The above is a beautiful photo. As readers of this blog know, I enjoy posting nude and erotic photos of women. For many of the more religious bent, or Fox News brainwashed “conservatives”, these photos are considered “porn” or even “filth”. However, I do not consider the photos I post here porn, at least in the modern sense of the world. For some people though, “porn” constitutes any depiction of the human body which is in any way nude. For these people, “porn” is any kind of depiction of human sexuality, whether verbal or visual, which somehow violates traditional Christian notions of biblical sexuality. I am sure I could say the same thing for Muslims or Mormons or Orthodox Jews or any other hard core religious group. Anything which may lead the mind to wander, to fantasize or lust after something sexual, is forbidden to most religious conservatives. Being pure, especially sexually, is a clarion call for many in these communities. Many even describe their approach to such sexual issues in militant terms, using such phrases as “the battle for purity”, etc. And for those committed to this war, what a never ending battle it is. Those naturally occurring phenomena of our human sexuality, such as the erect penis and the wet vagina, are usually quite the pesky and disobedient foes of religious purity.

I enjoy erotic photos of women. I love the female body and find it quite beautiful, just as I love women and find them to be quite beautiful. However, I do not enjoy merely any and all erotic photos. For me, an erotic photo needs to have certain qualities, and certain standards. Otherwise, I will find no pleasure in the photo (or painting, drawing, etc.). Too many, perhaps most, of the nude photos and images out there are simply too crude for my tastes, and hence too crude to make the cut for this blog. I want the photos posted here to possess at least some degree of beauty. Without beauty, an erotic photo quickly degenerates into something vile and base, something which appeals purely the lower instincts of our nature. Obviously there is a fine line between the two–what is cruder types of porn and what is good erotic art–and no definitive definition can ever really be created. Subjectivity is the essence of artistic appreciation. Still, at least for myself and this blog, there are certain qualities and standards that I try to adhere to when posting nude photos. Here are some of overall conditions and random thoughts on the matter:

1) My overall goal is a celebration of feminine beauty.

2) The photo must have a certain degree of beauty. What this is means is good lighting, a good background, and an overall harmonious balance and symmetry in the image. Above all I want the photo to express the beauty of the female form. A good nude photo should be a celebration of loveliness.

3) I do not like, nor do I post, close up shots of vaginas or women spread eagle. You can find that sort of thing in most sex blogs, or in older magazines, such as Hustler. I never liked such shots. To me the fascination with gynecological close ups of female genitalia is a little weird. I image fat truck drivers jerking off to such photos in their spare time at truck stops. A good erotic photo should depict and reflect the entire person and not simply body parts.

4) Although I will occasionally post explicit erotica, for the most part, I am interested solely in nudes. When I do post a more explicit piece, again, I strive for a depiction of beauty rather than a simple and straightforward sex act. Again, I am striving to find works that artistically depict the beauty of human sexuality.

5) As I have repeatedly stated on this blog, I find most porn to be crude, at least 90% of the stuff out there. I am hoping on this blog to post some of the 10% which might be good, even uplifting, and which might have some value beyond merely male masturbation material.  Since human sexuality and eroticism is a part of our lives, and a powerful part indeed, I think erotic art has a legitimate place in the world as an expression and reflection of our all pervasive sexuality. So I hope this blog at least reflects something of that.

But again, most of all, this blog is a celebration of female beauty, the loveliness of women, and the joys and pleasures of human sexuality in all its various forms. I hope the photos posted here somehow capture at least something of that.