J.W.G: Off Melrose

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I started Wanting Project, my photography project on sexual desire because I wanted to capture one of the most primal, complex, and human parts of us. Desire isn’t just physical, it’s emotional, psychological, and deeply personal, yet so universal.

I was curious about how it shapes us.

Through my lens, I’m exploring the raw, unfiltered beauty of longing; not to sensationalize, but to honor its vulnerability and power.

I knew if I wanted people to open up to me in this way I would have to be sensitive to their needs. Having never shot anything so personal and intimate I decided I needed to educate myself. What better way to do this than to challenge myself to pose for another photographer.

Before Wanting Project I never thought I’d pose nude, but there I was, heart pounding, standing bare in an outdoor parking lot off of Melrose Avenue with nothing but the breeze and the lens in front of me. The vulnerability hit like a wave every inch of me exposed under the open sky, no walls, just raw, unfiltered me. My mind churned with self-doubt at first, wondering what the camera caught, what the photographer saw. But as the shutter clicked, something shifted. The focus was on light, shadow, and form, my body as art, not flaws.

It was intense, humbling, and wildly liberating. I felt seen, not as an object, but as a human, fragile yet fierce. Walking away, I was shaky but buzzing with adrenaline. For weeks after, I rode a high proud of facing that fear, of embracing my body, imperfections and all, in such a raw setting. It wasn’t just about being naked; it was about shedding insecurities and owning my existence. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

That experience really taught me how to shoot, how to connect and that the journey doesn’t stop when the camera is packed away. No photography class or technical book could ever tech you that.

Shooting Wanting Project, I’ve seen how desire reveals itself differently in everyone; bold, shy, tender, or fierce. It’s been humbling to witness, and each session teaches me more about connection, trust, and the courage it takes to be seen. This project isn’t just about images; it’s about holding space for what makes us human. I’m only just beginning, but I’m already in awe of the stories unfolding.