The Story Behind the Image
At the heart of this is the idea that every image has the potential to convey more than just visual aesthetics—it can encapsulate a narrative, emotions, and a deeper connection with the audience.
The story behind an image serves as a bridge between the creator and the observer, offering a glimpse into the thought process, inspiration, and intentionality that went into this photographic image, thus giving it great meaning and value to the potential collector.
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When you post your photo, include the circumstances and tell us about how the idea and shooting came about. Imagine you are explaining the image to an interested collector or somebody at an exhibition opening that wants to more about the image and why it's special.
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Your inner inspiration for creating this image is the most important element to include in your story.
Sample Images & Stories
This 1st story helped escalate the value of my fine art images overall...
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This image is from the cover of "Farber Nudes, which was released and distributed world-wide in 1983.
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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis brought me into Double Day for a new book project. Her editorial direction and suggestion for the title resulted in the publication of "By The Sea". At that time I signed a copy of "Farber Nudes" and gifted it to her.
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When Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis passed away, "Farber Nudes" was in her collection and was sold at her estate auction at Sotheby's New York for $4,800. (BTW. All item prices in that auction were escalated)
“This is"Snowbound", from my "Moods" book published in 1980. It was photographed by a frozen waterfall, in New Hope, Pennsylvania, 1979.
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I spontaneously had the idea to shoot a model after having seen the frozen waterfall, but I didn't want the model to just be standing in the snow totally nude. So I needed some type of fabric to continue the flow of the snow, and to be sheer enough to capture the subtleties of a bare body. My solution was that I borrowed some sheer curtains from the windows of an old inn that we were staying at that evening.
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So it all successfully came together, especially because I had a model who was willing to actually stand there barefoot during the shooting. And yes, I did return the curtains."
"Running Horses"
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In celebration of the French Bicentennial, July, 14th 1989, I was commissioned by Marshall Fields, a great American department store, along with the French Tourist Board to shoot a fashion campaign throughout France. Included in the campaign were major models, such as Linda Evangelista, Carrie Otis, and Meghan Douglas.
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In the South of France, one of the locations was a private ranch where they had the wranglers running the wild horses behind their models. Aside from the images with the models, I opted to shoot something that was personally more important, this image of the Running Horses. Aside from using it in his book, Natural Beauty, Farber Nudes, It is now one of my best-selling gallery prints that has sold out in a previously released size.
"NY Taxi Driver" is from a shooting I did under a different name.
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It was part of an assignment for a European magazine editorial in 1977. The reason I used a pseudonym was because my first book of fine art nudes,“Images of Woman" (1976) had been published and I didn't want to tarnish the reputation I was trying to build.
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This was because of a direction (and mindset) that was guided by my formative years.
I grew up in a traditional American household. Liberal enough for their son to get away with publishing a book of nudes, but where influences of a traditional mentality would cause restraint. Over time I became less inhibited, eventually no longer feeling a need to hide behind a pseudonym.
At this point, I have spent over 50 years dealing with resistance and censorship to my work with the human form. In recent years, I’ve become more provocative and proud of it. Always with a focus on respecting and appreciating my subjects.