Fine art nude book
The central theme of this fine art nude book is multiple figures intertwined, overlapped, or otherwise visually connected. Although the title hints at a clandestine encounter, which is an implied subtext to the collection, the central theme is visual.
This theme provides compositions that can confound the viewer. It may be ambiguous as to which limbs belong to which person or how a particular posture was achieved. Pairing subjects provides the opportunity for symmetry, including mirroring and rotational symmetry similar to that of the yin yang symbol.
I value the collaborative nature of photographing people. Ideas come from three hundred sixty degrees: the photographer, the subjects, and anyone who has influenced us. I adopt the role of a film director more than that of a camera operator, providing the subjects the broad strokes of a character to portray and allowing them to fill in the details. With dozens of collaborators, a variety of combinations of two (or sometimes three) nude women are present in each image.
Having many subjects in a photograph adds a degree of spontaneity, allowing us to produce compositions that we would not have otherwise discovered. Some participants thrive on interaction with a posing partner. Conversely, having more than one figure creates a number of challenges, such as ensuring that all of them are simultaneously in interesting poses. To achieve success, I am careful about how I pair or group the subjects. I consider each one’s visual appearance, skill level, personality, and working style. I welcome these challenges for the unexpected results that occur.
The settings in this fine art nude book are diverse, ranging from studio to domestic interiors, rooftops, beaches, and the edge of swimming pools. Most are pure nudes devoid of any fabric or other prop, but I don’t balk at including such elements to enhance the connection between the figures.
I celebrate sensuality as an aspect of human nature and within the context of visual composition. An unapologetic celebration of beauty, this collection invites the viewer to explore a dreamlike world. My perspective of beauty lives somewhere between eroticism and pinup. I scrutinize each composition for aesthetics in pursuit of my artistic vision and painstakingly alter them.
Herein, you find fictional residents of a parallel world much like our own but frequently more beautiful, more interesting, and sometimes more frightening. The artwork is exploratory—a pastiche of borrowed cultural perceptions and glimpses into an alternate reality that is tantalizingly close. The images contain elements of pinup and hints of the surreal. The goal is not just to entertain the viewer, flatter the subject, or create a technical tour de force, but rather to provoke thought with an interpretation of the motif.
Black and White Section
My tonal manipulation technique often resembles classic chemical processes of black and white photography, such as selenium, sepia, and platinum. A selection of two or more colors are mapped across the darks and lights of the image. I typically spend many hours further adjusting the intensity in select areas in a process that succeeds hand-painting.
I remove color from an image to draw the viewer through the shapes and lines of the composition. The near-monochrome tones eliminate distraction and compel an emotional reaction. Reducing an image to near-monochrome brings it closer to its abstract components–the heart of any artwork. Viewing a (nearly) colorless image, free from the seductive spectrum of hues, is a more serious-feeling pursuit.
