Buffalo Rising Online

Nice. This kid's got style. His ideas for these things definitely have a catch to them. He can go pretty far with this.

Whoa. Dominic should make a poster out of that one.

...and this has what to do with the usual city blogs? more befitting in arts me thinks...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This Maxigumee has talent, but BRO really shouldn't be posting photos in which 16 or 17 year old girls are spreading their legs or featuring close up shots of their breasts. Maxigumee may have the talent of a mature photographer, but it seems to me that the models are minors.

I'm not some conservative stooge, I just think BRO should be more conscious of how much sexualized exposure of teens they allow on the site.

Maybe next time ask Max to keep those photos for his own portfolio.

It's the Council Chambers. It's young people in Buffalo. Now why should this not be a city blog?

no one is naked, whats the problem? I just got back from a public nude beach where there are teenagers next to grandparents, age limits don't matter.

I am not saying we have to go that far but if you are commenting on those images, then you are quite conservative.

I never said it was illegal. I suggested that it may be inappropriate for a site whose primary audience is adults to feature a minor (I'm assuming these are minors because Maxigumee's previous comments have indicated that the models are City Honors students) whose legs are spread on a city council desk. Even if there is no nudity, it is sexually suggestive. Now it is that young woman's right to wear what she wants, and to pose how she wants within the law and her parents' guardianship if she is a minor. I am just not sure it is BRO's place to bring those kind of photos to the internet.

You don't have to be conservative to value the decency of a minor.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Besides the whole "Say something once/Why say it again?" aspect, if you already know you don't like Maxigumee's work, why do you keep clicking on it?

Just so it is clear, most of these models *are* in fact 18, but I'm pretty sure that even if they weren't none of this would be illegal.

This is the last thing I'll say about this because it's really not that important to me.

1. I never said it was illegal. I suggested that it was inappropriate for BRO, and I'll second whoever said that this doesn't really seem to fit with the City page. I suspect it may have been an attempt to draw attention over to the arts page through linking.

2. I never said I didn't like Maxigumee's work. In fact, I said that he/she is clearly talented and a mature photographer. I am thrilled to see a local boy/girl do great work. My Buffalo-hope reflex even makes me think of a photography/graphic design firm in Buffalo in 10 years when this young person has had a chance to go away for school, make some money and then come home.

3. Good work, great initiative, keep it up. My reservations are ultimately not with the artist, but with the question of posting sexually suggestive photos of teens on an a website whose audience is primarily adults. Now these models may be 18, they may not be. I will probably never know the answer. It isn't ultimately pressing because none of the photos are illegal in nature. I felt I needed to raise the question of appropriateness for the site. You may disagree as many of you have. That is all.

I donit really care either way but it troubles me when we try to self censor ourselves because we might offend someone. Being offended happens, so what. People bother me all the time, but, it is their right to bother me. That is a part of living in a society which values the freedom of speech... although every year it seems that more and more of that freedom is getting chipped away because of fear, political correctness or national security.

It all just reminds me about how newspapers were criticized by the government for speaking out against Bush, being called antipatriotic. It was eaten up by the public until they self censored themselves not to offend anyone. Same how very few organizations in this country choose to print those images of Islam, which sparked all that controversy in Europe. We let our freedom of speech slip because we try to not offend anyone. Well that troubles me.

I donit want to start an argument but little comments like that have important repercussions.

Youth & Style.... Buffalo politics could use a little more of BOTH!

Another great job, Max!!!!!!

Nice photographs. They're clear, crystal clear. Where's any depiction of art? Was it where the young lady is exposing herself to Mr. Bonifacio's name plate? Call me a 41 year old curmudgeon; I would be flattered. I found the whole shoot (more or less) tasteless and inappropriate for this part of BRO.

Get real, she's exposing nothing! TV and fashion magazines shwo ten times worse!

I love it! Great clothing, great building, great photos.

In any other 'rising' city, these photos would be lauded on the front page of the city's leading alternative newspaper. Sad, here in Buffalo, its the same old lament, i.e, someone is perhaps going to buy and rehab the Statler and the only thing that over half of the people on the board have to say is, "PARKING!!!" Amazing.

In certain countries around the world, it is required that citizens either serve in the country's military or in some sort of non-combat role for a certain amount of time. Sigh. Perhaps, here in dear old Buffalo, it should be required that each and every person between 18 and 25 must spend a year or so living in another bigger city. Then and only then, will people realize that these pathetic NIMBY/where's the parking cries are nothing but turnoffs and really don't help the city move forward. Change is what success is. Get over your fears!

In response to the comments left by "Edward Street" I wanted to say in the defense of the models, being one of them, that we are not the minors you seem to think we are, I'm pretty sure we are all of age, I know I am. And regardless of how sexual you may find the nature of these pictures I can assure you that they were shot with the best of intentions. It's called Irony. And maybe I like to spread my legs on Coucil Chamber Desks.

Some people just have issues I guess. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Maxigumee great entertainment, keep up the good work.

even if they where good photo's I still say the arts section

Edward St.'s whining reminds me of that one lady who always pops up randomly on Simpsons episodes going "WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN??"

even if they where (sic) good photo's (sic) I still say the arts section

Maybe Martin should get his GED before trying to criticize Maxigumee's work and telling Buffalo Rising how to file stories.

I think people are being a bit harsh. Of course BRO can post where ever it feels appropriate. Everything on this site is related to the city so GTO's comment misses martin's point. Maybe it was a little light that day so they decided to put it in the city channel rather than arts. I'd have put it in art as well (perhaps a teaser in city to draw visitors to the arts channel).

As far as Edward Street's comments, he has every right to raise his concerns. Although sbrof's comments on other BRO threads have been well made, he/she engages in the very act he/she finds so repugnant. Sbrof rails against self-censorship in the effort to avoid offending anyone. Yet by calling Edward Street a "conservative" and stating "little comments like that have important repercussions", he/she goes negative and implies that Edward Street should have engaged in some self-censorship.

I like Max's work. His early photos, BuffaloBerry (1/6), Legacy Ruin (1/21), Pierce Arrow (2/20) and Study Hall (3/30) seem similar in nature (just changing locations). I wish they would show his photos in the suburban high schools so that the kids would see how cool Buffalo can be. However, in Matrix (5/24) and Council Chambers, Max introduces suggestive elements that were absent from the previous slideshows. That said, some of these photos also make me uncomfortable but I'm struggling with whether they crossed the line and are inappropriate. I like that his style and subject matter are chaning/evolving, and hope that it continues to do so.

Great slideshow!

First of all, these girls are clearly legal, seeing as how I know each and everyone of them. These pictures weren't meant to be "sexualized", and clearly this Edward Street may just have a dirty mind. Max's photography is truely remarkable and I really think that maybe people just have issues with interpreting art.

Way to go Max....love the photos...made me pause....made me laugh...made me proud of our talented youth who will unfortunately leave our fair city for greener and more open-minded pastures.

Nooooooo! Are you kidding me? Old Buffalo wins again... sheeesh

It kind of makes you wonder what people who consider max's photos inappropriate are really thinking about??

fair enough BuffaloRox, fair enough. I might have gone a little overboard or maybe I shouldn't have watch V for Vendetta before reading his comments :-p

Great Slideshow!