Enraged Feminist vs Utah's Sexy Dancers
"Dear Eric,
I've noticed that there are lots of scantily-clad young girls on your photo stream. Aren't you afraid that you are going to offend 90% of your clients in Mormonville, USA and don't you think that by giving these harlots a public place to flaunt themselves you're perpetuating the stereotype that girls are merely sexy playthings?"
You should take those photos down or you'll never find any work in this state!!!
- Enraged Feminist [Yes, this is actually how she signed!]
Whoah, Enraged. Calm down. First of all, those who would be so offended that they wouldn't hire me are not the sort of people I want to work for anyway. Call it client darwinism. It's a good thing. Trust me -- I'm not hurting for business. In fact, I'm hiring interns to keep up with the workload. From a photographer's business perspective, being true to my unique vision is my primary marketing strategy. My style and subjects are my brand, and what do you know -- sex sells. The last thing I'm going to do is shoot some conservative idea of what people want to buy. I prefer to shoot what I love.
Anyway, these girls aren't the primary subjects of my photographs. I mostly sell photos of the DJ's and other performers. That's where my real passion lies, and that's where the real money is. They need photos for their presskits and promotions, and they're willing to pay for them. Since most of them are from out of state, and unlikely to be conservative, my choice to include these girls in my photo sets has no negative impact on my bottom line.
Another interesting point is that photos of beautiful girls are far and away the most popular photos in my photo stream, and it's a safe bet that many of my fans found me initially through one of those popular images.
As for your second argument, I've just had a discussion very much like this on the UtahRaves.com message board. Here's a snippet of that conversation:
"And being the feminist that I am I think that they're just ridiculous and perpetuate the image that women are sex toys here for the pleasure of certian perverts and macho sexist idiots." - triciaprefect
"People said the same thing about Madonna." - me
"Madonna was (is) unique." - adrena_line
"So is Ms Easy. The point is that being sexy doesn't always 'perpetuate the image that women are sex toys,' and some particularly strong women manage to be true to themselves and flaunt their sexuality in a way that is empowering and liberating to women." - me
In another conversation, somebody accused me of being exploitive of these girls -- using them to sell my photos and services as if it's wrong to make money from anything that could be considered prurient. Far from feeling exploited, many of these girls are friends, and they respond enthusiastically when they see me. They plaster my photos all over their MySpace pages. They proudly display them to their friends, and many of them have asked me at one time or another for more formal photo shoots. These girls trust me because they know if there's a photo they don't want posted, I'll take it down. None of them have ever complained to me about the way that I conduct myself. I think it's telling that the people accusing me of exploitation are not the people being "exploited".
We can argue until the cows come home about whether it's wrong or right to post pictures of hot girls in skimpy clothing on the internet, but like any honest straight man, I like a dose of sexy in my photos now and then. Call me a sexist pig if you like, but consider this:
I celebrate the individuality and self expression of everybody I encounter in the nightlife scene, whereas, you assume that these girls are harlots, tear them down, and take the time out of your day to rant to me about it, just for trying to express themselves in a way you don't like. You profess to be a feminist, but isn't feminism about freedom and rights? These girls want the freedom and right to express their sexuality in an appropriate venue. Why should I deny them that, and refuse to take and post their photographs? They are part of the nightlife, and my job is to celebrate the nightlife, and all that it includes.
Since you asked me so politely to address this issue, here they are in all their bare-skinned glory: Utah's sexy nightlife dancers.
What are your thoughts on this debate? Take a look at some of the girls in question, and then click the little comments button to chime in.
Labels: beautiful, controversy, debate, feminism, feminist, girls, photos, sexy, women
116 Comments:
Methinks she doth protest too much...Usually the only time people get this upset about risque pictures is when they are either afraid of their own sexuality or they are secretly jealous. I think with this person it is a bit of both. If she wasn't jealous she would not automatically jump to the conclusion that they were "harlots". It is totally ok to feel empowered in your own sexuality and you can tell by their smiles that those women definitely are.
Feminism is about empowering a woman to feel open and comfortable with doing whatever they feel. Just like a man would. You saying that women should never have pictures like this taken of them closes down their options just as much as any sexist male pig would do. You ma'am are no feminist.
Also the clients that hire my husband actually specifically request to have pictures of the dancers taken. The women also go up to him and practically beg him to take their pictures. And they are from Utah. Obviously you don't go out to clubs that often, if ever.
In short, you don't know what the hell you're talking about so stick it in your pipe and smoke it.
(i had a well thought out message going with lots of pictures and my explorer crashed, i'm now trying to remember what i said. Bare with me.)
I start all my letter out very professional:
"Dear Mayor of Fagtown,"
ha ha ha.. Check this out. I had a large mormon based cliental. I was terrified they would reject me if i started doing what i'm doing now.
(two chicks making out in the background.)
So i made up a Suitor photography name. Studio::Kemo. Then a good friend of mine, Scott Reid, passed away. At that point, i decided,
..fuck it. it's my art and people like me for what i am.
i'm not going to censor MY hobby! ..
now i just don't show certain parts of my portfolio to people. It's just simple business. if they want portraits, i show them portraits. If you don't show them nudes, then in their minds you've never done them. you see?
Then i did a really racy set.
Ashle' and jenny's photoblog.
Direct quote:
"I am Jenny's MOM, This makes me so angry. It isnt bad enough that it happened and that Jenny is behaving this way, which horrible and shameful. For those of you who dont know she has a 3 year old son and this is no way for a mom to act. But you post this ridiculous story and you lack the good class to be ashamed, you show just how ignorant you are by laughing. Thank you so much for exploiting my child and my grandson's mom. If you are too stupid to know that was sarcasim.."
---
Then the other model, Ashle' 's mom sent me a letter:
"Steven, Never mind what **** said. I think those photos were wonderful! I've talk to Ashle' and she said you were not only very professional, but made her feel extremely comfortable, and was one of the kindest people she's met. You have my blessing to work with her as much as your heart wants."
--
It was honestly the great compliment i've ever received.
Eric, it's an art. You are an artist. You can't please everyone. You don't have to appologize for anything.
You don't need to feel bad about shooting Consenting women. It's hard to hear something like that from an angry person. It was for me, at least. But more and more people compliment and eventually i figured out that i'm really good at what i do.
I make people beautiful.
I will not appologize for that!
Don't think twice about it. You don't need to defend yourself. Most the time it'll make you look petty. people know what they like and no one can tell them differently. do what you do and be the best you can at it.
i have spoken.
Steven Hansen
Send my best to your wife. I'm not sure how you lucked out and got a women that's super cool. You are a lucky man. Tell her i said so.
Steven,
That photoblog / story is pretty damn near the top of my "favorite Steven Hansen posts EVER" list. And that list is pretty damn long. ;)
And yes -- my wife is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!
I'm damn lucky, and I wouldn't change a thing!
BTW, saw the pic of the girl you went out on that date with. You're not doing too bad yourself. ;)
- Eric
"Steven, Never mind what **** said. I think those photos were wonderful! I've talk to Ashle' and she said you were not only very professional, but made her feel extremely comfortable, and was one of the kindest people she's met. You have my blessing to work with her as much as your heart wants."
I think that's just about the best validation that you can get. I love it when the mothers of the models I work with say nice things about the photos I take. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.
"Enraged Feminist"
Interesting pseudonym you have chosen for yourself. I'm no psychologist, or even close to a professional, but there are a few things about your comment that make me question your true motives. Your comment reflects about internal rage, some spite, and possibly some expectation of yours, for us to feel as upset as you are (Oh, and did I say spite?). I find the "Feminist" title to be more radical than what I'd expect most people that identify them-self as this to agree on. Are you trying to borrow the label to artificially inflate your platform? Eg., Do they support your comments, or is this just your very own comment? And what makes you a feminist?
Your value of 90% is no hard fact. I don't think you were very serious.
The demographics provided by Wikipedia on Utah show nearly 61% are LDS. It's hard to say how many would be offended. Not all LDS members are active. Not all of them have a living testimony, nor practice what they preach (true of most any religion). Regardless, 10% of the remaining market overlooked by others is a GOLD MINE.
Why were the numbers so far off? Statistics are not always useful. Was this a haphazard highball guess, intended to upset us as much as you are?
Up to this point I can pretty much write everything off and throw it out the window. Until ... Harlots.... This is slander, pure and simple. You have insufficient evidence all are harlots, and even then, it all reeks of character defamation. You may not agree with their lifestyle, but it gives you no right to say false things.
While more than a few men have women are a sex play thing mentality (even as property and not a person), you're still assuming a lot right here. The primary issue is un-manipulated consent. I've known Eric for a long time (not to say we agree on a lot, because we don't). I find it hard to believe your claim. Odd you might mention flaunt, as it has good and bad connotations. Do you have enough self confidence about your own body? You don't have to show it to anyone, but self confidence is an important emotional quality. If these girls have no reservations about sharing their bodies (for the sake of vanity or personal pride, etc), "sex play things" has little or no base.
I would certainly hope, no woman ever has to feel compelled to perform likewise on the basis of self worth or beauty. If they are only a sex plaything, I hope they have the courage to regroup and move on. And if you, Enraged Feminist, are not being treated right, it's your responsibility to be more direct, let your peers know your limits. I hope your post isn't some form of "displacement".
Bigots are people in disguise that would intentionally or unknowingly support state sponsored religious fanaticism. While you cannot tell others what to do, you can chose to withdraw from that environment and there other ways to respectfully request your personal space.
Do you have any comprehension how tenaciously our forefathers fought for your right to express yourself freely? If not, there is an underlying standard of truth that would not allow itself to surface. It would be frustrated by jeopardy.
If this or any other site disturbs or offends you, it's your responsibility to turn away or enable filtering that matches your needs. Don't blame the internet for your choices. The internet is no different than a book store, magazine rack, or boutique. You can choose to, or not to, visit specific areas therein.
I know Eric has a long list of clients. I doubt any of his clients have any serious concerns with his work.
Take care,
Scott - still a single LDS guy, if you can believe that.
Usually said by frumpy, jealous women in my experience. I can and do appreciate that there ARE many occasions when women are indeed used as sexual objects. That said, I'd be prepared to put money down on this a say how many women in this group alone haven't at some point in there lives used their sexuality to gain something from a man? And be VERY honest.
It's only an abuse when if a woman is in some way doing it against her will, most women as per your above picture are using their looks to gain what they want as much as men are gaining a satisfaction out of it. They know it's a weakness of the male persona and used it to their best advantage & why shouldn't they?
As much as humans have developed over the years ultimately we are still animals & still have instincts and such acts are a play on this. Yes it can be described as demeaning to women but it's just as much a 'using' by the female fraternity.
On a more personal note of your picture in particular, I'd say you were mearly recording real life. Unless I'm VERY mch mistaken you haven't paid (aka 'abused') these women but simply recorded how & were they where. (Falls of soap-box and shuts-up lol)
You are not mistaken. The lead photo was (along with all the photos I posted on the blog) taken at a party, during my regular party coverage. No special photo booth or anything. I was just shooting what I saw in front of me.
why oh why cant "some" people accept that the body is a beautiful thing to look at ,enjoying something that is beautiful isnt abusing or using anyone
good on you eric. censorship is an evil thing as it allows people to show only what they deem is good (read China). freedom of speech is one of the greatest things about the internet and it should be maintained at all costs.
I'm just wondering how much time was spent looking at your work (which she didn't appreciate) before coming to the outrageous conclusion that these women are harlots? What awful judgement. It wasn't even worded that these women may be portrayed as such, simply that because there is flesh on show they are obviously engaging in all sorts of depraved sexual activities in exchange of the mighty dollar.
Quite simply, and has been said numerous times before- If you don't like, don't look.
I could go further with this but I'm sure it will be covered in further replies.
- Appreciator of Eric Hamilton!
Hey everybody,
I'm feeling a little bit attacked at the moment as I collect cowardly anonymous emails from haters. I really appreciate the reinforcements.
Thanks for the support.
I'm sick and tired of all these sluts on flickr. why do you post this trash? you are no artist.
You know what, I'm not a fan of alot of the half naked women pictures on FlickR, but you know why? 99% of the were self-portraits taken on a camera phone, or crappy point and shoot just trying to boost a poor girls self esteem, so that the 100+ comments from pervs on the net make her feel better about herself.
Your work, however, is art, and should be perceived in such a way. Does this crazy lady think that the statue of the Venus de Milo is perpetuating the stereotype that woman are playthings? She's half naked.
Not everyone will agree with what you do, but if you love it, and you believe in it, who gives a crap?
Women are harlots!!! What a spinster she must be. She is probably the neighborhood cat lady. I would not worry about people like her. After all, she is not the one hiring you or paying you for your wonderful photos.
I have commented a few times about the half naked women but, that was all in fun. I enjoy looking at your pictures! Don't let the evil cat ladies of the world bring you down Eric!! Keep on shooting!
eric,
you think you can buy fame with a few half naked hussies. you are so transparent. i hope you choke on your lenses and people see you for what you really are. the world would be better off without your ilk. maybe if there were fewer jerks like you selling your trash real artists could make a living.
It seems people go out of their way to tell me things like, "if you have any real clients, you're ripping them off. crawl back under your rock and die" That's an actual email quote. It's burned into my brain.
I wish I could just shoot and pay my mortgage without the notoriety. Everybody wants to be famous, but FAME SUCKS.
love the term mormonville :)
I'm going to leave the negative comments visible just so you all get a window into what it's like for me sometimes. I'm sure other pro photographers have similar experiences they could share. I get a lot of positive comments, but sometimes the negative comments are really mean, and difficult to ignore. Maybe dealing with criticism should be the next topic for the "Going Pro" series...
She should have signed it " Enraged Spinster" . Feminist..pppffftt. Did she actually burn her bra in the movement?? I doubt it. She needs a life in a bad way.
And i agree with whoever said ..don't look if you don't like! She sure wasted a lot of time scanning through your pictues. She could have been feeding all her cats! ( or burning another bra)
I find it amazing that she is complaining about your photos... Which I think are very tastefully done..... shouldn't she be complaining to someone else that there are strip clubs in "Mormonville"?
BTW.. I know LOTS of people who live in the world of LDS and not all of them are worthy of their garments or their Temple Recommends, But they still follow the leaders.
They are hottttttt!! and the e-mailer should stick to sites that show kittens and puppies and flowers and butterflys and mind his own m#*$&% f#*%(^@ busuness!!! ;-)
maybe disable commenting, and put a link to a flickr post so no anonymous comments there
scubapup: No, I want to hear what they have to say. If I silence them, am I any better than they are?
in my experience if a show im watching makes me uncomfortable or its bothering me then better to ignore, change the channel or turn off the tv
its noise that you dont want to hear, like telemarketing calls
there's plenty of zealots around with nothing better to do
scubapup,
i'm not a zealot. i just think eric sucks and the only reason anybody cares is because he uses skin to attract undue attention to himself; and away from real artists.
ditto, ditto, and ditto.
I wish I had something cool to say but you all pretty much covered it. :)
and I thank god every day for beautiful women.
brad: I think your use of the phrase, "away from real artists" is telling. Here's my theory:
You couldn't hack the professional side of photography, but you saw that fashion shooters are getting $30k gigs taking photos of girls in bikinis and you're lashing out because you're jealous.
I'd say you need counseling.
I liked your wife's comments on your blog.
Don't let them bring you down. Like you said, those aren't the people that are your clients, so it's not going to hurt your business.
stick snakes scare me: I LOVE my wife's comment. Her perspective is very enlightening. I know she struggles with feelings of insecurity and resentment, and her ability to identify the source of those feelings -- and willingness to speak out publicly about them -- are a testament to her character.
I think I'll keep her. ;)
Did you ask these girls to pose in such outfits? did these girls choose the outfits them selves?
I always get a kick when feminists try and decide what others should and should not do. I understand it is about female freedom but sometimes their measures take away female freedoms as well. My stream includes several such photos but the models in the photos choose those outfits or that style of photo...They are expressing their freedoms and self confidence. Who am I or who are they (the feminist) to take that away from them?
BrianLarter: Those are the outfits they came in. I don't tell them how to dress or how to pose. They're expressing themselves in their own way. Who are we to judge?
Chadris! It's the only choice if you're a true feminist.
Pfft.
Funny how people misplace their blame. Why is Ms. Feminist enraged at you? You are not causing the girls behavior, you are just recording it. If she really feels angry, she should be talking to the girls about it, not you.
Personally, I don't have a problem with the photos, but I have a real problem with Ms. Feminist - after all, isn't this exactly the kind of freedom women have been saying they have been yearning for all these years?
Bob: Absolutely! Well said.
lol, this is too funny, i vote ignore for your own sanity, nothing wrong with passive aggressive resistance :)
im sorry your having such a hard time eric,but keep it in perspective for your own sake.these small minded people cant have a very happy life if they actually have to scroll through internet pages just to find some one to attack ?
its seems to be human nature ( i thought it was only in britain) to enjoy building some one up and then tear them back down again.
weither its in the music world the world of art or sport
and honestly these people that think these girls are harlots ...really go out side and get in touch with the real world
red_flame: these guys don't bother me. What really bothers me is that some members of my own family are ashamed of what I do. These negative comments have weight only because they remind me of some deeper family issues.
Well, I suppose you'll keep finding work from the harlots who want to flaunt themselves in a public place. Also, I don't equate a nightclub to a "public place" like a library or park, so she's illogical to paint that sort of picture that you're a dirty pervert and your army of sexed up Satanist ladies are bursting into public school classrooms to take provocative pictures as kids run out screaming.
Hang on a religious nut? Yeah because the church has SUCH a good reputation for their morals!!!!!!
She needs an orgasm to clear out the cobwebs so she can realise that no one is enslaved or forced to do anything against their will......
God these people shit me lol.
marlon: My business is not in any trouble. Doing quite well, truthfully.
schoolbookdepository: haha!
Geez, somebody always has to protect us from ourselves. Sigh...
Eric,
My daughter is confused right now. Believe it or not she was actually helping out in primary and attending church with us every week just a few months ago. Then she fell into the wrong crowd and started going to raves and using drugs. What you're doing here encourages that behavior. You might as well be force feeding the drugs to her. You sir are the worst kind of evil, and God will not treat your transgressions lightly.
Eric! You are fantastic! As a mommy with "PBB" (Post baby body) I only WISH I had photos of myself like that!
How good are you with Photoshop??? ;o)
t's not Mormonville, it's Moronville.
Concerned Mother:
I have no idea how to respond to that one. Why do mothers insist on blaming other people for their difficult teenage power struggles? Everybody goes through them. Teenagers need to break away from their early influences and find their own road. The sooner you come to grips with that, the better off you'll be.
Raves are much more than a place to go find some drugs and dance around half naked. That is a horrible stereotype developed by the media. People fear change. In the 20's, it was Jazz and Alcohol. In the 50's, Rock and Roll was the new great evil.
Electronic music is just another evolutionary step in the development of the art form, and Raves are one of the key venues for the dissemination of that music. It is my love and passion for that music that drew me into my career. I am a musician myself, and my electronic music has been downloaded by millions and used in countless video productions and movies. It was even selected for inclusion in a royalty-free music library for a University film school.
Growing up in this community, I have seen a lot of scary things, but one of the most harmful things I've seen is the destructive rift in families that (from my perspective) seems to come mostly from religious differences. I know you believe that your daughter is going to have a hard time getting back on her path to heaven so you can be together forever in the eternities... I'm sure my own mother shares some of your feelings.
Another destructive force I have seen in this community is drug abuse. Many of my close friends have died from accidental drug overdoses, and I've always been an outspoken drug reform activist. I have always encouraged everybody to be very careful with drugs.
I'm not sure which of these girls is yours, but I've personally warned several of them to be very careful. I volunteer my time to educate people in the community about the dangers of ecstasy contamination (which is entirely due to the illegal classification of the drug, by the way).
Yes, it's a big scare world out there, but what I do gives these girls confidence to believe in themselves and face it with their heads held high, and frankly, you should be grateful that there are people like me behind "enemy lines," keeping track of their safety and well-being.
I hope you can learn to treat your daughter with the respect that she deserves, rather than treat her like a black sheep. To this day, my similar struggle with my own mother can still cause tension, and I'm turning 31 this year.
You need to ask yourself a very important question: "Do I want a good relationship with my daughter in this life?
Good luck to you. I hope it works out.
" You might as well be force feeding the drugs to her. "
Yes, and we all know that if we could just get rid of those darn war photographers, all the wars would stop too.
If Concerned Mom was really concerned, she'd be dealing with her daughter right now instead of whining about some photos that are no worse than what you can see on a public beach or pool daily - even in Utah.
The prettiest girls are the ones who wear pretty spring and summer dresses, with flower or spring motifs, and a pretty hat. Not the ones who take off absolutely everything that they are legally permitted to remove.
The prettiest girls are the ones with good manners; who are kind and thoughtful; and who can dance. (the last remark is for me - I love to dance).
Philip
Dude, those women are consenting adults. They are no more scantily clad than girls in bikinis.
If people don't want their kids to dress like this, expirement with drugs, and go to raves, than they need to instill morals in them that discourage said behavior.
You're photographing a party, news flash to everyone, this is what you see at a party. You are doing your JOB. The people that hired you would probably be upset if you DIDN'T get a picture of these women.... Give the customer what they want!
I's like to make a minor point here... Even if you were picking out the outfits and asking them to wear them, they would be obliging to do so if you took their pictures in them. The photos I take I go over with the model what we're hoping to achieve in a studio setting and the models love it. They think my concepts "rock" so we go with it.
This must really make me the devil from the sounds of things, but somehow I don't feel that way.
Eric Keep up the great work! You do a great job. oh, and Kimberly, I have mad photoshop skills... *grins*
All I can say is wow to all those comments eric...shame shame shame on them....maybe they need to look at how they are as a parent if they are worried about outside influences. Maybe they should lock them up and not let them into the outside world of thier homes if they are so worried. Either that or EDUCATE them on all the bad influences that are out there in the big bad world. You can't change ppl....especailly teenagers.I haev on e myself and am starting to have issues with boys etc...I don't blame it on pictures I or she sees online. It is all part of growing up and parents need to change with the times and understand the world our children are growing up in. After all it isn't the 1980's for me anymore ( when i grew up). Things have changed tremendously since then.
Ew what a retard!
Tell her to go burn a bra.
You can post whatever you want. I'd be more concerned that the emaciated blonde chick on the left is creating an unhealthy image of "sexy". Ask her how Auswich was and then give her a sandwich, FOR GOD'S SAKE!
Anyway... I love your photography and you just take pictures of what you think is beautiful. They're not entirely unpleasant subjects to look at, however, I do miss your light studies with buddha statues and the like. I really enjoyed those and they gave your craft a lot more depth. Don't let yourself get lumped into the lowly paparazzo category. Even your nudes spoke to me artistically more than these. But you are a nightlife photographer and you market yourself as such, and as far as that type of photography goes, you are very good at it. You have to judge these things for what they are. You can't compare Ansel Adams to Dave LaChapelle.
eric, i think your pictures are beautiful, you are portraying a lifestyle in that picture, its not like you got those girls drunk, make them put those clothes on, and then took horible nasty pictures of them. every picture i have seen of yours have been great pictures of art, and its those girls bodies to do with as they want, isnt that what feminists say? anyway I just wanted to let you know that i love your pictures, and if they offend some people then thry dont have to look at them do they.:)
What's the population of Mormonville, if I may ask?
Is it a very religious town?
Your pictures are great !!
Anyway being the devil's advocate here:
if your town has a small population these sucker moms might easily build up a base against you if your income is solely from photography. They can easily use you as an example of what is making their kids go wrong. MTV, VH1, YouTube and MySpace are way ahead of you pertaining to racy content.
Unfortunately you have nothing to do with it; but that's what they will make the town believe. I hope you can ride the storm that might be brewing or quash it before it becomes a big deal.
If those parents are so concerned they should monitor their kid's use of the Internet... but then again kids have a way around that.
Keep shooting what you love... the world may not like it... it's their choice :-)
I like the comment you gave the "feminist" Good one Eric...burned her. After the so called bra burnings were done so women could dress and do as they please!
I agree with Maria Hamilton. It is to bad that people are so afraid of what they do not understand. I believe this person is both jealous and afraid of sexuality in general. It is sad that people can not just enjoy the fabulous photography instead of being wound up to the point of ridiculous for no good reason. If someone does not like the content of the photos then my advice to you would be move on. No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to look at them. As for the parent who was saying you may as well be forcing her daughter to go to raves and take drugs, Maybe you dear lady should be more involved in your child's life. If you have such strong feelings about the photographs then maybe you should be monitoring your child online and not worrying about what the rest of the world is looking at. Eric I think you are an amazing photographer. It saddens me that people get so hung up on what they believe is negative and can not focus on saying positive things to encourage people.
Eric, you are one of the nicest people I've come across on Flickr. Taking time to help aspiring photographers and newbies is just about the most awsome thing I've experienced here too. You're photographs are great, and they are life. Some of us come from small towns, or maybe have kids and can' t get out as much, some don't have the means to travel... Flickr is a place to share our photographs and by doing so, sharing our small part of the world as we see it. That's why I love it here. I am very gratefu to everyone here for that. I get to see"LIFE" as it happens in places that I may never get to see for myself. I feel sorry for those people who have such a hard time with your art - with life as you are fortunate enough to experience it. Shame on them. God loves us ALL, including the scantily clad party goers, rumour mongers, spinsters and haters.
I am those people don't experence life the way you or those "harlots" do, and so what? We are all unique, isn't that a great thing? It is not their place to JUDGE anyone. If they don't like it, they don't have to look. We are fortunate enough to have a choice in this life. They should be content in their (probably boring) lives, and leave others who's experiences are different alone. You are not hurting anyone. As far as I'm concerned you are touching alot of people in a positive way with your art and your kindness.
You Eric, are one of the good guys. Keep your head up, and stay confident in what you do. You can't change the way others react and respond to you or your work, but you can change the way you let it affect you. ..."With a grain of salt". Have a wonderful day Eric. Thank you for sharing your world with us.
sorry to here that there are people giving you crap for what the girls chose to do. dont let it get you down. they gave
you the ok to take the pic. anyway hope things go better for ya. keep in touch and when you get some free time we should hang out. catch ya later.
This is pretty much true in any field: If somebody is getting pissed off, it usually means you are doing something right and doing a darn good job at it.
ok as one of these so called "harlots" i figure i better put in my two cents..
i don't understand how all these mothers can sit here and blame anyone but themselves for thier childs actions. what your children are doing is nobodys fault but your own.. you sit here and preach you religous values and blah blah blah... why are you so quick to blame someone else for the problems in your life? its not fair to someone like eric who is an amazing person doing an amazing thing.. i have been photographed by him many times and it is always such a joy to work with him. and guess what i have a children of my own.. and let me tell you i will never act like the feamle body is something to be ashamed of or something to hide.. i feel that is so closed minded and thats what i dislike so much about this state.. nobody here has an open mind to anything.. you just do what your tole and belive what you hear because that is all you know. i just find it sad that people can't just let everyone do what makes them happy.. whether it is gogo dancing, going to raves, getting crazy piercings and tattoos and just living their life...
quit pushing your religous values or whatever on everyone else and take a look at your own life and worry about yourself.. what other people do is nobodys business but their own!!
ps thank you eric for all the amazing photos.. keep up the amazing work and know how much we all love and appreciate what you do!!!!
"joel said...
I'm sick and tired of all these sluts on flickr. why do you post this trash? you are no artist.
March 22, 2008 6:55 AM"
Eric is a phenomenal photographer. Don't invalidate the art because you don't like the subject.
On the topic at hand, I've made it pretty clear how I feel about it here: http://www.utahraves.com/showpost.php?p=124677&postcount=63
One thing to note, most of the girls in question are dancers, dressed in themed-costumes for our (and other promoters' events). While they aren't necessary to have at shows, they do draw a substantial amount of attendance.
[EDITED -- Insult me all you want, but leave my wife out of it. I made the choice to put myself out there and let other people see the sorts of things that go on behind the scenes. She did not ask for this attention.]
"You realize of course that the reason Eric goes out and shoots these girls is because his penis wants him to. he gets off by 'shooting' his phallic camera, paid for with 'seed' money, at the scantily clads. He thrives in grey area and lives off your money while living his eternal wet dream. Look closely at his eyes as you ask him about his trips to far away places with young women and bikinis. You might figure out that you are supporting a predator."
pony_express: like many startup businesses, I have gone through a long period of very low budgets while I scraped together a portfolio in any way that I could. Most of the large new companies I know of started out in much the same way.
Maria has been very wonderful and supportive during this time. Things have picked up a lot since I first started out. Budgets aren't quite as small anymore, and I'm relying less and less on her help.
This is nothing to be ashamed of. I will be eternally grateful for Maria's patience as she drove me to gigs, trusted me to go on trips to shoot models on the beach, etc...
It's easy to sit back and criticize other people's lives, but in the end, I've worked my ass off and made something of myself, and my wife and I have managed to grow closer, despite all the stress.
Any other posts that mention my wife in a negative way will be deleted.
Play on.
This is getting really difficult for me, but I want to keep the negative comments (directed at me) intact. Believe me, I've heard far worse before. I got death threats the day my site hit the Digg homepage and my traffic skyrocketed.
It's worth noting that the models and clients aren't the ones posting mean messages.
So your wife can defend you and insert herself into the dialog but she can't be a target? Unlike the other people who support or criticize you? Why not let her defend herself?
pony_express: Would you sit idly by if somebody walked up to somebody you love and started throwing jabs?
Why do you feel the need to attack innocent people on a blog behind a cloak of anonymity?
If you don't have anything valid to add to the conversation, you're done here.
Yep, this is the reason I do not go to Utah. It is a shame, I love the state but the puritan stuff is such a waste. I know some "former" mormon folk and the horror stories of how they had to live their lives is the real crime.
I know of your work as we have communicated a bit and I always wondered what flack you might be receiving because of where you live. I am not surprised to hear this as preaching about the evils of other's lives while keeping the blinders on about your own seems to be a popular thing for these jokers.
Look at it this way, if you weren't doing anything that was desired you would not get hated on so this is actually showing your popularity. I find it sad and funny that the woman blames everything else but herself for her daughter's downward spiral. One photographer and sexy pics of women caused her to become a druggy? C'mon how stupid is that. That says nothing about her abilities as a mother and only shows that super restrictive upbringings play a major role in kids becoming messed up.
Tell her to go have a cup of coffee, drink a cocktail and complain to her husband's "other" wives.
Wow I am truly amazed at the negative controversy a few sexy photos have caused for such a wonderful artist/photographer and the beautiful women he captures. I am featured in some these photos and I have to tell you I am no “harlot”. To get paid to dress like that or pose for the camera would definitely make me good money on the side but unfortunately it’s not like that. I dress and pose like that because I want to. I am a go go dancer and have been for many years now. Although I’ve had many photographers take pitchers of me none of them have captured the beauty like Eric Hamilton. He is a true professional.
To all those who hate on us: GET A LIFE! If you don’t like what you see, don’t look. I’ve had many positive comments and many negative comments addressed to me because of my involvement in the model/dancer industry and honestly I don’t care. You can say all the bad things you want and it will never hurt me. I will keep doing what I am doing. Your silly comments will never bring me down. I laugh when I hear things like “My daughter is taking drugs and going to party’s because of your pitchers.” OMG seriously I don’t force your kid to do anything. Maybe you should be a better parent and communicate with your child to see where they are going and what they are doing with there life.
Eric, thank you for bringing this to my attention. There is a lot more I could say in regards to this outrageous controversy but right now I have better things to do.
p.s. I'll send ya pic's from my next gig in Miami! :)
you probaly have more friends than those idiots who think this sort of photography is filth
great work you are doing keep it up
as for those so called religous idiots have they forgot what weekend it is
and as the big mn said let he who is without sin cast the first stone
and he didnt mind what mary magdolin did for a living
keep up the good work and dont let the buggers grind you down
It's a subculture. Every generation has many subcultures. That's it. This is one of them. Deal with it. And Utah is changing more and more everyday. They can't stop it.
I'm in a good portion of these talked about photos!
and in my response... just as you and your wife had said "I love them."
People are constantly taking cell phone pics while were dancing on stage.... that is flith... they just want an ass wallpaper shot. You on the other hand don't shoot us to look like sleeze nor flith. If this women has anything to say I think she should say it to the thousands of girls going to these shows half naked. If they didn't want to be seen that way then they wouldn't dress it. You are in no way permoting the way they dress. We are the dancers, there to entertain... same as any club we have gogo gear on!!!
As you said "SEX SELLS." I am a performer. I know when I get on stage in my lil outfits the crowd will go wild. It brings attention to the show. And honestly I love the attention.
I love the pictures you take of me doing what I love. I am a model and shoot regurally... In this business I have came to see some scandelous things/people. You my friend are not one. I wouldn't say your a pervert in the slightest!!! When i had some slipige.... you were sure to ask my concerns as where to put them. When I told you that wasn't what I was looking to put out, you told me you erased them. End of discussion, I know I can trust that.
So don't let anyone get you down... and please never quit shooting us, because I love the pics. They are very classily done. Thanks for making my look beautiful!!! HEHEHE!!
also where the hell is my get lucky pics?? HMMMM..... I hope this lady hasn't made you have second thoughts.... Cause I need them. hehehe!!!
hehehhe.... take crae, keep doing what you do. I love them, so does everyone else!!!
Tera: I haven't forgotten. V2 rocks it. You know I'll give them special treatment. =)
Thanks for your input.
haha that shit is funny, your one of the best photographers that I know. just cause you shoot chicks at raves doesnt mean anything, not to include that that is only one of the things you shoot when your hired out for a event, lol has she looked at your other photography! like tof the stages the DJ's alll your other models, lol dont lissn to her man shes stupid and doesnt get it. I mean look at old paintings, people painted people naked and made scholptures and all that of naked people that that was concerderd art over everything else... idk people are just weird and love to talk shit and critize other people for what they do, when if they would just stop doing it to other people and look at there own life that they probley dont have room to talk shit on someoneelse for what they love to do...
You know, looking at your fashion stuff again...I don't see one scantily clad Harlot! Sounds like this woman has other issues that need to be addressed. One would be controlling other people and forcing her beleifs on others...more feminatzi than feminist!
Eric Hamilton is the TRUTH.
He is an amazing photographer, whether his subjects are inanimate objects, myself, or women who choose to dress a certain way.
I have never seen a photographer capture moments, feelings and vibes like Eric can. Flipping through any EDM magazine, Eric's portfolio of SLC's events makes the rest of the world look boring and amature.
Any artist Eric photographs ends up using his pictures as thier main profile pic, including me.
Thank you Eric for what you do for this city.
Eric, unfortunately tis the world we live in. It's unfortunate that with all the pictures on your site they have to zero in on the ones of the dancers at our shows. Do I like seeing girls dressed they way they do? Not necessarily but I don't have to look. I can have my opinion and keep it to myself because who am I to judge?
Being one of the dj's that have had the opportunity to shoot with Eric, I would like to express the fact that he does make you feel comfortable in your skin and takes incredible photos. I am definitely not as skinny or pretty as some of the girls in these photots but Eric just knows the right angles and lighting to make everyone feel like a star. I have been along his journey from almost the beginning and it great to see how much he has grown as a photographer.
Parents need to realize that these shows are not put on as a place for you kids to do drugs. In fact most of us that go don't participate in that type of activty and most of the time don't condone it. If your child is choosing to take drugs you need to realize they would do that even if these parties did not exist.
While I am here Eric I just want to thank you again for all you do. For working odd hours of the night, processing thousands of photos and making them available for the world to see!
PS Maria is amazing!
Eric, don't listen to the haters. You are one of the nicest guys I've ever met and a wonderful photographer.
You can't please everyone, so just please yourself. You aren't doing anything wrong.
You and your wife deserve to be happy and live your lives free of torment. Please don't listen to these hateful people. Don't take their awful rants to heart, because you and your wife are amazing people.
It's really hard to change someone's ignorant opinions so just ignore them. Let them continue to live their blind pathetic lives, while you continue living the life that makes you and so many others happy.
You haven't and aren't doing anything wrong. You're a good man and a good friend. Remember that.
die please
maria is an amazing woman, who actually TRUSTS her husband, if half the population could go as far as that then maybe the divorce rate wouldnt be so high. Just because he takes pictures that some seem cotroversial, but to me are no worse than the underwear ads in stores, and id rather look at them because they are done with more tact in some cases, most if not all of the people on here who have anything negative to say dont even know him, or maria so how can you judge their relationship??
I have known a few photographers and not one of them has ever wanted to take a picture to hurt, take advantage of, or do any other sick pererted thing that all of you people seem to think of.
You have the freedom to not look at those pictures, the girls in them have the freedom to not have them taken, but what gives you the freedom to judge someone by their profesion, someone you dont even know?
www.myspace.com/filthyduckstudio
Hello, Steven Hansen again. I thought this time i would give a face to my comment. I saw a post by "Joel." It said you weren't a photographer and he doesn't want smut like yours on Flickr. blah blah blah.. I really wanted to see his work so i can tell if he had any barring on the photography communty. Anyone can slander, but not everyone can put weight behind it.
I think your live shots are studio quality. Anyone that can shoot like that has a fan out of me. Brilliant.
-Steven.
Eric, you're not doing anything wrong. Some people just can't seem to kick the habit of being offended.
It's like any other addiction. Some people take drugs to feel like they're alive, some people take offense to feel like they're alive.
And anyway, a wise man once said, "There's just no pleasing some people."
As mormons, and as in many religions, we're raised to believe that the world is and should be a particular way. As we grow older we realize that it's more "should be" than "is". As we become adults, we realize that "should be" is a debatable point, but also that the people who were trying to teach us about the way they wish the world could be had good intentions at heart, usually, anyway.
Life is what you make of it, so some people choose to live their life as though the world works the way they were taught it ought to work when they were children. And there's nothing wrong with that, if they're happy with it.
Things just get wacky when they start insisting that we stop messing with their fallacy by living our lives like normal human beings.
I'd like to chime in as one of the inhabitants of the Mormonville being scorned. Just like those getting thrown into a box that support the photographic choices of Eric, I hate Utah getting stereotyped as full of intolerant religious bigots. It simply is not true, and so many haters just perpetuate the myth.
In ever culture, and subculture for that matter, there are extremists and the mainstream. The mainstream of Utah happens to be more conservative than many places, but it is also not entirely intolerant.
I like to consider myself a conservative, yet I also have an open mind for others to hold their own values. I am sure I am not as conservative as others when it comes to photography as I find nothing wrong with Eric's photos he has shared. His presence, capturing and sharing of photos really has nothing to do with creating the culture he is recording, rather celebrating the essence of it in the photographic art.
I tend shun all extremes, particularly when it comes to opinions. I am happy to exist in my beliefs and values, and happy to let others do the same. I am amazed at the strong feelings this topic brings out on both sides of the argument. Live and let live.
Its not Utah its everywhere. And no parent can blame anyone but themselves when it comes to there kids behavior. But as we all know they blame everyone but there kid and themselves
Since I am one of the girls in some of those pictures I figured I should probably say something and stick up for Eric and myself.
First off we are not sex toys. We are dancers. We may wear little clothes but believe me if you knew much about dancing for eight hours straight you would know that it gets hot and its easier to dance with less dragging you down. Eric is hired by the production companies to come and take our pictures. If you would look past your own issues you would see that Eric is a great photgrapher. One of the best in Utah. One of the hardest shots to capture is a dancer actually in motion. He does it with no problem.
I have taken the time to actually talk to Eric when he isn't taking pictures and he is an incredible person. He isn't taking these pictures because he is a pervert or anything like that. He is simply doing his job. As dancers we just happen to be part of the show he is hired to take pictures for.
ERIC YOUR AMAZING!!! Thank you for all the hard work you do and the incredible shots you take of us dancers and the shows. Don't ever stop or let anyone else's jealous words bring you down.
What Eric's pictures do in this instance is like what "Suicide Girls" does, it shows the nudity of the female form in an ARTF