In the shadows of the familiar, a different self takes shape. This is the story of Royce Li, a Seattle man who flew in a New York photographer he believed had the vision and tools to bring his story to life. Royce dared to look deeper, go bolder, and step into the layered world of men’s empowerment photography. Through a cinematic, character-driven, two-day portrait session, Royce explored far more than poses and lighting. He explored himself.
Table of Contents
We often hear about women embracing boudoir photography as a powerful tool of self-expression. It’s become mainstream, even celebrated, for women to take time, energy, and resources to create imagery that showcases their spirit, sensuality, and strength. But what about men?
Where is the space for a man to be unapologetically expressive? Vulnerable, confident, wild, gentle, artful? This project answers that question.
This entire blog leans on a simple truth:
Royce didn’t just want to be seen. He wanted to be understood. He committed not only to showing up but to digging in—bringing concepts, collaborators, stylists, and a whole spectrum of intention. His willingness to go deep made him more than a client. It made him a trailblazer.
The Case for Men’s Empowerment Photography
In a culture where men are often expected to stay composed, stoic, or performative, it’s no wonder that few take the opportunity to explore self-image in a meaningful way. Men’s empowerment photography aims to change that.
This isn’t just about looking good in front of a camera. It’s about becoming visible to yourself. About capturing the man you’ve fought to become, or the one you’re still discovering. Through styling, character work, lighting, and creative direction, this type of photography opens a door for men to celebrate their evolution.
Royce didn’t step through that door casually. He charged through it with planning, courage, and a desire to truly see himself in new ways. And that commitment gave us the space to create something cinematic, dramatic, layered, and deeply personal.
His reason? As he wrote in his questionnaire:
And that perspective? It’s the beginning of something men rarely allow themselves: visual, emotional legacy-building.If you’re curious about how modern masculinity is evolving—and how photography plays a role in reshaping it—this photo essay from The Guardian offers a compelling look at how vulnerability and self-expression are becoming powerful tools for men today. It echoes why men’s empowerment photography is not just timely, but necessary.
From One Day to Two: Planning the Visual Odyssey
Royce first approached me with a vision. He wanted something that blended editorial aesthetics with emotional honesty. At first, we aimed for one full-day session—my flagship creative experience—but after seeing the depth of ideas we were both generating, it was clear: one day wouldn’t cut it.
So we expanded.
Royce flew me from NYC to Seattle, covering travel and accommodation, ready to make this more than a photo shoot. It became a visual journey.
I brought along my full studio lighting kit, complete with color gels. Yes, it meant extra baggage (and some serious airport logistics), but for shots like the red-lit smoking silhouettes, shadow-drenched lounge scenes, or shower droplet constellations on the Godfather? Worth every ounce.
We started Day 1 at the Tennessee Fox, a private lounge in Seattle with a Speakeasy vibe—the perfect setting for cinematic drama. Later that day, we moved to the elegant Hotel 1000 (LXR Hotels), where we explored intimacy, light, and mood.
Day 2 unfolded inside a Peerspace house with major retro energy—think warm woods, leather, golden lighting, and a subtle nod to the 1970s. From its funky kitchen to stylish lounge areas and outdoor nooks, it gave us a playground of personalities to explore.
This wasn’t a simple men’s empowerment photography—it was a two-day production. Few things compare to the depth and variety this kind of schedule allows. And even fewer men allow themselves to take that space. Royce did.
Styling: When to Bring in the Pros
Royce initially asked me to assist with wardrobe planning—a common request from clients. And while I’m happy to offer feedback and inspiration (with nearly 20 years of photo shoots under my belt), I’m not a trained stylist. Styling is its own art, one studied and refined with as much care as photography itself.
To elevate the shoot even further, Royce brought on a professional wardrobe stylist based in Florida. She gathered outfits tailored to each concept and had them shipped to Washington. For grooming, we teamed up with Lauren Morones of Seattle Beauty Boss, a talented MUA who joined us both days for makeup and hair styling. This wasn’t a solo project. It was a team effort, and it showed.
Royce said it best: “I will all listen to you based on your extensive experiences.” His trust in the process and openness to collaboration made all the difference.
This level of collaboration is what often sets men’s empowerment photography apart—it’s not just about posing, but about building a vision with creative professionals.
The “Before” Images: Honoring the Journey
Before diving into the cinematic drama of the shoot, we must honor the baseline—Royce’s “before”. These casual, everyday snapshots were taken during his heavier days. They show a warm, approachable man with softness around the face and waist. But beneath the surface was someone already pushing for more.
He had lost 55 pounds before the shoot and wasn’t finished.
Including these images in the blog is intentional. They’re not there for shock or contrast—they’re here to remind us that men’s empowerment photography starts with truth. This isn’t about perfection, it’s about evolution. This is about celebrating progress, not Photoshop fantasy.
The Client Journey: From Insecurity to Embodiment
Before the shoot began, Royce made something clear: he wasn’t sure what he was doing.
“How do I look?”
“How should I behave?”Royce Li
These questions weren’t rare. They’re almost universal among clients who haven’t stepped in front of a camera like this before. But over the years, I’ve learned how to read those doubts—not just acknowledge them, but dismantle them.
With close to 20 years of working not just with models or actors but everyday people—from bold creatives to soft-spoken professionals—I’ve developed a style of direction that balances structure with spontaneity. I direct like I’m casting a scene, helping someone step into a role they didn’t even know they had in them.
And Royce? He rose to it. He stepped into characters, moods, and expressions with increasing confidence. He didn’t just pose—he performed. He lived each scene.
By the time we hit the Gucci lounge or the classical art set, Royce was embodying each role with presence and creativity. He went from questioning himself to channeling parts of himself he hadn’t yet met.
That’s the goal of men’s empowerment photography—to reveal the man you are, and maybe, the man you didn’t know you could be.
The Shoot: Nine Sets, Nine Sides of a Man
Each shoot set was designed to pull out a different angle of Royce’s identity. This wasn’t just about creating a highlight reel of good looks—it was a cinematic, emotional, and editorial showcase of a man in many forms.
Set 1: Speakeasy Noir
Velvet armchairs. Whiskey glasses. The haze of drama in the Tennessee Fox lounge. With tailored suits, suspenders, and dramatic low-key lighting, Royce embraced a mafioso energy. Think Peaky Blinders meets Calvin Klein.
The transition from buttoned-up mystery to sultry confidence of dudeoir photography unfolded as the layers came off. This set established Royce not just as a subject but as a performer.
Set 2: Hotel Window Light
Natural light poured through floor-to-ceiling windows at Hotel 1000, casting soft shadows across Royce’s skin. There was no dramatic flair here—just quiet, contemplative presence. He stood by the window, reflective and composed, letting the light shape his mood rather than his pose.
Set 3: Bed Serenity
Then, on the bed, the mood softened even further. Draped across crisp sheets in minimal clothing, Royce sank into a sense of rest and release. These images weren’t about performance. They were about serenity—what it means for a man to be at peace in his own body, captured without tension or pretense. The intimacy of these dudeoir photography scenes gave weight to the more theatrical ones that followed.
Set 4: Glass, Grit, and Godfather Mood
We began in the bathtub—porcelain smooth, minimalist, and quietly indulgent. Royce sank into the water like it was earned. A box of chocolates in hand, he bit into the sweetness with the ease of a man who finally allowed himself pleasure. It was playful, almost decadent, yet anchored in intention. The mood? Somewhere between spa-day fantasy and low-key seduction.
Then came the steam.
Stepping into the shower, the tone shifted entirely. Just directional light, set with care to sculpt and backlight every curl of steam and bead of condensation. As Royce moved through the fog, stripped bare in every sense of dudeoir photography, the scene took on a raw elegance. The reflections, the softened edges of his form, the solitude—it all built to one defining shot.
My personal favorite from the entire shoot: a black-and-white closeup through the glass, echoing the mood of The Godfather poster. Stark. Iconic. Unapologetically masculine. The droplets on the glass caught my light like constellations. This wasn’t just drama—it was art with weight and grit.
Set 5: Culinary Charmer
Royce loves to cook—so we built a scene where he could do just that, in nothing but an apron and a smirk. Set in the warm, retro-style kitchen of our Peerspace house, this was where real personality met cheeky fantasy. He brewed espresso with slow precision, plated pastries like a brunch-loving artist, and bit into flaky layers with casual joy.
This wasn’t about flexing. It was about flavor—bringing his passion into the spotlight, stripped of ego (and, well, everything else). The apron shots struck the perfect balance between suggestive and self-aware, while the props—coffee, croissants, and countertop clutter—kept it grounded in reality. It felt like a Sunday morning after a great night out: intimate, a little indulgent, and totally unfiltered.
What made it work wasn’t just the setting or the skin—it was the story. These images said: Here’s a man doing what he loves, comfortable in his body, owning his kitchen, and letting you in on the fun. That playful glint in his eye? That’s the recipe.
It’s a perfect example of how men’s empowerment photography can go beyond bare skin and biceps. It can celebrate warmth, personality, and joy—the delicious kind of self-expression that tastes like truth.
Set 6: Gucci Man
Enter the spoiled heartthrob. Draped in fashion-forward layers—track jacket, statement watch, textured slacks—Royce melted into the lounge like he owned the deed and forgot to care. The couch? Velvet. The attitude? Lounging at the crossroads of “too cool to try” and “knows he’s the main character.”
This wasn’t traditional menswear modeling or dudeoir photography. It was something looser, edgier, more cinematic. Royce reclined sideways, feet up, expression dialed somewhere between bored billionaire and mischievous muse. We weren’t channeling GQ—we were rewriting it with a wink. There was nothing eager or posed here. Just a man sitting in full permission to look damn good and not give a damn.
This is what men’s empowerment photography looks like when it leans into fashion: unapologetic, curated, yet oozing effortlessness. No smiles needed. The smirk was in the styling.
Set 7: Warrior Whisper
This set was quiet power. Royce was hesitant about the idea of a warrior theme—he didn’t want to cosplay. So instead, we used fur, shadow, and body language to suggest strength without shouting it. The result: mythic energy, restrained masculinity, and timeless presence. A warrior not in costume, but in conviction.
Set 8: Classical Form
Here, Royce became more than a subject—he became sculpture.
Inspired by ancient Roman statues and Renaissance paintings, this set embraced implied nudity with artistic reverence. Draped in soft fabrics and sculpted by directional light, Royce stood not as a model, but as a muse—each pose echoing centuries of classical form. There was grace in the way his shoulders caught shadow, tension in the way light traced the curves of his ribcage and jawline.
These weren’t just dudeoir-adjacent shots. They were visual sonnets.
The color palette turned subdued—creams, shadows, warm highlights—emphasizing form over flash. The composition became more symmetrical, more studied. Every angle was chosen with intention, echoing the balance and stillness of Greco-Roman art. But this wasn’t frozen history—it pulsed with modern presence. Royce didn’t imitate a statue. He became one, then cracked it open.
This is men’s empowerment photography at its most reverent: not about sex appeal, but self-respect. Not about vanity, but legacy. Art that remembers the man who dared to let himself be seen as mythic.
Set 9: Nature + Farewell
We ended where all good stories do—outside, where nothing can be faked. Royce stepped into the soft overcast light of the garden. There was no set dressing here. Just the Earth, his breath, and the quiet knowledge of what he’d just done over two intense days.
He leaned against a weathered wall, wandered into tall grass, stood beneath branches like a man rooted. These frames weren’t crafted for drama; they were invitations to exhale.
And then—the final shot.
A hat pressed gently to his chest. A half-smile, almost bashful, but sincere. Not the curated smirk of Gucci Man, not the sensual energy of Classical Form—this was something else. The look of a man who had just met himself in nine versions and found peace in the tenth.
If the rest of the shoot was about character, this was about truth. It’s here that dudeoir photography completes its arc—not in fire or fantasy, but in a soft, grounded exhale. Royce reminded us that the strongest ending isn’t always a roar. Sometimes, it’s a quiet smile in your own skin.
A Note on Boundaries
While some of the images in this blog lean into sensuality and artistic nudity, they remain in the PG-13 realm by design. The full experience of this dudeoir session went further—deeper, bolder—but those more intimate moments remain private, just for Royce. That’s the balance I often strike in men’s empowerment photography: creating space for full expression while honoring what stays sacred.
Health-Driven Pride: A Personal Milestone
Royce didn’t arrive at the shoot sculpted like a Greek god—but he did arrive changed. Having lost 55 pounds, he knew the work wasn’t done. And that’s exactly why this mattered. He told me he might return once he hits his next milestone, to celebrate the next version of himself.
Because men’s empowerment photography isn’t about crossing the finish line. It’s about recognizing the path you’re on—and giving yourself permission to be proud of it.
Why This Matters (and Why More Men Should Try It)
Men are rarely given permission to document their beauty, their effort, their journey. Men’s empowerment photography does just that. It doesn’t care if you’re chiseled or soft, tattooed or timid, stylish or simple. It asks only that you show up.
This shoot wasn’t about vanity. It was about victory. Royce turned the lens into a mirror, then into a canvas.
If you’re thinking about doing something like this, don’t wait for perfection. Start where you are. If you need proof of what’s possible, scroll back through these images. This is what happens when you commit.
Want more stories like this? Check out other all-day sessions like this intimate average male boudoir or this fearless woman’s multi-character portrait experience.
Manfold: The Many Layers of a Man
We called this project Manfold for a reason. It’s a made-up word, yes. But it captures something real: the many folds of a man—his characters, histories, desires, fears, and ambitions.
Royce showed us what it looks like to unfold. To reveal not just skin, but soul. And to do it through the lens of men’s empowerment photography, crafted with intention. If you’re curious about what such photography can look like, with the elements of dudeoir or not, this is it. And it’s just one story. Maybe the next one is yours.
Want to explore your own Manfold? Let’s talk.
Credits
Locations: Tennessee Fox, Hotel 1000 / LXR Hotels (@hotel1000seattle), and Peerspace (@peerspace)
Makeup and hair: Lauren Morones, Seattle Beauty Boss (@seattlebeautyboss)
Travel: Delta Air Lines (@delta)
Accommodations: Hotel Sorrento (@HotelSorrentoSeattle)
Behind the Scenes
Don’t have any, actually, as I was too focused and forgot to ask the MUA to get anything for me. Here is just a view from Royce Tesla Truck as he was bringing me from the airport, and Mount Rainier on my way back to the airport.
