We often talk about the representations of feminism depicted in photography and how the female gaze challenges the way women are portrayed. Now there seems to be an equally strong force emerging set to break stereotypical views of masculinity. The definition of what it means to be ‘a man’ is changing and with imagery being one of the best ways to evoke certain emotions and feelings, photography is leading the way in showing new ways of representing men.
Masculinity in the media
Masculinity has been portrayed to us in the media as David Beckham in his underwear, David Gandy in, well, barely anything, and more recently Kit Harrington in an awful lot of leather. All of these and many more are supposed to represent a ‘real man’ because all men should have perfectly groomed stubble, washboard abs, and glistening skin that’s been oiled in all the right places. Truth is, a ‘real man’ doesn’t exist.
Feminism has taken over (and I mean that in a good way), women are more empowered today than they ever have been but in some areas, it seems men are being left behind. Women are encouraged to share their stories, talk about their emotions and their identities but seeing as men are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than women it would seem they are not getting the same encouragement.
Photographers redefining masculinity
Masculinity (and femininity) is primarily documented as something rigid, a stereotype to aspire to when in reality its fluid, something that can, and should, be changed. Many photographers are starting to take this into consideration and are now redefining masculinity in a way that doesn’t adhere to the materialistic ‘norm’.
There’s a great publication – ‘Boys by Girls’ – a magazine which captures the souls and emotions of young men rather than focusing on the body. All images in the magazine are captured solely by female photographers, an intentional concept designed to break down gender binaries and the results are beautiful.
A particular favourite photographer of mine is Joseph Barrett. He has created a series called ‘The Male Gaze’ – a collection of portraits with the intention for ‘people to see photographs without implications of gender and sexual orientation’. The images are intimate and have a certain vulnerability about them which is not often seen in male photography.
INDIE magazine have spoken to Joseph Barrett and other photographers on the meaning of masculinity Check it out for an interesting and inspiring read.
Portraying Masculinity in Stock Photography
As a society, our understanding of gender and identity is rapidly changing and we have a gap in the market for authentic images that break the male gender stereotype that don’t conform to ‘masculine’, and portray fluidity in terms of the individuals identity. We need more diverse content; LGBTQ and gender neutral individuals need to be represented. When photographing models its important to take the time to get to know them, it will help you convey the individual’s story rather than focusing on the surface.
Stock photography and photography in general is a powerful tool and the more we express fluidity the more it provides a platform for men to embrace their true selves. As the representation of masculinity shifts, this affects the content and media out there which means buyers and their audiences expect images that follow suit. Check out our Masculinity lightbox and make a better connection with your audience by using images that are relatable.