TSOJAW wrote:
For me, it's the creation of something natural, something beautiful and something that challenges traditional thinking.  I don't do it for turn on's, I don't do it to get naked women in front of my camera.  I look at it as a respectable art.

That is as good a rationalization as any, I suppose.

I do it for money.  My reasons are far less noble.

TSOJAW wrote:
...For me, it's the creation of something natural, something beautiful and something that challenges traditional thinking.  I don't do it for turn on's, I don't do it to get naked women in front of my camera.  I look at it as a respectable art.

sorry, i don't believe you.  not when all i see is naked women in your portfolio.  if one is truly dedicated to the beauty of the human form then there would be balance in the presentation showing both men and women.  what is shown is what turns you on, as it does with most that focus on nudity presentation of a singular sex. 

it isn't something to be shameful to admit, however it is shameful to not face the true motivation.  especially so when trying hard to disenfranchise oneself from the mental copulation that helps give life to the imagery.

the above doesn't detract from the artistry of your imaging, but if it didn't turn you on why is female nudity your sole focus?

--face reality

FaceReality wrote:
sorry, i don't believe you.  not when all i see is naked women in your portfolio.  if one is truly dedicated to the beauty of the human form then there would be balance in the presentation showing both men and women.  what is shown is what turns you on, as it does with most that focus on nudity presentation of a singular sex. 

it isn't something to be shameful to admit, however it is shameful to not face the true motivation.  especially so when trying hard to disenfranchise oneself from the mental copulation that helps give life to the imagery.

the above doesn't detract from the artistry of your imaging, but if it didn't turn you on why is female nudity your sole focus?

--face reality

The naked woman in my portfolio happens to be the same exact woman; my wife and of course she turns me on.  I have never even thought about shooting a male nude but perhaps I should to quiet my critics.  My belief is that the female form is indeed the most beautiful form of the two and the most beautiful creation that exists.  For me and hopefully I am not alone, that is reality. 

Thanks for the feedback.

TSOJAW wrote:
Perhaps this question has been answered already but I couldn't find it so here we go.  Can some of you give me your reasons, theory, beliefs on why we photographers shoot nudity ... I mean we're not crazy as hell or sick, perverted people or anything like that ...

Speak for yourself!

bubbaclicks wrote:
prudity on nudity...interesting term...
Nudity isn't a requirement, but i appreciate the human form...it's an amzing piece of living art. the churches of europe are full of nudity, so the prudish behavior must be leftover from the puritan influence of early America...

That's what I'm seeking.  To know that it is appreciated for what it is not for what it can do.

Thanks.

SI Photography wrote:
I shoot nudes becaue it turns me on...so...when can I shoot your wife?  lol

I'll check with her on that one but knowing where you stand on the issue,you wouldn't mind if she brought me along would you?  ; }

TSOJAW wrote:

I'll check with her on that one but knowing where you stand on the issue,you wouldn't mind if she brought me along would you?  ; }

I don't mind, the more the merrier.

TSOJAW wrote:
Perhaps this question has been answered already but I couldn't find it so here we go.  Can some of you give me your reasons, theory, beliefs on why we photographers shoot nudity and why the models that pose for nudes, do it?   I mean we're not crazy as hell or sick, perverted people or anything like that but why do we do it?  For me, it's the creation of something natural, something beautiful and something that challenges traditional thinking.  I don't do it for turn on's, I don't do it to get naked women in front of my camera.  I look at it as a respectable art.  How do we make the leaders of the "Prudity on Nudity" Society see us in a respectable light?

If nudity was widely accepted, there would be no mystery in it, and therefore no mystique and it would be commonplace, and you'd probably lose work.

If nudity is kept just a bit "taboo", then it stays more "cool" too shoot it, to see it, etc.

I like things the way they are.  Nudity is available for those that want it, but those that don't want it have a right not to have it shoved in their faces.

J n X Photography wrote:

If nudity was widely accepted, there would be no mystery in it, and therefore no mystique and it would be commonplace, and you'd probably lose work.

If nudity is kept just a bit "taboo", then it stays more "cool" too shoot it, to see it, etc.

I like things the way they are.  Nudity is available for those that want it, but those that don't want it have a right not to have it shoved in their faces.

I agree.  Thanks for the feedback.

TSOJAW wrote:
How do we make the leaders of the "Prudity on Nudity" Society see us in a respectable light?

by not caring what they think! and i dont mean that as a smart-arse thing to say, i simply mean you shoot nudes because u want to do it, because you are inspired to do it, thats it.
so if trying to 'win someone elses approval' wasnt the reason u decided to do the nude shoot in the first place, then why would it become something to think about after the shoot??

i would never consider not shooting something (that i wanted to shoot) based on what other people might think....i trust my own opinion, and if i didnt like an image, or feel some pride about an image id taken, it would never make it into the outside world. but once it does, i stand behind it 100% because its me, and if people judge it negativley, that means they are judging me, and i dont care what those kind of people think.

Be who you are and shoot what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind....

Stephen Dawson wrote:
I think the main reason I shoot nudes is because I am inspired by the work of the great photographers who shot nudes.

That's what got me started.  Newton, Ritts, Gordon Parks, Albert Watson, William Cater, Lindsay Garret, Cunningham..I could go on and on.. Even Mr. Nimoy aka Spock.   We have many that have come before us that inspire me as well.

Thanks for input.

gavin oneill wrote:

by not caring what they think! and i dont mean that as a smart-arse thing to say, i simply mean you shoot nudes simply because u want to do it, because you are inspired to do it.
so if trying to 'win someone elses approval' wasnt the reason u decided to do the nude shoot in the first place, then why would it become something to think about after the shoot??

i would never consider not shooting something (that i wanted to shoot) based on what other people might think....i trust my own opinion, and if i didnt like an image, or feel some pride about an image id taken, it would never make it into the outside world. but once it does, i stand behind it 100% because its me, and if people judge it negativley, that means they are judging me, and i dont care what those kind of people think.

Be who you are and shoot what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind....

Thanks a million.  You are indeed correct.

Shyly wrote:
I personally do it because I model to promote size acceptance and to show that all sorts of shapes and sizes can be beautiful.  It just makes sense that I would model for photographs that don't hide anything.

Thanks for your feedback.  I've looked at your work and you are amazing.  ; }

FaceReality wrote:

sorry, i don't believe you.  not when all i see is naked women in your portfolio.  if one is truly dedicated to the beauty of the human form then there would be balance in the presentation showing both men and women.  what is shown is what turns you on, as it does with most that focus on nudity presentation of a singular sex. 

it isn't something to be shameful to admit, however it is shameful to not face the true motivation.  especially so when trying hard to disenfranchise oneself from the mental copulation that helps give life to the imagery.

the above doesn't detract from the artistry of your imaging, but if it didn't turn you on why is female nudity your sole focus?

--face reality

ehh... that's just bull crap.

a person can appreciate a small section of anything without neccessarily appreciating the entirety of it.

I think that most men appreciate the archetecture of a womans body.... and it isn't completely sexual; since most men don't appreciate the male nude does that mean they don't truely appreciate the human form?

That would be like saying that someone who appreciates apples, but not so much crust cannot truely be appreciative of apple pie.

One does not need to "round out" their port by shooting males and females evenly to prove that they enjoy and respect the human form... No one told maplethorpe that he needed to even his portfolio out by shooting more women... no one said that maplethorpe didn't truely appreciate the human form simply because his eye was more for the square and muscled male frame rather than the soft and sesious female frame...

You don't have to like cheese and tomatoes evenly in order to appreciate pizza.

Shoot what you are passionate about....  don't listen to people who say you're only shooting what turns you on... it's evedent that it's more about the art than your lust... else wise you would be shooting from a slightly different angle.

I myself think that your wife is amazing; and would love to shoot her myself.... My wife is a model as well, you can see her in my port in the picture called "babe with a bullet"

perhaps we could do a wife swap shoot. (grin)

TSOJAW wrote:
How do we make the leaders of the "Prudity on Nudity" Society see us in a respectable light?

Stop shooting nudes or poke their eyes out.  No other choices.

Alan from Aavian Prod wrote:

That is as good a rationalization as any, I suppose.

I do it for money.  My reasons are far less noble.

Well I can understand that as well but it's not like you're trying to pick up women or have any other motives that wouldn't be professional.  Meaning it's not about sex....right?

ravens laughter wrote:

ehh... that's just bull crap.

a person can appreciate a small section of anything without neccessarily appreciating the entirety of it.

I think that most men appreciate the archetecture of a womans body.... and it isn't completely sexual; since most men don't appreciate the male nude does that mean they don't truely appreciate the human form?

That would be like saying that someone who appreciates apples, but not so much crust cannot truely be appreciative of apple pie.

One does not need to "round out" their port by shooting males and females evenly to prove that they enjoy and respect the human form... No one told maplethorpe that he needed to even his portfolio out by shooting more women... no one said that maplethorpe didn't truely appreciate the human form simply because his eye was more for the square and muscled male frame rather than the soft and sesious female frame...

You don't have to like cheese and tomatoes evenly in order to appreciate pizza.

Shoot what you are passionate about....  don't listen to people who say you're only shooting what turns you on... it's evedent that it's more about the art than your lust... else wise you would be shooting from a slightly different angle.

I myself think that your wife is amazing; and would love to shoot her myself.... My wife is a model as well, you can see her in my port in the picture called "babe with a bullet"

perhaps we could do a wife swap shoot. (grin)

You are  the wheel!  The fire that ignites the launch, the 'I' in 'it."  You hit it on the head.

Thanks for the response, the support and your port which I'm going to right now.  I'll get back to you on the "wife swap shoot."  ; }

TSOJAW wrote:
Perhaps this question has been answered already but I couldn't find it so here we go.  Can some of you give me your reasons, theory, beliefs on why we photographers shoot nudity and why the models that pose for nudes, do it?   I mean we're not crazy as hell or sick, perverted people or anything like that but why do we do it?  For me, it's the creation of something natural, something beautiful and something that challenges traditional thinking.  I don't do it for turn on's, I don't do it to get naked women in front of my camera.  I look at it as a respectable art.  How do we make the leaders of the "Prudity on Nudity" Society see us in a respectable light?

You can't make the blind see, so why try?
I don't shoot nude, but I would if I had a model who looked good enough which I photographed many that do look good enough, but wouldn't do nudes.  Of course I never asked them too, but what do the Prudity on Nudity Society think the master painters painted before cameras was invented?  Tell the Prudity Society to visit a real art museum and protest those pictures instead!

TSOJAW wrote:
Perhaps this question has been answered already but I couldn't find it so here we go.  Can some of you give me your reasons, theory, beliefs on why we photographers shoot nudity and why the models that pose for nudes, do it?   I mean we're not crazy as hell or sick, perverted people or anything like that but why do we do it?  For me, it's the creation of something natural, something beautiful and something that challenges traditional thinking.  I don't do it for turn on's, I don't do it to get naked women in front of my camera.  I look at it as a respectable art.  How do we make the leaders of the "Prudity on Nudity" Society see us in a respectable light?

I see why you shoot nudes it's too hot over there to keep your clothes on!

TSOJAW wrote:
Can some of you give me your reasons, theory, beliefs on why....?

What do you see?




That's why *I* do it.

FaceReality wrote:

sorry, i don't believe you.  not when all i see is naked women in your portfolio.  if one is truly dedicated to the beauty of the human form then there would be balance in the presentation showing both men and women.  what is shown is what turns you on, as it does with most that focus on nudity presentation of a singular sex. 
--face reality

I did a nude shoot once ages ago and it was so not a turn on.  Even though photos even though beautiful and sensuous were not a turn on because I could remember how I felt when I took the photos - more concerned about making her comfortable and geting her to look beautiful.

FaceReality wrote:

sorry, i don't believe you.  not when all i see is naked women in your portfolio.  if one is truly dedicated to the beauty of the human form then there would be balance in the presentation showing both men and women.  what is shown is what turns you on, as it does with most that focus on nudity presentation of a singular sex. 

it isn't something to be shameful to admit, however it is shameful to not face the true motivation.  especially so when trying hard to disenfranchise oneself from the mental copulation that helps give life to the imagery.

the above doesn't detract from the artistry of your imaging, but if it didn't turn you on why is female nudity your sole focus?

--face reality

I both agree and disagree: While on one hand I don't see the art in most of the OPs shots, on the other hand... Men are ugly!! I like men, I love my boyfriend, but they photograph so much better with clothes on.

Personally I do nudes (very limited) for several reasons: 1. the endless pursuit of the "perfect" body shot. 2. art, yada yada yada,   3. I'm just comfortable naked, so why not? 4. it pays

Ivy Bressler wrote:

I both agree and disagree: While on one hand I don't see the art in most of the OPs shots, on the other hand... Men are ugly!! I like men, I love my boyfriend, but they photograph so much better with clothes on.

Personally I do nudes (very limited) for several reasons: 1. the endless pursuit of the "perfect" body shot. 2. art, yada yada yada,   3. I'm just comfortable naked, so why not? 4. it pays

Thanks so much for your post and your opinions.  I suppose that one of the wonderful things about being an artist.  We see it as we see it and our opinion of our work, despite the thought of others, usually  wins out.  If it didn't we'd have no artist.  Our  society teaches us to keep each other at bay and be afraid of the unknown and dislike the different.  An artist's society is boundless, it's open minded, and free of shackles.  ; }

Thanks again.

James

CL Photography wrote:

You can't make the blind see, so why try?
I don't shoot nude, but I would if I had a model who looked good enough which I photographed many that do look good enough, but wouldn't do nudes.  Of course I never asked them too, but what do the Prudity on Nudity Society think the master painters painted before cameras was invented?  Tell the Prudity Society to visit a real art museum and protest those pictures instead!

You are indeed correct.  That's the part that many forget.  Thanks for the post.

James Jackson wrote:

What do you see?




That's why *I* do it.

Beautiful work.  thanks for the post.  I'm going toyour port to check it out and learn some things.
 
Thanks again.

James.