Lionel Zanar (Catherine Leonard Photography/ nycdudeoir.com)
(Catherine Leonard Photography)
(Catherine Leonard Photography)
(Noel de Christian Photography)
(Catherine Leonard Photography)
(Noel de Christian Photography)
(Mariah Carle)
Brooklynite Lionel Zanar shows off his body of work in a recent “dudeoir” photo shoot. His girlfriend happily paid for the session. (
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It’s a recent Sunday afternoon in Midtown, and Lionel Zanar is standing in nothing but a snug pair of boxer-briefs, while his girlfriend, Meiko, looks on.
The super-fit contractor and self-defense trainer from Brooklyn is sitting for a saucy photo shoot — known in the photography business as “dudeoir,” a tongue-in-cheek play on the “boudoir” trend, in which women pose for pictures in their lingerie.
“I love the photos,” laughs Zanar, 33, who in one particularly racy shot stands stark naked while Meiko crouches behind, covering his manhood with her hands. “Meiko will be getting a really big version of it, framed.”
PHOTOS: LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
The gesture is perhaps the least Zanar can do for his sweetheart, who paid about $500 for the sultry 90-minute shoot. The divorced dad does, however, point out that she “pretty much bought the session as a gift to herself.”
For photographer Catherine Leonard, who launched NYC Dudeoir with partner Alistair Quick as a division of their company only a few months ago, business is booming among straight men like Zanar.
“Sometimes it’s the wife or girlfriend who inquires and buys the package, but usually it’s the guy himself,” she says.
“We have grooms who want to give their brides an intimate portfolio as a wedding present and others who are doing it entirely for themselves — they’re young and ripped and proud of it.”
Leonard claims dozens of average Joes (think George Costanza in “Seinfeld,” hilariously disrobing for a steamy
photo shoot in just his boxers and black socks) have also stepped up to the plate.
Now that the semi-naked “selfie” can make or break people’s Facebook and Twitter accounts (with serial sexter Anthony Weiner being a cautionary tale), an increasing proportion of dudeoir clients want a professional to art-direct and light the shots, so they look as flattering as possible.
“A lot of my guys are very open about it and post the images on Facebook and dating sites,” says photographer Mariah Carle, who counts a number of Wall Street — and also, she claims, “political” — hotshots as customers.
“Others are very discreet, especially the ones who push the boundaries.
George Costanza did the 'dudeoir' photo shoot years before it became a thing http://t.co/r5BZPGmfM9 pic.twitter.com/T56VhThacr
— New York Post (@nypost) August 13, 2013
“They’re often very nervous at first but, after a while, they find it liberating,” says Carle. “If they are doing it for a girlfriend or spouse, I’ll usually get the guy to bring underwear or maybe a special tie she has complimented him on.”
Florida-based photographer Noel de Christian regularly flies into New York City for dudeoir sessions with high-earning brokers and financiers. “In most cases, there’s less emphasis on nudity and more on a sensual, steamy masculine approach,” says de Christian, who says most of his clients pose in secret. However, those who do share the pictures get good feedback. “The reactions have always been positive and this makes them feel manly and open-minded,” he adds.
Here, six brave dudeoir clients open their portfolios for The Post:
ROCK ON!
Lionel Zanar was persuaded to do the shoot after his girlfriend, Meiko, posed for a boudoir session with photographer Catherine Leonard and enjoyed the experience. “Meiko sold me on the idea because she wanted some great photos of me, but I liked the idea for my own reasons, too,” he says. “I’m 33, I’ve worked hard to get into good shape, and I know the day will come when I’m the old man in the room. I want something to remember and show off when I’m a crusty old grandpa. I used to pose nude for artists years ago, so I wasn’t particularly nervous,” adds Zanar. “Whatever small amount of tension there was was dissipated by Catherine and her team, who all have lovely senses of humor.”
CLASS ACT!
Graduate student Jemel Hodge was tipped off about photographer Catherine Leonard’s dudeoir business by a friend who previously posed for a session. “I thought it sounded like a cool idea,” says 24-year-old Hodge, from Newburgh, NY. “I like to try new things, and thought it would be fun.” He had reservations going in, but loosened up as the shoot went on. “It really wasn’t as big a deal as it seemed in my head beforehand,” he says. “You definitely get a spike in confidence after you do it, and I would recommend the experience.” He is delighted with the photographs from the $525 session. “They are very natural — nothing cheesy or too posed. I can show them to my mother without fear!”
WET & WILD!
Jason Coleman jokes that he isn’t “getting younger,” and he wanted to capture his manly physique, possibly at its peak, at age 35. The theatrical makeup artist posed last fall for Noel de Christian at his condominium complex in Houston for a 3 ½-hour shoot, which cost him $1,200, including prints. At first, he posted one of the portraits on the dating Web site Plenty of Fish, but took it down after a month because some of the women who saw his profile wrote that they thought the picture was fake or a photo of a male model. He didn’t meet his new girlfriend, Amanda, online, but showed off his dudeoir pictures a few months into their relationship. He’s not sure whether the sexy shots made any difference, but the duo are now shopping for engagement rings.
BRONX VIEW!
Health-club consultant and amateur photographer Robert Maisonett, 45, of The Bronx wanted a professional set of photos done for sites such as Facebook. “I’m always behind the camera, so, with social media being what it is, I realized I have very few pictures of me to post, so I decided to do something about it,” he says. The $525 shoot took place last week at Catherine Leonard’s studio. A rookie in front of the lens, Maisonett felt nervous at first, but soon relaxed. “I was a ball of energy for sure,” he says. “It felt empowering. Not to sound corny, but I felt sexy and strong.” He says people have been very positive about the pictures, but he expects a few raised eyebrows. “Some of my friends would bust my chops for doing this,” he says.
MIGHTY SPOUSE!
Finance worker and former Marine Mark H, who asked The Post not to publish his last name for professional reasons, disrobed for dudeoir as a 2012 Valentine’s present so it would be “insurance against my wife and I ever going through a rocky patch.” The 44-year-old dad of two, from South Florida, paid $500, which included a set of prints, for the shoot at a “clothing optional” Fort Lauderdale hotel. “I wanted [my wife] to see there was more to me than the guy who is the father of her kids who runs errands and pays the bills,” says Mark. “You have to keep the juices flowing so you don’t run into a rut.” He credits his photographer, Noel de Christian, for coaching him on the most effective ways to pose. “He was very good at explaining what women want to see in these types of photos,” adds Mark. “The whole shoot was designed with her in mind — it’s not a case of ‘Hi, here is my penis!’ but a more sensual approach.”
TURBAN DADDY!
Larger-than-life software engineer Kiran Paul was gifted the dudeoir session by co-workers at his IT company in Oakland, Calif. “Buying a present for me is hard work, but they were sure that anything that doesn’t require pants would work for me,” laughs the 27-year-old bachelor. Before the shoot, he chatted with photographer Mariah Carle about the kind of look he wanted: channeling the ultra-cheesy character Ron Burgundy, played by Will Ferrell, in “Anchorman.” “As soon as I got Mariah’s consent to disrobe, I was feeling proud and comfortable for some reason,” recalls Paul, who uses the pictures, one of which features him naked and holding an inflatable dolphin, on his business card. “I’m also using one of them on LinkedIn, which is going well,” he jokes. “I’m not getting pinged for software engineering positions as much as I used to!” Meanwhile, he is now planning on blowing up the Victorian couch picture and hanging it in his living room.
jridley@nypost.com