NUDITY: The Naked Truth, Part Two

(Nudity in this blog refers to all degrees of partial and full nudity, including Lingerie and other sheer or see through apparel, topless, full nudity; whether nipples and genitals are shown or not, and that genre, beloved universally and made ludicrously meaningless by amateurs: the genre rejoicing under the misnomer "Implied" nudity.)

This part of the article explores what a potential nude model needs to know about the possible types of shoots and potential markets for nude photography, and how to decide if the photographer actually is prepared to deliver any of his promises of “publication”.

Let's just for a moment think about the possible markets for the photos of yourself as model which are most often promised (but alas rarely realised) by the majority of self styled internet photographers.

The most ridiculous first perhaps: boudoir shoots.

Well in language simple enough for even 'creative artists' to understand...Boudoir is a style of intimate portraiture offered to ladies of a certain age to give themselves an ego boost, to revitalise their marriage, to inspire their husband, boyfriend, or as a gift to a groom on the wedding night, or simply to make themselves feel sexy and pampered in the moment, and as a photographic memory for the future. It involves a photographer and a female client: the genre, by its very nature does NOT involve models, despite what modern day “creatives” are trying to make out.

The boudoir providers have basically died out and closed down now, as it was regarded by many women as a trifle indelicate and far too daring for gentile ladies, and has been largely replaced by the 'glamour makeover' shoot, which inherently has a much larger potential market, and a more conservative profile.

And as the word "boudoir" comes from the French meaning a bedroom or small intimate room for ladies, boudoir style photographs involve lingerie, and intimate apparel usually in a bedroom or intimate indoor setting.

It certainly does not involve groups of naked nymphette models romping around romantic forest glades, or parading their assets in derelict and abandoned factory buildings, while being stalked by legions of long lenses as organisers of several 'boudoir' workshops have emphatically insisted recently.

These types of shoots simply fit into the time honoured glamour genre.

Next where do the vast majority of photographs by internet photographers actually get "published"?

It shouldn't be surprising that the answer is nowhere, except maybe on facebook, or flickr, or some other social media ego gratifying page.

You should also be aware that appearances on these pages are not regarded officially, as “being published”.

Is "flipping the fried eggs" for the sake of appearing on nowhere except Chunky Chucky's Cheeky Chicky Pickies facebook page or website really worth while?

That's not to mention the distortion which will occur to the photos anyway because Facebook and most other social media, and even photo 'sharing' sites have their restrictions to what can appear, so get ready to suffer cartoon cat faces plastered over your carefully posed and meticulously photographed "female parts".

But then again you could also appear on the photographer's website, which, being one of merely 190,000,000,000 or more other sites, very few people will ever see, except for the picture thieves who will make sure it appears on as many porn sites as possible before they are caught and punished for copyright infringement...as if that will ever happen?

So yes, that honey dripper fauxpro was right when he told you you would get great “exposure”.

Vanity magazines.

 

While it is very true that news agency shelves are emptier of magazines by the month, with some magazines moving online, with new online publications appearing on a daily basis, it is also true, that while a very small number of online magazines are respectable, and have large readerships, the vast majority are the long time scourge of the publishing industry: vanity publications.

These vanity mags accept virtually anything, regardless of quality, and often subject matter, under the readership alienating arrogance of “We're independent, so we can do whatever we like”. They also would never even consider the imposition of paying for the use of photographs, and almost always disappear into the ether when the topic is raised.

Instead they rely on a captive audience, consisting of the photographer, the model, and the model's boyfriend or mum, and unsurprisingly very few other readers, as they are formulated to pay for their costs as well as make a profit from just one sale at grossly inflated prices for a download.

These quick, cheap, and nasty magazines disguised in back alley glitz, patronise and massage the ego of the wannabe photographer with feint praise, and sugar candy coated promises, by planting and carefully nurturing the fast track, nay the bullet train to fame, fortune, and great exposure (there's that word again).

The easiest prey of course, are the legions of snap-shooters, and fauxpros who know or suspect they haven’t got what it takes to cut it in the open market or even the desire to succeed on their own merit, and more about the image of being an "internationally published photographer", than anything which smacks of actual work.

As a result, the legions of fauxpros and wannabes however seem to regard these equivalents of yesterdays fish and chip wrappers, as the holy grail of publishing.

The irony is, that no-one in the legitimate industry regard these exploiters in anyway but with the derision they so aptly deserve, and the inclusion of any of them in a photographer's or model's portfolio or C.V. elicits nothing but a barely disguised smirk.

Print Magazine submissions

The heyday of print magazines was in the 1980's, when there were thousands of publications clamoring for content, most of which were not only open to, but actively encouraged freelance submissions.

But even then, submissions had to be extremely good, and finely tuned to the particular style of an individual magazine to be even considered for publication.

Even with the market as open as it was the "girlie" mags were still very particular to who's name was on a photography submission, before they even bothered to open the envelope...in effect the majority simply went straight to the round file, or were returned unopened.

Now when there are less than a tenth of the magazines in existence as there were then, there is much less chance of having an "over the transom" freelance package accepted, as the majority are produced entirely in house, and completely closed to outsiders.

But for submissions to those few still willing to review freelance work, the whole package must be exactly tailored to what the editor wants.

If your photographer promises "possible submission to magazines" ask him, which particular magazine?

If he doesn’t tell you, or mentions a vague term, or a wide group of publications, he either doesn’t know, is going to try the always unsuccessful scatter gun approach, or the word “collaborating” to him means everyone on set does as he tells them, while he bluffs, hoping for the best.

First thing for a wise model to do is to go and buy a copy of the particular mag mentioned, or check out several backcopies in a library: these will help you with what to expect with posing, makeup, etc, and basically get you “in the zone”.

Then carefully read the editorial or front pages, and find if they do in fact, accept freelance contributions. If it not clearly stated anywhere, the shoot is a waste of time.

Then check out then the photographer's work, with a discerning eye. Does it reflect the same general quality of that mag, the same lighting styles, the same general look and composition?

So far so good?

Next check out the general style of pictures the magazine usually features. If they all show virginal looking maidens with milk white skin, in country manor styled sets, lit by studio flash, and you happen to be a tanned, aussie girl, with tattoos and piercings, and you will be posing in front of a graffiti covered wall, to be lit by afternoon sun and a reflector, don’t waste your time.

Don't laugh, this very fundamental mistake of providing what the photographer considers the client needs, rather than what the client actually wants, is a lot more common than you think:-remember all those abominable and totally unsuitable "folio shoots " that you once did, that the model agencies labeled “garbage”?

This attitude which really amounts to arrogance, is the main reason why the majority of fauxpros will never get any further than posting snapshots on facebook. and as facebook does not allow nudes, anyway, why are you, as a serious model, considering getting naked for this loser?

Magazines simply do not want 'different', they don’t want 'art', 'experiments', 'better'...they want more of exactly the same, variations on the same style, same lighting, poses, settings, types of girls, and equal quality that they have been running for the last few years.

And if you happen to be dealing with one of those photographers who never reads the magazines he is pretending to photograph for (in their dreams) you might like to gently let him know that Playboy Magazine is no longer publishing photographs of nude women...the reason the publishers gave: there was already far too much really bad amateur crap on the internet it wasn't worth trying to compete with it anymore.

Art Nude?

 

Art nude photography is the epitome of technique, skill, and knowledge coupled with creativity, and is the field where real collaboration takes place for great rewards for both model and photographer.

As a result art nude photographers are the exception, and no where near as prevalent as would appear from glancing at facebook profiles, where travesty and artless mediocrity are the norm.

Nevertheless art nude work is a great opportunity for models to learn and advance their skills, when working with a good photographer of equal or preferably higher skill levels.

However even the most successful art nude photographer would quickly tell you that opportunity to make good money is severely limited: art photography books do not enjoy large sales, and traditionally have lost money due to production costs, exhibitions of art prints are few and far between, and still not widely accepted by art galleries, the general run of art connoisseurs, or even the general art viewing public, and print sales are often low or even non existent.

But for models with the right skills, physical attributes, and temperament, including coping with the often misinformed opinions of friends and family, and the barbs and arrows of an increasingly conservative society, it can still be a productive, and occasionally lucrative field to work in.

But of course, remember “horses for courses”, and common sense should reign supreme, so posing for the fat guy down the street with the greying comb-over pony tail, the "trust me I'm a Photographer" T shirt, and drool encrusted camera might be a clue as to whether or not to accept his really outstanding offer to "collaborate".

 

This part of the article should be regarded as a primer for what models can expect from photographers, an insight into how and where photographers supposedly make their money from photographs of hopefully you, and typical outlets for excellent photography.

Part three will explore some ways in which models can work in a truly collaborative way with photographers, and how they can cope with any problems which may arise, or any situations which they find themselves in, which may not be beneficial to them.

Stephen Bennett is available for Guest Speaking, Seminars, and Workshops in a group or on a one to one basis for:

Models and aspiring models on all things Modelling, including Successful Portfolios and Building a Modelling Career … please visit my website to contact me.

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