For rising photographer German Armenta, the male form just about says it all, writes Reg Domingo.

There is something enigmatic about the work of Mexican photographer, German Armenta. As seen in these images, part of a photographic series entitled Picsessions, his lean, muscular and statuesque subjects are exposed in full view. But we never catch a glimpse of their faces. What are they thinking? What are they feeling? What is it that they’re trying to say?

For Armenta, it’s all in the body. “Men have a very aesthetic shape,” he tells AXN. “I don’t like to show faces most of the time. I prefer bodies that talk. I know that sounds strange, but a body that talks is that one where you can read beautiful lines and shapes from it. These days big muscles are out and smooth guys are in, but I don’t like that criteria. For a man to be beautiful, he doesn’t need to be muscular or smooth.”

Raised in Mexico, Armenta got introduced to photography at a very early age. “I got my first camera when I was 12 years old because my older brother was about to trash one Pentax 35mm and I took it and asked my father to fix it.” Having developed a taste, and a knack, for the medium, he studied Media and Communications at the Metropolitan Autonomous University in Mexico City to hone his skills. That institution, he says, gave him “a great opportunity to learn and to be creative with my favourite signature that was photography”.

These days, Armenta is putting his focus on male nude photography. His portfolio, shot mostly in natural and raw locations, can be viewed on his website, and a selection has been featured in publications around the world, including popular online photography blog, Beautiful Mag.

“Men are interesting,” he says. “You can create amazing shots with men without make-up or too much other elements – all those lines you can get from a very well-built body. Men are my inspiration. Men are the reason why I decided to do photography.”

What does he hope viewers get out of his images? “Emotions,” he says. “I like to provoke. I like to tease. I like to make people feel something. Feeling is the key – that’s the magic about paintings, photos and other forms of art.”

Indeed it is.

picsessions.blogspot.com