Last Updated: March 2, 2023 by ritnppa

Category: Portfolio

SONY Portfolio Award: Ben Braun

Cyclists race around a bank turn during a race run by the Allegheny Cycling Association at the Highland Park Bike Track on Tuesday, June 23, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

A driver is moved on a stretcher after an accident between a Chevy truck and an AHN (Allegheny Health Network) Allegheny General Employee Shuttle on Federal Street on June 24, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jake Rahenkamp,16, and Michael Chungbin jump through sparklers on July 4, 2021, in Gibsonia, Pa. The two were family and friends in celebration of Independence Day.

Barney Oursler, Director of the Mon-Valley Unemployed Committee addresses the press during a Rally to demand that Governor Wolf reinstates withheld unemployment benefits outside the William S. Moorhead Federal Building on July 20, 2021, in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pa.

Byan Reynolds from the Pittsburgh Pirates slides to home-plate to end a tie in the 9th innie against the Philadelphia Phillies, on July 31, 2021, in the PNC Park.

Carlos Garcia falls from his bull at the Boys & Bulls Rodeo at the Fayette County Fair on August 5, 2021, in Dunbar, Pa.

Don Belt stands in front of other executives in the PPG Place fountain during the CEO Soak for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) fundraiser on August 12, 2021, in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pa.

Dakota Janes from the University of Utah races Trevor McDonough from Utah State University during the Dual Slalom race on Oct. 14, 2021, in Durango, Colo. Riders came from all over the country to race in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship.

Gitner Family Award: Vincent Alban

Guile, a dirt bike rider from Rochester, N.Y., poses while driving through downtown Rochester on Jul. 4, 2021. The riders typically ride in packs and often create lots of loud noise with their bikes, to the dismay of Rochester residents and police.

Players on the McQuaid Jesuit High School Knights Football Team (L to R: Jack Polito (6), Gavin Brownlie (83), Tim Flaherty (64), and Will Dimarco (80), relieve themselves before playing a game against the Pittsford Panthers at Ordiway Field at Pittsford Sutherland High School in Pittsford, N.Y. on Oct. 22, 2021. The Panthers upset the undefeated Knights, beating the team 31-21 after going on a 24-point run in the second quarter.

Diego Mojena, 22, poses for a portraits on July 4, 2021 in Rochester, N.Y. Mojena was a part of a 4th of July ride out, which many of the Rochester city dirt bikers participated in. Mojena, a father of two daughters, began riding this year, to the disapproval of his girlfriend.

Darby, poses for a portrait at Vertex Night Club, Rochester, N.Y. on Halloween Night, Oct. 31, 2021. Darby was dressed as the Pinhead from the 1987 movie “Hellraiser”.

Brendan Burgess, a student, dances while listening to music during class at Vertus High School in Rochester, N.Y. on Jan. 26th, 2022. Vertus High School is an all boys charter high school that focuses heavily on students graduating and having a plan after high school, as well as their four pillars of strong relationships, personalized year round academics, character education, and career preparation. Their unique academic style allows children to go through their course work at their own pace, allowing for more freedom as reward for completing their studies.

Trevor Lake, the lead musician for the Rochester based band, “The Televisionaries”, poses for a portrait in his home on March 21, 2021. Lake writes his own music as a solo act and owns a barber shop and vintage clothing showroom.

Daymeir Cain, center, a player on the Vertus High School Boys Varsity basketball team, cheers with his teammates before their basketball game against Rochester City School District World of Inquiry School No. 58 at Vertus High School in Rochester, N.Y. Vertus won 66-45. Vertus is an all boys charter high school that focuses heavily on students graduating and having a plan after high school, as well as their four pillars of strong relationships, personalized year round academics, character education, and career preparation. According to data from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), Rochester ranks lowest of the five largest cities in New York for high school graduation rates. Vertus’s goal is to help their students defy those odds.

Collar of Reverence – 01 BDSM is “sexual activity involving such practices as the use of physical restraints, the granting and relinquishing of control, and the infliction of pain”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The Aphrodite Group is a secretive BDSM club in Rochester, N.Y., where those interested come together to participate in the act and socialize. Dagmar and Kamakazi, who both go by pseudonyms for privacyreasons, have been “play partners” in a Dominant/Submissive (D/s) relationship since the club’s founding in 2016. “With a D/s, there is a connection in between our souls that the only way I can really describe is that I’ve never felt it before or ever in any relationship and I’ve been in love many times before,” said Kamakazi. “And I cannot envision anything other than Dagmar being part of my life further rest of eternity.”

Dagmar and Kamakazi embrace each other in an aftercare session after a scene at TAG on Jan. 8, 2022. Aftercare is an important part of BDSM culture to ensure the emotional and physical wellbeing of partners after a scene.

Kamakazi watches as another member of TAG spanks Dagmar during her spanking birthday celebration on Aug. 28, 2022. “I see her being able to be who she is here and not have to hide anything,” said Kamakazi. “In fact, I insist upon honesty in our relationship in all things. She has said to me the reason why she likes coming here is she can literally give up control over her life, and turn over somebody else to lead and help her through life’s challenges, whether it’s in play, or if it’s just in normal everyday life things.”

Kamakazi and Dagmar spectate other scenes in the basement play space at The Aphrodite Group (TAG) on Feb. 12, 2022. TAG has built up a strong community where they collaborate and experiment together in the safe space together on weekend nights for play parties. The club is “focused on consensual BDSM and Kink in a positive, supportive environment.”

Dagmar and Kamakazi eat together during the monthly Wednesday night party at TAG, which is meant to be a social gathering rather than a play party. They use the time to be together, not through acting in BDSM. “She struggles with the absences away from me for more than a few days,” said Kamakazi. “If it gets past 10 days, she’s crawling up the walls. One of the things I have to do is try to teach her train her to get through those periods.”

Kamakazi’s erotic drawings are seen hanging in TAG during a time when the club members watch a football game before they start their scenes for the night. Kamakazi is an avid fan of the Buffalo Bills, being a native of Rochester, N.Y. In addition to his artwork, Kamakazi also writes erotic thrillers, which he publishes and sells on Amazon. According to him, he is currently selling 500 copies monthly.

Dagmar poses at her home as a part of her daily ritual that she does to be connected to Kamakazi on days that she cannot be physically with him. She holds the pose for 15 minutes, but sometimes needs to do it while sitting down because her knees are weak due to recent surgery. They keep their BDSM lifestyles separate from their normal lives, where Kamakazi has a long term partner and Dagmar has a husband and multiple children. This image was created using a remote camera app due to Dagmar wanting to keep her home life private.

Dagmar reacts to Kamakazi whipping her during a scene. “I put my husband and one level and Kamakazi on another level,” said Dagmar. “But there’s a different communication between us that I don’t have with my husband. Even in hard play, there is a feeling, though, there’s a love or a romantic feeling to a degree. It’s not about the lovey-kissy thing all the time. But it has to do the touch between us.”

Kamakazi ties up Dagmar’s feet during a scene together. “Yes,” Kamakazi said. “I can feel the dominancy flow through my body. I can feel the something in me become a part of me that I normally squash in the everyday world, like when I go to work and I can’t talk about any of this. I have to squash those feelings, keep them pushed down. At home, I can’t do much but when I come here, I can release all of that.”

Dagmar waits before the collaring ceremony at TAG. The collaring ceremony makes a commitment to a long term relationship between the Dominant and Submissive. “I love wearing your collar or training collar,” said Dagmar. “Every time I touch it, it reminds me of you and the submissive I want to be. It gives me strength and joy. As years have passed, you’ve proven to be the only Dom I will ever want. Wearing your collar is my honor.”

Dagmar and Kamakazi talk after the collaring ceremony at TAG on April 9, 2022. The ceremony is symbolic of a big step of commitment in a D/s relationship, whereas the duo agree to be play partners for life. Kamakazi replaced Dagmar’s training collar with a new collar around her neck to symbolize his ownership of her as her Dominant, and they both signed a 34-page contract they produced together to establish the terms of their partnership.

Category: 2022 What We Do Tags: Ben Braun, nppa, Photojournalism, pj, RIT, rit nppa, Rochester, Vincent Alban