Sexuality and Instant Film

Photography By Ori Paul Levi

Photographer Ori Paul Levi discusses how Queer culture has changed in mainstream media, finding models through Grindr, and detaching himself from shame.

Los Angeles, USA

What is your history as a photographer?

I started taking pictures at a really young age, while in elementary school, I would always carry a disposable camera with me in my backpack and would just snap pictures of my friends, of plants or just objects. Those pictures would almost always turn out overexposed and quite weird, which of course I loved.

I didn’t really have anyone who introduced me to photography, it was more of a thing I picked up by myself.

Looking back to when you first started, how do you think you have grown as an artist? How did you develop your style?

Well for starters, I am older and more experienced now, then when I started out. I am lot more patient and thoughtful with my work, which is in a constant state of transformation. I have terrible ADD and I tend to get bored of things very quickly - that’s why I choose to primarily use instant film. The limited number of exposures forces me to really think about each and every shoot which I find to be really stimulating. So my style kind of developed around that, but it’s also highly influenced by the environment I’m in.

You have lived in Tel Aviv, Milan, London, and now Los Angeles. How did each city influence your work? What does Los Angeles give you that the other cities do not?

I left Tel-Aviv right after I was discharged from military service, at the age of 20 (which is mandatory in Israel) so while it didn’t really have a huge impact on my professional career or mindset, it did have a big impact on how I view being gay and queerness. Growing up in such a liberal and quite frankly, a super gay city was just really freeing. it gave me the courage to come out of the closet while I was still in high school and really cemented the notion in me that being gay is perfectly normal and ok.

Being a student in Milan was a lot of fun! I learned a lot and the sense of fashion and style that the city has defiantly influenced me and my work a lot.

But it was London that really had the most impact on me and helped to push me into the artist I am today. I moved there right after graduating, with little idea of what I actually want to do. I was obsessed with fashion magazines at the time, so I decided to reach out to “Wonderland” Magazine to see if they had any open positions for interns or assistants, and actually started working there as an intern a few days later, it was an amazing experience. The level of talent and creativity of the people who worked there was just intoxicating. After a few months of working there I got a position working as an assistant to the menswear editor at I-D magazine. My style really took shape whilst working there. To this day London is probably the place I miss the most and love the most, it’s gray and wet and can be kinda depressing, but it’s also very nurturing, stylish and energetic in a very unique way.

And L.A, L.A gives me simplicity and beauty like no where else. I love how the city meets the ocean, the forest and the desert. Living here is a unique experience the keeps inspiring me everyday.

Tell the story behind one of your images

So I moved into my current studio in June of this year (2021), and I was very eager to start shooting people, but didn’t really know how I should go about approaching people to come over and get naked (For the sake of art that is) So I opened Grindr and decided to just put it in my bio, that I’m an artist and that I’m mostly looking to have people come over and participle in my art. A guy named Brandon responded and I am so happy he deflowered my place, shooting with him was such a beautiful experience, he has such pure white energy, that really come through in the picture.

A lot of your work explores sexuality and Queerness - Why is it important?

None of us would be here if it wasn’t for sex, yet our society continues to attach shame onto sex (especially gay sex).

I’m just doing what I’m doing to detach myself from that shame. I create what I want to see and if it’s shocking or queer, then let it be that.

How has the portrayal of Queer culture in mainstream media changed since you first started working in the industry?

It changed immensely…while in fashion almost anyone working behind the scene is obviously gay and quite open about it. Those in front of the camera still had to keep a part of their lives in the closet, it’s really amazing and inspiring to see how this is changing, and it’s changing because of people who aren’t afraid to push the envelope.