J'AIME JUNE 2020

show it off, with Love Island being a prime example.
“And here I am, I’m 60 this year, I’ve got a bit of a
belly, I’ve got scars and tattoos, I have hair but it’s
going a bit thin on the top, and I think I’ve done
quite well to get here to this age with what I’ve got,
and I’m proud of it. I embrace who I am and I think
other guys should do it too.”
So what does a Dudeoir Experience involve?
“In its simplest terms, it’s the male version of
boudoir,” explains Gary. “Boudoir focuses on real
women, and being a little bit sexy - and guys can do
that too.
“That sexiness isn’t necessarily an overt thing or top
of the agenda when it comes to guys so much, but
there’s nothing wrong with feeling sexy when you’re
on a shoot.”
Boudoir became hugely popular in 1920s America
where women would pose for photographs to be sent
to husbands or lovers.
“What I like about boudoir is that it isn’t about
nudity; it’s about evoking a mood, it’s about a little
bit of suggestion, it’s a little bit cheeky,” says Gary.
“It’s allowing yourself to think ‘here I am’, in this
GARY’S DUDEOIR
EXPERIENCE AIMS
TO BOOST MALE
CONFIDENCE
little creative bubble. And it can be theatrical, which
I also love.
“One of the things I noticed when doing boudoir
is that it’s something the ladies might not normally
have done, but it’s a little bit of an experience and
something to make them feel more positive about
themselves.”
On a shoot, Gary encourages clients to be themselves
and feel comfortable in their own skin and their
clothing - whatever they choose to wear. He
works with each person to tailor the shoot to their
personality, bringing in props and outfits when
needed and offering a wide variety of locations,
from the studio, to woodland, beaches, edgy urban
backdrops and more.
“As a photographer, my job is to make people feel
their best, and be positive,” says Gary. “People find it
more difficult to give compliments to men - and men
find it more difficult to receive compliments - but
that’s just who I am.
“When it comes to shoots, some guys have an idea
of what they want, whereas some guys will let things
evolve. I work with a lot of guys who are quite
nervous to start, but really relax into it and
take themselves out of their comfort zone,
getting amazing pictures.
“There was one guy who was very up for
the dudeoir experience, but he was really
worried about what to do with his hands and
his feet, and I just say ‘let me worry about
that for you’ because what I see is actually
visually very different to what you’re seeing
when you’re in front of the camera.”
Gary has honed his craft over 35 years
through creative projects, portraits,
funerals, events and live music. He studied
photography at the University of Gloucester
after initially toying with the idea of going
into fine art with a bias towards life drawing,
attracted by the instantaneous nature of the
camera.
His early career saw him assist the famous
people photographer Sandra Lousada, who
has photographed the likes of Steven Berkoff
and Vanessa Redgrave.
“I moved to London and it was the early
Eighties so finding a full-time job as an
assistant was a nightmare,” Gary recalls.
“I threw myself into jobs and was really
fortunate to work with some really, really
good photographers, including Robyn
Beeche, an Australian photographer
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