I’ve decided to start up a new photography project. I know I want to create a series of art nudes. I’m pretty sure I want to make it a book. What I don’t know is what kind of art nudes I want to create. I could develop an aesthetic theme for this series, a look/feel that carries through all of the photos. Or, I could experiment with different things for each shoot, and the series is simply an eclectic collection of all the different experiments.

I’m leaning into environmental portraits as the overall theme. As I’m looking through my own collection of nudes, I’m really drawn to those the most, I think. Within these, I like candid poses the best, I think. I also like unexpected elements in these portraits sometimes, or intriguing body language or facial expressions. Something that add some unknown dimension to the photos.

I also really like the body abstracts and close-ups. The simplicity of creating appealing compositions from the shape and position of the body, along with the contours created with lighting, just really appeals to me.

Just from these two different approaches, I’m thinking the second approach is going to work better for me right now, because I really want to experiment.

I love unexpected poses, angles, and perspectives. I’m drawn to portraits where the subject is doing something unexpected, or you’re seeing them from an unconventional perspective.

I also love iconic nudes; I’m thinking of Helmut Newton particularly, but just that particular sensibility, a shot that makes a statement, it’s bold, strong contrast.

SHOOT IDEAS

Shoot video and pull stills from it. They often end up with a film-like quality that I really like.