What drives a Photographer of the nude ?

You would have done well to skip your third paragraph. I wonder if you personally know anyone on the left who really holds the beliefs you describe. From where I'm standing, it sounds like scare tactics that apparently come from the pulpits of some churches or other sources of propaganda designed to reinforce an us-vs-them mentality.

Don and Lee.

 

I appreciate your thoughts but your comments do not reflect what I've written. Either of two situations exist, my words are not being read in their entirety as context is clearly being lost, or what I'm writing is not being understood, for what ever reason. To me, it's better I should withdraw from the thread.

 

Wishing all well in these matters.

"I appreciate your thoughts but your comments do not reflect what I've written." Thomas

 

Been here and done that before, I think.

 

"Man is the measure of all things" is a pagan concept.

 

 

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Don E

""Man is the measure of all things" is a pagan concept."

 

Don, your above is exactly what I was writing about as what I wrote had nothing to do with measuring man (people), being judgmental or delving into pagan concepts..

 

Since you're not able to understand (respond to) what I'm writing, then it's incumbent upon me to quit trying as at this point, no disrespect intended, I figure you have to be trolling cause your responses are so far off mark that I have no other conclusion to come to.

In the perfection of naked youth, man is physically beautiful, intellectually beautiful, and beautiful of purpose. Man measures The Divine. He is the measure of all things.

 

In its origin "man" was gender-specific.

 

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Don E

Odd, isn't it, when you think about it. Western art can be traced back to a statue of a naked boy.

 

I'll leave it at that.

 

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Don E

"To me, it's better I should withdraw from the thread."

 

Thomas, if it helps, I understood what you said in response to my post. However, it did not address any of the post's content.

I must say I'm a beginner at nudes, but if there is any category of photography I wish to be specialised in it is the (fine art) nude photography. Only I want to get to it in as small steps as possible. For instance, first trying to get better when it comes to technique, photographing someone you know, without some clothes, without all clothes, photographing someone you don't know that well, etc... At the moment I don't have anyone I could photograph nude I know, so I think I'll wait. I don't want to mess up...

 

But what drives me to it? First of all, I 'discovered' photography thanks to a nude photograph I accidentally saw on the internet that gave me the 'WOW'-feeling and made me search for more. Nude made me find out about photography.

 

Secondly, it is a big challenge, because you don't only have to deal with the picture, you have to deal with human feelings, more than with portraits, because people are vulnerable nude and there are many who are insecure about their bodies or don't really dare to be there. It is a challenge in itself to make them feel comfortable and let them know that they can express themselves freely.

 

Thirdly, I like purity and realness. Clothes can make me 'itch'. Photographing someone 'stripped from clothes' makes themselves more pure to me. That also makes me want to show both the positives and the negatives, not only the positives. I want to show someone as he/she is, and I'll only edit pictures in Photoshop when something 'bothers' the photo. (don't know the right word in English). That of course is a challenge again, because people want you to change their breasts and whatever, and I'm not into that. I want to show them the way they are. BTW. Of course I do want to show the person in a beautiful way, but that doesn't mean they should be thin or they can't have 'imperfections'.

 

Fourthly...something that has to do with the purity thing is also that I think that I can make a difference with my photographs when it comes to realness/purity. I see many pictures of real skinny models, or 'ideal' people, people changed/edited in Photoshop or the models look very 'posed'. I want to show that one can make good photographs, even better photographs with models that don't look like the average model and that have their imperfections, that actually make them more perfect. Photoshop sometimes strips them from character and I want the character brought back in the photo. For instance, not so long ago two girls asked me to make a remake of the famous 'kiss' photo of Tanya Chalkin. Now I only have a camera, no light equipment or moorings (don't know if it's the right word in English, dictionary says so) so that I can hang above them totally straight, so the photo didn't turn out perfect but definitely real. (they were not nude btw, but it was quite intimate) Both of them have done automutilation and when you take a close look to the picture you can see the scars on their arms. Now that I wouldn't want to delete at all, because it belongs to them and therefore belongs to the picture.

 

And finally, another reason. It may be a controversial one, but I think photographing nude people can make them more comfortable and secure about themselves. I modelled myself and I noticed that the modelling as well as the results made me more self confident about my body. If it goes well, it can be even considered some sort of 'therapy'. :P Just from my own experience.

Well, all I can say is if people were meant to be photographed (or painted or sculpted) naked, they would have been born that way.

 

Since my spirituality says God created mankind in His image, then it seems we should celebrate ourselves, as well as our ability to procreate. If nudity sometimes produces sexual tension, so what...maybe it's supposed to in some cases. That's probably why photographers don't seem to strive to shoot 300 pound bearded ladies (apologies in advance to all the 300 pound bearded lady nude models).

 

To me, it's also about curves, lines, shading, and texture. Easier, I think, to get that from the human body with one-stop shopping. Like so many have said, if it's tastefully done, or makes an artistic or social statement without hurting anyone (especially kids), it ought to be ok. If it's vulgar or common, it oughtn't to be ok.

Guy, I will try to get back at your questions, with my humble point of view.

 

Why have I started doing nude photography... First of all after trying many fields in

phootgraphy, I have come to the conclusion I was always drawn back to taking photos of

people... I then began with portraits for several months, trying to capture the model's

beauty and soul. And I had a num feeling I was only scratching the surface, that the

models were not revealing their soul to me...

One day, I came across a model I immediately felt had something special, and after the

session I asked her if she would come back for some nude photos. She agreed. I must

admit I was pretty nervous before that shoot. I had noticed she had high standards and I

didn't want to disappoint her with poor photos. On the day of the shoot however,

everything went well, very relaxed, friendly and professional. I can assure you that during

the shoot all my attention was on the light, the set, the props, also making sure the model

was confortable.

Do I have to push personal feelings aside ? Yes and no ! Those that need to be pushed

aside do so by themselves, I still have " feelings ", those that allow me to look at the

model, see her beauty, see how to enhance it further. I am exclusively concentrated on the

model, her soul, her "aura". Because the model drives the shoot as much as I do, and

different models want to put different things in a shoot. It all comes naturally with respect

and thankfulness for the model.

Friends and family ? I have nothing to hide, I am not ashamed of what I am doing. This is

not to say that I go and publicize it to those who'd rather not know about it. If asked I am

frank, open and honest about it. My wife and kids of course know what I am doing and

know I'd rather not be disturbed when in a shoot, so they always know when one is in

progress.

My thoughts during the shoot ? It's excitement of creating nice images, shooting digital, I

show the model images I am particularly happy about, show hem how they look, so as to

involve her even more in the shoot. Sometimes, if I am really happy about the shoot, I give

the model a quick hug or a peck on the cheek, childishly, to show my joy. After the shoot

however, it is important for me to allow for some time with the model, discussing the

shoot, usually going out for a coffee or driving the model home. I call it " landing ". I have

noticed on a few occasion I wasn't able to do it that I felt bad for days... God knows why.

Having a daughter about the age of the first model I photographed nude, I obviously went

through a lot of self questioning. Until the day I met the mother of that model and she told

me she loved the photos I made of her daughter... From that day I knew I was on the right

path.

Just my experience. Hope it helps.

And to think that all of this will be archived on the world wide web until the end of time (or the end of the

internet, whichever comes first).

 

Sorta makes you proud, doesn't it? :P