These pics capture the weird and wonderful faces people make while masturbating

In an age where the majority of porn reduces women (and some men, too) to sex objects, we sometimes forget that sex makes us vulnerable.

We also forget that sharing sexual pleasure with someone is a very intimate thing.

That's why, 13 years ago, Beautiful Agony started curating videos from real people, taken while masturbating. The videos are shot from the shoulders up so the viewer focuses solely on the person's face, bringing the sensuality, beauty, and vulnerability back into the orgasm.

The results are sweet, strange, and sometimes hilarious. Take a look for yourself.

Cofounders Richard Lawrence and Lauren Olney started Beautiful Agony in 2003.

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Beautiful Agony

"We wondered whether film of a genuine, unscripted, natural orgasm — showing only the face — could succeed where the most visceral mainstream pornography fails, and that is, to actually turn us on," they wrote on BA.

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Beautiful Agony

The site "kicked off with a handful of videos made by curious friends who liked our theory."

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Beautiful Agony

"The results amazed all of us."

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Beautiful Agony

People loved it. "It soon became obvious that Agony had to endure, so we started to charge subscriptions and pay the contributors."

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Beautiful Agony

"Submissions then began to come in from all around the world."

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Beautiful Agony

Beautiful Agony expanded, adding interviews with its contributors.

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Beautiful Agony

"We added Confessions, probing inquisitions where contributors are asked to bare their souls about all things sexy."

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Beautiful Agony

All the videos live in the BA archives, like a little bit of history of human sexuality.

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Beautiful Agony

"They're a very candid and sometimes hilarious insight into human sexuality of the early 21st century."

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Beautiful Agony

In addition to the website, video clips have been shown at New York's Museum of Sex and LA's Hollywood Sex Museum.

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Beautiful Agony

Some videos are free to view on BA, but many, many others are available by subscription.

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Beautiful Agony

And remember, the site is always accepting submissions, so if you're into it, you can always contribute a video of your own ;)

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Beautiful Agony

Find more of Beautiful Agony's videos online.

Head to BeautifulAgony.com, and you can find it all.