Schöne Albträume: Do_Mar by Caro von D Fotografie

Readers of FH may remember that I have said I am not usually a fan of images which do not show a models face. I find in many instances, the removal of the face often acts as the removal of the human part of the human being depicted. Without a face, there is also often no soul, which is core for my love of many of my favorite images.


The first image of Do_Mar that I saw was the incredible shot by Caro von D that I used as pic of the day. I was instantly drawn to the incredible body and the location. It didn't hurt Do_Mar was posing entering an incredibly beautiful window. The gas mask covered his face yes, but it some ways it didn't cover his soul. There was a story there, or at least a set of images whose story I wanted to find out more about. Thankfully, the man behind the mask was wonderful to share more shots of his day within the abandoned old house.


Lets start with that house, it reminded me of the many homes I have seen in French horror movies, houses off the beaten path the young leads find themselves trapped in. You could not have created any more horrifyingly beautiful location to shoot the male form. That amazing wood, the old brick and high majestic ceilings. As incredible as Do_Mar looks, my eyes went back and forth from body to the disintegrating beauty of the building which surrounded him. Do-Mar says the home is a huge old manor situated in North/Eastern Germany. The old farmhouse is very difficult to find, surrounded by forests. Any sign of road leading it, to have long been blanketed over by years of growth.


Do_Mar says the biggest challenge of the shoot was acting getting there, and then finding a way to enter the house. The rest, 'No big deal!' The Hamburg model says that Caro was so well prepared that along with his experience, they came together quickly choosing settings and poses once they arrived. After checking out the equipment and lighting, they got started. With the moderate temperature of about 20 degrees, it was not problem spending the day naked posing within the old manor.




Do_Mar is extremely comfortable in front of the camera, having modeled for much of the last 20 years. It began with his partner who is a photographer. With a photographer and model as a couple, there were many opportunities to create and try out new idea's together. Do_Mar also loves collaborating with other artists, including the incredibly talented Caro von D. Do_Mar connected with the Hamburg photographer on a German model forum called "Model-Kartei. This was their third shoot together over the past 12 months.


Caro D's career as photographer began two years ago after holding her first digital SLR camera in her hands. She began, like many photographers shooting animals, architecture and landscapes. Pretty soon she moved on models of the human form and it is now an important part of her life. Her idea for this shoot was relatively simple: A naked man in that old house, no portraits, no fashion and no porn. It was the view of photographer and model that covering DO-Mar's face in some shots, especially with the gas mask fit well into the ambience of the old farmhouse. A naked model bares all, but wearing a mask, there retained some private sphere, some distance between model, environment and viewer. I loved this series and the mask, so often covering soul, only adds to soul within this set of images.