour photography has been called erotic; for much of the last century. The beginnings
of the glamorous tradition we could trace it back to the early 1900s, when the sellers
French street vendors sold postcards with playful images of attractive women. It is
exactly the period in which pin-up culture became extremely popular, and female figures, winking and in skimpy clothes, were the protagonists of an era.
Until the launch of Playboy magazine, images of actresses like Betty Grable and Bettie Page could be found inside any truck or soldier's locker.
Over the years, magazines and calendars featuring naked bodies were the cause of discussion and in some cases even legal disputes. Which is why they were largely censored. The imagery of this photographic art has returned to the fore after a brief hiatus over the years, with models such as Hope Talmons, Heidi Van Horne, Katie Price and Dita Von Teese who have redefined the concepts of the genre together with the talent of skilled photographers and the prestige of respectable publications.
Glamour in photography
If we look for the term glamour; within a dictionary, we could find definitions such as the set of physical and personality characteristics that make a person irresistibly attractive.
When it comes to photography as an artistic medium, the goal is to capture and convey all these qualities through an image.
In fact, this type of photo goes even further and uncompromisingly portrays sensuality, style, beauty and confidence, in an unusually captivating way. Maybe ours
the mind can be crowded with images linked to the golden years of the film industry and
all the glamorous shots of Hollywood actresses or photos from the late 80s/early 90s,
full of perms and leather jackets.
Today we can talk about professional photographers who have restored the style and approach of the genre, giving up shoulder pads to introduce the aspects and style of the contemporary woman, in all her glory and soft light.
Perhaps saying that glamor photography is dedicated to making women beautiful in a sophisticated way describes it best, but it is the various interpretations of this definition that still provoke debate among admirers and photography experts.
Out of place or classy?
The main argument of those who are against the idea and, above all, the content of glamor photography is that it contributes to the objectification of a woman, as a tool to strip her of all qualities except physical ones. What should pass
actually their concerns are the fact that today we can talk about a type of
modeling involving high fashion clothing and stylists, make-up artists, hairdressers and
various accessories, as well as photographic studios and equipped professionals.
How does this make it better?
They all contribute to a refined vision of a woman, in which the model seduces the camera and is completely at ease with herself. After all, it's not just models who pose: it's ordinary women who do it completely voluntarily, for their own pleasure, sometimes wanting to live out their fantasy, which also led to the birth of boudoir photography. This means that the
Glamour photography is about much more than sensuality or implied nudity. Rather, it captures beauty, both outside and inside, which is definitely something it could
meet the expectations of those who support it. In the end, this genre is not for
everyone, and whether you like it or not is a completely personal choice.
Of course, as in all artistic and creative activities, to give life to an image of
success requires skill and imagination. Many photographers trying to break into the field
they offer poor and cheap photos, with strong sexual allusions and bad taste
in the images. As the trends and standards of glamor photography require
exactly the opposite, they will not be part of it. In essence, it all boils down to dignity and
to intent, rather than to the creation of images with the aim of pleasing the predominantly male audience.
The charm of a boudoir portrait
A popular photography style that has emerged as, we might say, a subcategory of glamor is boudoir photography. Likewise, it features intimate, romantic and sometimes erotic images, but the difference is that the subjects of these images are women who do not pose regularly or who are not models at all. As we said before, this type of image-making can be a fantasy come true for anyone who wants to explore their sexuality, and self, through the medium of photography, and many wish to do so. In this way, the subjects become the clients of their own photo, so the results are generally produced for personal use and private enjoyment.
Taking its name from a French word meaning a woman's private living room,
the imagery of the boudoir is based on the suggestive rather than the obvious, the metaphorical
rather than directly. An aesthetic achieved most frequently through high-toned lighting, the grainy black and white of film noir, capable of creating atmosphere.
Glamou photographersr
Probably the two most famous early glamor photographers were Ruth Harriet and Louise
George Hurrell, who worked in the United States during the 1920s. Ruth Harriet Louise is
She was the first active professional photographer in Hollywood and even ran a portrait studio at Metro Goldwyn Meyer for five years. His portraits of stars like Greta Garbo,
Joan Crawford, Marion Davies and John Gilbert are still among the most memorable. Classic but highly expressive and subtly sensual.
Similarly, the photos of George Hurrell, who worked predominantly in the 1930s and 1940s, glamorised the status of celebrities by using lighting techniques to develop dramatic effects, often seeing subjects emerge from dark backgrounds to reveal their famous faces. Over the years, many portrait and fashion photographers have tried their hand at the field of glamour, taking a break from product advertising and focusing on the model, which is why there are examples of such images in the work of Helmut Newton, Ellen von Unwerth or Mert and Marco. Outside the commercial field, there are photographers such as Lisa B, Georgy Alexandrov, Billy Bilacous, Luke Pearsall, Daniel Chase, Faby and Carlo, Silviu Sandulescu, Gregorio Campos. As long as sex appeal exists, glamor photography will reign; sophisticated, bewitching and fascinating but without becoming, never vulgar or, even worse, banal.
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