Gender, sexuality and male identity as seen through the lens of Jorge Perez Ortiz

For London and Barcelona-based photographer Jorge Perez Ortiz, his subjects are what matter the most. After graduating in fine arts and working across different fields such as painting and sculpture, Jorge realised his passion for visual storytelling. “Photography gave me the opportunity and possibility to create stories through fashion,” he tells It’s Nice That. “I started taking pictures of my friends or people that I was attracted to; subjects that will make history by themselves.”

Since then, he’s worked across the board at numerous fashion publications such as Tank, Novembre, L’Officiel Hommes, Boycott, Fucking Young and Metal. And for those who haven’t witnessed the exquisite beauty that takes command of Jorge’s work, then rest assured that it will captivate you in an instant. This is in part due to his ability to tell a story – stimulated by the characters that he meets across the globe. “I’ve always been attracted to cultures and everything that surrounds me,” he says, “especially the male subject.”

Taking cues from that which surrounds him, Jorge has his lens pointed firmly at topics such as gender, sexuality, fashion and identity. His camera has taken him across seas to locations such as Marseille and Hyères and, more recently, India – as seen in his latest series, titled India, commissioned for analogue fashion photography magazine Pylot. “These images reflect the empowering energy that always attracted me to this country; the chaotic lifestyle of the cities contrast with the truly kind and calm personalities of the locals,” says Jorge. Upon arrival, he explains how India instantly lured him in with its multifariousness. “It was surprising to see how, in one environment, so many different things interacted simultaneously – a melting pot of animals, cars, sounds, smells, and colours – giving the perfect definition of the concrete jungle.”

This concrete jungle is one that led him down many paths, allowing him access to “a variety of different people, from models to locals.” Mixing high-fashion and styling from brands with his subject’s own clothes, this adds a raw and contemporary feel to his imagery – “[this was to] reflect the diversity and complexity of the place in which we were working,” he adds. “I wanted to capture through my lens the male identity of a country, and a culture that’s completely different to mine.”

In terms of his style, Jorge would describe it as something alongside lines of “fashion” but “with a different view”. Achieved through delicate tones and a minimal backdrop, he strives to capture his subjects in great detail. “Photographing with the use of natural light is always the most important thing to me, because it gives me the opportunity to focus on the subject while creating an emptiness in the background.”

So what was it that first spurred this photographer towards capturing masculinity in all its diverse glory? “I have always been surrounded by the physical, social and emotional aspects of adolescence, as well as the formation of identity,” he explains. “I like to show different identities of masculinity that define gender in many ways.” In this sense, masculinity takes many forms – it’s something that’s both intimate and expressive, compassionate and strong. Jorge is drawn towards this intersection and uses his photography as a tool for self-expression: “It helps me to tell stories and put out the ideas and thoughts that I have,” he says, “and to create my own work around all the things that make me feel alive.”