She wants to do this in the interest of self-betterment.  Posing nude in order to learn to accept herself for who she is.  This can be quite a powerful and profound thing.  I am amazed by this because this is something that I’ve believed for quite some time. That through being nude we can learn who we truly are.  We get to see ourselves as beings who live on this planet instead of the job we do, or the stuff we own.  To remind ourselves that there is more to this life than just eating, sleeping, and working.  That there is a whole world out there to enjoy. To have fun, to enjoy, and to see and experience the beauty in that world.

I feel quite honored that she chose me to help her realize this idea and I’m grateful to her for choosing me.  I can’t think of a higher compliment than this.

Thank you

Ok seriously.  When I started photographing nudes I thought that I would try something that I’ve always wanted to do but was too afraid to do.  Ever since that time, I’ve been writing about the experience and sharing what I’ve learned along the way.  All the while continuing to do it because it’s fun, interesting, and by golly I like photographing beautiful things.

But since reading the article on Univers d’ Artistes, I’m starting to see that the images I’m shooting and the words I’m using to talk about the art are powerful.  I never thought in a million years that my work could be considered powerful.  There is so much in our world that is ugly. so much hate and violence.  And there are so many people who are trying to control others.  there is so much that is negative in our world that I find going into the woods or onto a gorgeous beach and creating art is my way of coping.  It’s my way of reminding myself that this place is still beautiful and hopefully reminding others of that beauty as well.  but more than that, reminding us all that we are better than the petty arguments, better than the wars we wage, or the power we seek.  To be human is to be alive and to understand that our place in this world is not to control it, but to enjoy it.

This is why I shoot nudes and this is why I’ll keep shooting nudes.  I just hope that you’ll continue to enjoy the work

I prefer to embrace serendipity and allow it to really shape how I work. I have found that my favorites shots are the ones I couldn’t have planned. It’s the shots where the model says “I have a wacky idea” or the shot that you don’t remember taking until you’re looking at them a few days later.

The other side of the coin is that you force serendipity either. If it doesn’t happen you have to be prepared to take charge and express what it is that you want. This is still a challenge for me but I find that if I just let go of my mind it usually happens. and it is magical.

Of course that’s just my opinion…

The reason is simple. the iPod Touch is so good at showing images that I use it to show models pose ideas and to show potential models (and anyone else who asks) my work. It’s my sketchpad and my portfolio all in one little package. And if the model gets really bored during the shoot she can enjoy some music! (joking!) I don’t know if other photographers are using their iPod this way but I really can’t go out on a shoot without bringing it.

So the three pieces of gear I can’t live without are my camera (duh!), my MacBook, and my iPod Touch. The touch now lives in my camera bag so I’ll always have it with me.

“On the fourth day of telecommuting, I realized that clothes are totally unnecessary.” – Dilbert

“I think on-stage nudity is disgusting, shameful and damaging to all things American. But if I were 22 with a great body, it would be artistic, tasteful, patriotic and a progressive religious experience.” – Shelley Winters

Sometimes… Ok a lot of the time I find myself fumbling for just the right words to express how I feel about nudity and to describe my philosophy about the nude human form. Well fear not! I found a few quotes by people much more eloquent that myself to express my thoughts and feelings for me.

“The more a society requires its respectable women to keep their bodies covered, the more likely those women are to be oppressed.” – Eristotle

“To see you naked is to recall the Earth.” – Federico García Lorca (1899-1936)

“The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its clothes off.” – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

What I mean when I say “Photographing Green” is that you treat the places your are shooting with respect.  Don’t trample all over the plants, shrubs, trees, and other plant and animal life that you find.  This is their territory and you are a visitor to it.  Don’t just start breaking off tree branches because they’re in your way.  Find another angle or hold a branch out of frame so that it’s not in the shot.  When you are done, the branch can go right back to where it was.  I find it much more satisfying to work with nature instead of against it.

The term also refers to the amount of energy you use on a shoot.  Whether it’s your energy or the car you drove to the shoot or it could also be the batteries you’re using to power your camera.   Try to conserve energy where ever you can.  One way to do this is to use your batteries until they are completly drained instead of cahrging a battery when it’s only half used.  I carry three batteries for my camera.  I use one until it’s completly dead then I switch to the next one.  In some cases it might take me a week or more to drain just one battery.  So I’ve charged up three batteries, which takes more energy initially but it might take me three weeks worth of shooting to use all the enrgy contained in them. I’d say that’s pretty efficient.  If you’re finding that your camera drains your battery quickly it might be time to buy new.  It’ll save you in the long run becasue you wouldn’t be charging your batteries as often.

Anyway those are just some of my thought about “Photographing Green”.  If you have any questions or comments feel free to write…

Aloha,
Jason Tag

You Tube – How To Be A Model

Enjoy!

What I’m currently looking for is an abandoned building or old apartment that is in need of major repairs or something like that.  I want to do a whole shoot about the contrast between the softness of the human body and the harshness of man-made structures.  There aren’t too many abandoned buildings here on Oahu.  THe search has been tough but I think that when I find the right one it will have been worth it.

Keep on keepin’ on!
J

If you’d like to see more check out the members section… Not a member?  Join now!

The following post refelcts my personal feelings and should not be taken as the end all be all on the subject of Artistic Nudes Vs. Glamour Nudes Vs. Pornography.

** End Disclaimer **

After taking a look at the shots I got from Last week’s shoot in the woods, I realized that the definition I came up with for Artistic nudes seems to work. How I’m currently defining “Artistic Nudes” as an image in which the model is nude but isn’t looking directly at the camera. I came up with this idea when I started thinking about the responses from my male friends after seeing the images I was capturing. I realized when the model is looking at the camera, it sets up the opportunity for a connection between the model and the viewer of the photo. When there is a connection it’s possible for sexual stimulation. Something I definetly don’t want.

My images are not about sex and as such iI wanted to find a way to keep it from being sexual. It seems that it works. When I told the Model about this on that last shoot, she seemed to understand and the shots I got I think speak for themselves.

I hope to try this concept again on my next shoot and see what happens…

Other sources:
Good Article about Art Vs. Porn
Another great article on the subject
Google Search “Artistic Nude Vs. Glamour Nude”