THE NUDE IN STEREOGRAPHY 159Therefore, the presence or absence of clothing should not be
regarded as of more than the most insignificant importance. And
this in turn leads us back to the original question of the pose.
The pose of the nude is best when the action expressed is
wholly normal: lounging in a chair, lying on a day bed, playing
with a kitten, picking flowers, eating lunch, reading, swimming,
or anything else which is normal and which gives rise to normal
physical motions. The only requisite is that the model be wholly
unconscious that the state of nudity is in any way unusual.
One writer has cautioned against posing the nude out doors
without a blanket or some such protection. Such consideration
is admirable of course, but the blanket introduces a false note,
and I must add that this man’s models must have been far more
delicate than those with whom I have worked. They seem to care
no more about the presence of rocks, sticks and stones than would
a man. And certainly when you take away the model’s clothing
for a pose in natural surroundings, the blanket is definitely out
of harmony.
The selection of a model is often difficult. It is not so difficult
to find a model, but it is difficult to find one who enters into the
spirit of the work, who will try to work with you in your prob-
lems of composition, one who will learn and advance in ability
as you do. Of course you can always hire a professional, but this
is inadvisable. First the rates are extremely high. Few of us can
afford $50 an hour. In the second place, the professional is ac-
customed to professional photographers, whose work is purely
commercial and whose work is carried on in an atmosphere of
blasC boredom. She will be contemptuous of your first stumbling
efforts, and will never be in sympathy with your work. The idea
of trying to create a picture for the simple joy of doing it lies
beyond the comprehension of the commercial world. No, by all
means find a sympathetic amateur. Your progress may not be as
fast, but it will be much better. Moreover you will have a chance
to develop your own pictorial individuality without the influence
of the stereotyped commercial world.
Before starting the actual posing, you should give some time
to a study of art anatomy. Any pose which can exist is one whlch
superficially interprets the function of bones and muscles beneath
the skin. Become at least somewhat familiar with this underlying