I absolute love shooting bodyscapes of my models. I love the contours, the hills and valleys in landscapes. I find through my lens a wonder world of shapes and gentle curves. Often when I’m working with a model she asks what I’m shooting, I’ll say a portrait then she’ll ask way an I nude? And I explain I’m studying her body, seeing the way it moves, the way it tenses up and then relaxes. I usually save the bodyscapes for the last then I give my models a glass of wine and I start to play.
Watching the way their body moves during the shoot is key to my methods. I’ll sit back when were shooting and some pose will seem awkward or forced, give me something new I’ll say. I won’t say what then I get the chance to watch them create a new look or feel and the body will move. I watch the play of light over them and maybe if I’m lucky I’ll find something worth a visit later. I’m not doing it as a voyeur and they know this by now. Instead I’m looking as an artist trying to figure out what there is to find.
Once an old girlfriend of mine was against my shoot nude of other girls. I had some film that I wanted to try out and see what it would give me. I told her it would be that about fifteen/twenty minutes and she got nude really fast. I was finished two hours later and as she was getting dressed she told me I could shoot all the nude I wanted. Not wanting to look a gift-horse in the mouth I asked her why. Because you weren’t look at me as a woman she replied. I started thinking and I told her no I was looking at how the light was falling on you and shape and angles. Yeah she replied you can shoot all the nude you want.
Yes that’s what I look for the light and shape and angles and sometimes what a lucky young man I am. Other time I don’t see it until I look at the finished work and then I realize how lucky I am to do what I do. There’s not really anything sexual in what my model and I create. It’s not hum-drum work mind you but we get to laughing sometime at the absurdity of it all. We’re busy creating an illusion, a fantasy of the woman and we’re having a great time playing at that fantasy. That’s the most fun I’ve had since sex people have told me, no muss or fuss. That is the way it suppose to be, you’re both there to create some beautiful art and to build up some trust so you can have a better time next time.
Some people get all caught up in the sexual nature of the beast and that’s not good or even fair. When a model places herself in that position it’s because she trust you. She trust you to create beautiful work that she has invested in with her time, body and talent. It’s hard for some men to see that and to respect that kind of commitment and not to think that something must have happened. From what I hear it’s hard for some photographer to not take advantage of the power that willingly place in there hands. I’ve always thought of it kind of like Stockholm Syndrom where someone does things that are so out of character for them because they are under the influence of the magic. And it seems magical to me, to have the model so relaxed and comfortable that she can start talking about anything that comes into her mind while I’m shooting and exploring her. While I’m allow to chart the territory that is her physical space and state of mind.
Watching the way their body moves during the shoot is key to my methods. I’ll sit back when were shooting and some pose will seem awkward or forced, give me something new I’ll say. I won’t say what then I get the chance to watch them create a new look or feel and the body will move. I watch the play of light over them and maybe if I’m lucky I’ll find something worth a visit later. I’m not doing it as a voyeur and they know this by now. Instead I’m looking as an artist trying to figure out what there is to find.
Once an old girlfriend of mine was against my shoot nude of other girls. I had some film that I wanted to try out and see what it would give me. I told her it would be that about fifteen/twenty minutes and she got nude really fast. I was finished two hours later and as she was getting dressed she told me I could shoot all the nude I wanted. Not wanting to look a gift-horse in the mouth I asked her why. Because you weren’t look at me as a woman she replied. I started thinking and I told her no I was looking at how the light was falling on you and shape and angles. Yeah she replied you can shoot all the nude you want.
Yes that’s what I look for the light and shape and angles and sometimes what a lucky young man I am. Other time I don’t see it until I look at the finished work and then I realize how lucky I am to do what I do. There’s not really anything sexual in what my model and I create. It’s not hum-drum work mind you but we get to laughing sometime at the absurdity of it all. We’re busy creating an illusion, a fantasy of the woman and we’re having a great time playing at that fantasy. That’s the most fun I’ve had since sex people have told me, no muss or fuss. That is the way it suppose to be, you’re both there to create some beautiful art and to build up some trust so you can have a better time next time.
Some people get all caught up in the sexual nature of the beast and that’s not good or even fair. When a model places herself in that position it’s because she trust you. She trust you to create beautiful work that she has invested in with her time, body and talent. It’s hard for some men to see that and to respect that kind of commitment and not to think that something must have happened. From what I hear it’s hard for some photographer to not take advantage of the power that willingly place in there hands. I’ve always thought of it kind of like Stockholm Syndrom where someone does things that are so out of character for them because they are under the influence of the magic. And it seems magical to me, to have the model so relaxed and comfortable that she can start talking about anything that comes into her mind while I’m shooting and exploring her. While I’m allow to chart the territory that is her physical space and state of mind.
2 comments:
I look for the light and shape and angles
And that's what it should be all about. That's what sets professionally minded photographers apart from those just interested in being with nekkid chix.
Nice post Michael. It's a pity more photographers don't give the model that mental and physical space to explore.
Photography began with light caught on a metal plate. It has always been about light, not sex. Good post!
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