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The Photographer

by J. Robinson (link)

Genre erotica
Pairings none
Length 5 chapters
Status Completed

The year 2000 changed a lot of things for Hanson fans. Suddenly, the cute, young guys we loved were, well, men–if not legally, then certainly physically. While sexually charged hanfics were nothing new, these changes brought new life to that particular sub-genre, and one of the queens of it was none other than J. Robinson.

Each chapter of this brief story focuses on one character. Throughout it all, the titular character is never described, although they sound male to me. They see the boys as we do, or at least as many of us did at that time. Isaac, suddenly grown into his looks. Zac, his sexual appeal outstripping his maturity. Taylor, otherworldly and androgynous, attractive and attracted to all sexes. While some of that doesn’t line up neatly with the boys we’ve gotten to know better since then, it’s all too easy to remember the way things were.

J. Robinson portrays each boy well, although they are perhaps a bit too self aware, too understanding of their own appeal. Still, it doesn’t come across as conceitedness in any of them; in fact, they’re all wary and, at first, unwilling to open up to this mysterious photographer. In the end, though, the photographer gets the pictures he or she was after, and the brief final chapter provides a slightly humorous look at the fans’ reactions.

While this isn’t one of J.’s longer, meatier stories, nor is it one of her especially smutty ones, The Photographer perfectly captures her style and the zeitgeist. Perhaps a bit corny now, it’s a great, brief trip down nostalgia lane.

Review by Bethany (website)