[NSFW] Jonathan Leder Revives the Art of the Pin-Up

The article below contains adult content. 

A series of 92 erotic prints by the renowned photographer Jonathan Leder made their way to Los Angeles’ Superchief Gallery in August. Shot between 2011 and 2015, Leder’s dreamy photographs are of models Britany Nola, Kayslee Collins (who have both been Playboy’s girls-of-the-month, respectively), a then-unknown Emily Ratajkowski, and Amy Hood, who is widely seen as Leder’s muse.

Leder’s photographs are striking, intimate, and evoke the fantasy world of the girl-next-door playing with your heart. This effect isn’t accidental, as Leder intimately photographs his models one-on-one, and in a personal environment, mainly homes and hotels:

“[Being photographed] is a really intimate, almost invasive type of process. It requires a lot of trust and openness. You can’t be nervous, so why would you want to have like ten people standing around? It doesn’t make anyone feel comfortable” Leder tells The Creator’s Project of his unconventional method, “It works better when there’s only one chef in the kitchen.”

Leder’s photographs are certainly stimulating, and feel reminiscent of pin-ups. He cites Bernini’s controversially orgasmic statue, The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa, as an inspiration behind his work. “That type of sensuality has existed in art history forever,” Leder explains, in defense of the art of nudes in an increasingly touchy image landscape. “I think it’s interesting to explore the power of female sensuality.”

Sneak a look at Jonathan Leder’s eye candy in the photos below:

See more of Jonathan Leder's work on his website, and check out the whole catalogue at Imperial Publishing.

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