The gals get my attention visually, though there are some awful attractive guys out there. I find that it can be the little (and not so little) things that get my attention. I have my “types” that my eye goes to and my brain says “hmmm... nice!”. I have to admit I'm a breast guy. However, this is instantly overwritten if the hair color (red or dark black) and the facial features (nose is important) are really nice. Height can be variable, but I tend to go for the extremes. This rolls up into a brain that seems to be constantly “grading” people visually. Normally this would be incredibly shallow, and it is, but I believe that it is a good fit for photography this art is completely visual.
A quick aside, I don't think that my engagement of the physical is hardwired to gender, mine or the other person's. Yes, I am strongly inclined to consider the female gender foremost, but there are some guys that are very attractive and these kinda fit into some “type” boxes. I am STRONGLY attracted to red, and this applies to red hair and red dresses. This visual cue has nothing to do with my gender or the other person's gender. My brain seems to lock into the color and then I start noticing other things, like gender.
Back to photography. I do lots of group events via my contra dance pursuits. I have to admit I do have my favorites to photograph. Some are favorites because I find them attractive, period. Others are favorites because of the way they move, presenting themselves for the camera. I tend to photographically stalk the wonderful people who combine looks and movement. In compensation I work to photograph everyone who crosses my lens camera. I believe contra dancing is a wonderful pursuit and my goal of photographing it is in order to capture the celebration. Everyone deserves to be celebrated in this respect.
And now back to the crux of this posting. I tend to photograph what I find visually attractive. The attraction is strongly biased by sexual attraction, but there are other determinators. Movement, emotion and scene composition come into play. In theory my photography is not influenced by romantic attraction, but I have to admit that I also favor those whom I'm romantically attracted to. Why? It isn't about upping my chances of doing romantic things with them. It is about capturing the moment. Attraction to a photographic subject is motivating. Photographers want to capture what they find attractive. My gender influences this, but it is not the determinator.
IMO life is like photography. Sexual and romantic attraction are influencers of where we put our attention. Gender is an influencer, but honestly, it is more of a distraction than an enabler. Yeah, it sets up scripts that are easily played out, but this is window dressing to the stuff going on both shallow and deep levels. Peel back the onion and attraction has less and less to do with the sexual and romantic things. Engagement is really the goal.
