Raymond Carrance - Czanara

French photographer, illustrator, and graphic artist Raymond Carrance (1921–1998) worked under the pseudonym Czanara, producing homoerotic photographs and drawings during the mid-20th century. I find his photography more interesting than his drawings, although some of it feels a bit derivative of Wilhelm von Gloeden, who was working half a century earlier.

*All images except #4a below are by Raymond Carrance aka Czanara in the mid-1950s to early 1960s.

1. Naked boy in a Tree.

2. Boy in the River.

3. Two naked boys on a tree.

4. Flanders, Belgium.

4a. Study of a Male Nude on a Rock in Taormina Sicily - 1900. Compare to image #4 above.

What draws me to Carrance's photographs is their honesty. I love the high contrast and darkened backgrounds that make the figures pop, but even more, I love how natural the men appear. No muscle flexing or exaggerated poses. They're climbing trees, wading through water, stretching, or simply sitting alone, sometimes in precarious positions that leave them looking surprisingly vulnerable. It's almost as though we're seeing them when no one is watching, which is funny considering there's a photographer standing right there.

5. Nu de dos.

6. Study of a standing nude man.

7. Nude study.

8. Nu renversé.

There's an unmistakable homoeroticism in these images, too, but it doesn't feel forced. Carrance captures something softer and more intimate about men that I find both beautiful and hot. Sometimes the most revealing thing about a naked man isn't what he's showing, but what he's doing when he seems to have forgotten he's being watched.

9. Study for a dreamer - 1960.

10. The boy on the beach.

11. Sketch of two men c. 1955.

Please leave thoughts, questions, additions or corrections in the comments. Thank you, bns

Fibonacci

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Diagonals

Diagonal lines bring a sense of movement and tension to a photograph. Unlike horizontal and vertical lines, which tend to feel stable, diagonals pull our eyes across the frame, sometimes toward a point where two lines intersect. They can also form Golden Triangles, a geometric composition based on the golden ratio (approximately 1.618), the same mathematical proportion associated with the Fibonacci sequence.

1. Unknown model by Bruce Bellas in strong diagonal composition and groin area along horizontal center.

2. Kevin Larson in reclining pose along a clear diagonal.

3. Unknown model posed along a strong diagonal with focus on center of the frame.

3a. Another diagonal variation from corners, sides, top, and bottom. Notice relationships from left shoulder, head, right knee, and left foot to center point in groin. This shot was included in my Sublime post, and I think the diagonal play is part of the reason.

4. Norman Tousley along strong diagonal and Fibonacci or Golden triangles framing lower torso and groin.

5. Bob Delmonteque in vertical symmetry that fits his body within Fibonacci or Golden ratio vertically and diagonals leading to the inguinal crease or what bodybuilders refer to as the Adonis Belt or others might call the cum gutters.

In physique photography, the angles of arms, legs, and torsos can create powerful diagonals that draw our attention to particular parts of the body. And, of course, an excited man can create a diagonal of his own, which can be 'hard' to ignore! Sometimes several lines converge around a central point, almost like a bullseye, creating a hypnotic effect.

6. Andy Markos and Jean Cardin in close-up shot with triangular diagonals and symmetric lines intersecting at a clear radial focal point.

7. Paul Howell and unknown model positioned in a strong diagonal line, rule of thirds, and Fibonacci spiral from lower left to upper right.

8. Paul Howell and unknown model from another perspective with V-shaped diagonals with spread of legs and gluteal creases drawing clear focus to the action at center.

9. Unknown but familiar model with staff by Bruce Bellas showing diagonals describing lines from the sacrum to elbows and framing the glutes in vertical symmetry.

10. Josh Kincaid and unknown modelswith diagonals from hip fold framing action on both front and back.

Please leave thoughts, questions, additions or corrections in the comments. Thank you, bns

Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is one of the most common tools in photographic composition and one of the inspirations for this series on vintage physique photography.

1. John Coletti in a composition using the rule of thirds emphasizing lower right section.

2. Norman Tousley in a side reclining pose that placed emphasis at the intersection of the far left and bottom thirds.

The idea is simple. Divide an image into a 3×3 grid, with two horizontal and two vertical lines. In landscape photography, the horizon might follow one of the horizontal lines, while a tree, building, or figure sits along a vertical line rather than dead center. The four points where the lines intersect are especially useful for placing something you want the viewer to notice.

3. Gordon Grant in a mix of physique and landscape photography placing dry land in upper third and the figure at the top of the far left third.

In physique photography, those points might land on the face or crotch area. Shifting the visual weight away from the center creates a more dynamic image and draws our eyes around the frame.

4. Barry Tuck placed in far right third by Jim French.

5. Group photo placing figure in the foreground right at far left third.

6. Tony Romano in composition placing emphasis at lower third of frame.

The Rule of Thirds can also overlap with other compositional models, including diagonals and Fibonacci spirals, which I'll explore in upcoming posts. The final four photographs show some of these combinations.

7. Unknown models in a composition that places equal emphasis at lower left and upper right thirds with a diagonal line of action between their mouths.

8. Unknown model in a bent forward pose placing emphasis at upper left third also serving as nexus for a  Fibonacci or "Golden" spiral.

9. Josh Kincaid with two other models in composition placing emphasis at lower left third also serving for the source of a Fibonacci spiral.

10. Vito Milan aka Vincent above an unknown model in a frame that also places emphasis at the lower left third that also originates a Fibonacci spiral.

Please leave thoughts, questions, corrections or additions in the comments. Thank you, bns

Symmetry

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