When Baron magazine first appeared on shelves last April, it instantly became a cult hit, ushering in a new era for the erotic magazine. For its second issue, the postmodern sex zine sent photographer Tyrone Lebon on a 12 month journey around the UK where he captured a whole spectrum of sexual experiences, from intimate moments shared between a couple to a behind the scenes look at infamous phone sex hotline Babestation.
Lebon's photos aren't necessarily sexy. Lingerie designer Britta Uschkamp, musician Aza Shade, model Kit Hammonds, and artist Daphne Greca are included because they in one way or another benefit professionally from sex. Meanwhile, in an effort to subvert classic erotic imagery, Tyrone includes found images from his grandfather’s plastic surgery clinic and photos of a friend’s hair transplant operation. We caught up with the photographer about the new issue, voyeurism in the social media age, and the fine line between arousing and disturbing.
Shop Baron HERE
Shannan Elinor Smith: Let’s start by talking about your collaboration with Baron. How did you get involved with the publication?
Tyrone Lebon: I met [editor-in-chief] Jonathan Baron through our mutual friend Max Pearmain [of Arena Homme Plus] and it developed from there. I had never shot anything I would consider 'erotic'. The only nudity in my photos had been pictures of my family or close friends that had come about naturally, so this project was a whole new experience.
Baron has a big online following so we asked if anyone would like to be photographed for the new issue. People started coming forward, [for example] a wife-swapping couple invited me to take photos of them having sex in their living room. It was about this process of gathering images that were linked to sexuality in some way and then making sense of them at the end. In the editing process many of the straightforward 'sexy' photos felt lightweight and were dropped. It wasn't about things I found attractive. Lots of the images I feel are quite ugly in fact.
The exterior of the issue looks so innocent. Did you have a say in this?
I didn't see the pink as innocent, more like tacky. The best thing about this book might be the shiny-lurid pink cover and the glossy cover photo, but it's a hollow promise––an empty lure like a porno or a fashion advertisement.
What was going through your head when you were taking photos of the couple having sex?
As I walked up to the door of their house I felt butterflies that I haven't felt taking photos for a long time. So in that way it was thrilling because it was new. When I was taking pictures I don't remember what I was thinking. I kept returning to their cat in the corner to take photos of it and I remember the smell of sex. When I was on the train on my way home, I thought about the whole thing and it all felt a bit dark.
Do you have people assisting you in these situations?
Yeah, at different times I had one of my assistants, Max or Hanna, help out. They are getting used to the weird situations I put them in. I think they enjoyed it. But more than half of the time I was on my own.
Can you talk about the pictures of the patient receiving a hair transplant? Why did you juxtapose those against sex
Lebon's photos aren't necessarily sexy. Lingerie designer Britta Uschkamp, musician Aza Shade, model Kit Hammonds, and artist Daphne Greca are included because they in one way or another benefit professionally from sex. Meanwhile, in an effort to subvert classic erotic imagery, Tyrone includes found images from his grandfather’s plastic surgery clinic and photos of a friend’s hair transplant operation. We caught up with the photographer about the new issue, voyeurism in the social media age, and the fine line between arousing and disturbing.
Shop Baron HERE
Shannan Elinor Smith: Let’s start by talking about your collaboration with Baron. How did you get involved with the publication?
Tyrone Lebon: I met [editor-in-chief] Jonathan Baron through our mutual friend Max Pearmain [of Arena Homme Plus] and it developed from there. I had never shot anything I would consider 'erotic'. The only nudity in my photos had been pictures of my family or close friends that had come about naturally, so this project was a whole new experience.
Baron has a big online following so we asked if anyone would like to be photographed for the new issue. People started coming forward, [for example] a wife-swapping couple invited me to take photos of them having sex in their living room. It was about this process of gathering images that were linked to sexuality in some way and then making sense of them at the end. In the editing process many of the straightforward 'sexy' photos felt lightweight and were dropped. It wasn't about things I found attractive. Lots of the images I feel are quite ugly in fact.
The exterior of the issue looks so innocent. Did you have a say in this?
I didn't see the pink as innocent, more like tacky. The best thing about this book might be the shiny-lurid pink cover and the glossy cover photo, but it's a hollow promise––an empty lure like a porno or a fashion advertisement.
What was going through your head when you were taking photos of the couple having sex?
As I walked up to the door of their house I felt butterflies that I haven't felt taking photos for a long time. So in that way it was thrilling because it was new. When I was taking pictures I don't remember what I was thinking. I kept returning to their cat in the corner to take photos of it and I remember the smell of sex. When I was on the train on my way home, I thought about the whole thing and it all felt a bit dark.
Do you have people assisting you in these situations?
Yeah, at different times I had one of my assistants, Max or Hanna, help out. They are getting used to the weird situations I put them in. I think they enjoyed it. But more than half of the time I was on my own.
Can you talk about the pictures of the patient receiving a hair transplant? Why did you juxtapose those against sex