Johann D’Nale is no stranger to fetish. Not only was he MOREPIXX 2021 runner up with “Working 9-5” – his vision of a younger guy stuck in the office daydreaming about spending time with his fantasy leather daddy. Not only has he a signficant track record making portraits of kinksters and the queer erotic but photography also led him into his own fetish interest – in turn leading him to record several Manchester Rubbermen (MRM) weekends and events and further to setting up a fetish group in his own city of Leeds.
His artistic practice considers all shoots as collaborations and is based on two principles – finding ways to present those he’s working with in a way which reveals them anew – to others or themselves – and in telling stories about the complexities of identity for queer folk.
He is also a willing participant in front of the camera – having engaged himself as a model to many of the photographic peers he holds in high esteem. In addition to his photography escapades Johann set up and set up and curated (we are) Obscured – a queer creative group (and published #fuckhate in response to Pulse Orlando) and has been an active contributor to Homosurrealism, Balaclava.Q and Civil Disobedience.
Post Covid he’s starting to look at how portraits can be forged which are increasingly intimate – more revealing of the personalities of those he creates with.