For the Love of Bali

When San Francisco photographer proposed a vacation, he asked the right person to tag along. George Duroy is the force behind Bel Ami, the gay adult film company justly famous for its gorgeous young models filmed amidst exotic settings with the highest-quality camerawork.

As befits "The Love of Bali," the two men took some of the top stars of the Bel Ami studio along with them to one of the most beautiful spots in the entire world. Bali is a mostly Hindu island in what used to be known as the East Indies, between Australia and Indochina.

Today, it is part of the sprawling nation of Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim nation in the world by population. Bali doesn't separate itself from the rest of Indonesia by religion alone. It has an entirely separate culture.

The Balinese hand-puppets and batik cloth are probably what Bali is most known for, but the island has a long and storied past. Along the way, it has developed its own identity. It is hugely popular with young tourists and is covered with lush tropical forests.

The gaggle of gorgeous young men, photographer Roffman and producer Duroy rented a house in a jungle compound. Roffman took photos of the young men surfing, climbing trees, communing with wildlife that is nearly as cute as they are, and having romantic interludes.

Boys To Men

Although legal, many of these look, well, pretty young. They all conform to the Bel Ami type: on the thin side (but tight bodies), hairless, defined facial features, slightly longish hair, uncut.

Romantic Couplings

The photographs that worked for me were the couplings. Roffman has a real gift for capturing these men in moments of tender passion. Although the photos include frontal nudity, they are never prurient. This is a book that you really can keep on your coffee table and not worry about it. In a word, no matter what the set-up, the photos always remain tasteful.

Man and Nature

The models often venture out of the compound into the surrounding jungle or the ocean. The exotic flowers and giant green palms provide a beautiful context for the naked flesh.

The men touch each other with real tenderness. This is not the "get-down," hard-core type of lovemaking, but sensuous, languorous ... like an endlessly bright, tropical day in Paradise.