Iconic Photography

Normand F. Cardella

Why iconic photography?

When I started taking photos several years ago, I soon realized that the iconic themes of male sexuality were without detour. The more I tried to invent new themes, the more I was drawn to the established sexual icons of Western culture. Today as I look back at my work, I see many of the icons that I grew up with... the cowboy, the construction worker and the athlete.

The Models

I used to look for a new model for each new photo shoot. The major disadvantage to that approach was the time required to find a suitable model and build rapport, which really can't be done in just one session. I found that the more I worked with a model, the better my photos became. Today, I work almost exclusively with 2 or 3 models that trust my vision. They know that I'm not interested in vulgarity and that my photos are a sincere expression of my search for beauty.

People tell me that my images resonate with masculinity. And yet, my most successful images have been with wedding day tulle or eiderdowns, hardly masculine symbols. In contrast, we've all seen photos on the net of steroid-bloated men wearing army fatigues smoking cigars and looking... well... not very masculine. The successful erotic photo is a delicate balance between fantasy and reality.

As for being photogenic, it's a complex issue involving both model and photographer. Suffice it to say that when a prospective model asks me if I think he is photogenic, I reply "Let's take a roll of film... the camera will tell us."

My best advice to models comes from Billy Elliott - "Always be yourself."