Places to shoot a nude in LA?

[Frank Petronio]

I have a little trip coming up in a couple of weeks and I have a really nice (and beautiful) woman that wants to do a semi-naked photo and I already have a pretty good concept in mind. I'm looking for a place with late afternoon light in the foreground and a darker background (no sky or horizon), either rocks or vegetation, a steep canyon wall or cliff would do. Probably the coast would be best if I could find a side canyon and shoot North or South to get side light in the afternoon. Or one of the hillside canyons if the light doesn't disappear over the rim at 4pm... (shooting April 8).

No you can't come along!

But I am looking for a little location help. Private property would be ideal but any "cool" quiet place would probably work as long as there aren't a lot of worryworts around.

I'll give you a print if it works out... thanks

[BrianShaw]

How about in Terminal 8 of LAX? At the far end it tends to be quiet with not too many people. Might even be edgier and more interesting than shooting in a canyon. Everyone shoots nudes in canyons and beaches... it's getting to be a bit cliche.

[Frank Petronio]

lol thanks....

[Ron Marshall]

The Hollywood bowl, between events.

[Steve Wadlington]

I work on an Oil Platform 10 miles off LA. We would be happy. We have a nice big heliopad with plenty of sky.

[C. D. Keth]

There are some nice beaches around malibu that are long enough walks down (think a few hundred yards, people here are lazy) that they're pretty secluded.

[Mark Woods]

Frank, Christopher has a great idea. I've shot for Playboy film in some of the little "pocket" parks on the beach. You have a little bit of a hike, but you definitely have privacy. Google Malibu State Parks and you should find some. BTW, I enjoy your site and blog.

Good luck,

MW

[Ash]

Find some museums

[BrianShaw]

I work on an Oil Platform 10 miles off LA. We would be happy. We have a nice big heliopad with plenty of sky.

What an image that conjours up: Frank, his camera, a nekkid girl, and twenty grungy guys who have been out to sea for a while. I hope you can swim, Frank.

[Frank Petronio]

Yeah! that would be a great shot in itself.

[Brian K]

What an image that conjours up: Frank, his camera, a nekkid girl, and twenty grungy guys who have been out to sea for a while. I hope you can swim, Frank.

Yeah, Frank is the perfect type for those grungy oil workers, stuck on a platform for a month at a time. Good thing there'd be a woman present to protect him. Frank, try not to wear anything too revealing. And please, no photographer's crack, that's all it would take.....

[Doug Dolde]

Go to Point Dume in Malibu. At the headlands there is a stairway down to the beach on the LA side of the point. That beach down there heading again towards LA and below Cliffside Drive is often a spot for nudists. It's south facing with a high sandstone cliff at the back. You can see the deputy coming for a long way :)

I lived on Pt Dume for seven years and did a lot of beach walking.

[Duane Polcou]

Frank, a favorite spot of mine is Topanga Canyon State Park. Last time I shot there was admittedly a while ago, 2002, but very few people, nice waterfall. Take Topanga Canyon Blvd. from either the PCH or the Ventura Freeway into the mountains. I believe there is a sign marking the entrance.

[nathanm]

The oil platform sounds like the perfect choice here. Dirty industrial background with the pretty girl…I'm sure it's been done before, but not nearly as much as the pretty girl in the pretty location. It would be a cool place to shoot, girl or not, for that matter.

[Frank Petronio]

I had fun, we went to Point Dume - thanks Doug - next time Topanga - a local 17-yr boy had a heart attack

[Turner Reich]

I had fun, we went to Point Dume - thanks Doug - next time Topanga - a local 17-yr boy had a heart attack

He'll be spending the next year in his room with the door locked.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Frank, definitely heart attack material! Hell, that first shot will have me locked in my room!!!

Jim

[Doug Dolde]

Frank, glad you found it. It's Paradise on a good day.

[rjphil]

Nice sneakers ........... :D

[Joseph O'Neil]

What the heck is it with all these damned tattoos anymore? Too much anymore, what a distraction!
:D

[Tom Schaefer]

Nice pair of
sneakers.
nice shot

[Bruce Schultz]

I don't get the tattoos either. Henna tattoos that fade away after a few days, OK, but what are those things gonna look like after 40 years?

[Ash]

What are they gonna look like in 40 years? Ask Ringo :P

[Frank Petronio]

One heavily-tatted girl told me that after 30 her life was over anyway, so it didn't matter.

Another burst into tears and hated all of hers because it was her ex who did them and he kind of sucked.

[Jeremy Moore]

I don't get the tattoos either. Henna tattoos that fade away after a few days, OK, but what are those things gonna look like after 40 years?

I don't know many 60-70 year olds who are too tied up on appearances.

[Jerry Bodine]

I don't get the tattoos either. Henna tattoos that fade away after a few days, OK, but what are those things gonna look like after 40 years?

Probably a little wrinkled.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Well here is a possible answer on tattoos for everybody:

http://www.mdolla.com/2009/04/old-tatoo.html

As you can guess by the age, many of these photographs were taken by some kind of large format camera, so it keeps the thread nicely on topic.
:)

So I am kinda split here. Although I don't like tattoos at all, they do make a good photographic subject. Still, it does make you wonder what the model will look like in 40 years? If you are strong in fortitude, on that same web page there is a link for "granny tattoos", but since they were not LF photographs, I didn't post the link. Plus, I'm not that cruel.
:D



joe

[nathanm]

What's to wonder about? Everyone knows what people look like when they age, so why would having tattoos make a difference? She'll look like an old person with tattoos. :cool: The point is, we can all enjoy what she looks like NOW.

Tattoos are powerless against the forces of nature, though. If you're magically babelicious then no amount of ink can change that. That whole Suicide Girls aesthetic pretends to be some alternative standard of beauty, but it just isn't. It's just the standard genetic hotness honed since time immemorial with a different set of decals slapped on it. Whether or not you like the decals is a matter of taste. When the underlying math is working for you, it's all good.

[steve barry]

part of the appeal, for getting tattoos, is they incite those of you who don't like them. and it works. every time. why do we always wind up talking about frank's girls instead of the photos?

[Frank Petronio]

Cause you're all "Dads" at heart, lol.

[nathanm]

why do we always wind up talking about frank's girls instead of the photos?

Because they've got cans, not canyons?

[steve barry]

haaaaa