Could this be Nestor Derkach today? A photographer? The face looks similar, despite the many years which have passed. http://www.pbase.com/nestor_430_9/profile Nestor Derkach had something special about him. With his amazingly sensuous and handsome face and physique, I regret that he wasn't the subject of a much larger collection of photographic work. I've never seen any photos of him fully nude; are there any known to have been printed?
Woorijip, thanks for the intriguing link. I do not know if that is him - the age seems about right. He is quite attractive in the photographs above, and I do not know if he did nudes. Many of the models and photographs did nude photographs that were hidden away, as nude images of men and women over 18 years of age was illegal in the US during much of the beefcake heyday. I know Bob Mizer of the Athletic Model Guild had nude images of many of models that he hid in his attic, but these were destroyed by heat and by the different beauty powders his mother sold in her business and stored up there.
That's sad that so much of the photographer's work was destroyed. That's an ongoing archival quandry. As for the full frontal nudity, so many of the stunning photos you have posted do in fact feature it. (Even Tony Sansone had full nudes, though often censored for publication). One example are the amazing 4 photos of Dick Buckholts you posted. Were these shots generally only privately circulated as original (and presumably costly) prints to a circle of trusted clients?
Many of the photographs featuring full frontal nudity were quite illegal when they were taken, and I suspect many of the photographers kept them to themselves. I know Bob Mizer hid his, and I suspect Bruce of Los Angeles (my favorite beefcake photographer) kept his out of circulation. I don't know what the others did. At the time, many of the beefcake models knew they were skirting the law even when they wore posing straps, let alone were nude, but many did it for money, to further their bodybuilding careers or to get noticed in Hollywood. When full nudity of adults finally became legal, most of the beefcake models stopped posing for the groundbreaking photographers - the models didn't want to be associated with gay pornography. Many, though, did continue to work with the bodybuilding magazines.
Here are twelve photographs of Nestor Derkach, of whom I know very little. He was leaner than many of the bodybuilders from the 1940's and 1950's.
Could this be Nestor Derkach today? A photographer? The face looks similar, despite the many years which have passed.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbase.com/nestor_430_9/profile
Nestor Derkach had something special about him. With his amazingly sensuous and handsome face and physique, I regret that he wasn't the subject of a much larger collection of photographic work. I've never seen any photos of him fully nude; are there any known to have been printed?
Woorijip, thanks for the intriguing link. I do not know if that is him - the age seems about right. He is quite attractive in the photographs above, and I do not know if he did nudes. Many of the models and photographs did nude photographs that were hidden away, as nude images of men and women over 18 years of age was illegal in the US during much of the beefcake heyday. I know Bob Mizer of the Athletic Model Guild had nude images of many of models that he hid in his attic, but these were destroyed by heat and by the different beauty powders his mother sold in her business and stored up there.
ReplyDeleteThat's sad that so much of the photographer's work was destroyed. That's an ongoing archival quandry. As for the full frontal nudity, so many of the stunning photos you have posted do in fact feature it. (Even Tony Sansone had full nudes, though often censored for publication). One example are the amazing 4 photos of Dick Buckholts you posted. Were these shots generally only privately circulated as original (and presumably costly) prints to a circle of trusted clients?
ReplyDeleteMany of the photographs featuring full frontal nudity were quite illegal when they were taken, and I suspect many of the photographers kept them to themselves. I know Bob Mizer hid his, and I suspect Bruce of Los Angeles (my favorite beefcake photographer) kept his out of circulation. I don't know what the others did. At the time, many of the beefcake models knew they were skirting the law even when they wore posing straps, let alone were nude, but many did it for money, to further their bodybuilding careers or to get noticed in Hollywood. When full nudity of adults finally became legal, most of the beefcake models stopped posing for the groundbreaking photographers - the models didn't want to be associated with gay pornography. Many, though, did continue to work with the bodybuilding magazines.
ReplyDelete