Sculptura Delas Bellas Artes

Do you think I am being exploitative? I got that from a fellow

classmate a few weeks ago and I almost quit the class because I felt i

was. For me when it comes to doing nudes, its Art! I dont see the

model as an object of sexuality, but as a human being. When it comes

to shooting nudes, I always ask my models to give me the illusion of

Full Nudity without Full Nudity.... I am a big fan of Bokeh which is

why she is not fully sharp!

Please critique me!

Alex, 

The questions you ask are deeply philosophical, and certainly worth answering, but I feel you are jumping the gun because your photograph lacks certain features which define craftsmanship.  One must become a craftsman before trying to experiment with the great questions.  I will mention a few that I think need correcting.  Her face and arm are chalk white while the shadows and her shoes sink into darkness completely losing texture.  The traditional criticism of this is to call the image "soot and chalk."  I learned about the gray scale by working with film and studying Ansel Adams' Zone System.  When it came to digital photography I quickly discovered that using only camera raw files and manipulating the characteristic curve in Adobe Bridge gave me more control that Adams ever had with film and darkroom.  The craftsman controls tonality.

If you analyze your composition you discover that the use of dark negative space is not working for you but against you.  Her face feels crowded into the left border while there is unbalanced emptiness on the right.

Once in my life I tried to make some wooden furniture.  An old craftsman looked at my work and his advice was "learn to handle wood and learn to make artistic joints - then tackle furniture."  I believe there is a parallel here somewhere.

Regards,

Jerry Matchett

good

It is nice shot, lovely model, she looks like Jenny a nude model, nice done.

Nice idea, but it would be nice to see more contrast. We can barely see her shoes, and her face has almost no detail left. As for the "exploitation" question, really? Are you forcing her in any way?

Well... I like it! Don't get discouraged by fools my friend, perserverance furthers it does.
-r-

Speaking as a woman, I think it is great that you are asking yourself these questions and are aware of how women are so very often exploited in nude photography. I don't agree that one must become a craftsman before asking the questions...I think asking the questions and seeking the answers is what makes one a craftsman. Yes, there are flaws...we all make them and that is how we learn. Keep asking and keep learning and you will do well! Thank you for sharing. :)