Basil Clavering is an important name in British gay photography, a pioneer specialized in a new genre: the military discipline. With the different names "English Royale Sudio", "Royale Studio Photography" and "Hussar Studio" Clavering worked in London in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's shooting athletic and muscular guys posing in uniform in discipline siatuations including corporal punishment. Some models show typical regimental tattoos, probably many are real Guards. 
His pictures were absolutely groundbreaking, totally bordeline and, of course, illegal; tecnically were well composed, with a good lighting but suffering the limitations of a small studio. Some photosets are serious, depicting formal situations and reflecting the realities of National Service life; 
it looks like the guys were enjoying the shooting, as if they were reliving past personal experiences. They never posed naked; this is unusual but, doubtless, shorts, boots and headgears give more fetish details to the viewer's fantasy. If Studio Royale or Hussar Studio made movies they haven't survived; the police raided Clavering's studio on many occasions in line with the repression of homosexuality in England: a total ban on sex between men existed from 1885 until the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality on 27 July 1967 when the Sexual Offences Act finally received Royal Assent. We hardly can understand how difficult and dangerous these photo sessions must have been; some models were radiated with consequent criminal records, in 1967 homosexuality for civilians in private was legalised but it remained illegal in the army and navy, only recently it has been resolved in the British forces. Probably all these difficulties made this photographic genre ceased. Because of the numerous police raids very few negatives and colour slides have arrived to us. In the 1970's a magazine titled 
"Guys in Uniform" was published, it appears to be a Clavering's work. It seems that he was living in Portobello road and going every week to the famous flea market looking for old uniforms. Thanks to Yahoo's britishgayphotographers group and Squaddie John.
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://www.milism.net/royale.htm
Basil Clavering is an important name in British gay photography, a pioneer specialized in a new genre: the military discipline. With the different names "English Royale Sudio", "Royale Studio Photography" and "Hussar Studio" Clavering worked in London in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's shooting athletic and muscular guys posing in uniform in discipline siatuations including corporal punishment. Some models show typical regimental tattoos, probably many are real Guards. 
His pictures were absolutely groundbreaking, totally bordeline and, of course, illegal; tecnically were well composed, with a good lighting but suffering the limitations of a small studio. Some photosets are serious, depicting formal situations and reflecting the realities of National Service life; 
it looks like the guys were enjoying the shooting, as if they were reliving past personal experiences. They never posed naked; this is unusual but, doubtless, shorts, boots and headgears give more fetish details to the viewer's fantasy. If Studio Royale or Hussar Studio made movies they haven't survived; the police raided Clavering's studio on many occasions in line with the repression of homosexuality in England: a total ban on sex between men existed from 1885 until the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality on 27 July 1967 when the Sexual Offences Act finally received Royal Assent. We hardly can understand how difficult and dangerous these photo sessions must have been; some models were radiated with consequent criminal records, in 1967 homosexuality for civilians in private was legalised but it remained illegal in the army and navy, only recently it has been resolved in the British forces. Probably all these difficulties made this photographic genre ceased. Because of the numerous police raids very few negatives and colour slides have arrived to us. In the 1970's a magazine titled 
"Guys in Uniform" was published, it appears to be a Clavering's work. It seems that he was living in Portobello road and going every week to the famous flea market looking for old uniforms. Thanks to Yahoo's britishgayphotographers group and Squaddie John.
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