The naked and the lens : a guide to nude photography

250 Pages·2010·40.201 MB·English

by  Louis Benjamin

The Naked aNd The LeNs
A G u i d e F O R N u d e P hOtO G R A Ph y
L o u i s B e n j a m i n
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AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON
NEW YORK • OXFORD PARIS • SAN DIEGO
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D e d i c a t i o n
To Denise, with more love than you can imagine. You always inspire me, and any magic in
these pages comes from you.
And to my parents, who have unwaveringly backed my every escapade.
L o u i s B e n j a m i n
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Dedication v
Acknowledgments ix
Preface xi
Part One
CONCEPT
1 Gallery 5
2 Undressing Fine Art 17
3 The Body Itself: A Survey of Modes 37
4 The Nude in Context 53
Part Two
PUllING IMAGES APAr T
5 light, Shadow, Color, and the Qualities of lighting 69
6 Composition 93
7 The Camera Is Not an Eye 113 vii
Part Three
MAkING IMAGES
8 Working with Models 127
9 The Shoot 135
10 Digital Technique 153
Part Four
ExPl OrING ThE PrACTICE
11 Interviews 207
Conclusion 223
Bibliography 225
Index 229
Please go to the website www.TheNakedandTheLens.com for more interviews
and resources.
C oCnont etennttss
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Acknowledgments
This book was only possible through the contributions and inspiration and supported my work at ICP. Per is a master of digital printing,
of a lot of people, and I’m certain that what I’m writing here will not and I first learned how to make custom color profiles from him.
cover everyone, or do justice to the people who are mentioned. You
all have my gratitude. I turned the corner and got serious about making artistic
nudes during a Summer Residency program at the School of
The 27 artists who contributed work and participated in the Visual Arts. Eric Weeks was one of my advisors. His insightful cri-
interviews are named throughout. They gave this book its real tiques helped me to sharpen my artistic voice and shape my first
substance. I am standing on their shoulders. Their extreme gen- collection of nude work, and he continues to inspire me now.
erosity and talent inspires me.
Simply put, this book would not have happened without the
My own photos could not have happened without the spirit, stewardship of Über Mensch Neil J. Salkind, Ph.D., who has
collaboration and inspiration provided by the wonderful people been an incredible ally. It’s rare to actually have fun talking busi-
who sat in front of my lens, including Denise, Sienna, Isabel, ness and even enjoy a pastrami sandwich at the same time, but
Aubrey, Damiana, Moon Marie, Tia, and Nekosi. Sienna graces Neil has that capacity — he can take care of business and still
the cover of this book. Isabel brought collaboration to a new level keep it light.
and is still one of my favorite models to work with. My brilliant
friend Damiana was second only to Denise in terms of support I will always remember Zack Siegel, who first taught me
and positive energy as I brought this book to completion. about professional retouching techniques, and who put me in
touch with Neil, which started this whole ball rolling…
Cara Anderson, Danielle Monroe, and the team at Focal
Press were my champions from the start, and Mission Control Cameras have been one of my favorite playthings since my
throughout this project. Alisa Andreola took what was essen- early teens, and Mom and Dad have provided me with many of
tially a pile of pictures and pages of raw text and crafted a fin- them, including my very first 35mm and digital cameras.
ished work. Paul Gottehrer steered the raw manuscript through
I cannot finish without recognizing Mika, who got me think-
its odessey of editing, proofing, and printing. From proposal to
ing about digital manipulations, whose self-portrait torso graced
finished product, the entire team worked with me on this with
my living room for a long time before I ever owned a digital
genuine enthusiasm, vision, and professionalism. I really appre-
camera.
ciate their backing and partnership.
Throughout the months of the writing process, my wife
I owe a special debt of gratitude to Frank Franca, who is a
Denise kept asking, “Are you still having fun?” And I was.
gifted artist and an imaginative and innovative teacher. He shows
I’m certain that she sacrificed more than I: passing on social
how untrue the phrase “those who can’t, teach” really is. I’ve
events, doing all the cooking, and losing me to writing over
had the privilege of assisting him in his lighting course, where I
many consecutive weekends and late nights. Her support and
learned much about how to teach lighting and how to allow stu-
love never faltered. She has never been threatened by the
dents room to make mistakes. He demonstrated that showing
prospect of naked women gracing our living room, and with
archetypes from art and film is probably the most powerful and
her, I’ve never been a “starving artist,” in either alimentary or
concrete way to drive home the principles of lighting. His exam-
emotional terms!
ple inspired much of the material in the chapter on lighting.
Thanks also to H. Eugene Foster and Per Gylfe of the Inter- Louis Benjamin
national Center of Photography. Eugene has always encouraged June 2009
ix