Learn to Take Great Nude Photos With These Important Tips

Nudity truly goes back many, many years. The ancient Greeks and Romans painted and sculpted great nude gods and goddesses to bow to their beauty. Whether in religious art or portraits, the nude body has fascinated people since the dawn of times. So many artists through the ages have enchanted us with their works, including Michelangelo with his Sistine Chapel, or the statue of Venus, all showing how perfect the human body is.

At its core, nude photography is simply taking pictures of a nude person, be it a male or a woman. Most of the times the naked person is a woman. While at times the photos focus on the human sexuality, it is far from being pornography. If done correctly, it is actually an art form which involves scientific precision.

Rather than being explicit and sexy, it evokes emotions and feelings, it is abstract and symbolic. And it definitely is not easy. If you think that it's all about taking a few pictures of a naked person, you're dead wrong and you're heading to a failure from the start.

When you talk about nude picture taking you are usually referring to either half or full body nakedness. If you are thinking of giving nude photography a go, here are some tips to get you started in the right direction. Note though that this art form is quite a tough niche in itself with lots of competition, so you really need to get an edge over the others to succeed.

The Art of Taking Aesthetically Pleasing Nude Photos

Nude photography is one of the areas of photography that most artists embrace at one point or another. It has that appeal that not many can resist. Nudes have appeared since early on in all types of artistry: from paintings to statues all the way to photography, black & white, and now full color.

When people hear about 'nude photography', they immediately thing of nasty, ugly things such as pornography and the sorts, and many times with good reason. Sadly pornography has tainted everything and while in the early years painting or sculpting a nude was an art form, now it's considered tacky and distorted sexy. Yet, nude photos can be taken in a very pleasant, artistic and tasteful way without touching on the dark side. The secret is to remove the sex from it. When the naked model is trying to be sexy, the photo automatically becomes cheap and dirty.

If a person is trying to be sexy while fully clothed, it works ok, as already proven by advertising. However trying to look sexy while naked, it automatically sends the viewers a very precise message, whereby everything else is forgotten but the 'sex'. But how to accomplish that which is apparently so difficult to achieve?

One way is to have the model look away from the camera. Have her gaze far away, as if thinking of something past, or recollecting a personal memory. This shows that the model has a soul, has feelings and is not simply a sex toy. The main ideas is for the model to express an emotion other than sexy for the viewers. Have her look dreamy or lost in thoughts, tranced, far away.

If you frame the picture without her face showing, the nude photograph will be an abstract rather than a person without clothes. Alternatively she can turn her head so that her face is not visible.

Lighting is another important part of taking out the sex from a nude photo. If you've noticed in porn movies and pictures, there is always a strong and bright background lighting. Having too much light has nothing to do with artistry, with conveying a true atmosphere. This is why you need plenty of shadows, which means that the model should have light pointed to her side or behind her. This creates a sense of mystical that leaves lots to the imagination and the mind.

By only having proper lighting and the model not look directly at the camera you will achieve the perfect artistic look that will not bring the mind automatically to pornography, but rather to a beautiful piece of photography.

Make The Nude Your Own

As the director of a nude themed art event, I have seen over the years, hundreds of submissions of nudes. I find artworks consistently fall into common categories. While each of these categories has a distinct place in the history of the nude, at the same time, their commonality of these nude themes can detract from establishing an artist's uniqueness.

The following is a list of common nude themes seen repeatedly in art portrayals of the nude human form. After considering each of these themes, also consider how you might create nude art "outside the box" to highlight your own unique art through the beauty of the nude.

1. Nude and Mythology. Nudes of antiquity dating back to the time of ancient Greece and Rome have portrayed the nude with mythological gods, goddesses and legends. Particularly common themes include nudes of Prometheus, nymphs and fawns, Venus, etc. Similar to the worship of mythological figures and their perfection, this format allows the nude to be worshipped in its perfection as well. Also included in this genre include angelic nudes. Mythological portrayals of nude figures with beautiful wings seem to be a natural inspiration for many artists.

2. Adam and Eve Nudes. Eve with the snake; Eve with an apple; Adam with an apple, Eve and Adam in the Garden; all of these themes are ubiquitous with numerous submissions annually portraying the nude, or nakedness, in relationship to the Original Sin. Being unique within this theme is a particular challenge for an artist.

3. Classic Posing Nudes. We have all seen these classic forms of a nude figure reclining on a chaise or sitting in a fixed posture. In these nudes, the primary focus is on the pose itself and how it accentuates the features of the nude human form. Less focus is placed on the model themselves and more on the actual positioning of the body.

4. Nude Contrasts. Whether it is guns, leather, machines or chains, contrasting the soft, beautiful nude form with hard, rough images is a natural focus of many nude artists. By contrasting the two together, the nude is elevated in its natural elements of shape, beauty and perfection. This method is commonly used by artists to deconstruct their perception of the perfect nude ideal.

5. Nude and Nature. A female nude along the soft dunes of a sandy beach; a male nude juxtaposed in a setting of brush and craggy trees; exposed human forms sprawled along jagged rocks; to an extent this is also a contrast of images, but also a theme that accentuates the natural state of the nude body. Nature and the nude share a "nakedness" and a beauty of creation that has made this theme universally common.

6. The Nude Sketch. Simple and often two dimensional, the nude sketch is a basic, beautiful portrayal of the nude. In addition, the nude sketch is timeless and routinely appeals to many. When you are at friends homes, you may actually notice how common the nude sketch is as well as its popularity. These are consistently easy pieces of art to sell when priced correctly.

7. Black and White Nude Photography. Black and white nude photography is also a popular choice among art viewers and often has a great chance of being sold. Black and white photography in particular is flattering to the human nude form and can be manipulated to hide flaws and present the nude in the best light. Proper lighting is critical when dealing with black and white photography, and settings can be used to emphasize exotic or other features an artist wants to portray. As digital photography continues to advance, these themes of the nude will undoubtedly remain common.

8. Nude Portraits. Finally, everyone is accustomed to seeing a nude portrait displayed. In its own right, these portraits can either portray a specific individual, or painted or sculpted anonymously allowing the viewer to envision themselves in the portrait. This concept of anonymity can pertain to other nude themes as well.

As an artist, the human body offers a beautiful subject to express your artistic talents as well as your inner emotions, thoughts and perceptions of the world. The nude has represented this for artists since the beginning of time. But in choosing how you want to portray the nude, consider breaking new ground outside the common themes that are repeatedly seen at events, art shows and galleries.

Nude Art Photography

Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject is the representation of the naked (full nude) or partially naked (half nude) human body.

The aesthetic value of nude photography and its boundary to erotic photography can only be determined with difficulty and inter-subjectively and is also affected by its numerous overlaps with pornography. In consequence, nude photography and erotic photography always find themselves branded in multiple ways, and labelled as works of artistic freedom, aesthetics, kitsch, junk or provocation. The boundaries of nude photography, erotic photography and pornography are so undefined and continuously changing that they are always determined and defined by the subjective moral view of the individual and the generally accepted cultural confines of "customs and tradition".

Whether the picture itself is art or junk always lies in the eye of the beholder. One (subjective) definition of the worth of a nude photograph is: "A nude photo is then good, when the Model shows it around at the coffee table at her grandmother's birthday party and receives positive feedback." (Günter Rinnhofer) Other definitions have been by far more controversial. For Horst Werner this art form has always been about provocation and evoking of emotions. He prefers disgust, shock and aversion (as evoked for example by his photographs of nudes at a cemetery or of disabled people) to indifference, which in his opinion, is often the only reaction generated by other, more conventional art styles. Additionally, it is nowadays no longer such a taboo to depict the primary sex features of a human being. However, in contrast to pornography, nude photography does not actively pursue to excite the audience, although this does not exclude that it is consumed with this intention and effect.

Tasteful nude photography is often regarded as high skilled photography as besides technical knowledge and the ability to manipulate light the nude photographer also needs strong communication skills and the ability to build a positive relationship with his model. A modelling contract between photographer and model often includes additional remuneration to the model besides payment and publication rights.

Guide to Glamour Photography

Many photographers do not find much difference between glamour and fashion photography. True they are similar in certain aspects, but glamour photography is more about photographing a female model with little or no clothing, while Fashion photography is all about the clothing! Glamour photography is not intended for endorsement purposes. During World War II, glamour photos were called pin-ups, and consisted of scantily clad movie stars. These were extremely popular among American soldiers.

It's believed the most important change came with the introduction of Playboy Magazine! This was the first magazine to focus on nude models and its target was the mainstream male consumer. Hugh Hefner published the first issue of Playboy in December 1953 with Marilyn Monroe on the cover. Nude photos of Marilyn (the reason I started in photography), were also printed on the inside, which enhanced her image as a sex symbol and helped to subdue the public protest. In recent years popular men's magazines have started a trend by focusing more on the "glamour" and less on nudity. Some of these magazines include Maxim, Stuff Online, and the UK's FHM.

Photographing female models has evolved over the years, and as a photographer you need to understand this evolution before you can ever become a professional glamour photographer!

As a glamour photographer, there are some key elements that you need to master and understand. First you must understand the sharpness of your models eyes is critical. As a beginner with auto-focus cameras, most promising glamour photographers tend to focus on the nose, chin, or shoulder. This lesson is to learn how to focus on your models eyes while shooting. Photographers may experience a problem when using auto-focus cameras. This type of camera will tend to focus on the center of the image by default. Always be careful with your settings, and be sure to understand just how your camera operates!

Female Form Photography

I don't think that it's any secret that the female form or body has been attractive to men for many, many moons. Sexual attraction may be the first thing to come to mind, however the female form is something of a wonder and to many an artist and beholder in general. There are many different forms of artwork paying homage to women including Whistlers Mother, Mona Lisa etc. Today of course we can also achieve greatness in art from the still camera.

Female form photography explained -
Female form photography is almost as it suggests. It is the capturing of the female form image while she poses for photographic purposes. There are many competent photographers today with established photography businesses specializing in different modes of female form photography. These modes include both commercial and artistic strands, often both in one.

Why female form photography?
As indicated earlier, female photography is an evergreen topic of interest for men mostly. But just why is it so popular even after so many centuries?? By now, it seems almost all poses and art expressions of a woman have been captured by the camera. However, it is still in vogue! These are the probable reasons for the sustenance of the female form photography:

A woman's body has been a symbol of reverence for men. A woman has always stood for beauty, truth and purity beyond the reach of men. Capturing those delicate moments in a single expression creates ripples in the photography market.

The next obvious reason for the added interest is the physical attraction that men have for women. Female anatomy photography is a definite yes for them.

Last but not least is money. Female photography fetches lots of money. Photographers have been known to become wealthy quickly in this arena. As a result, female nude photographs are always in demand.

However, no matter what the reasons are for the photographer, it is the ultimate affect the photograph captures that is important.

Some female form photography tips
Clothes on or no clothes, females have always been a favorite subject of photography. However, it takes talent and perseverance to get the exact expression that would make your photos world famous. If you need some tips about female form photography, then given below are few start ups that would hopefully help you along.

Five Types of Portrait Photography

Pictures are not only means to capture memories; they are also an efficient way to express creativity. Portrait photography or portraiture is one way to express a person's mood and personality. With a camera and good lighting, you can create drama and art out of you or other persons' body.

Portrait photography usually gives emphasis on a person's face. Modern photographers however, incorporate other parts of the body and different types of background. Portraiture comes in five different types, namely candid, creative, gritty, nude, and fashion photography. Read on if you want to know more about these types.

Candid - The subject is photographed without his or her knowledge. This way, what shows in the picture is the natural side of the person. Clicking the camera while people are moving results in interesting facial reactions and amusing poses you can never get from models projecting before the lenses. This however, involves a certain responsibility as an artist. You simply can't release or publish your candid photos unless your subject signs a "model release form" as permission.

Creative - Creative photography aims to take pictures that are more uniquely artistic. This type of portrait photography can be done with the application of different focus techniques, angles, lighting, lens types, and other elements. Photographers experiment with their cameras, other elements, and sometimes their subjects to come up with artistic shots. Creative portraits often make the subjects more interesting.

Gritty - Most gritty portraits come in black and white. Models show different emotions to add drama to the entire photo. Most pictures appear fairly grainy, thus the term gritty portraits. Light is one crucial element in creating such photos. It helps emphasize the features of the face and other elements in the picture.

Nude - Many people often see nude photography as a form of pornography. Most photographers practicing in this area believe the human body is one the most interesting subjects. Nude photography is all about art and not a means to express any sensual meaning. Pose and lighting go hand in hand to make great nude pictures. When you want to have a nude portrait of yourself or with your partner, ensure the photographer is professional enough to make it look classy and not against your preference.

Fashion - As the name implies, this type of photography focuses more on the clothes worn by the subject. Most fashion portraits come in full body shots to show the overall appeal of the dress or any piece of clothing. Some fashion portraits come in close up shots to show more details of the garments. Backgrounds and locations are also important in this type of photography. These elements must match the clothes to express glamour or display a brand of clothing.

Digital Nude Photography - Top Tips on How it is Done

Nudity is a form art that dates back to the ancient Greeks. Paintings and sculptures were erected to depict the various gods and goddesses of the time to serve as a reminder for all time. Talented sculptors and artists were responsible for these works of art. So how do we create a modern day equivalent on representing nudity in art?

Photography is visual art and photographing nudity has been around since the camera was invented. Nude photography can involve either half or the full body. An appropriate location can set the mood together with a variety of poses. Nowadays, we can take advantage of the benefits that digital photography brings us. But it is not all about the camera. There are 3 contributory attributes that will make a perfect nude photograph and these are the camera, the model and the location.

The Camera
There is an extensive list of benefits as why digital photography is so superior to film cameras and why all photographers now use them. This is no different in nude photography. Many seasoned professionals and keen amateurs choose the single lens reflex digital camera (or SLR). Pictures are previewed before the shutter is pressed via the built in LCD screen. Pictures are also reviewed after the shutter is pressed via the built in LCD screen so the photographer can choose to keep or discard the photo. Memory sticks are used instead of film - the main difference being is memory sticks are reusable which means once the photos are upload into a computer, the memory stick can be wiped clean and is ready to use again. Images can be transformed by the camera or by software to a vast array of photo effects including black and white or sepia.

The Model
This is the person either chosen or volunteered to pose in the shot as nude and must be someone who is completely confidant and comfortable with baring all in front of the camera. This person does not have to be a magazine glamour girl or guy but appropriate to how the photographer wishes to portray his art. Often photographers take portraits of their models before they are nude.

Why is Nude Photography Viewed As Pornographic?

Nude photography is typically viewed in one of two ways-as either pornographic or as fine art. The key to successful nude photography is learning to do it in such a way that there is no doubt when looking at the photographs that they are clearly intended to be artistic.

Rules for Nude Photography
First of all, there are a few clear rules that photographers who wish to shoot artistic nudes should adhere to.

Rule 1. Never do a nude photograph of anyone under the age of 18 years old and never without the person's full awareness and consent. In addition to being 18 years or older, the person being photographed must be of sound mind, legally responsible for his or herself, and exercising sound judgment-i.e., not impaired by alcohol, drugs, or anything else.

The only exception to this rule is shooting "naked baby" photos, and most photographers adopt the rule of "only up to one year old" for these, with parental consent, and with a parent present.

There are some occasions where parents will catch a snapshot of a child older than one year of age naked in the bathtub, running around the house after they have learned to undress themselves, and the like, but this is also the exception-and this is with your own children or grandchildren.

Rule 2. Always have a clear understanding-preferably in writing-with the model as to how and when the nude photographs will be used, printed, or published and by whom. I could write an entire article on that alone, but that pretty much sums it up.

For the purposes of this article, "nude photography" will refer to posed nude photographs of legal adults. All of that being said, let's focus on how to create tasteful, artistic nude portraits.

The Art of Glamour and Nude Photography

Creating nude portraits has long been an element of art - instead of capturing these portraits with the brush on canvas; today they are captured with the pixel.

Since the invention of photography the naked human body has been a natural subject for photographers and there has always been a large audience there for it.

What is glamour photography? Glamour photography covers a wide range - from the partial nude body, which you may see an a billboard advertising ladies underwear to the erotic images or the full nude body you may see on Page 3 of some papers or adult magazines.

There are no special elements to photographing glamour; all the standard photography techniques remain the same. Care should be taken when photographing models, nude or partially nude because some may find a sexual element attached to it.

Finding a market: Glamour photography remains one of the most lucrative areas of freelance photography. For a student trying to break into the glamour photography market, he would be well advised to use a film camera over digital. Film will give you warmer skin tones and give you a greater chance of being published.

When trying to find suitable markets for your glamour photography, the same principles apply as in any other photography field. You must study "Glamour Photography Publications" to find out what sort of material they use.

Where to shoot: If you don't have your own studio, don't worry. Most of the great glamour images are shot on location. Shooting in the natural environment will be rewarding - use the early morning light to give extra warmth to the skin. Try different places - your neighbours hay barn can make an effective setting for a glamour image or if you have an attractive garden - perfect.

Choosing a model: One of the basic elements of glamour photography is a willing model. If you are having trouble finding one try your local art classes. People with an ambition to be a model may let you do test work. But if you are serious about being a glamour photographer you should work with a professional model.