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

38 defining styles & approaches

pursuing a concept

a series of photographs based on a single concept and

realized in a particular style can create a very strong visual

impact. the collection must be more than the sum of the

individual pictures, and will require detailed preparation and

discipline. however, simple but adequate technical means

give more energy and focus to the subject, and although

these three sets of images were commissioned for

advertising and promotional purposes, i used extremely

simple methods, using only one light source (a spotlight, a

softbox, or natural light) without reflectors. When working on

commercial assignments, you have to be able to perform as

part of a team, and you may need to accept compromises.

Chess pieces

these chessboard images were made as

part of the interior decoration for a coffee bar.

i was invited to create the set in the natural

style for which i am best known, so i chose

settings with naturally dark and light

backgrounds. i positioned the knights and

bishops (called “runners” in Belgium, hence

the pose) facing the king and queen, setting

them alternately higher and lower, to produce

an undulating wave pattern. the only pieces

showing their faces are the king and the

queen; the pawns in the second row are

looking down, reflecting their subordinate

role. as the images were to be shot with

natural light, i waited for an overcast day,

to avoid harsh shadows.

Jewelry

one of my clients asked me to show their female jewelry

collection in the context of male bodies. the look needed

to be classy and stylish, but at the same time natural.

the jewelry had to be shown clearly, while the image

had to be strong in its own right, so i used a limited depth

of field and a single light source to concentrate the

attention on the jewelry.