I reached out to talent and social media influencer Jeffery King for an hour session that ended up lasting several hours. It was well worth it. I absolutely love shooting at FD Studios! I love how easy it is to create with studio lights and cool back drops to choose from and how the talent changes according to the backdrop, it's all very fun.

My photographic plan was to focus on the theme Venus as a Boy is a look into male beauty as handsome, as sweet, as gentle, as mysterious, as mystical, as theatrical and so on. I loved working with Mr. King, because he was so versatile and isn't afraid of also bending gender stereo types.

As I am always pushing the stereo types of what is creatively acceptable for women to photograph, I’d like to venture into defining stereo types of what is socially acceptable for women to photograph and how we view men as well. Of course I am more widely accepted as a photographer when I photograph beautiful naked women, babies and weddings. However, those subjects never interested me. We are all bombarded in what is socially acceptable to find attractive as a strait white woman, as a mixed race gay man and so on.

There is a quote from the late Peter Lindberg,

"If photographers are responsible for creating or reflecting an image of women in society, then, there is only one way for the future - to define women as strong and independent.

This should be the responsibility of photographers today - to free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection."

Venus as a Boy by Marlena Elise

Model @jkingla

Photographer @Marlena.Elise

Photographed at FD Studios