To think the photos aren’t appropriate/too revealing for college work

[ThatsMyPenguin]

DS is 18, he’s in his second year at college doing an Art and Design course, one of the units is all photography based. He’s loving it.
As part of the unit they need to create a mini portfolio of some portraits, landscapes and still life images. There seems to be a fair amount of creative control. He wants to be a photographer so this unit is important to him.

Last night he was working on the computer downstairs and I was looking at his images (he was editing them).
He has taken some pictures of an old school friend (currently 17) in lingerie. They are quite tastefully done (I won’t post them here as like I said they seem inappropriate to me).
Some have been done to look like she is laying on a bed I think and the placement of her hands make it seem quite sexual, another is from behind and the lingerie doesn’t provide much coverage of her behind so that seems quite inappropriate. He’s taken pictures of her which aren’t revealing too, focused more on her face etc. They are much better but he is insisting he will be fine to use a combination and it’s “art”. They are well done I just don’t think it’s appropriate to take pictures like that of a 17 year old!! His college tend to display some of the work too so I’d be surprised if they allow it, DS says they are fine with it but admits they don’t know she is 17.

AIBU to say pictures of this nature aren’t appropriate considering they are for uni and she’s not 18?

It seems to me like he hasn’t been educated enough. How doesn’t he know this is illegal? My kids have had it drummed into them. I would be going over everything with him in your situation. Indecent photos can put you on the sex offenders register and charged accordingly. Consent is a massive one. A total evaluation.

Mostly he needs to understand to really respect and not objectify women regardless and especially because of his sexuality.

This

How comfortable would you feel if this was a young man taking photos of your 17 year old daughter for his portfolio? I'm sure he doesn't mean it to be but there is something very grubby about this. And it's also highly unoriginal/creative

But she is not his peer, not any more. She is not in college with him.

’for art’ is not an excuse either

He does and always has known it’s illegal. It didn’t occur to him that his peer was underage in this context. He’s realised it now, they are getting deleted.

And you’d be wrong. It’s not possible to consent to indecent photos until 18.

They are still friends, as he is with most people he went to school with. Yes they are still peers!

That's a valid point

Thank you

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Under 18s can't sign model release forms. It would have to be done by her parents or legal guardian.

Agree. When I look back at what I "consented " to I cringe. And in a few cases thank the stars things didn't turn out another way.

We think we know everything but actually even at 18 many of us know fuck all really especially of long term consequences of actions

Thing is OP he could have achieved those aims with his subject fully clothed, if he's as good as he says he is

You can’t consent to sexual photos being taken of a child even if you are a parent or guardian (thank god - can you imagine if child porn was legal so long as the parents agreed!)

We prefer to call it child abuse images not ‘child porn’ which minimises.

The largest number of people being charged for indecent images of children are those under 21 years of age. Their lives are over before they even start because it’s so hard to secure any job having to declare by law you are on the sex offenders register and have a criminal record of this nature.

Yep, it would be up to a court to decide whether they are of a sexual nature or not. There are plenty of photos of under-18s in swimwear and underwear in clothes catalogues as this is deemed non-sexual. Underage nudity is often considered legal in an artistic context - just have a look at a lot of 70s album cover art: Virgin Killer being the most notorious example but also Houses of the Holy. I'm still amazed that the Virgin Killer cover is legal tbh.

I would destroy the photos and he can do them again when she’s 18- it can’t be that far off.

I don’t personally get all this naked art stuff- still life or what have you. I wouldn’t want to draw it or pose for it 😂lol but each to their own. He’s probably just trying to implement what he’s been shown in college.

Silly for both of them to do this, learning curve, wait til your both older.

Ridiculous. There are many photographers out there, famous or not, who are gay and take photos like this of women. And it's not 'objectifying'. It's their work/art. You can show the human body in an artistic way and it not be something dodgy.

And why are you assuming OPs son doesn't know his sexuality just because he's taking photos of a young woman, and making out he has different intentions? Would you say the same about a female, gay photographer taking photos of men, and say she's doing it because she's secretly straight? Probably not.

Appalling and disgusting re: album cover

RTFT thread OP and glad he's taking a different approach. Fair play, he's still learning

But absolutely heed the warnings of pp he MUST NOT email/keep these pictures. That could have devastating consequences if he wants to be a photographer

It’s cliche my dear. Been done to death. Op is stating it’s alternative. No it’s really not.

I don't think you can pin an absolute on sexuality in teenage years. He might be experimenting- who knows.

Good outcome OP.

I would also talk him through the difference between “art” and soft porn, he needs to know even if he’s gay.

I think a lot of posters here are being unnecessarily hysterical about this

Questioning OPs parenting is very unfair given she started the thread out of concern and then has acted on advice given

OP your son has made a mistake, has admitted he didn't think, has acted to rectify it, informed the college and the girl (who's parents have also seen the images). Short of asking for blood, I'm not sure what more you could have done here.

I'd leave this thread now as posters are piling on without reading that you and your son have acted on what you have been advised on the thread.

I'm honestly can't believe these types of shots were taken in school/college whilst the teacher was "in and out of the studio" and you're not concerned at that aspect or have you contacted the school? So inappropriate m.

His tutor should be fired very quickly.