Comments on: Desperation is Not Pretty

By: Cat

Cat — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:51:32 +0000

Those pictures are tasteless, I don’t really like them all that much, but this is what Aibon thinks she needs in order to kill her former idol image.

I also think that she doesn’t have the body for this, and she doesn’t need to do it anyway. I mean… A PB with bikini shots in a beach or whatever would’ve been much better…

By: J Greely

J Greely — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:39:18 +0000

Josh, I have a simple rule for glamour photography: the subject is more important than the photographer. If you’re looking at a picture of a pretty girl and you say, “look at the raw, edgy style”, the photographer has FAILED. He has made pictures that are more about him than about her. Contrast with the pictures from Aya’s new album, which have a very strong style, but which make you say, “wow, she looks fantastic”.

I disagree emphatically about those pictures expressing “real sexuality”. They’re every bit as phony and contrived as an H!P publicity shoot, they’re just creating a different character. Wear this, stand here, make a face, turn a little, stick out your tongue, rub your thigh, roll over, fetch, good girl. Now do it again in this outfit.

This sort of photo shoot is an improv acting job. Somebody picked a location, wardrobe, and image, and told her to play a role. And while she has years of experience playing “cute little Aibon”, this was her first time playing “sex kitten Kago”, and it shows.

-j

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:23:39 +0000

These photos are great! I know photography too. Art is subjective. These remind of some of Jurgen Teller’s photography. The look, lighting and style is raw. Not all made-up and perfect, with a real sexuality being expressed.

I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and most would like to see the old Aibon be all cutesy and just like she used to be or maybe grown up like Ayaya, but she is her own woman and is expressing herself the way she wants to. I aplaud her for it. And the pics are hot! My opinion.

I also have to say, Celestia, I’m a HUGE fan of your blog and read it daily. (Yes I check daily! lol) It’s soooo cool you’re in the audience for that DVD! Keep up the great work.

By: celestia

celestia — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:37:25 +0000

there we go. An expert opinion saying that these photos are crappy. I rest my case.

Thanks!

By: J Greely

J Greely — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:31:20 +0000

I’m a photographer who has shot cheesecake and nude photos of a number of professional models, mostly former Playboy centerfolds. The worst pictures I’ve ever taken, the ones that make me cringe and hide them away where no one will ever see them, were better than any of Kago’s new “gravure” photos. This stuff is just poorly done. The setting, the lighting, the makeup, the posing, the composition, the editing, all utter crap.

If you want to know just how bad these photos are, go to a newsstand in Japan and pick up one of the magazines where amateur photographers pick girls up on the street, take them to love hotels, and take pictures while they strip and (often) have sex with him. 90% of these pictures will be better than all of Kago’s.

I’ve been cautiously optimistic about her comeback, despite obvious signs of inexperienced, poorly-funded management. The book, the Kago-channel DVDs, the small movie and drama roles, those were good moves. I was happy to buy the book and DVDs to support that sort of comeback, but this trash? Not a chance. Not because I object to her trying for a sexy image, but because it’s so bad that there’s nothing sexy about it.

-j

By: Max

Max — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 10:25:03 +0000

I wish Aibon and her management would go a different route to get her in the limelight. She totally skipped the “sexy” and just went “sleaze” all the way. I hope she knows what she’s doing. She doesn’t need to do this to prove to the world she’s all grown up.

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:27:20 +0000

REALLY not trying to sound rude here, but just because you feel her photos are tasteless doesn’t mean she’s “lost” like Britney Spears was. She could very well be perfectly happy and confident with them and she may very well feel that way for the rest of her life.

By: solo-kun

solo-kun — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:47:29 +0000

For the most part I agree. It’s like you can kinda see what she’s trying to do (or what they’re trying to do for her), but it just fails.

By: Ray Mescallado

Ray Mescallado — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:28:47 +0000

Excellent post, Celestia - I especially appreciate how you ground a moral judgment on what she’s doing with a sharp-eyed aesthetic judgment on the quality of these shots. Lord knows, I have no problem with porn or eyecandy, but - as you said - these photos REEK of desperation. It’s like watching the descent of Maria Ozawa into hardcore fetish-land. A complete and total soft-off.