photographers’ gallery 149
introduction
Welcome to the world of 10 top photographers renowned for their nude
images. each of them has created a picture specially for this book in the
style they are known for, and has then explained how it was achieved:
their concept, the preparation for the shoot, the equipment they used,
and the way they worked with their models. With their variety of visions
and approaches they demonstrate that photography can go in a number
of equally valid directions.
a careful study of their different styles will pay dividends. you will
notice how every photographer chooses to fit every
element of the shoot to his or her concept. some,
like andreas Bitesnich, sylvie Blum, and giorgio
gruizza, use their studio as a setting, whereas
gavin o’Neill gives his bare studio the feel of a
location. ocean Morisset puts his model at
a window and uses only natural light, while others—such as gabriele
rigon—use an extra light source to emphasize the location’s atmosphere.
ragne sigmond conjures up the atmosphere of the classical world in her
studio, while allan Jenkins comes so close to his model that the
environment has completely disappeared from his image.
have a look at the different lighting directions used to sculpt the
models, how light sources are combined, and how rarely the main light
comes from the front. you will see that few models look into the lens, and
that many even hide their faces. and when they do look into the camera,
study the expression they convey to the viewer. there are also good
examples of how dynamism is created through athletic poses, and
stillness through relaxed, natural poses.
listen to the way the photographers communicate with their models
and assistants, and look at how they try out different possibilities until they
find the final images. some, like almond Chu, vary their styles, whereas
others, like lyn Balzer and tony perkins, clearly choose a consistent style.
learn from these great masters, analyze their imagery, and read
their stories. however different their styles might be, what they all have
in common is a passion for photography and for the beauty of the human
form, and a quiet determination to create strong, personal images.
