Looking at Stacy Kranitz’s project, The Study on Post Pubescent Manhood, reminds me of the first time I visited a middle school campus after six years at a nurturing neighborhood elementary school. Watching the pre pubescent boys charge out the doors filled with bravado, taunting, and sexual posing, I was shocked and a bit frightened that my son would be entering into this chaotic and aggressive environment.  I came to understand that this was completely normal behavior for that age and before long, it felt pretty tame and almost humorous.

What I recognize in her photographs is that Post Pubescent boys seem to still be up to their old tricks, but they are physically larger and feel more menacing.  It’s an interesting population to explore and Stacy has a limited edition 80 page book hot off the presses, published by Straylight Press on this subject, under the same title available in August, here.

Stacey received a BA in photography and film from New York University and is currently finishing her MFA at the University of California, Irvine. Her work has been exhibited in Louisiana, California, Florida and New York. It has also been featured in publications including the Elle, ESPN, Entertainment Weekly, Mother Jones, New York Times magazine, Rolling Stone, Vice and Wired.