Nude Photography: Need Professional Tips

Here's where I can actually help (for the first time ever!) I actually learned formal photography in the studio taking nudes PRE-PHOTOSHOP DAYS... when we had to get it right in the camera. You cant average 4, 2 hours sessions a day, 5 days a week for a year and NOT learn something.

I am going to take it for granted that you know how lighting works and how not to make it to harsh so...

First, tell her NOT to wear under garments to the shoot. Also stay away from thinks with tight drawstrings that will leave marks on her body anywhere. Try to imagine putting a rubber band around your arm for an hour and then taking a photo when you take it off... there will be a mark.

Second, if she is a heavy makeup wearer, tell her to tone it down if she tends to look as if her face and shoulders are 3 skin tones different.

Third, pay attention to things like elbows, knees and feet. These things will creep up on you in the strangest times and will look unnaturally large in some shots that clothed, might not be as bad.

Fourth, other "wrinkely" (my own word) areas pop up in places that they shouldn't like under the armpit area and the love handle area. Make sure you are aware of these spots.

Fifth, have her arch her back, watch her posture and make sure she never stands square to you. Make her lean in a little and drop the camera forward shoulder a little and stay aware of "basic" poses (hopefully you have a grasp on this basic... otherwise... well, I won't even get into that).

Sixth, which is probably first and should be addressed ahead of time like number one, tell her to eat and drink something beforehand. This is going to be a hard session. Not only are you going to be worried about lighting, you can't do all of those cool tricks with clothes you normally could. If she has a little tummy pudge, in a shirt, no problem... Nude, BIG PROBLEM!!! Also tell her it's going to be physically uncomfortable because the positions that are comfortable to lounge around in usually don't make flattering shots. But a sexy nude shot might be one where she has to arch her back while she tucks her left knee to the side 3 inches and holds her neck that is starting to get a crink in it all the while smile and hold her breath because her tummy pudge is showing and her armpit has only 2 winkles where it usually has 5...OMG!! It's going to be exhausting.

Seven is interesting. Spoken from a dude... to a dude... You will more than likely NOT be thinking that there is a nude chick in front of me, you have lighting and all of the other things I mentioned plus all of the things I didn't mention. But if you have the tendency to "enjoy your surroundings more than normal"... wear an un-tucked long shirt that dropped below your waist!

Now... here is that most important thing: treat her like a lady! She's not there for your amusement or to be ogled. What I did mostly is (and I forgot this -have her bring a robe) while she was dressed in the robe, I'd show her the basic pose... yes I personally got on the floor and "posed" for them, then I'd turn my back to them and let them disrobe themselves and get into position and then I'd turn around and instruct them how to tweak the shot.

Good luck and I hope I didn't scare you!

Awesome write up! I know this isn't my thread, but I found your post very helpful!
 
Maybe the reason Maxjewels never got back to us is becasue he's still shooting... :thumbup:
 
Or maybe he was hoping we'd post example shots, and none of us did so they found it uninteresting.
 
Awesome write up! I know this isn't my thread, but I found your post very helpful!

Thank you! I do need to practice what I preach... I have a session coming up this weekend where I will have to use my own advice.

I'll post a few "mild" shots later maybe.
 
That is why they often look so synthetic and unreal ... at least to me.

Hahaha That is because they are synthetic and unreal! :lol::lmao:

Thank you! I do need to practice what I preach... I have a session coming up this weekend where I will have to use my own advice.

I'll post a few "mild" shots later maybe.


I agree, your post did help a lot.. And I am usually the model, not the photographer. But I occassionally am the photographer.

From a model stand point, make the room WARM!!!

So does anyone have ideas on poses for models?
 
This is a great thread. I have a shoot coming up that, while not nude, it is swimwear/lingerie, and in that situation, the same basic rules apply. Thanks!
 
so would the 50mm 1.8 lens be the better choice in a enviorment like this?
 
Thanks, this is very helpful. I've got some people who are going to want me to do some shooting for them, and this will probably apply for the swimwear.

Fortunately, it's not till summer so I have some time to figure out the ins and outs of my camera.
 
Thank you, that will come in handy!
 
So does anyone have ideas on poses for models?

This used to drive my wife crazy but: I went to the shop that cut our hair and asked the owner to save the old magazines (like Glamor, Cosmo, G.Q. whatever fashion mag that she was going to throw away) for me. I'd pick them up when I got my hair cut and I'd go home and rip out every cool pose or shot that I saw and I'd keep them in a file folder. You can use things like Victoria's Secret and the like... great images and flawless poses.

This way, I could use the tear-outs as inspiration and reference to what I was going to have to shoot myself. I have even found this extremely helpful to my clients. I have grabbed a tear-out and said... "do this as best as you can!" You would be surprised how much better your communication becomes when there are visuals. Plus if you learn these poses in the mirror and show them yourself, you can "awe" them by them thinking that you made this up yourself and didn't "borrow" this from someone else.

btw - the reason I got the job at the studio in the first place is because of the owner of the studio had the "tear-out" obsession in common. His was OUI and Penthouse, mine was more along the S.I. Swimsuit line.
 
This used to drive my wife crazy but: I went to the shop that cut our hair and asked the owner to save the old magazines (like Glamor, Cosmo, G.Q. whatever fashion mag that she was going to throw away) for me. I'd pick them up when I got my hair cut and I'd go home and rip out every cool pose or shot that I saw and I'd keep them in a file folder. You can use things like Victoria's Secret and the like... great images and flawless poses.

This way, I could use the tear-outs as inspiration and reference to what I was going to have to shoot myself. I have even found this extremely helpful to my clients. I have grabbed a tear-out and said... "do this as best as you can!" You would be surprised how much better your communication becomes when there are visuals. Plus if you learn these poses in the mirror and show them yourself, you can "awe" them by them thinking that you made this up yourself and didn't "borrow" this from someone else.

btw - the reason I got the job at the studio in the first place is because of the owner of the studio had the "tear-out" obsession in common. His was OUI and Penthouse, mine was more along the S.I. Swimsuit line.


Sweet.. I just need to find the SI swimsuit mag. Thank you soo much for your help!
 
This used to drive my wife crazy but: I went to the shop that cut our hair and asked the owner to save the old magazines (like Glamor, Cosmo, G.Q. whatever fashion mag that she was going to throw away) for me. I'd pick them up when I got my hair cut and I'd go home and rip out every cool pose or shot that I saw and I'd keep them in a file folder. You can use things like Victoria's Secret and the like... great images and flawless poses.

This way, I could use the tear-outs as inspiration and reference to what I was going to have to shoot myself. I have even found this extremely helpful to my clients. I have grabbed a tear-out and said... "do this as best as you can!" You would be surprised how much better your communication becomes when there are visuals. Plus if you learn these poses in the mirror and show them yourself, you can "awe" them by them thinking that you made this up yourself and didn't "borrow" this from someone else.

btw - the reason I got the job at the studio in the first place is because of the owner of the studio had the "tear-out" obsession in common. His was OUI and Penthouse, mine was more along the S.I. Swimsuit line.
Great tip. I leaned about 'tear sheets' from an instructor of mine. It was for wedding photography but the concept is the same.

After a while, you get to know your favorites, you tweak them and before you know it, you don't need the sheets and you are an expert at posing your models.
 
Those are great idea's... Cheat sheets of sorts.. I guess whatever works.
 

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