Nude portraits undoubtedly belong to the most popular subgenres of glamour photography. But how does one make it look artistic rather than vulgar? I would like offer you some general insight on how artistry can be achieved in shooting nude portraits.
When shooting a nude portraits one must always hold the following in mind – they are, first of all, art. However daring they may appear, the chief goal of a good nude portrait is to evoke thoughts and deliver spiritual pleasure. This is all theory though – to hell with it, it’s high time to see how it is done in practice!
Here you find 7 techniques and pieces of advice to guide you through the basics of nude Glamour Images and provide some valuable insight as well as priceless mindset.
- Remember – you want your nude photos to be aesthetically shot and artistic, not vulgar and trivial. Make emphasis on body shapes and texture. Displaying too intimate details should be avoided – people usually feel uncomfortable when staring at someone’s genitals. Let your sense of taste take flight – if you’ve got one (and you must have, otherwise why in the world would you take interest in glamour photography), nothing can go wrong;
- You shouldn’t fall victim to the game “look how much junk I managed to stuff into this picture!” – your model is to wear only essentials that contribute to the mood of the picture and correspond to basics of good taste. To create an impression of glamour and elegance, you only need something pretty and sophisticated to complement the composition – but not to draw the viewer’s attention away from your model;
- For practical purposes one should always avoid using so-called “hot lights” in a studio. At all times, cold lights are more appropriate – for the sake of saving electric power, not sweating like a pig and having more space for creativity. You would also want to obtain some soft-boxes to get more diffused light. In fact, softer lighting always contributes to the atmosphere of your nude portraits, so don’t disregard with this opportunity;
- Always mind the proportions: depending on the angle from which you shoot, your models body can become too stretched or too short. Don’t you think it wouldn’t actually demonstrate your good taste?
- Get inspired. To break the limits and stereotypes, combine and try different approaches, styles and techniques – the outcome may be truly astounding;
- Shoot, shoot, shoot and did I mention shoot? I mean it – to call your session successful, you need lots of material to look through. That’s why professional glamour artists produce thousands of photos per studio shoot – to choose 10 to 20 really good pictures in the end;
- Establish a connection with your model. She is not just an element within the frame – she is your vital partner and your very best friend when it concerns working in a studio. She helps you to create these portraits and can provide some really valuable insight. A model who doesn’t feel comfortable can ruin the shot, however skilled you are!
Shooting nude portraits is not easy – as well as being into Glamourous Photography. Yet you can achieve a lot if you keep practicing and pushing on. As they say, with one step you can start a trip of thousand miles! Or, in our glamour photographers’ case – with one flash.