Lensbaby

I don't shoot puppies or landscapes or pretty flowers or insects. I photograph people...female people....nude female people, and I won't apologize for that. So here are a couple of shots from a nude seminar that the LB was used to capture them...RHW

RHW...Surrey, BC, CANADA

These are very nice shots. I especially like the composition in #1 where you lose the face in the shadows. I don't have any problem with photography of nudes. I am always chasing my wife around with my camera when she changes but she moves faster than I can focus.

Her face in the shadows was purposeful...to give anonymity. This is the only way I could post these (and other) images I have of the model. There were to be no identifiable marks, birthmarks, scars, tatoos, or anything else that could inadvertently make her identity known. In agreement with this my images are now primarily "Figure Studies". But I'm always at odds with this as I feel focusing on the torso dehumanizes the model/subject. So I always like to try to include some other feature...face in shadow, a hint of the jaw, hands and feet, etc. that will stay say, "There's a person here...not just a slab of meat". Michaelangelo did not cut off David's head, why should we?

RHW...Surrey, BC, CANADA

i like it. i live in a small comunity in the bible belt, so i prolly couldnt get away with doing nudes, but i do like them. i think these were very tastfully done. good work

beautiful

oliver

[olivertudorasphoto.jimdo.com]



"some people make the world special just by being in it "

Thank you both for the encouragement.

RHW...Surrey, BC, CANADA

I like them, too.

Would like to see the first one without the stocking... It really grabbed my eyes away from the meaning of the photo.

Somewhat off-topic.. Do you have the nudes ever developed? I would love to do tasteful nudes (long story, my co-worker and I have giggled about doing some tasteful shots of her in her long coat with nothing on but stilettos {{for the new man in her life.}} )

Cheri Lynn - Using LB2.0

I asked the model for the stockings as I wanted the viewers' eyes to fall on other things than just the body parts. Plus I liked the color scheme. Basically it was just trying out something new. I'll keep this pose in mind for another time and another model...one without stockings (ie. truly nude)

Unfortunately I had to share this model with 5 other photographers (we were in a seminar setting) and I didn't want to spend all of my time and card capacity with the lensbaby. But I do try to include it into every shoot I do as it's a neat thing to play with.

I'm not sure what you meant by "Do you have the nudes ever developed?". I guess what you are thinking is that I'm shooting film and have I ever had the films developed. The answer to the first part is no...this shot and the other were digital so there is no need for film development. The answer to the second part is yes...I have done nudes on film and had them developed. I tend to use one photolab in particular where I know the people, know their honesty, their intregity, and so I feel comfortable with taking film there...or for that matter, getting prints done there. The type of nudes I do are, I think, not of a pornographic nature and so I have no concerns. Of course I wouldn't take these to any Drugstore lab or Walmart...too many hassles with "Puritans" who consider the human form (male or female) to be Obscene when the only obsenity is their thoughts. But that's another pet rant of mine.

So if you are considering doing some nudes of your co-worker and are shooting film try to find a reputable lab, one willing to deal with you. The easiest way of finding out is to talk to other photographers or talk to the lab people themselves. If you are shooting digitally and want to get lab prints done the same goes as for film.

As to the actual act of photographing nudes you, as a woman, have an advantage over me...namely your sex. I can't say for a fact but I would think that a woman nude photographer would have an easier time of it than a male. There's less of the tension and you would being seeing what is of importance to a woman so your images would have a totally different feel. There are many world renowned female photographers and their images are viewable on the Internet. Go seek them out, see what images they have done and freely emulate their poses and lighting.

Nude photography is not for everyone (whether subject or photographer) and so some people will react with a great deal of uncomfort. This manifests itself in many forms from outright disgust to a nervous giggle. I think your co-worker really would like to do this but is unsure of herself (most likely thinks that her body is not in prime shape) so I would suggest that you try a few things to lead up to this. Start with some semi revealing clothing (with undergarments), progress to undergarments and robe, then undergarments only, then the removal of the last bits of clothing but still draped...semi draped...and finally undraped. Often it takes a longish while for the model to become comfortable, to feel 'safe'.

Throughout all this keep talking to her, show her what you have in mind for poses, and if you shoot digital show her some of the better images as you do them. This will give encouragement.

If you are shooting film, because there is a lack of immediacy with the images, try bringing a low end digital 'point and shoot' and use it for a few poses. In the not_too_long_ago photographers would set up and shoot Polaroids to test the pose and lighting. They would also show the models so they would get a sense of where the session was going. Nowadays a little 3 megapixel camera will do the same thing.

Good luck with your co-worker. If you want to talk more on this just send me an email. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I've got some experience and I'm building more as time and photoshoots go on.

Richard W.

RHW...Surrey, BC, CANADA