Why was it so instrumental to shoot with Manya? (Patreon)

My work has developed a lot in the past 5 years, but not necessarily in the right direction.

When you start to grow a community around a project, you inevitably end up been conditioned by the process, and I can identify 2 main distractions:

• Lately I have been searching for models on the basis of what I wanted from them, and what I presumed my community would approve.
• I have been taking too seriously my role of front row warrior in the #nudebrigade, and the fight to make social media a safe place for nude photography.

Working with Manya I had to except the rules and limitations of a genuine (starving) artist, true to her principles, and this forced me to go back to the original motivations that got the Bramley Apple project started.
Less about the idea of a challenge towards the social media industry, and less about finding what would be more appealing for the highest number of people; this last shooting was more about a private record of the artistic lovemaking with a unique feminine beauty.

Manya represented a Holiday from my crusade and from what I think people might want from me, the chance to abandon my suit of armour and meditate on the future, the opportunity to reconnect with the roots of my project.
I don’t want to loose sight of these roots in the future, because these are the stories I want to tell you about.

It is useless and painful to battle against a hypocrite system I cannot defeat, I just need to select the right social media or websites to show you my work.

It is also destructive to assume what people may want from me, it is better to appeal only to the people that are comfortable with what I’m already doing.

This attitude will surely delay the commercial success of my project, but it is just a matter of keeping it as a hobby for some more years.

I can accept that, as long as I keep enjoying what I do, and the shooting with Manya was one of the most rewarding in a long time…