Nude In Water Studio Photography

Over many years I have always enjoyed creating images using a nude in water, whether outdoors on location or in the studio. First starting with the beauty photography, where water is one of the most commonly used elements to show a healthy moisturised skin I then moved on to beauty nudes where it was just as useful and later on with some glamour photography as well.

Water has a chameleon like quality and is a very versatile tool for the photographer to exploit because of the way it can be used to change the feel of an image from fresh and energetic to sensual, sultry or peaceful, so while there are definitely some tricks to learn it offers many benefits and is also one of the more cost effective props you can use in your photography.

Just for starters, think of all the locations you can choose to photograph a nude in water including waterfalls, streams, lakes, rivers, the beach, swimming pools, jacuzzis and hot water pools etc. Many of these are also surrounded by interesting landscapes or buildings that offer a useful backdrop to your images.

Another great advantage of working with water is that it often brings sense to the picture and gives your model something specific to do, which always helps to create more interesting images if the model feels engaged in the shoot but not in a way that makes her feels awkward and self conscious.

When shooting a nude in water at a studio it’s obviously important to take a few precautions, especially if you are using flash, so you should make every possible effort to maintain a safe distance between any flash packs and splashing water or even an excessive build up of moisture that could be dangerous. Above all make absolutely certain that any lights are securely positioned so they cannot fall in any water. You have a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who you are working with.

Another factor to consider is the temperature of the water, which ultimately has to be comfortable and safe for the model. That means it can’t be so hot that it burns, but equally if you are shooting outdoors remember that a frozen landscape with rushing water may sound fantastic but there’s a good chance you’ll end up calling the emergency services when your model starts suffering from hypothermia… In the meanwhile you’ll probably have nothing but a couple images of a model in pain with bright pink skin covered in goosebumps.

When shooting a nude in water, remember that you have incredible scope for experimentation such as altering the movement of the water and playing with the shutter speeds to achieve varying degrees of blur and movement. Then you can apply oil to the skin and also look at how the water interacts with other elements in the image such a frosted sheet of glass or the pebbles on a beach. The opportunities and choices are incredible.

You can see a couple examples of images I have done with a nude in water at my website.

Art Of Boudoir Photography With Speedlights

Art Of Boudoir Photography With Speedlights is the title of a PDF eBook written by Michael Zelbel, which looks specifically at the area of how to shoot boudoir images in a bedroom with simple portable speedlight flash and how to make it work reliably, so that you come away with good images.

Not so long ago it would have been considered impossible to do images like this without studio lighting but thanks to advances in digital cameras and off camera speedlight flash, countless photographers are now looking seriously at ways to do this on a tight budget.

Although it’s great having all the equipment in the world, sometimes it’s a distraction and I like Michael’s minimalist approach and as he demonstrates how it’s possible to put together a fully functional lighting kit for just a few hundred dollars if you are careful.

Instead of including a selection of images from various shoots Michael Zelbel chose to concentrate on just one extended shoot using a single model and shows how to work with the situation to your best advantage. He concentrates specifically on using minimum amounts of equipment, so it’s light and easy to setup, while also allowing space to work in. Practicality is the core message in the Art Of Boudoir Photography With Speedlights.

Although this isn’t a huge eBook it does manage to contain quite a bit of practical information such as:

• Balancing your light sources
• Choosing the right equipment
• Exploiting the natural props found in a bedroom
• The right choice of lingerie
• How to setup your lights
• Warming up the skin tones
• Model posing (including a cheat sheet)
• Mistakes to avoid

There is also some helpful advice on working with the model, finding the right body shapes and explaining the importance of experimentation so it’s not just limited to a technical discussion and should be of interest to anybody interested in working with models.

You can find out more about the Art Of Boudoir Photography With Speedlights and download a copy at Michael’s site. 

Portable Flash Photography Training Online

Recently I was in contact with a professional photographer called Phil Steele based in the US who runs a series of effective online video training courses in various aspects of photography and Photoshop that I am sure many of your would find very useful. These are available in high-def or standard-def so you can choose either one depending on your connection speed.

Phil is very well known for his photography training and his obvious enthusiasm was clear as he showed me his site including some free tutorials. He was also kind enough to let me take a look at the courses, which I immediately knew would be of interest to my blog readers.

The first one I wanted to tell you about covers portable flash photography and is called “How to Shoot Professional Looking Headshots and Portraits on a Budget with Small Flashes“. Although not specifically related to nudes or glamour the same basic theories and practices would apply and this is good information that will be useful in practically any sphere of photography involving portable flash photography with models.

I know from the many emails I receive that several of you are interested in how to create professional looking images with small portable flashes rather than large studio lighting for all sorts of good reasons ranging from questions of cost through to practicality and simple fun.

In fact I’ve done posts before on this blog involving portable flash photography showing how I used a Canon 580EX inside an apartment to light a glamour image, so it’s something I both understand and practice myself at times.

Small portable flashes have been around for years but the technology allowing you to shoot reliably off camera to create more dynamic effects is relatively new and Phil does a fantastic job of explaining everything in very practical terms including how to equip yourself for on a budget along with the techniques used to produce great looking images. On a side note it amazes me how many attachments have emerged recently for portable flash photography that allow you to create effects that were previously only possible with high end studio equipment.

I particularly liked the way the courses are presented in a very direct manner with clear fact filled information and I even learned a couple things myself about some interesting pieces of budget priced equipment that I had never heard of before and the ways they can be used. The cost of the course is easily justified by these cost saving tips alone…

It’s not just a series of videos though because the pages include links to further detailed information on specific equipment and where you can find it. Better still the site includes regularly updated information, so you know you are always getting the most up to date facts and opinion.

The course starts with a basic introduction and moves on to cover many aspects including: * Equipment

* Assembly and testing

* A four step formula for manual flash and camera settings

* Various photo shoots both indoors and outdoors including models

* Several items of bonus material

The site is well worth checking out for anybody who is interested in exploring the potential of small portable flash units and how they can be used in all kinds of photography from basic head shots through to advanced portraits and glamour images. For all but the most experienced and advanced flash users who obviously don’t need any training this is a very good investment.

Phil Steele’s Portable Flash Photography Training Online

Boudoir Photography is the title of Ed Verosky’s latest eBook and evolved by combining some of the content from his last two boudoir related eBooks and then updating them with additional information.

Boudoir is is not my speciality but like all photography involving models there are common elements such as developing your ability to make the model feel comfortable, which is especially important when you are not dealing with professional models.

Most of the time boudoir photography is done with wives or girlfriends who want an opportunity to feel beautiful and special. Sometimes they might want to have pictures done for themselves to improve their self confidence and at other times it might be an engagement present for their future husband. Every situation is different and the author shares a good deal of his experience in this area.

In many ways boudoir and glamour photography have much in common. They both try to create an image that is sensual and alluring, so that the model appears as attractive as possible. As a photographer, if you are interested in shooting nudes you could very reasonably view boudoir as a first step along that road as you build your skills in dealing with models, while learning about lighting and posing etc.

Let’s not forget though that boudoir photography can also be a profitable business for the professional photographer, so a great deal of marketing skills, lighting technique and much more are also discussed in this book. To become successful in this area you will need to learn about locations, wardrobe, makeup, props, photo retouching and it’s important that you grain a strong understanding of these subjects. Keeping the client happy is all important.

No matter whether you are already shooting boudoir photography or if you just thinking about getting started this eBook should be of great value to you.

You can read more about the book Boudoir Photography which is available for immediate download at Ed Verosky’s own site.

If you look around there are clear signs that the days of backing up our images on discs may be rather fewer than many of us had previously imagined. I’ve come to this conclusion after piecing together a few sparate bits of information and wondering what impact this could have on us as photographers in the long term. Regardless of whether you are shooting nudes or landscapes, digital asset management is of vital importance to professional photographers, so this is something we need to be aware of.

The motor company Ford has just announced that no new cars will be fitted with a CD player. Instead they will include a connection point for portable MP3 players and wi-fi connections to access music via the internet. You may be asking what that has to do with photography but I think it shows manufacturers are heading towards a world where information can be accessed from anywhere, so there is no need to maintain physical media like CDs. That can be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

In another example Apple has just released the latest Mac Mini with no optical drive, telling us we don’t need one nowadays because we can always download installers from the internet. Software like Aperture is now only available via download through the App Store with no physical disc like before.

To make all of this feasible on a practical level a massive leap will need to be made in supporting technologies that would allow everything to be stored online and above all reliably retrieved when required. At present most of us are not there in terms of broadband connections if we need to upload several gigs of files on a daily basis. A photographer based in the centre of London may not find it too difficult to obtain a fast cable connection and store all their files on Amazon, but what about those who are living somewhere remote and struggling with a slow 2mbps connection?

Personally I am not wild about the idea of storing everything online and I like the idea of keeping something on a separate medium rather than just relying on hard drives. Does anybody have any thoughts about where we are headed over the next few years and how best to adapt? I’d be interested to hear your opinions…

Update: If you are interested in digital asset management (and you should be) it’s worth checking out the excellent book by Peter Krogh called The DAM Book.

Camera Equipment

Very often I find photographers hankering after the latest and greatest camera equipment; frequently trading in their gear every 12 months or so as each new model is announced, even when there are only very small real differences.

At one time during the early days of digital, the image quality was only borderline acceptable in most cases and there was genuine progress between each new model, but for the last five years the real world differences have become far more subtle. The megapixel war is fairly pointless now, especially for shooting nudes or glamour that don’t require the kind of definition that might be desirable in a landscape for example.

A quick look at many web forums will quickly reveal that most of their members are far more interested in camera equipment than in taking pictures. In fact, discussions about light quality and composition etc. rarely get a mention. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call them “camera owners” rather than photographers. Next year they will probably own a new camera but their photography is unlikely to have improved much.

I have a simple rule of thumb with camera equipment. When I stop thinking about it, I know it’s right. When I use the Hasselblad for example it just feels right. That is partly down to years of use but also the knowledge that it is a well thought out piece of equipment, which has been tested in the field and proven to be right for the job. When a new Hasselblad is introduced I don’t automatically want to abandon the camera I already have.

Going back several years ago I remember struggling along with a Canon Eos 100 SLR and there were times when I was exasperated by the functional limitations of the camera. For example there was a dial on the back, which was far too easy to move in manual mode and had to be taped down to avoid accidentally moving to the wrong setting. The need for a PC adaptor to work with studio flash was also awkward and unreliable.

At the time I wasn’t earning much money as a photographer, so I persisted with that camera for longer than I would have liked, but one day I finished a shoot in utter frustration and walked down the road to a camera dealer where I immediately bought a used Eos 1. This wasn’t the latest model that Canon were making at the time but it was a solid well made camera and it was a complete revelation compared to what I had been using before.

Many photographers are convinced that more options is always better when it comes to cameras and yet as I started to look closely at that Eos 1 I was struck by the shear lack of features and modes compared to some of the less professional cameras. It was clearly a much better designed camera for picture taking because they had eliminated distractions so that I could concentrate on the actual photography rather than the flashing lights. Probably the best example of this approach is found with the Leica rangefinder cameras. With camera equipment less is more sometimes when taking pictures.

At the time of writing I am working with a 1DsII, which I have had since 2005 and it’s a very good camera. There are a few points in the design ergonomics which could be improved, however it’s a thoroughly professional camera that inspires confidence and does exactly what I need. The real point about a professional camera like this is that they are built for hard daily use in all kinds of conditions and you are less likely to make errors in a moment of distraction because of the way they operate.

Looking at the various 35mm digital cameras, I feel we are reaching a point where differences in print will be largely impossible to see and left only to the pixel peepers. In practice this means that if you buy a professional DSLR it will still be a perfectly valid tool for your photography in several years time from a quality perspective but you will have also gained in the meanwhile from the general handling compared to lower end alternatives. You will also suffer less financial loss in the long run as you stop trading in your cameras every 12 months, so choosing professional equipment makes sense on a financial level as well.

For anybody shooting nudes or glamour photography there is a happy medium in terms of resolution because excessive detail is not terribly flattering to the model and will generally just result in many more hours spent in retouching. In real terms it may also lead to deterioration in overall image quality, since most modern lenses are already at their limit with the higher end 35mm DSLRs available today. Significantly higher resolution may also come at the price of compromises in other areas, so try to remember that the total megapixel count is not the only way to measure the usefulness of a camera.

In practical terms any recently made professional camera will do it all for commercial work from internet right through to billboards. It’s better to buy one good professional camera (even used) with just a couple of excellent lenses than to spend all your time and money constantly upgrading consumer level cameras and lenses.

One last piece of advice. Something I recommend in my book is that you “stress test” all your equipment to see where problems can occur during a shoot and take steps to avoid it in advance. This doesn’t just mean your cameras but also your lenses, lighting, cables, camera bags and the rest. Everything. That way you really learn how your equipment works and avoid costly errors. Look for dials that can accidentally be moved or batteries that run down too quickly.

In summary, search in detail for any areas of weakness in your camera equipment or workflow and then take action to make sure it doesn’t become a problem during the shoot.

Model Releases

Photographers who only shoot images for personal use that will never be published really don’t need a model release, but professionals or indeed any amateur who is publishing material for commercial usage should generally obtain a signed release from the model, where the subject consents to the usage of their image in various media as specified in the release.

There are many misconceptions in this area regarding model releases and my comments should not be interpreted as any kind of binding legal advice because every country is different. In general terms images used for editorial purposes don’t require a model release, however you might still sleep easier if you did some nude images of a subject and published them in a magazine or online without their permission.

I don’t know a single photographer who has had any real problems like this, but defending a legal action, even if it has little merit can still be expensive, stressful and time consuming. Problems are most likely to occur if you photograph an amateur model who then decides 6 months later that she wasn’t happy to be photographed naked and suddenly decides to kick up a fuss. This is one of the reasons why I invariably work with professional models from established agencies because there are fewer problems.

Most editorial assignments involving a model for magazines never have a written release as such. This is quite deliberate, so that no commercial usage rights are given. Instead the magazine simply pays the model a relatively low day rate for the editorial usage and is then able to use the images for their spread.

Most model agencies are mainly interested in this editorial work because it helps to get their girls seen and provides them with published images for their portfolio. There really isn’t much to gain from a financial point of view and that generally applies to photographers as well.

When shooting commercial assignments with a model for advertising purposes it’s normal practice for the client to stipulate a specific usage with the model agency and come to an agreement on price for that usage. There are no fixed rates here, so it’s all a case of horse trading by each party to get the best deal they can. Again though there is generally no model release as such and the rights usage is simply specified in the invoice supplied by the agency.

N.B It is common practice for many clients to deliberately organise shoots where the model’s face cannot be clearly seen and this is done so that there is just a one time basic fee, since model agencies cannot generally charge usage when a model is unrecognisable.

Clearly there are many clients who would love to obtain a full model release to do whatever they like, but it’s really not in the interests of the model agencies to give up all rights and it sets a bad precedent, which is why most stock photographers are frustrated when they approached a serious model agency demanding that the model sign a full release for a low fee, especially if it was for nudes.

It’s true that there are some strange model agencies out there with all kinds of weird practices but I tend to just ignore them because they don’t even have the kind of models that I would want to photograph. One agency online I saw recently wanted to charge a fixed rate for a half day shoot, but said that the photographer could only use one image from a shoot. Obviously they don’t have too many clients shooting catalogues or brochures…

The use of a model release really comes into play when a photographer needs the flexibility to sell images for commercial purposes such as a shop window display for example without needing to go back and negotiate with the model or her agency after the shoot.

For commercial assignments, you do your job and after receiving a payment for your services the deal generally ends there. You may choose to use the images in your portfolio, which is perfectly legitimate, but that is about it. A clever photographer though can also do well by finding suitable models for self assigned glamour or nude projects and creating images that can then be sold for various purposes to eventually reap a very good profit. The key point though in this case is to obtain a signed full model release and then you are free to use the images in practically any way that you choose.

Just to be clear I am not advocating the practice of placing your images with a stock library here, because I honestly feel they are no longer working in the best interests of photographers and should be kept at a long distance. Some photographers seem obsessed with the idea of working with stock agencies, but it’s not a fair partnership when a photographer creates images at their own expense that are then given away for peanuts and the agency keeps the lion share of the sales amount.

The answer is to produce genuinely professional looking imagery of worthwhile models with a fully signed release and then promote yourself in the right places. I have found this to be far more profitable in practice than submitting images to stock libraries because I am able to target my marketing in areas that the agencies completely ignore.

Most photo libraries these days simply market themselves as a brand by virtue of their vast archives and cheap prices, while relying on their usual customers in their traditional areas. For most, their only strategy seems to be cheaper prices, more images and higher volumes, which may be fine for amateurs who are happy to earn $100 a month but for a professional who has invested serious time, skill and cash this is a disaster.

The other huge advantage of not giving your images to a photo library is that you maintain control over how your images are used. In other words you are in command and that is exactly the way it should be. Remember to think outside the box and take control of your own business. As they like to say in Texas ”If you don’t know where you’re going, you ain’t going to get there”. These subjects and a lot more is covered in my book.

N.B. I am not a lawyer and this is not intended as strict legal advice. This information is based on my experience as a professional working photographer shooting primarily in Europe. The situation in other countries may well differ. Always make sure the model is at least 18 (21 in some places) if you are shooting any kinds of nudes.

Model Agencies

Model Agencies

I write about this subject in much greater depth in my nude photography eBook however here are a few points to bear in mind when approaching a model agency to organise a casting.First of all you need to have a clear idea regarding the kind of model you need for your project and with that in mind find an appropriate agency. As a basic example avoid going to an agency which is aimed at highly editorial style fashion if you intend to produce a girl next door type glamour calendar. Frankly you’ll only be wasting everybody’s time and end up creating the wrong impression.

Once you have found the right kind of model agencies be very clear in your own mind about what you are looking for. Again this avoids wasting everybody’s time, so if you really need a slim sultry brunette for glamour or fine art nudes, tell the agencies those exact details or you will spend all day looking at natural redheads with freckles and very commercial blondes.

On the day of the casting I always like to turn up a little early, whether it takes place at the studio or the model agency. Many of the models frequently arrive a little early and at the very least it’s a sign of being professional if you are already there and ready to start on time.

One of the biggest mistakes that photographers make is when they fail to keep notes, so it’s worth taking a pen with you to write down any quick relevant points because it can be harder to remember these points than you imagine after you have seen 30 different models in quick succession.

Above all be friendly, polite and professional in your approach both with the models and the model agencies that you deal with. Good luck!

Here is a link to one of the better established UK model agencies with some good level professional glamour models Samantha Bond

Boudoir Photography

 Boudoir Photography

10 Ways To Improve Your Boudoir Photography is an e-book by Ed Verosky, who is the author of various e-book’s on photography covering subjects such as lighting, portraiture and boudoir photography.

This is not a big book with hundreds of pages, however the title basically describes the contents as Ed shows you 10 ways to improve your boudoir photography.

The introduction starts with these words “boudoir photography can be one of the most rewarding types of portraiture you, as a photographer, will offer to your client. Rewarding for you, because you love to make beautiful photographs that make people happy. Rewarding for her, because it offers the chance to create images that can have a profound and positive effect on her self-image.”. I like the positive message in this e-book, which goes on to explain the value of boudoir photography and how to significantly improve your results.

Ed Verosky wrote this book with the professional and semi-professional photographer in mind and it starts with the logical assumption that you either want to start working with boudoir or you simply want to improve your understanding and approach to boudoir and your clients.

The book starts by defining boudoir as a subset of glamour photography with an emphasis on sensual, sexy and flirtatious looking poses. After establishing what boudoir photography is and what you should be aiming to produce Ed goes on to look at various points such as your subjects secret fears and motivations going in depth with the psychology behind boudoir. There is a section on communication that is worthwhile reading for any photographer who shoots models regardless of the genre.

The psychological aspect is important because most of the time you are not dealing with professional models but wives or girlfriends who may have self-image issues and or privacy concerns. Each subject will also have their own personal motivation for wanting pictures like these taken. With boudoir the subject is generally your client, so you have to get this right.

The book goes on to cover subjects such as preparing your subject for a successful shoot, including lots of tips, setting limits for the best results, dealing with wardrobe and make up, using encouragement and direction to get the most from your subject, foolproof lighting set-ups, photo retouching, the bestselling poses and more.

If you are at all interested in boudoir as a speciality or even just glamour photography in general it’s worth checking out this boudoir photography e-book.

EDIT: 2nd August – Ed has just brought out a new improved version called “Boudoir Photography:  The Quick-Start Guide For Professional Photographers“. I’ll be doing a full review some time soon.

Nude Photography In Movement

The above nude image is was taken as part of a beauty editorial I did in Italy on the coast of Tuscany with a beautiful white sandy beach. The model was a crazy Brazilian girl with a lot of personality and she was great fun. I remember we set out early that morning in a borrowed Alfa Romeo (which later broke down) together with another model from Iceland. 

This is the kind of photography I really love doing, where you just have a basic idea, but the details haven’t been nailed down with over strict limitations, so you just jump in a car with a model, drive to a location and shoot images spontaneously without the need for a team of helpers, a dozen rented lights and every detail pre-planned for what will be done in Photoshop during post production. In fact there is no Photoshop involved with this image. I shot it almost 15 years ago on film using Tri-X and a low end Canon SLR.

Although this was very much a job, we were able to shoot it rather like a model test and I greatly enjoyed it. This is what photography should be like and I do believe that many photographers have become slaves to a regime of technology and pre-planned images where every last detail is decided before they even choose the model.

In a commercial environment, following well rehearsed steps in technique and a strict shooting plan is often unavoidable and helps ensure you get the job done on time, according to the brief within the budget. Unfortunately it can and does lead to a degree of “production line” style boredom that will eventually take the edge off your passion for photography and your willingness to experiment as a creative artist. Very often when you are able to liberate yourself of all those technical hangups and other constraints you will emerge with the best images, especially if you are a master of technique and know how to break the rules.

In a time where digital technology should have theoretically liberated photographers to shoot more freely, many have become obsessed with reviewing every single image as they shoot and plenty of photographers find themselves scuttling back to the laptop instead of shooting spontaneous images and hopefully creating a little magic because they have ironically become insecure and fail to trust their own abilities.

In the days of film we used to shoot blind in the sense that there was no instant feedback from an LCD screen and yet we knew when we had caught the right image because of the instant adrenalin rush when all the elements were in place. Shoot digital but don’t lose sight of the essence that makes photography special.

This particular shot was done at around F16  with a slowish shutter speed. I ran backwards as the model ran towards me holding a long piece of lace curtain that blew in the wind, so it’s actually in sharp focus but blurred by the fast movement and slow shutter speed. The lens I used for this was my Canon 85mm F1.8 with the USM focussing which is wonderful for the fast tracking of movement. Remember that nude photography should be fun 8-)

PS The grain in this nude image doesn’t bother me one little bit!