Nudes...?

[Randy]

Perhaps I am to critical, perhaps my tastes have changed over the years (duh), but I find that I am rather disappointed with the majority of the large format photographs of nude women that I come across. Of course, as long as the photographer is satisfied I guess that is what really counts, and I never offer an unsolicited critique. The problem I have is that the attempts are seldom inspiring (to me). Rather than try to describe what I find un inspiring, let me just say that so often it seems to me that, if the subject had of been fully clothed it would have been a mediocre portrait at best, and the fact that the subject is undressed does not make it any better. Nothing magical happens by being nude.
Let me admit that I do not photograph nudes, and never have.
Am I alone? Am I being to critical? Is it just like any other photographic subject, landscapes, trees, close-ups, there will be some that just don't do it for me...?

[Nodda Duma]

The way shadows and highlights play on bare skin make nudes a different subject than the fully clothed.

[Leigh]

The way shadows and highlights play on bare skin make nudes a different subject than the fully clothed.

Exactly.

- Leigh

[Greg]

I don't think that you are being too critical. Over the years have tried photographing nudes many times. I would think my resulting images were very good until I looked at them next to some of the nude photographs made by Wynn Bullock. "so often it seems to me that, if the subject had of been fully clothed it would have been a mediocre portrait at best" My images had always fitted that description.... they just didn't possess that magic element which I hope someone will attempt to describe in this thread.

[Jac@stafford.net]

A photograph of a beautiful woman is not necessarily a beautiful photograph. A photograph of a landscape is far more challenging in many more regards. The sun and moon do not pass over studio nudes until the light is right. The landscapes we see are usually better in every way from the nudes. I remember back to the nudes of some guy named Frank who just pushed his models into a corner of a room with white walls and snapped. It was all utter crap.
.

[Tin Can]

Perhaps I am to critical, perhaps my tastes have changed over the years (duh), but I find that I am rather disappointed with the majority of the large format photographs of nude women that I come across. Of course, as long as the photographer is satisfied I guess that is what really counts, and I never offer an unsolicited critique. The problem I have is that the attempts are seldom inspiring (to me). Rather than try to describe what I find un inspiring, let me just say that so often it seems to me that, if the subject had of been fully clothed it would have been a mediocre portrait at best, and the fact that the subject is undressed does not make it any better. Nothing magical happens by being nude.
Let me admit that I do not photograph nudes, and never have.
Am I alone? Am I being to critical? Is it just like any other photographic subject, landscapes, trees, close-ups, there will be some that just don't do it for me...?

I shot a few nudes 25 years ago. No more.

I no longer need to, or want to and my problem is 'Political'.

There I put it in writing. Which nearly guarantees somebody is going to want me to shoot nudes shortly.

[Tin Can]

A lot of women drive Jeeps.

[Wayne]

A lot of women drive Jeeps.

Yup. I've seen pictures.

[faberryman]

Am I being to critical?

I am not sure you can ever be to critical.

[Greg]

I am not sure you can ever be to critical.

In 1981 Harry Casimir de Rham wrote me in longhand!!! "to try to develop an attitude of tolerance and cheerfulness, and to remember the ironic fact that the perfection which can be drawn from within the depths of the human being can never be found in a machine."