Male Nude
Aug, 2013Views
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Superb Composition
patriciajcooper
November 16, 2013
I am watching Amy and I am proud every time I see your pictures, Remember your favorite aunt when you are rich and famous.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I don't really have a dedicated studio. So I usually find myself setting up around my house in any space that suits the subject. This photo was no exception. I found that the bedroom offered the most privacy for the subject (my husband) and allowed for the most control of the light.Time
I would like to say that I remember it like it was yesterday, and for most of it I do. I can remember directing the subject, adjusting the light, and the nervous butterflies that accompanied my first nude photoshoot. However, to be honest I could not remember the time of day without taking a quick peek at the file info. October 20th, 2010, 11:30 am.Lighting
This is a good example that shows you don't always have to have the best lighting equipment. At this time I didn't have any studio lights so I would use whatever I had on hand. Sometimes it was a flashlight, lamp, or natural available light. For this shot I ended up using a bendable desk lamp so I could position it exactly where I wanted the light to fall.Equipment
I shot this with a Nikon D90 and a 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Also, due to the low light, a tripod was used.Inspiration
The inspiration for this photo came from my love of Ralph Gibson's work, especially his work with the female nude. I truly admire his use of light to create a unique perspective of the female form. However, While Ralph Gibson’s focus is on the nude female form and the beauty it contains, my focus was on the masculine, the male nude form. I wanted to touch on the ideas of how men can be strong, and yet vulnerable at the same time. So, not only are we looking at the beauty and texture in the male form, but we are also looking at a “man†exposed.Editing
I did a few adjustments in ACR and finished off with some minor work in PS that mainly consisted of cleaning up the background, adjusting contrast, and fine tuning the B&W.In my camera bag
I try to keep it to a minimum. I would rather not have to lug around a bunch of gear when I am out shooting. Aside from my D90 18-105mm lens, a 55-300mm lens, light meter, memory cards, lens cleaning cloth, and a remote. I also always bring my tripod, you never know when it will come in handy.Feedback
My advice it to just have fun with it, and experiment A LOT. I was constantly experimenting with the light, adjusting the angle, moving it either closer or farther away to create different effects. Also it is important to study light and shadow and how they work together to create positive and negative space.
