Explanation Regarding Pipe Babes
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I think that "The Pipe Babes" are beautiful as well as the photography! I hate that you felt you needed to 'explain'. But, for every endeavor there is a critic.
Personally the "Pipe Babes" is the one thing I don't like about an otherwise first class site. To me it's a little old fashioned and objectifies women. But the solution is easy, I simply don't click on those links. Each to their own.
I'd disagree, but I guess it depends where you live as attitudes vary from place to place. Most women I know would hate to feel objectified.
But as I said, each to their own, as this probably isn't the best place for a political debate on feminism and gender stereotypes in the 21st century.
But as I said, each to their own, as this probably isn't the best place for a political debate on feminism and gender stereotypes in the 21st century.
+1 that sounds like equality to me.
I am glad that the section is on its own tab so those, like myself, who don't like it can simply avoid it.
Just out of interest, would you feel the same if you were out in shorts and vest and were obviously being eyed up by a gay guy?
As an art lover (foremost) and photographer (no longer professional), I have to agree with the anonymous Facebook person who was quoted by Kevin in the original post, even at the risk of drawing the wrath of the rest of the community (no that Facebook person was not me).
What attracts me about the subject of a 'female pipe smoker' from an arts perspective is the provocative aspect of a female in a (formerly) almost 100% male-dominated area first, and the tingling contrast between beauty and youth and (these days widely considered) life-threatening practice of smoking. In addition to these abstracts concepts of "beauty in danger", and "daring female", there is a striking, yet implicit sensuality component involved, as exhaling smoke requires to tighten the lip muscles (forming the letter "o"), which exaggerates the sexual appeal of already beautiful young models.
Sadly, many of the young talents portrayed in the pipe babes section fail to convincingly associate with any of the adjectives "smoky, daring, ruthless, mysterious, film-noir, sensual, relaxed, absorbed, feminine, enticing", and transport these into their poses, and facial expressions.
Yes, photo shoots are staged, but the difference between a TFP (time for prints) model and one on a 1,000$ per hour rate is how convincingly the model can ... well ... model whatever she is supposed to sell to the viewer. Don't take this as a negative critique, I know first-hand how hard it is to get the right combination of art director with a specific vision, photographer who can direct the model and capture the art directors idea in a picture, and model to follow these directions.
In the following some pictures with commentary, which I consider great "female pipe smoker" photography.
New Jersey: Mrs. Millicent H. Fenwick, a tall, slender, pipe-smoking grandmother, lights up at her desk in the State Assembly. She is quietly prodding her colleagues in the New Jersey Legislature to give the state’s women a new bill of rights.” © Bettmann/CORBIS
A candid black and white photograph of an elderly woman. What makes this picture so intriguing is 1) the subject matter: MH Fenwick clearly demonstrates her goal of emancipating women by lighting up a pipe: at this time a very provocative thing to do in a world that saw pipe smoking as a strictly manly habit - women were supposed to be sexy and smoke cigarettes. 2) her facial expression, see how she is completely absorbed and concentrating on lighting the pipe. Her set jaws speak of determination. Her whole pose dares anyone to challenge her pipe smoking.
Actress Corinne Touzet.
Classical film-noir pose. Hat, trenchcoat, classical male attire. Direct eye contact with the camera is confrontational. She's "caught" right in the middle of setting first light to the pipe, imparts the element of surprise. Rembrandt lighting adds to the drama. The leading lines of hat, coat, stem, nose, all draw you to her sensual, full lips.
Portrait of a Pipe Smoker
Again film-noir flair. Attire associated with the high-class early 20s/30s. Almost profile shot. Dreamy facial expression - you can feel how she just lit up the pipe and is contemplating the taste of the wonderful tobacco. Elegant pipe lines emphasize femininity. The leading lines draw you from the pipe to her face and back to the pipe.
Modern pipe smoker (Steampunk)
Fantastic shot. 3/4 length portrait at 45 degrees. Model is looking off camera into the distance. Her hand lead to the pipe, her shoulder lines lead your eyes to her face, and your eyes follow her eyes off picture to wonder what it might be that she saw and draw her interest. Then your eye are pulled back into the picture by the smoke, which she just exhaled and is disappearing in the distance. Fantastic, tea-stain like color-processing. Subdued pastel tones and even lighting set the tone of the picture as a retro fantasy world.
“Wise”. (C) by AngelZenza.
Sepia toned black and white. Window frames divide picture in thirds. Great symmetry of the white wall as background to the dark hand and pipe on the left third, and the dark wall as background to the light face on the right. Direct eye contact with the camera ("confrontational"). Her facial expression imparts the image of a wise women, as a viewer you feel compelled to ask her a question because she looks like she will know the answer. The pipe stem connects the left third to the right, as a bridge and leads you directly to her eyes.
Female pipe smoker (C) June Asheim
High key shot. The eyes are cropped off, as if to give the subject anonymity. The lack of environment details in the background emphasize this impression. Strong black and white contrast draw your eyes first to the top left (lips) and then your eyes follow down the elegant stem of the pipe to the bowl from which the fingers point you back to her elongated neck. You follow her chin and jawlines back to the origin in the top left. Clear focus of the picture are her sensual lips and the "sensual" pipe that underline her femininity.
Scarlephant (c) Scarlett Demuner
Selfprotrait. Profile shot. Your eyes first lock on to her long eye lashes, and you follow her gaze to the actual subject of the picture: the pipe, which is selected specifically to invoke similarity with an elephant's trunk (hence the title of the photograph). Strong picture contrast such that the dark hair and toque create the silhouette of an elephant's head and ears.
More select shots of believable female pipe smokers, without commentary:
What attracts me about the subject of a 'female pipe smoker' from an arts perspective is the provocative aspect of a female in a (formerly) almost 100% male-dominated area first, and the tingling contrast between beauty and youth and (these days widely considered) life-threatening practice of smoking. In addition to these abstracts concepts of "beauty in danger", and "daring female", there is a striking, yet implicit sensuality component involved, as exhaling smoke requires to tighten the lip muscles (forming the letter "o"), which exaggerates the sexual appeal of already beautiful young models.
Sadly, many of the young talents portrayed in the pipe babes section fail to convincingly associate with any of the adjectives "smoky, daring, ruthless, mysterious, film-noir, sensual, relaxed, absorbed, feminine, enticing", and transport these into their poses, and facial expressions.
Yes, photo shoots are staged, but the difference between a TFP (time for prints) model and one on a 1,000$ per hour rate is how convincingly the model can ... well ... model whatever she is supposed to sell to the viewer. Don't take this as a negative critique, I know first-hand how hard it is to get the right combination of art director with a specific vision, photographer who can direct the model and capture the art directors idea in a picture, and model to follow these directions.
In the following some pictures with commentary, which I consider great "female pipe smoker" photography.
New Jersey: Mrs. Millicent H. Fenwick, a tall, slender, pipe-smoking grandmother, lights up at her desk in the State Assembly. She is quietly prodding her colleagues in the New Jersey Legislature to give the state’s women a new bill of rights.” © Bettmann/CORBIS
A candid black and white photograph of an elderly woman. What makes this picture so intriguing is 1) the subject matter: MH Fenwick clearly demonstrates her goal of emancipating women by lighting up a pipe: at this time a very provocative thing to do in a world that saw pipe smoking as a strictly manly habit - women were supposed to be sexy and smoke cigarettes. 2) her facial expression, see how she is completely absorbed and concentrating on lighting the pipe. Her set jaws speak of determination. Her whole pose dares anyone to challenge her pipe smoking.
Actress Corinne Touzet.
Classical film-noir pose. Hat, trenchcoat, classical male attire. Direct eye contact with the camera is confrontational. She's "caught" right in the middle of setting first light to the pipe, imparts the element of surprise. Rembrandt lighting adds to the drama. The leading lines of hat, coat, stem, nose, all draw you to her sensual, full lips.
Portrait of a Pipe Smoker
Again film-noir flair. Attire associated with the high-class early 20s/30s. Almost profile shot. Dreamy facial expression - you can feel how she just lit up the pipe and is contemplating the taste of the wonderful tobacco. Elegant pipe lines emphasize femininity. The leading lines draw you from the pipe to her face and back to the pipe.
Modern pipe smoker (Steampunk)
Fantastic shot. 3/4 length portrait at 45 degrees. Model is looking off camera into the distance. Her hand lead to the pipe, her shoulder lines lead your eyes to her face, and your eyes follow her eyes off picture to wonder what it might be that she saw and draw her interest. Then your eye are pulled back into the picture by the smoke, which she just exhaled and is disappearing in the distance. Fantastic, tea-stain like color-processing. Subdued pastel tones and even lighting set the tone of the picture as a retro fantasy world.
“Wise”. (C) by AngelZenza.
Sepia toned black and white. Window frames divide picture in thirds. Great symmetry of the white wall as background to the dark hand and pipe on the left third, and the dark wall as background to the light face on the right. Direct eye contact with the camera ("confrontational"). Her facial expression imparts the image of a wise women, as a viewer you feel compelled to ask her a question because she looks like she will know the answer. The pipe stem connects the left third to the right, as a bridge and leads you directly to her eyes.
Female pipe smoker (C) June Asheim
High key shot. The eyes are cropped off, as if to give the subject anonymity. The lack of environment details in the background emphasize this impression. Strong black and white contrast draw your eyes first to the top left (lips) and then your eyes follow down the elegant stem of the pipe to the bowl from which the fingers point you back to her elongated neck. You follow her chin and jawlines back to the origin in the top left. Clear focus of the picture are her sensual lips and the "sensual" pipe that underline her femininity.
Scarlephant (c) Scarlett Demuner
Selfprotrait. Profile shot. Your eyes first lock on to her long eye lashes, and you follow her gaze to the actual subject of the picture: the pipe, which is selected specifically to invoke similarity with an elephant's trunk (hence the title of the photograph). Strong picture contrast such that the dark hair and toque create the silhouette of an elephant's head and ears.
More select shots of believable female pipe smokers, without commentary:
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