Nude photography under natural lighting may seem easier than studio photography. But it is a myth! Of course, you don’t need all this complicated lighting equipment, but you have a task which might be even more difficult! You should consider lighting situation when you choose the place and the model image. Your experience and practice in studio nude photography will help a lot.

1. Daytime direct sunlight will give hard and shapeless shadows similar to those from upper light in studio. Morning and evening diagonal rays reduce softness, but there is an advantage. Morning and evening light creates very intensive colors. The same effect you can get with front light in studio.

2. Oncoming natural light as well as studio lighting creates a favorable atmosphere and mood. Harsh sunlight and direct studio lamps make details sharp. While diffused light on a cloudy day creates soft colors.

3. There are two approaches to nude photography under natural lighting:

• you can show a model and nature as a unity
• or you can use expressive nature details as rocks, trees, etc for contrast

4. Where to shoot? Generally, photographers shoot at the water sources, mountains, in forests. The main problem is to find a peaceful place where there are no people. It is very important, because even an experienced model will hardly feel at ease during a nude photo session if there are people around. And if the model has no experience in nude photography, it is always better to start in studio or at a lonely beach.

As a rule, a nude models feels more comfortable near the water source. Rocky background does not help the model relax, but it allows to experiment with poses which may look absurd on the beach.

5. Use a long-focus lens if the background is too bright. It will help to create a narrow DOF, which means a blurred background and a sharp main subject. If the background is soft, you can use a shot-focus lens.

6. Color-reflection is wide-spread phenomenon. Be careful if you shoot in the forest, under trees or on the meadow, because green shadows are reflected on the skin and can spoil its color. Under the blue sky on the beach, shadows are usually blue, but a red towel, for example, on which the model lays, will give a red tone to the skin.

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Glamour photography is the photographing of model(s) with the intention of producing sexually appealing images.

Standards of glamour photography have changed over time, reflecting changes in social morals. For example,

• in the early 1920s, USA photographers like Ruth Harriet Louise photographed celebrities to glamourise their stature.
• During World War II pin-up pictures of scantily clad movie stars were extremely popular among US servicemen.

However, until the 1950s, the use of glamour photography in advertising or men’s magazines was highly controversial or even illegal. Magazines featuring glamour photography were sometimes marketed as “art magazines” or “health magazines”.Playboy was instrumental in changing the world of glamour photography as the first magazine that focused on nude models and was targeted at the mainstream consumer. In December 1953, Hugh Hefner published the first edition of Playboy with Marilyn Monroe on the cover and nude photos of Monroe on the inside. Marilyn’s star status and charming personality helped to diminish the public outcry. When asked what she had on during the photoshoot, she replied “the radio.”

After Playboy broke through, many magazines followed and this was instrumental in opening the market for the introduction of glamour photography into modern society. Today, softcore nude photographs of models appear in publications such as Perfect 10 or tabloid newspapers such as Britain’s The Sun’s Page 3.

Recently several popular glamour magazines known as lad mags are reversing the trend by emphasizing glamour while showing less nudity, in favor of implied (covered) nudity or toplessness such as the handbra technique. Examples include FHM (For Him Magazine) and Maxim magazines, which launched in 1994 and 1995, respectively.

Art, Porn and the Erotic

‘There have been many attempts to define the differences between artistic, erotic and pornographic approaches to the body, but I doubt their usefulness. There are images of the body that sicken or disgust me - some of which, such as the terrible nakedness of the victims of famine or inhumanity we should perhaps occasionally feel obliged to contemplate, difficult though it sometimes is. Some other pictures simply disgust, but can (and should) generally be avoided. Then there are images that interest me, images that amuse me, those that please me, those that arouse me - most of the best pictures do several of these things - and there are those that leave me cold in every sense.’ Read more
Further Reading:
Who Else Wants to Try Nude Photography
How to Choose Models for Nude Photography
Nude Photography Techniques

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Legs are an important expressive means, as their position often define the pose of the whole body. Legs are a symbol of force for men, while for women legs are an attribute of gracefulness and sexual attractiveness. It is very important to choose the right position for legs, as their position can either improve and accentuate the beauty of your models or completely spoil her figure.

Here comes some general tips that will help you to choose the optimal position for legs of your model.

1. If you want to see your model with crossed legs in the photo, you should be aware some possible deformations of the form of her legs, especially in the area of calves. To avoid this effect, ask your model to lift a little bit up her upper leg.

2. If you take a full-length portrait, avoid placing a camera at eye level, because it may make the legs of your model seem shorter than they really are.

3. If your model has short legs, it is recommended to shoot from below. Or you can ask your model to tiptoe.

4. If your model has too wide hips, you’d better avoid frontal shooting. If the model will cross the legs, one contour won’t be seen and her figure will seem slenderer. Read more in this article 5 Tips for Slender Hips: digital photography tutorial.

5. And last but not least! If you have any idea about visual arts, you are sure to know the term Contrapost. Though, as there still can be some readers who are new to photography and are not good at the history of visual arts, I will explain what it is.

Wikipedia.com: ‘Contrapost is the position of a figure in painting or sculpture in which the hips and legs are turned in a different direction from that of the shoulders and head; the twisting of a figure on its own vertical axis. This gives the figure a more relaxed and less stiff appearance. It can also encompass the tension as a figure changes from resting on a given leg to walking or running upon it (so-called ponderation).’

Contrapost has been used since the dawn of classical western sculpture. Such great masters as Discophoros, Doryphoros, Michelangelo and Donatello, as well as Leonardo da Vinci created their masterpieces using this technique. Why not benefit from a tried-and-true technique? Look at the picture on the right and try to copy the pose.

The current post is included in a series of articles devoted to Nude Photography, which also contains the articles:

• Who Else Wants to Try Nude Photography
• Do You Make These Mistakes in Nude Photography?
• 5 Tips for Slender Hips: digital photography tutorial

Technorati Tags: nude photography, photography tips, portrait photography, model, digital photography