Photos of Vulnerable Teen Boys and Their Bedrooms

By Alison Nastasi

Jan. 4, 2013

For her latest photo series, Canadian artist Olivia Johnston entered the sacred domain of every teenager: their bedrooms. She snapped portraits of teen boys (sans shirts) and their living quarters, revealing their personalities in distinctly different ways. “I understand the uncomfortable nature of this series for my models — I am essentially forcing them into incredibly vulnerable situations,” Johnston admits on her Behance website. “By placing each boy in a totally unfamiliar environment and asking him to remove his shirt I create a well-defined set of discomforts. Asking him if I can enter his bedroom and document it with my camera elicits added tension.” The vulnerability is certainly present, but several photos display a slight cockiness about the young men — perhaps a defense against the emotional and physical exposure, or an awkward, naive display of misplaced masculinity. Take a closer look at Johnston’s work in our gallery.

Photo credit: Olivia Johnston