Nude

[Greg Miller]

Greg

I like your nude work very much. To me it plays as a collaboration of photographer and model to celebrate the sense of "natural" beauty in the human form and its comfort in, or oneness with, the rest of nature. Perhaps it is, as well, a celebration of the freedoms of being in private, natural or uncivilised places. This of course can simply be my interpretation of your intent, rather than your actual intent.

Whatever the exact intent, your photography of the nude is work about beauty and delivered in a beautiful treatment... not cheesy "take off your clothes and let me take a snap shot that doesn't make you look very good, or have any sense of your mood, or make any logical sense of your placement in the context". I guess what I am saying is that some nude work is beautiful to me, some is provocative, some makes me see things in new ways, some is indicative of high craft, and some strikes me as simply awkward and dumb. Just like other areas of photography, I guess.

This being a "feedback forum" I think it is fair to make implicit suggestions.

Thanks Ashlee.

I think your original comments were fair. I do think that shooting nudes raises the bar. I also shoot landscapes. Nobody every questions my motives for shooting landscapes. But when shooting nudes, I think there is frequently the questioning of motives. Am I just a "guy with a camera" who is just looking for an excuse to have a woman disrobe for me? So I think there is an added burden to be sure that the nudity actually has a purpose beyond what shooting the model clothed would have. And that can be difficult because so many viewers first have to get beyond the nudity for nudity's sake themselves.

I also think that successful photos are not just a photo of a beautiful object. There are plenty of snapshots of beautiful objects. A successful photo has to rise above the snapshot level. Some of that comes down to technical aspects of photography. But a successful portrait cannot just be a pretty rendition of the subject. It needs to communicate something more about the subject. A successful landscape with a nude needs to communicate something more than just a pretty object in a pretty scene.

I think that is where you are at too. Rising above the titillation factor and actually creating something meaningful.

[Michael E]

Nobody every questions my motives for shooting landscapes.

Depends on the landscape. Shooting nudes without acknowledging that society attaches special meaning to a naked body is like shooting landscapes of the Chernobyl ruins because the clouds look so pretty. It is always a good thing to reflect upon one's motives. And it is very important to have motives in the first place.

Michael

[Greg Miller]

Depends on the landscape. Shooting nudes without acknowledging that society attaches special meaning to a naked body is like shooting landscapes of the Chernobyl ruins because the clouds look so pretty. It is always a good thing to reflect upon one's motives. And it is very important to have motives in the first place.

Michael

In the context of Ashlee's comments and my comments, I was talking about having motives other than photography (using the camera as an handy reason to be around naked chicks). My last post, I thought, made it clear that elevating photos beyond snapshots involves having higher motives than just taking a nice photo of a pretty subject.

[Greg Miller]

On a lighter note, I, for one, have enjoyed seeing all the photos posted. So keep 'em coming.

[Frank Petronio]

I wonder what these higher motives and meaningfulness actually are, like specifically?

Because I don't know. They look like pretty pictures to me, well done. But what else is there to them?

[Asher Kelman]

I wonder what these higher motives and meaningfulness actually are, like specifically?

Because I don't know. They look like pretty pictures to me, well done. But what else is there to them?

Elegance and a sense of uniqueness might be part of it.

What sunset picture would you buy?

Asher

[Michael E]

In the context of Ashlee's comments and my comments, I was talking about having motives other than photography (using the camera as an handy reason to be around naked chicks). My last post, I thought, made it clear that elevating photos beyond snapshots involves having higher motives than just taking a nice photo of a pretty subject.

You made your point clear. I just wanted to add some thoughts of my own. Having a motive (photographically or by means of photography) and knowing your motive/consciously persuing your motive are so important and so many times neglected.

I wonder what these higher motives and meaningfulness actually are, like specifically?

Because I don't know. They look like pretty pictures to me, well done. But what else is there to them?

Let's keep this within the context of nude photography, but please let us know the thoughts and motives that drive you.

Michael

[Nathan Appel]

what a shame..., everybody here wants to be a white knight so the last few pics posted have been ignored.

[Christo.Stankulov]

well - I have dabbeled a little over the years with nudes...

Here's a bleached cyanotype.
18x24cm neg. Gandolfi 8x10 traditional - boyer 300mm lens.

Great image, Emil

[ustas]

what a shame..., everybody here wants to be a white knight so the last few pics posted have been ignored.

Agree.
Too much words for my eyes.
Personally, i prefer shooting instead of talking)

Leela
P&S VQ
13x18 Delta 100