Nude Photography

There are a lot of ways to work with nudes, but they all share something in common. Good Nude Photography is marked by anything other than the nudity being or sharing the main purpose of the photograph. The nude figure, or whatever part of it is shown, serves some purpose other than the simple recording of nudity.

For definition, a “nude” does not have to be completely nude, so long as the model is exposing portions of their body that are not normally exposed in public. This exposure can be literal or merely implied. A shot of a man or woman from the neck up, clearly taking off a shirt over their head, can be considered a nude, even though only their face and neck are actually showing.

There are many different sub-genres of Nude Photography. Each of them is, really, a different way of using the nude figure to serve the higher communicative purpose of the photograph. Here is a brief and incomplete list.

• Abstract_Nudes- The nude is disguised, so that the viewer sees shapes and light, first, then recognizes the subject matter as part of a person’s body. This can be done by shooting close-up, or altering the image during post-processing.

• Figure_Study- The object is to display how light reflects off of the human body in different positions, but there is no attempt to abstract the image, or hide the subject matter.

• Glamour - Nudity serves a fictional character that the model is portraying, to some degree. A woman wearing a cowboy hat and chaps, and nothing else, is a cowgirl first, then a nude. Usually involves costuming or specific props and background.

• Portraiture - Nudity serves to enhance the depiction of someone’s true personlity or an appreciation of their beauty. The personality is stronger than, or enhanced by, any nudity.

• Erotica - The subject matter is sexual in nature. Nudity, if present, serves the understanding or intensity of the erotic message delivered.

• Pornography - It may not be art to everyone, but it is a sub-genre of its own. The technical difference between erotica and pornography is that erotica allows, even requires, the viewer to consider the work intellectually in order to understand the sexual content. Pornography, on the other hand, seeks to control the perception of the sexual content by the viewer. The viewer is spoon-fed down a specific path to a fantasy of sexual availability or a distinct sexual act.

These can be mixed and matched. Experiment and press the shutter.

The following are tips for working with nude models. How to shoot each of the sub-genres will be handled in articles for those topics.

• Never touch a model, even one you are intimate with in real life, during a shoot. If you must touch a model, ask permission each time. Photography objectifies the subject. Nude Photography both exposes and objectifies the subject, so paying attention to their personal space allows them a feeling of control over the situation.

• Have a plan. Experienced models will know what angles and poses work for them, and these should be explored, but have your own reason for doing this, or you are just taking pictures of naked people.

• Significant others are allowed to be present, but never on set. I have a hundred pictures of a beautiful young woman looking beyond the lens for her husband’s approval. While you are not going to be intimate with the model during the shoot, it is an initimate experience, and you don’t want to compete for that intimacy with someone who has an unfair advantage.

• Remember that, if you execute every technical, lighting, and posing aspect perfectly, you are still only 50% of the art. No model is such a seasoned pro that they don’t need to hear how much you sincerely appreciate their 50% of the contribution.

• Do not be discouraged by the truth. The truth is that, for the most experienced and creative nude photographers, 19 out of every 20 shots are still just going to be “pictures of naked people”.

All members of the forum are invited to place a link to their Nude Work in this section. Why learn how one person does this, when you can learn how twenty do?