Who doesn't love a Viking? A few years ago I went to Iceland and I joked that I was off hunting Vikings. Sadly I didn't find myself a Viking husband while I was there.
This gorgeous man is James and nearly three years ago we got together and did this shoot. Like my Tribe series, I generally try and steer clear of directly referencing any specific cultural groups or do anything too much like a "costume". James would have gone full cosplay if I'd let him but we ended up with a result that we were both really happy with.
He was incredible to photograph. He had a quiet intensity when he needed it and at times you'll see in the download, he really broke free of restraint and let loose. It was all I could do to keep the lights firing and my shutter clicking and see if I could capture it.
Once I edited the photos and added this cool blue tone to them I think we got a fantastic end result. James looks strong, tough, masculine yet at times sensitive and vulnerable. Even with a theme like Vikings I have no desire to buy into cliched "masculine" requirements.