The Nude Genre

I personally love to shoot nude as a model as I like to show that men can be artistic and look great naked too! Nude modelling also focuses on the models actual ability to pose as we have no clothes to hide behind. People have put me down and tried to be negative but I will continue to shoot nude and change the narrative

JPea said

The Ghost

I was meaning the model not the photographer but it does matter equally.

I meant the model too :-D

Hence why I said art nude and not nude in general, nobody wants to encounter a middle aged photographer at sunrise/sunset with nothing but a tripod to cover his modesty ;-)

Thanks everyone for sharing your views, it's been interesting reading everyone's replies :)

FarmerSteve said

I struggle with nudity - I love the results, particularly when I get it right, but the process often stresses me out. I took up model photography to help overcome acute shyness and improve my self confidence - which it failed to do. Fortunately other factors have helped improve this significantly, but I still struggle when it comes to the nudity side of things. I've had shoots where I've booked for some degree of nudity & only shot clothed or lingerie because I couldn't get my confidence up enough or overcome my shyness to move the shoot in that direction. It usually helps if the model is confident and at home with nudity or if we "click" at the start of the shoot. That said, I still usually enjoy the process and results even if I don't shoot what I originally intended.

I understand exactly how you feel.  On my first shoot with a pro model I went all around the clothed houses….couldnt bring myself to as k the model to disrobe.  Finally she said “I thought you booked me for classic nude, I am a nude model after all.” “I did” Says I. “So, when do I get my kit off then” She retorts grumpily. “Errr, now” I stuttered.  The rest went swimmingly….
I’ve never looked back….and if I know the model I still use “kit off” in memory of my ‘breakthrough’.

tandi said

No matter how liberal you may think someone is, it's a coin toss to how they will react regarding people they know modelling nude or photographing Nudes, unfortunately I have heard that the negativity can be toxic.

Me personally I enjoy doing partial or implied nudity, the photos always seem to stand out and are less boring that the clothed shots for some reason, though I'm really struggling with where to display them. I get brave and upload them only to regret it and remove them, it's a roller coaster ride of indecision for me! Luckily my husband takes 99.9% of my pics and transfers every image's (RAW and Edit) copyright by assignment to me, so I am completely in control of those images, which is daunting ;-)

Male or Female nude or partial nude photography can be extremely artistic and those are the ones I love viewing.

I agree entirely.  At my first exhibition I got my friends and acquaintances’ responses to my nudes entirely round the wrong way.  The ones I thought would be very “oo er, missus” were really cool and debated with me the merits of each image.  The ones I thought would be cool were either hugely embarrassed or made smutty comments.  You can never predict….

Holly Alexander

"Models, what do you enjoy about nude modelling? Alternatively, why do you not do it?

Photographers, same questions."

I think one thing I like about the nude genre is you have to work at it to make it look good. I think it works best with expressive and confident models.

From a personal perspective I find a model who works up to nude to be "easier". I don't work a ton of that level, but I like working with someone who's confident enough to work with that amount of range.

I don't do it a lot as my wife doesn't really get it, while also, there's not many places to display it.

I did have the chance of working a male nude a little while back, but said subject seemed more interested in getting off on it as opposed to creating something interesting.

I am looking for a good female subject for nude in future.

B17fan said
 I believe photographing nudes sets me apart from many "ordinary" photographers that either don't get the chance or lack the courage to shoot nudes.

I hate to break it to you but if you look at  PP (and many other forums)  you are an "ordinary" photographer. Most  on here shoot nudes.   Though I very rarely do.

As for your comment about lacking courage to shoot nudes... That is being silly and shows a lack of understanding. Most GWC shoot nudes there is nothing courageous about it.   OTOH There is a lot of very courageous non nude photography for example:  war zones, riots, investigative journalism in deprived areas and looking at criminal activities. To think shooting nudes makes you special or courageous is a joke.

jamedia . For "ordinary" I meant the average "snapper on the street" not anyone on P.P.

B17fan said

jamedia . For "ordinary" I meant the average "snapper on the street" not anyone on P.P.

Then you have no idea.

There are a lot of GWC shooting nudes that is the "ordinary".  It is far more common than the "snapper on the street" . 

The term "snapper" comes from photo journalists*  who are by and large a lot more courageous than the ordinary GWC shooting nudes.
Street shooting is quite dangerous. You should try photographing conflicts, riots, or in deprived areas and dubious street stuff.

*actually "snapper" for photo journalists comes from the military "snap shooting"  where you have to shoot the target or image instinctively whilst it is still there or before it kills you (or both)  as opposed to taking  30 seconds to set up the shot.

jamedia said

As for your comment about lacking courage to shoot nudes... That is being silly and shows a lack of understanding.

Well, my particular experience tells me that it's you that lacks understanding. However, ignorant people are commonly incapable of recognising their own ignorance of a subject so I won't hold it against you.

I know I would get a lot more work but am stuck,where you were. I am well known and respected in my local community and people not in this photograohy world don't understand. If  one got out I would need to crawl under a stone and hide. While they all point at me and tut. I fear o would lose a respectable position.

Grey Gent said

I know I would get a lot more work but am stuck,where you were. I am well known and respected in my local community and people not in this photograohy world don't understand. If  one got out I would need to crawl under a stone and hide. While they all point at me and tut. I fear o would lose a respectable position.

I am not sure about this, though I do understand it. I do think that for male nudes and anyone over 40, it matters very much more that the work is “good” or “worthy” to untrained eyes.

But then I think this may be broadly true for art nude for all subjects: only extreme prudes judge people harshly for being in art, and work identifiably art doesn’t often have “disrepute” associated with it in our current UK culture.

I imagine little disrepute attaches to very high quality art nude work. But finding a photographer who has the appropriate sensibilities to define what that means for older male subjects is another matter. With respect to everyone on Purpleport there is very little of that work here, though there is one notable remarkable exception.

I think that here we have an example how a pleasant sensible thread can suddenly degenerate when two or more people are saying different things and being misunderstood.

And then, for some obscure reason it all begins to go pear shaped.

Very sad!

jamedia said

 

… There is a lot of very courageous non nude photography for example:  war zones, riots….

.

jamedia said
…You should try photographing conflicts, riots….

jamedia said
….I have done all the genres I mentioned ….

War correspondent then?

https://www.jamedia.uk/

;)