I have been a fan of Maurice Weston‘s work for quite some time now. The talented photographer excels at shooting gorgeous men of colors from many angles, backgrounds and more with the end result being absolutely jaw-dropping to look at.
Luckily his phenomenal abilities were delivered to me last weekend when I featured one of his photoshoots within an article about beautiful couple Kore Stacks and Mustang. It once again reaffirmed just how talented Maurice is and what a bright future he has as his career continues to get bigger.
Maurice is our latest talent featured in Instinct Magazine’s photographer series which began last month. He chatted with us exclusively about how a simple appreciation for photography led to something more, his desire to highlight men of color in his profession and what his ultimate goals are for the future.
How did you get involved in the art of photography?
I initially got involved in photography because of my appreciation and fascination for fit nude male forms. For some time I made costumes for male exotic dancer friends and clients and they would need promotional images from time to time, so I would shoot them and ended up developing a passion for it as a continuing hobby.
Did you have any inspirations before getting into the industry?
Growing up I always had a passion for the creative arts that extended across multiple disciplines, but the thing that inspired me most about photography initially was it being a means of capturing a subject frozen in a moment in time forever. My only real and direct source of continuing inspiration has been observing the physiques and strength of my fellow men of color and how we physically occupy and move through space even through adversity. I feel by providing a safe artistic outlet to celebrate and embrace ones own sensuality and sexuality without feeling fetishized or ashamed, I’m helping some of these guys to reconnect with a deeper and sometimes repressed side of themselves and it’s pretty awesome to witness someone emerge from that sleep in front of my eyes during a shoot.
How would you describe your specific style?
My style is really evolving but I guess it resides somewhere between erotic nudes meets landscape photography, with fine art elements thrown in. I find myself growing more and more fond of more cinematic outside location shoots that include seeing these gorgeous men in beautiful natural surroundings. I’m also fascinated by editorial photography and the story telling that plays out via still imagery.
You’ve shot some pretty yummy looking guys during your career. Do you usually search for them or do they come to you?
Thank you and yes I’ve had the pleasure to shoot some really beautiful men! I have some very attractive friends who like being naked so initially I approached them about shooting and once I decided to create an Instagram photography page just to get my work seen it kind of grew from there. Now I still approach certain guys about shooting but I also have potential models contact me about collaborating or inquiring about paid shoots so it has been an interesting progression.
What has been your favorite shoot to date and why?
I know every photographer says “It’s so hard to choose one because they’re all unique” which sounds so cliche but it’s so true. But if I absolutely had to pick one I would have to say the last shoot I did with Mustang and Kore Stacks (which I have to say thanks to Instinct Magazine for published two images from).
Mustang and I had been chatting for a while so when the opportunity came to shoot him and Kore I jumped at the chance. I really wanted to shoot a gorgeous couple like them for a while so I figured it would be the perfect chance to give it a go.
My partner accompanied me and acted as my assistant and we all clicked right from the time we got out of our cars. The whole shoot was a vibe I think every photographer wishes for. It was super chill and flowed like we’d all known each other for years which I think is why we were able to get such great shots.
If there was one event that you could cover what would it be?
That’s a very interesting question since I never really wanted to shoot events. I think perhaps shooting Miami Swim Fashion Week would be a really awesome experience.
Do you feel photographers are not as appreciated these days due to so much of the focus shifting to social media selfies and filters?
In some respects yes I think photographers are at a disadvantage because everyone thinks they’re one now since we all have access to some sort of related equipment. But most people don’t really have an eye for composition, texture, light, color, etc… so that’s where actual photographers come in.
We can often take the concept of that selfie and expand on it to create something really beautiful and elevated. As phone cameras and software get more sophisticated, convenient, and cheaper for the masses, it will become increasingly more difficult for photographers to keep up with the shift and still make a living. But I think it just means we have to find creative solutions to stay relevant by adapting and training ourselves to use those same resources to keep ourselves valid.
What does the future hold for you and what are you looking forward to the most in your career?
As we’ve all seen, our current future is very uncertain. With that said I’d like to elevate my work and really forge a multi-pronged career out of it, with the ultimate goal of being a completely self-sufficient independent artist that doesn’t need a 9-5.
I’d love to get more into fine art and begin showing in galleries as well as try my hand at editorial photography to start publishing works in many other publications. The ultimate goal would be to merge those elements with what I’m doing now to create coffee table books and other retail projects. Who knows, perhaps l’ll create a magazine of my own in the future.