Noted French photographer Verner Degray shares some intimate photographs of men from Tahiti.
Verner Degray, 38, born in France, settled ten years ago in Tahiti. Struck by the beauty of the Tahitian boys, he decided to immortalise it on glossy paper, offering artistic nudes of Polynesian men.
These photos of muscular Tahitians are usually taken in chaotic universes, abandoned hotels, warehouses or garages, to play the contrast between the ugliness of these places and the beauty of the models.
This photographer is involved in the fight against homophobia and he believes that ‘it is not easy in Tahiti, where religion has a huge influence’. According to him, ‘despite what you may think of this island where you can live in “pareo”, with the myth of the”vahine” here , the nude is “tabu” (Tahitian word by the way…)’ .
After François Rousseau, Verner Degray was the official photographer for Mister Tahiti 2014 Calendar. He is now making his work known internationally.
To see more of his photography: www.verner-degray.com
and his making of:
