He now handcrafts frames, lamps, bejeweled starfishes and luxurious mirrors adorned with shells. But when I met him in the early 00s, Cloutier was best known for his skillful erotic photography. In fact, I visited his Hollywood home for a spread commissioned by Men magazine: before my eyes, Cloutier transformed his garage into a magic set and the harsh day light into a Flemish painting.
For this Playgirl portfolio, we picked different examples of his work on the male nude and his techniques: chiaroscuro for Frank Savino (Man for December 1987), daylight for Robert Bijan (Man for April 1988), black and white for Glenn Brown (centerfold of January 1991) and the iconic boy/girl layouts often used by the glossy to illustrate the “Reader’s Forum” (here the ‘boy’ is none other than actor Jonathon Schaech). But behind the many lighting techniques he mastered, you’ll find the same sculptural quality. The same attention to details, the same careful composition, the same artistry. Enjoy.
