Photographer Tayte Hanson Shares His Top 10 Favorite Portraits (NSFW)

Tayte Hanson is very comfortable in front of a camera.

This confidence and openness manifests itself behind the camera as well, where Hanson has established himself as a talented photographer documenting queer experiences.

With clean coloring and negative space, his subjects are portrayed honestly and intimately where they let Hanson into the crevices of their experiences. The final product is alluring and sensual making us want to see more.

We asked the photographer to pick his ten personal favorite images. He not only shared his work with us, but also his reasons for selecting and the stories behind them as well.

Nicholas

After picking up a camera in April of 2016, this is one of the first images I shot. I have always been fascinated with genuine, in the moment imagery. Shooting the situations that happen around me in my day-to-day are among my favorite to shoot. This shot was taken of Nicholas when we were enjoying a night with friends.

Taylor

This was shot on location in the Hamptons in the summer of 2016. For the final shot of the day I asked the model, Taylor, to jump into the pool as I thought the complimentary colors were captivating. The stark mood of the image in contrast with the constant movement in the frame keep this image in my top.

Lucas

This model has to be one of my all time favorite faces and bodies to shoot. Lucas is a dancer and is open to creation and not afraid of what is captured. In this between-the-frame shot, I feel like Lucas is simply present and it is soothing to me.

Boy in mask

Coming from the world of sex, a lot of my work is inspired directly from a sexual nature. This image of unknown boy in mask was taken after the act of sex and takes me right back to that moment. It is youth and uncaring.

Boys in love

A series I have been working on for a while now was inspired from my idol, Nan Goldin, and attempts to capture humans in the act of love in whatever way that is expressed for them. The anonymous, fly on the wall, nature of this work drives me artistically because, in private, I am indeed a voyeur and enjoy learning about people by watching.

Boys in shower

This, like the above two photos, is an anonymous venture at capturing love and intimacy and shows a more playful side of such while remaining voyeuristic.

Karolina

I do not often have the opportunity to shoot women or to shoot fantastical images; however, when I shot this on location in Costa Rica it instantly brought me to the Disney princess films of my youth and I continually search within this image for beauty. I feel it is the height of juxtaposition within my work.

Aube Linda and Robby

Another one of my first shots ever, this was shot at Coney Island and was driven purely by shape and color. Without attempting to search for meaning (I had probably shot less than 100 frames in my life thus far) I was simply trying to capture context. Sometimes the most simple to attempts can lead to the most grand discoveries.

Red

This quickly became one of my favorite images because of the unintentional multiple layer of anonymity within the frame as well as the lure of the eye and the weight in the image. I rarely get technical; however, when I look at this image for a while I get enamored with the unintentional “choices.”

Zak

None of these are in order; however, this image continually ranks as my favorite image I’ve ever shot. It isn’t technically special, it isn’t unique, it isn’t about space or time, but my connection with the model and my momentary capture of his presence and I am in love with it.