Over the past couple of years I have chosen to develop my skill as a photographer that focuses on MEN...
For me, sexy is a combination of confidence, strength, hard edged masculinity & natural good looks...possibly I'm a bit jaded having been in the fashion industry...
When shooting, i like to pull ones’ personality into the image as much as possible... whether its acted out, or its a real part of them, my goal is to have some depth & guts to the final image...
Available ambient light is my favorite lighting to play with... natural shadows, hot spots & imperfections create mood unlike harsh flat lighting...
Inspiration comes foremost from the energy I feel from the MEN I shoot... I have been told numerous times that I am an artist. Not sure if I relate to that. Feel I am more of a storyteller... instead of the written word, i present it in visually stimulating imagery...
Whatever your photographic needs may be...
creative, confident & eager... inkedkenny WILL deliver...
In the early 1980s, while in high school in Vancouver, Kenny unwittingly began his career when he volunteered to shave the heads of his rugby teammates for their championship game. Eighteen naked skulls later, the lure of shearing for shock had taken hold & Kenny started down his path to success by refining his skill, learning style & technique and maintaining his heart big along the way. After a year of strolling through New York's dirty boulevards & fashion temples, Kenny returned to Vancouver to work in a high-profile shop. Following this, he had a series of gigs at various shops doing styling & creative direction & this led to numerous freelance photoshoots. He soon became a recognized name in the local fashion & advertising scene.As his reputation grew, style & news publications began hiring him to work on fashion editorials, beauty stories & to provide trend forecasts. He started teaching, holding seminars & doing platform work at trade shows, showcasing technical & cutting techniques for such companies as Framesi, Joico, & Goldwell. Looking for fresh ideas & adventure, he went on to Los Angeles to sign on with his first agency. Working primarily on photo shoots, he moved between Seattle, San Francisco, L.A, Hawaii, & Mexico, working on campaigns for companies like Macy's, Nordstrom's, Nike & Levis. Along the way he worked on such notable faces as Sandra Bernhardt, Patricia Arquette, Carrie Anne Moss, Monica Belluci & Mia Kirshner. Most recently, Kenny has been spreading his work between Montreal & Toronto. Represented by Judy Inc., Kenny's clients include Holt Renfrew, Aveeno, Salon Selectives, Pantene, Motorola & Smirnoff. He has increasingly turned his attention toward applying his craft and experience as part of the creative direction for event clients such as Cirque de Soleil, the Toronto International Film Festival, J. Lo Lingerie, Elizabeth Arden, Northbound Leather, and M.A.C Fashion Cares. Whether it’s designing, consulting, educating or producing, Kenny stands out as a focused professional. He has earned a reputation for being a creative and innovative force - a leading expert in bringing aesthetic visions to life.
time to conquer another skill set...
Photography has taken hold of Kenny in his creative journey. His inspirations comes from a legacy of influences & relationships. A lifetime of leaving a mark on people & faces has now transitioned to imagery. He challenges his subjects to be aware of their confidence, passions & desires putting them in the centre of their own exhibition & finding no excuses when that hunger is realized bringing the subject to a whole other level...
Be Inspired
a few words from Robert Ridgeway (view more of Robbie in "Scum Rises" & "Gun Toting Faggot"gallery)...
I met Kenny Lee last summer when he was art directing a raunchy show for gay pride that would have involved a chick (Lena Love) fucking me with a strap on on stage. Unfortunately, the guy I was dating at the time thought that this was offensive and pressured me to back out. A few weeks later when jealousy ruined the relationship and I returned to Toronto. I was told through a friend that Kenny was interested in getting a hold of me for a photo shoot. As I am the long lost dumpster baby of Dawn Davenport I am genetically predisposed to any sort of exhibitionist act and this photo shoot fit the bill. I was definitely intrigued especially after seeing the twisted ideas Kenny had come up with for the pride show. The first night we met to shoot Kenny and I took a night time tour of the back alleys near his house he used the available lighting provided by the street lights, the effect was amazing and I was impressed, and being the jaded cunt that I am that says a lot.
He used the first shoot as a chance to get to know me and what makes me tick. He got around to finding out my personal sexual interests, which tend to be deeply rooted in the world of deviance. When he asked what turned my crank I quickly said ....'guns, dogs and fighting are what get me hard.' He asked if we could shoot again the following weekend this time he brought a dog, I acquired a hand gun, and last minute I borrowed a Hitler youth arm-band from a friend, just to push the limit a little further. The thing that I found most impressive about Kenny was his desire to push the envelope and really take the risks required to get the beautiful edgy shots that he has become known for. Besides being a photographer who is intrinsically technically proficient he also likes to explore subject matter that give his photos a dark and intense narrative. He has a great ability to form a great report with his models which is important if you want to photograph the subject matter that Kenny explores. For a Man who only picked up photography in the last two years Kenny is a natural who's talents and abilities have truly blown me away. I am forever grateful to have had the chance to pose for such a extremely talented, extremely twisted, artist who is such a sweet man to the core.
written by Robbie Ridgeway ( view more of Robbie in "Scum Rises" & "Gun Toting Faggot"gallery)
MALEFLIXX TRIBE'S PORN QUEEN SCEPTER TALKS ABOUT KINKEDKENNY
One look at inkedkenny.com and it's easy to see why I'm glad Kenny Lee, the photographer, decided to stay in Toronto during a stopover 13 years ago.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Kenny took a chance on Toronto during that trip and he's been there ever since.
The amazing part is that you'd never know it to look at his images, but he's only been doing photography for 2 years - and he taught himself!
I gave him a little smack for saying he's not a professional. In my book, if you get paid to do something, you're a professional!
"I'm sure if a professional photographer looked at my shots, they'd say this shadow or that shadow is out of place" he laughs. Well.. I disagree.. when you're this much of a natural, you can make your own rules - and who's to know you didn't mean for that shadow to be there!
He conceded that point (I think he was afraid I would spank him! lol) and went on to say that his favorite method of shooting is to use natural lights. (my favorite too!)
"My biggest thing is that I want a natural kind of mood that you can't get with all studio lighting.. I hate that godawful flat lighting. There's just nothing sexy about it.. I love dark and shadows.. and I rarely use external light sources."
I don't know many photographers who can set a mood quite as well as he can. From dark alleys to bedrooms, to washrooms in gawd knows where - it's clear what this man is all about. Raw, kinky sensuality where you can all but taste and smell the sweat coming off his sexy models.
Kenny's first career was in hair and makeup, which he did quite successfully in the fashion industry until a stint in the hospital, and the subsequent 6 months of recovery time he needed kind of threw him out of the loop. When he was ready to get back into the swing of things, he discovered that the industry had moved on without him..and it was time that he tried a new career. Which he did, clearly with gusto!
He's gotten some really great reviews and he says he's even had "professional" photographers wanting to assist him just so they can watch his process. I'm personally hoping he keeps his trade secrets! His entire site is full of images "stamped Kenny".. but then again, imitation is the best form of flattery isn't it? He's done a lot of fetish fashion work - being familiar with the fashion industry in his former life helped him out tremendously, but his true love is shooting sexy, confident men. He's had his images printed in Instigator Magazine, shot many events in and around Toronto, not the least of which is Mr. Leatherman Toronto, International Leather Sir Boy, and Bootblack 2008.
He's also lent his particular style and flair to many events in Toronto - infact, he helped Lena Love with some ideas for her "show".. you know that one, where she was masked, dressed like a guy and fucked a guy onstage while wearing a strap on?! (MY HERO!! how do I get that gig next year? LOL )
He also mentioned one show in particular where Buck Angel (whom he's also photographed) fist-fucked Lena on stage.. I have to say my jaw was hanging open, literally while he described that... lol
Despite the fact that this is a new career for him, Kenny's moving along quickly - with many shows currently running (one at The Painted Lady in Toronto at the time of the interview).
He's also got 3 shows coming up in Montreal, and he's talking with people in Berlin about going out there to show them his work and do some shows. If anyone can appreciate the raw, gritty, stark sexuality of his imagery it's those Germans!
He's also telling me that he's working on a bedside book this year that will be full of images you'd definitely want to have beside your bed when it's time for "sleeping"!
I'm sure we're going to hear much much more about Kenny soon.. but in the meantime, if you love leather/fetish.. and all around unique and sexy photography, do yourself a favour and check out his website.
MY PODCAST INTERVIEW W/ MASTER DART,
CREATOR OF BEARBOUND & DART'S DOMAIN
Podcast - Interview with kink photographer Kenny Lee
INTERVIEW W/MARCUS McCANN FOR CAPITAL XTRA
MY PODCAST INTERVIEW W/ DR DICK, CLINICAL SEXOLOGIST & FOUNDER OF
Source: www.getguerilla.ca
Though he is comfortable being known for the controversial and often sexual showings of art at his La Petite Mort gallery, Bérubé feels the perception that he is merely out to shock viewers is simply not true.
He's quick to point out, for instance, how beauty, not brazenness, was the chief criterion when putting together Inked Kenny, a selection of “kink” photographs by Toronto's Kenny Lee that is sure to raise some eyebrows when it opens on Friday, April 3.
“I chose to show the beauty, not what makes us uncomfortable,” said Bérubé, pointing out that Lee's body of work contains images much more graphic and challenging than those selected for the show here.
To ensure that the month-long exhibit would be “tempting to the average Joe,” Bérubé co-curated with his intern, Xan Woods. “I wanted someone new to the [kink] scene to describe it from the inside,” he explained.
Woods' task, therefore, was to get to know Lee on a personal level and then help conceive of a meaningful way to interpret and present the work.
“His real interest is in exposing an individual's raw energy,” Woods said of Lee. “His most powerful photography is emotional.”
“Kenny has said that he wants to open the door to kink—to inspire people to be open-minded, to acknowledge their desires rather than ignore them,” Woods continued.
If that's the aim, La Petite Mort will be aiding the cause. Regardless of whether viewers are enticed or shocked, Inked Kenny is the type of show that's almost impossible to ignore.
ratsdeville: INKED KENNY ~ plaisir d'ici
Source: ratsdeville.typepad.com
;)
PUTTING THE 'INK' IN 'KINK'
Spanning across Robert Ridgeway’s entire abdomen is a tattoo that says “faggot.” He stands topless in front of a brick wall that is veiled with graffiti, and covers his eyes with his left hand. The photograph, snapped by Kenny Lee, combines ink tattoos and kinky sexuality, otherwise called “kinked.” Lee is known for photographing the underground gay community in Toronto. “I have a huge crush on Robert,” laughed Guy Bérubé, owner of La Petite Mort Gallery, which will be featuring Lee’s work for the month of April. “I decided to take an edgy subject but show the beautiful side of it as opposed to just shock value because he clearly has images that are disturbing, even to me,” Bérubé said. The photographs represent the erotic and sensual side of a subject that is sometimes considered pure porn. “I’m tired of seeing your basic newsstand porn rag photo spread with flat, light, overly-groomed models fluffed and preened,” said Lee in an artist statement. “I capture energy and depth, not poses.” Strolling through the gallery is like touring an underground sex club. Ridgeway, who is in more than one photo, seems to invite spectators to glimpse into a world where sex, drugs, bondage, leather and exhibitionists roam free. Ridgeway, who says he is genetically prone to sexual deviance, says Lee quickly got around to finding what makes him “kink.” “When he asked what turned my crank I quickly said . . . ‘guns, dogs and fighting are what get me hard,’ ” Ridgeway said. A few steps down from Ridgeway is a huge photo that is scribbled with expressions like “homo,” “hot ass,” “piss,” “spit” and “jock.” The words, like Robert’s tattoo, are significant, Bérubé said. For example, the word “faggot” in French refers to the butt of a cigarette, so “you’re basically considered that much of a piece of garbage,” Bérubé said. The word also denotes kindling, which is the means by which gays were burnt under outdated heretic laws. Although Bérubé is gay himself he says he is not making a political statement, despite common perception. Another misconception is that Bérubé has censored the photographs. Although Ridgeway wore a swastika in the original photo by Lee, it was Photoshopped out of the gallery invitations. Lee followed suit by taking out the swastika from the original photo, though the business decision was only meant for the invitations. Some media have jumped on the omission and claimed censorship. The gallery opening, described on the website as “an evening of experimental discomfort and beautiful pain,” brought the pictures to life. In the middle of the floor stood a Japanese wooden shibari that nearly reached the ceiling. At the gallery opening, on April 3, a woman was tied into the shibari, lifted from the ground to enter into a state of nirvana. “It’s not a misogynist sex piece,” Bérubé said. “She’s fully into what she’s doing.” Bérubé said he tries to incorporate different worlds into the gallery that are reactionary, but not shocking. “Some people expect something over the top when they come in, but it’s just really great art.”
Written By: Brittany Mahaney, the Charlata
