Manson's Son (violence/swastika depicted)

[Trenton Romulox]

If a moderator sees this first shot and feels as if it should be removed due to the swastika, feel completely free to, I'll completely understand. I am not racist, I am not a nazi, I am not against Jews, or any particular group of people, I am simply trying to evoke as negative an emotion as possible whilst showing that this character, myself as model, is meant to be a second-coming of Charles Manson.

One:

Two:

Three:

Four:

So, yeah, comments and critique appreciated. Thanks for looking.

Peace.

 

[DarknGorgeous]

I love #3 Haha

 

[Cameron Cushman]

# 4 for me is great

 

[Tyjax]

Push the edge. Edgy, disturbing, I think you just made art. That being said the blood looks like it was after shot addition. If not fine. In these sorts of exposures I would expect blood to look almost black.

 

[The Dread Pirate Robins]

I think you hit something. I found them kind of disturbing in the way I find art depicting violent subjects disturbing. (Not objectionable or obscene, mind you, just disturbing.) In other words, I think you got the effect you were looking for.

I think the bit of underexposure and graininess on some of these is perfect... it kind of takes me back to those few instances in my life where my adrenaline hit and my vision and shapes went into sharp relief suddenly because someone threatened violent action towards me.

Excellent!

 

[Trenton Romulox]

Push the edge. Edgy, disturbing, I think you just made art. That being said the blood looks like it was after shot addition. If not fine. In these sorts of exposures I would expect blood to look almost black.

The blood totally was an after-shot addition, haha.

You want me to push the edge more?

...

Good, I am really, really glad someone said that. I want to push the edge more, and I have ideas on how to do it, but I'm just waiting for the right moment, man.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[Trenton Romulox]

I think you hit something. I found them kind of disturbing in the way I find art depicting violent subjects disturbing. (Not objectionable or obscene, mind you, just disturbing.) In other words, I think you got the effect you were looking for.

I think the bit of underexposure and graininess on some of these is perfect... it kind of takes me back to those few instances in my life where my adrenaline hit and my vision and shapes went into sharp relief suddenly because someone threatened violent action towards me.

Excellent!

Thanks, man. Much appreciated. I'm glad you think I hit the target I was aiming for. I'd like to think that my photography transcends a few styles, dark-ish being one of them.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[Chiller]

:thumbup::thumbup: No Offence here at all. I like what you have here, and you did it 4 times. My fave of the lot is 3, and I cant explain why, just sort of hits me the most.
One of the things that I really dig about you and your work is you are not afraid to push buttons. I hold back a lot myself, so, Im guilty there. You went through a lot of detail on these and it pays off man. , one reason is a lack of models, and time.
If I were to nitpic..just the blood, like was mentioned before. Other then that....Very excellent stuff.

 

[Roger]

excellent stuff, I would also go with #3 as the pick....it has an air of tension and the cyclops look is great. Also the cartoony look of these is a fantastic treatment, which for me makes the 'afterthought' blood perfect. Shades of Sin City here mate, good work.

 

[rubbertree]

Except for the blood, I like the images, especially the harsh lights, the shadows, the graininess. I'm not a fan of #1 for some reason. Can't really put my finger on it but when I read the title and opened it up and saw the top of that first image, I nearly laughed. Over the top? I dunno.
My thought is you should not depict "Manson's son", but rather this is excellent as your own new character. He looks like a character in a new horror/slasher/torture movie.

 

[The Dread Pirate Robins]

Hey, wait! Didn't you try to beat me up near Portland State University in 1991? I thought I recognized you!

 

[spiffybeth]

its nice to see you posting again. welcome back!
i like 3 and 4

 

[boogaguy]

I personally dont like the use of the bat...
I like subtlety personally.
I think the bat kind of dumbs down the message.
The most potential I see is in 4... without the bat.
Just a hard stare from behind the bag mask would show more intended menace than that of a room full of torture weapons.
It's like the difference between sexy pics....
boob sexy is easy, sensuality isn't. Hence there are way more boob sexy pics.

In #1 I thought, due to the look on your face, that you were goofing around.
Because of the pose and bat.. which isn't something you often hear of mass murderers using.. I think the swastika lacks any real impact.
The blood I think adds kind of a cartoon effect which detracts from the whole.
I like your idea but i think that a lot of times with pictures as with words it's what ISN'T said that makes the most impact.

Anyways this is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.
good effort...

 

[Trenton Romulox]

I personally dont like the use of the bat...
I like subtlety personally.
I think the bat kind of dumbs down the message.
The most potential I see is in 4... without the bat.
Just a hard stare from behind the bag mask would show more intended menace than that of a room full of torture weapons.
It's like the difference between sexy pics....
boob sexy is easy, sensuality isn't. Hence there are way more boob sexy pics.

In #1 I thought, due to the look on your face, that you were goofing around.
Because of the pose and bat.. which isn't something you often hear of mass murderers using.. I think the swastika lacks any real impact.
The blood I think adds kind of a cartoon effect which detracts from the whole.
I like your idea but i think that a lot of times with pictures as with words it's what ISN'T said that makes the most impact.

Anyways this is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.
good effort...

Fair enough, and I respect your opinion.

But I should probably clear up that I was fooling around with these shots. There was no real ultimate message I was trying to depict. It's interesting to see how deeply people can look into a photo, when they can't really be sure that the photographer meant for anything deep to be there anyways. These images of mine, they are shallow, they are just there, there's nothing I was saying through them. I honestly just wanted to make myself look creepy to feel badass for a moment or two, and then I was like, 'I could use some blood.' So I added blood. Then I was like, 'grain.' So I added grain. Then I was like, 'swastika...those are pretty badass, people hate them.' So I added a swastika. And then I was like, 'Eh, I could pass this off, maybe, as some sort of attempt at a Charles Manson sort of thing.' And that is the photographic process of a bored kid during summer vacation. And here we are, seeing people look into my work as being representative of this, or of that, but really, it's just me goofing off and trying to have a good time. Haha. Are these images over the top? Yes. Are they stupid? Kinda. Are they surreal? Maybe a bit. Are they deep? Not intended to be, but I guess if you walk through a mud puddle, and look into it, you won't see the bottom anyways, and you can no longer be 100% just how shallow, or how deep, it really is. So I guess you could say my work is a mud puddle, and as everyone looks at it, walks through it, we all get a little less certain of what lies beneath the surface.

It's past 5am here, and I'm spewing out garbage metaphors, haha. So, pardon whatever I've typed if it makes no sense. And even if it makes sense, you can pardon it.

 

[Ben-71]

"....I was fooling around with these shots. There was
no real ultimate message I was trying to depict.
....These images of mine, they are shallow, they are
just there, there's nothing I was saying through them.
....it's just me goofing off and trying to have a good time.
....Are these images over the top? Yes. Are they stupid?
Kinda. Are they surreal? Maybe a bit. Are they deep?
Not intended to be.... "

I agree with you. This is shallow.

"it's just me goofing off and trying to have a good time"

-- With a Swastika on your forehead ?!

This is not art, or fooling around.
This is utmost bad taste.
This is DISGUSTING.

I ask you to remove it from the forum.​

Ben​