Pascal Baetens. Nude Photography. The Art and The Craft. 2007

36 defining styles & approaches

different themes

there are so many different themes and styles in nude

photography it would be impossible to cover them all here.

as well as the more obvious areas, such as glamour, fashion,

and erotic, you can portray nudes in an allegorical, scientific,

pornographic, political, educational, or purely graphic way.

categorizing images into specific styles can be a dangerous

exercise, since your interpretation of a picture may be

completely different to mine, but at the same time it serves

to refine our way of thinking about nude photography and

helps us find a style of our own. choosing a style has a lot

to do with your personality, so whatever direction your nude

photography takes, you need to feel comfortable with it.

Glamour

this type of image is all about

seduction, with models usually

seeking eye contact with the

viewer. the pictures are not about

deep inner emotions, but rather the

play of the protagonist with his or her

environment. Models look confident

and extroverted—they are attractive

and want to show it.

Portraiture

here, the model’s personality, or at

least a facet of it, is important. the

photographer has to connect with

the model, who must pose naturally

rather than play a role. in nude portrait

photography, models literally lay

themselves bare for public scrutiny,

showing their vulnerability but also their

strength and courage.

Fashion and beauty

in the pages of fashion magazines the nudes and seminudes

are all about presentation—of accessories, products, or the

body beautiful. the atmosphere evoked is a key factor in the

image’s commercial success: romantic, glamorous, erotic,

polished, grungy, graphically aesthetic, and so on.