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Shooting nudes in public at night - what precautions?
I'm planning on a shoot in a few weeks where the model will be nude, but we're talking about midnight and in an area where a car goes by about once every 30 seconds to 2 minutes or so. While the actual location is far enough away from cars to see them coming and have her cover up before they approach, the model is justifiably concerned about potential cops passing by and if she could be fined for indecent exposure. Yes, I know - check the laws where I live. I'm actually asking more about probability and what if scenarios. I doubt I'd get a permit to photograph a nude in public....although it is in an unincorporated area (I don't even need a business license to operate where I live). How can I find out what problems we might face with a shoot like this? It's at a highway underpass that's lit up, but the road on either side is dark for several blocks (hence being able to see cars coming). Jul 25 05 02:30 pm Link Pay a lawyer now, or pay a lawyer later.  M Jul 25 05 02:51 pm Link If it will be that dark, can this be done in a studio? If you are really into this shot because of this or that, you need to study the road patterns to find a dead zone. A dead zone is where cars stop going by for a lengthly period so you can get the shots without incident. 1-2-3-4 am may be good times to watch for in this case. Jul 25 05 02:57 pm Link you need at least two other people, I would not be afraid of cops, but robbers Jul 25 05 02:57 pm Link Is it on your own property? Besides the other problems, if it's not your property then it obviously belongs to someone else, do you know who owns it? If busted that can lead to even bigger problems like trespassing charges (you and the model) which will be added on to any other charges, each city has it's own laws so I won't get into specifics there. Every cop would handle it differently than the next, they're just people. Trust me on this, I would know. You could get a hobbiest photog, he might just assist and I'm not joking. Can it be done in a more secluded location without the cars going by? I myself have done it in a local bikers bar with permission along with all who were there. Some might think that's crazy but me being more or less like them knew they could care less about a girl flashing for pics for her paysite. Actually hardly anyone was even watching even when she was spread across the pool table. Try doing that in your "normal" bar. I still say check very thoroughly your local laws, who owns the property and possibly scout for a safer location if this is your first time doing this. Getting the images others can't get is what seperates the stagnant photogs from the movers and trend setters and many times it's all about risk. Jul 25 05 03:22 pm Link This is a public street that goes under a highway overpass. It's in a nicer area of town, somewhat. And no, it can't be done in the studiuo...I need the lighting and street lines and such. There's one house nearby, but they don't stay up that late (I've scouted it at night already). I already told the model to bring as many people as possible to help move props, watch for cars, etc. Would it be stupid to "warn" the cops ahead of time? The shot iself, once set up and props laid out, should only require the model to be nude for 30 seconds or less per shot. In between, she can cover up. Overall, I can't imagine needing more than 15-20 minutes total to get the 2-3 shots I want. It took me several hours of driving around to find this spot, which is about 1-2 minutes from my house, it turns out. Jul 25 05 05:55 pm Link "warning" the police seems like you are asking for trouble IMHO. i would investigate what you need to if this were a "regular" shoot with a clothed model. would you be able to obtain a permit? who would you have to contact to get a permit? what would the permit cost? would you have to carry (liability) insurance and list the city, assuming it is ther property, as an insured party and indemnify them? then weigh all these factors and see which, if any, of these things do you feel you can comfortably circumnavigate to get your shot done. sometimes guerrilla photography is the only solution! i'm a veteran of it. most of my outdoor nudes were in areas where we could be (and on occasion have been) spotted. a lot of what may happen if you are seen depends on how you conduct yourself, and in large part, what the local attitudes are like. the best plan is to keep it really simple. the less people (and you mention props) the better. you have to be realistic about what you can accomplish in the situation. you also need to plan how to execute/choreograph your shot very carefully. i've shot nudes on the beach, but i chose early morning when it's just the model, me, some joggers, and a bunch of seagulls. the police spotted us a few times, but we looked harmless--there were no kids around to have their retinas scarred by the sight of a nude body, and the police actually enjoyed watching what we were doing. granted, ymmv! the confidence of your model is important too. if she's too stressed about getting caught or being seen, your shot is going to suck no matter what. just do your homework and do what you think is best. Jul 25 05 06:17 pm Link If you warn the police make sure you bring all your drugs with you....... Jul 25 05 06:21 pm Link Have fun, be careful. Sounds like you're committed to do this. When I was younger and wilder, I tried some stuff like that with mixed results. Flashes tend to attract attention. You might find out that it wakes the people in the nearby house. My first urban nude shoot attracted some police interest, but when they left, we were able to shoot at a construction site pretty much uninterrupted. The photographers I was with were complete lunatics (both later charged with trespass for other stunts.) They wanted to turn on the lights at a closed city pool for lighting. Not my style of risk-taking. Did a late night rooftop shoot in NYC once, smaller residential building surrounded mostly by bigger office bldgs, the ultimate in privacy. Actually, it was kinda pretty to watch my Alien Bees light up 4 cityblocks all at once. The flashes woke a neighbor across the Avenue. I heard a window go up (a recognizable sound in NYC) followed by a scream, "Turn off the lights. I'm calling the police." Packed up and left. Jul 25 05 06:54 pm Link Posted by Star: Where would a naked girl keep her wallet? Jul 25 05 07:54 pm Link Leave your wallet at home and give the cops all your best friend's info. And ask him if you can borrow his car before you go shoot because it has more room than yours. Not that I've ever done that or anything. What a great joke huh!? Jul 25 05 08:31 pm Link I'm using natural light, so no flash. I think I may go the "guerilla" route. Like I said, I can set up props and camera and test shoot the model before she disrobes, so by the time she's naked and in position, I can grab the shot and she can dress again. My primary concern isn't necessarily being caught doing nudes, but what gawkers might *think* we're doing....you know, taking pictures at a major highway's overpass in the middle of the night with several people assisting....... I'm set to shoot August 6th, so I'll be sure to post the results here so you can see what I was doing. Watch, I'll go through all this trouble and everyone will think the shot sucks. I just hope I won't have to "pay" for it. Jul 25 05 09:43 pm Link Just Go For It. Some of the best and most memorable shoots I've had were when we (me and the model) were taking risks. Life's short man! No time for regrets! Grab the bull by the horns! Spit in the eye of danger! Stare the demon down! And if you get caught, I never wrote this. Jul 25 05 10:03 pm Link "Fine for indecent exosure"? Sometimes they actualy make arrests and everyone goes to jail; is everyone ready for a night in jail? I knew a guy a few years ago who stoped on the side of a road to take a 'P'. He ended up being arrested and charged with indecent exposure. That got him listed as 'sex offender' and he's now, years later, on any number of net data bases as a sex offender. Ready and able to pay bail and fines and legal costs for everyone involved? What aboiut being sued by the model since your shoot caused her to be on sex ofender listings? Cars passing in 30 seconds? Let's see, a car traveling at 45 to 65 mph with headlights on bright. Any math types out there able to figure out how much warning before the high beams headlights picked up a naked lady on the side of the road? Long enough for her to dress? I dooubt it. A passing motorist traveling at 45 to 65 mph catches a glimpse of a naked lady surrounded by several guys, calls 911 and reports what he saw. Five cop cars arrive with guns drawn thinking a rape is in progress. Grim results possible? A passing motorist, traveling 45 to 65 mph had just left Bubbah's Tavern and is not totaly sober, or he's just left a Church meeting and is completely sober. His high beam headlights pick up a glimpse of a naked lady in the process of trying to cover herself. Fascinated by the mysterious scene he is seeing, he drives into a telephone pole or bridge abutment at 45 to 65 mph and is killed, along with the six sunday school teachers (or Nuns depending on your beliefs) he's driving home. Who is liable in the many civil suits which would follow? Bubba and his six neanderthal friends approach at 45 to 65 mph and catch a glimpse in his headlights. It excites them, so they stop and rape/rob/murder everyone there. In the dark house, they are not asleep, just watching TV with the lights off. They hear voice and look out the window. They see a naked lady with several guys and call 911. Now we are back to the cops approaching with drawn guns epecting to rescue a woman being gang raped. I would love to hear the explanations and to hear how many went to jail. Now to protect everyone from Bubba and his drunken friends, you have a pistol in your hip pocket when the cops arrive. Could be interesting? I would suspect a ticket and fine would be the last of your potential problems. If you decide to go ahead and do it, good luck! Jul 25 05 10:23 pm Link I have done shots like this before, even some in daylight. Some of the shoots were slow paced, some were Kame Kazi style where you basically have the model go around with you to various spots around town even in daylight, and shoot a few fast nudes and we quickly go to another location and so on. I suggest the bring a long coat for this to put on between locations. She drops the coat for a few shots, puts it back on and off we go. You just have to be careful in where you shoot these types of shoots. I also actually did call the local Police department about what is ok and what is not. Some towns are actually fairly liberal when it comes to nudity as long as you are not right out in the middle of town which is full of people. There are even some towns here in California where you could even get away with that(we have a couple clothing optional towns). I would advise against taking a lot of people. I usually just have myself, the model and maybe one other person to help out and be a look out as we shoot. Jul 26 05 05:49 am Link Posted by Doug Lester: So now listing people as sex offenders is the new tool of oppression? This is even more sinister than the blanket "9/11 excuse" used to suppress photography! Jul 26 05 08:04 am Link Posted by Doug Lester: A passing motorist traveling at 45 to 65 mph catches a glimpse of a naked lady surrounded by several guys, calls 911 and reports what he saw. Five cop cars arrive with guns drawn thinking a rape is in progress. Grim results possible? That to me is the most likely scenario to cause trouble. Many such shoots have a bondage or edgy aspect that could make it resemble an attack even more. Jul 26 05 08:11 am Link Posted by Sleepy Weasel: IMO - You are probably asking for trouble. Your chosen spot is way too busy if traffic can go every 30 seconds. Also your model does not sound 100% comfortable with the idea. If the model is uncomfortable, you know it will show in the results. Jul 26 05 08:23 am Link The model actually recommended changing the time to 1 am that night. I'll scout it out again this weekend to check for car frequency. And I think some are overestimating the passing car's speeds at night on a side road. The road we're using is NOT a highway. The highway would be ABOVE us. This is a side-road that has maybe 2 houses near it, yet aren't even within eye shot of where we'd be shooting. Also, we have 2-3 blocks advance notice of a car coming, so I doubt the car would even see her nude close enough to notice anything, let alone be going 45-65 MPH by then. Speed limit in the area is like 35. I may go find another spot Saturday night, but this one is "perfect" (lighting and such is exactly as I need it), and it's not been easy to find a spot that has what I need--let alone one secluded enough to not deal with other cars. Jul 26 05 10:37 am Link Posted by Doug Lester: So now listing people as sex offenders is the new tool of oppression? This is even more sinister than the blanket "9/11 excuse" used to suppress photography! Nope, no "oppression", just bureaucracy. This happed at least 10 years ago. The charge was "Indecent Exposure", the same charge usually lodged against intentional exhibitionists, so when all of those lists of sex offenders began to appear on the net, he was automatically caught up in it. Bureacracy at work. Jul 26 05 10:48 am Link Posted by rp_photo: Posted by Doug Lester: A passing motorist traveling at 45 to 65 mph catches a glimpse of a naked lady surrounded by several guys, calls 911 and reports what he saw. Five cop cars arrive with guns drawn thinking a rape is in progress. Grim results possible? That to me is the most likely scenario to cause trouble. Many such shoots have a bondage or edgy aspect that could make it resemble an attack even more. This actually happened to a shooter, whose name I can't recall. Jul 26 05 10:54 am Link i shoot nudes all of the nyc around outside, day or night, just bring a robe with you, that's the key or a long trench coat. i have never been caught, or have even come close, most of the people just walk by and don't even care. i am not shooting in times square in the day time but anywhere is possible. check out the location when you wnat to shoot, and a second person wouldn't hurt. good luck. Jul 26 05 12:23 pm Link Posted by Glamour Boulevard: Man, I GOT to move to California. Jul 26 05 12:49 pm Link what precautions? Wear clean underwear. Bring toilet paper. bring a flashlight. Don't go swimming first. Bring the zoom lens. Jul 26 05 01:19 pm Link I think I had an idea to minmize the amount of time the model would need to be nude and available to pose. I think I can shoot the props alone, and then her. Afterwards I can superimpose the props and her into 1 final image. That way, I can focus on getting her while she's nude and not have to deal with props being in the shot and set up while she's standing there waiting. I'd have her bring clean underwear if she was actually going to be wearing any. Jul 26 05 01:23 pm Link Posted by Sleepy Weasel: I can give you a lot of reasons why this probably won't work too well, the first one being the light coming through her hair. Jul 26 05 01:32 pm Link A gamble, but public display of nudity is an offence that you get fined for - not jail or anything like that, unless you in the 'bible belt'. 2 AM, dark road, doing a project - probably no problem, or a cop might stop and offer to hold the flashlight, they're bored at 2 AM also Jul 27 05 03:10 pm Link Why Midnight when some people are just getting started and other people are just going home. Try 4am if you really want empty. And you might be able to get some cool sunrise shots at the end of the shoot! Jul 27 05 03:16 pm Link Posted by Paul Ferrara: Posted by Sleepy Weasel: I can give you a lot of reasons why this probably won't work too well, the first one being the light coming through her hair. The lighting will be getting her from the back, so it won't affect the rest of the shot....I hope. :-) Jul 27 05 11:21 pm Link Call your local film commission and ask them about this. They're there to help. Jul 27 05 11:34 pm Link I don't know what to really say about this one other than on my very first shoot I was running around a secluded area in a state park naked...with no incident...except my photographer going over the falls..... It sounds to me like he is determined to make this work...IMO...if the model is equally determined, then it will probably be a great shoot...if she isn't??? I don't care what he does...it will most likely not work... but as I said..that is JMHO... good luck and look forward to seeing the results!!! Holly Jul 28 05 12:49 am Link Morningstar wrote: i agree. the later the better... 4am would be perfect because it should be very quiet and right before the sun comes up... Jul 04 06 10:09 pm Link Station someone three blocks away in either direction with cell phones. Change the ringtone for their phone numbers to something different from your normal ringtone, but identical to each other. Set your phone to loud. Bring a pull-over dress. As soon as someone sees headlights from three blocks away-- not "as soon as they pass the person scouting, but as soon as headlights are visible-- have the scout call. Don't waste time answering the phone, just toss her the pull-over dress. Jul 04 06 10:26 pm Link rp_photo wrote: Try it. Take a piss on the side of a road in front of a police a police car and see what happens. Jul 04 06 11:37 pm Link If you are blocking a street or side walk you will need a permit, or setting up equipment (tripods lights). most cities that don't have a film department where you can get permits for filming movies and videos require that you go to your city council, this can take a week to three week depending where you live or plan to shoot. In Boston I tend to shoot after 2am. I can shoot till 4am with no problems. this is in very busy areas close to RT93. I did one a few months back and didn't see anyone for a few hours Good luck Jul 04 06 11:55 pm Link Wow - I forgot about this thread! Thanks for all the replies. I did the shot a month or two ago. We got lucky. It was 3AM and when the model disrobed, we were able to get about 5-6 shots off and called it done. Here's the final image:  Jul 05 06 12:07 am Link Nice work. I'm curious, though: what's that she's holding? Jul 05 06 12:28 am Link Sleepy Weasel wrote: Great image!! Jul 05 06 04:44 am Link I shoot nudes in public areas. With people or with out people around. The key is to be "modest". Know the area. Don't worry about the people in the cars. You will be amazed at how people will let you go about your business as long as your not in their way. Plan the shoot, get the right exposure reading before the model disrobes, maybe even a few test shots. Then shoot away. I wouldn't spend too much time in one area. I have been doing this for about 2 years and only once had a problem. Park Ranger caught us in a roped of tavern in Harpers Ferry downtown. Small fine and they let us finish the shoot. Have fun Jul 05 06 04:31 pm Link CapturedImage wrote: Her panties. We couldn't get a garter in time for the shoot, and the images of her not holding the panties didn't turn out as well. But many people ask what she's holding, and that makes me want to fix the image somehow (just cropping out the panties makes her arm look awkward). Jul 06 06 01:14 pm Link |
