complex

finchdown:

louobedlam: 

The important thing was that her clothes were on the entire time.

Because Finch is naked a lot. On her Flickr. On God’s Girls. On her web cam.

But what does that tell you about a person, beyond what they look like without their clothes? What do you really see?

I used to be of the opinion that it was revealing of someone’s personality that they were willing to show themselves naked, without armor, without the protection of clothes. Submit themselves, warts and all, to the eyes of the internet.

Time’s done a lot to change that. Hanging out in England, where models get naked as a matter of course. Its lack of significance there was affecting.

Hanging out with Finch, who gives it not a second thought. It’s a way to make money.

It is not a door to someone’s nature. It is not a glimpse at something deeper within its subject.

And that’s what I’m after, yeah? So what good having a model naked?

What good is it, merely seeing the form, without any exploration into a person’s substance? I can satisfy the twelve-year old in me, “ooh, naked!!”, but it doesn’t make for a richer photo. If anything, it’s a shortcut. Of course a naked photo will be popular. Of course you’ll get comments that strangely avoid the fact that there is a naked body in the shot. But what are you really saying. What are you really showing. What have you actually accomplished.

I learned far more about Finch getting her to smile, talking to her on her roof, walking down the stairs with her to a nearby street corner, sitting in her house and eating lemon custard.

Damn fine custard, at that.

That’s very eloquent. But the way he said it while we were shooting still tickles me: “Damn, see? I make you look good even with your clothes on!”

(via louobedlam)