Ben McPhee wrote:
I had an interesting experience the other day, and I just wanted to explain how it came to be. But if you don't feel like reading, just skip to somewhere around the bottom.

A model I had organised for a shoot backed out at the last minute, leaving me high and dry for an assignment I had due in a few days time.

While it didn't specifically call for nudity, I wanted to explore it because the assignment was to do with Black and White Printing on Fine Art paper, with fine grained film, and skin seemed to suit it.

I was telling a good friend of mine from my course the situation - more just venting than anything - and she volunteered to stand in. I was careful to explain to her that my original ideas involved some level of tasteful nudity, but that they could be adapted to levels she was more comfortable with, but she felt like it was something she was curious about, and agreed to just go with the original plan.

I'd taken nudes before, but every other time, the girl had some expereience or was very open minded, and I was usually way more nervous than they were. But this time, the model was a good friend, who had never posed nude before.

It started off slowly, with her in a robe and my back turned until she was in place. When she was ready, I turned around, and it was then that I first saw her boobs, and I have to admit it gave me a bit of a rush - not in a sexual way - but in an "I can't believe this is happening" way. Maybe it was because she was a friend, and it satisfied some curiousity I may have had about what she was like under the clothes, or maybe I'm just a typical guy. But I hid my amazement as best I could and got to work.

At one stage - before I'd even really seen more than boobs, I tried to direct her to pose a certain way while she held a piece of fabric in front of her. It wasn't quite working the way I'd planned, and I couldn't find the words to describe to her how I wanted her to hold it, but I was too scared to physically approach since she was naked, you know? After a minute or so, she just dropped the fabric and let me see her in her entirety. Jokingly frustrated she said, "Is this what you want"? We both laughed nervously, but from that moment on, things got a lot more comfortable, and the shots improved beyond believe.

But it occured to me during the shoot, that it must be so odd to take your clothes off and be photographed. But I wasn't really sure what feeling would stand out the most.... Fear, Insecurity, Excitement, Freedom or all of the above?

So my questions is, how does it feel to pose nude - especially when you are new at it? And is it better or worse to know the photographer well first?

I'd love to hear some feedback.

Ben

This is the kind of post I would have expected from someone in America, but seems that nudity is a big deal in Australia too.

In Europe this would just not even occur to anyone to say.

Mike White Photography wrote:
It wouldn't hurt for you to volunteer to pose for a nude session at your local art center as part of your "sensitivity training". They take all types ;-)
If that's too public for you, just find another friend/artist that you would pose for.
You won't forget the experience, and you'll have an idea of the vulnerability or possibly the enjoyment that comes with it.

I've done a few nudie runs in my time, but found it more of a laugh than anything.

As for posing properly for sensititivity training, It's not a bad idea. Just let me get to the Gym first.

SFDigitalphotography wrote:
This is the kind of post I would have expected from someone in America, but seems that nudity is a big deal in Australia too.

In Europe this would just not even occur to anyone to say.

I'm more interested in the human emotions behind it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on nudity, and those who wouldn't pose probably won't have much to contribute to this. I just would love someone to help me put myself in their shoes.

Thanks for the replies so far. )

Ben McPhee wrote:

I've done a few nudie runs in my time, but found it more of a laugh than anything.

As for posing properly for sensititivity training, It's not a bad idea. Just let me get to the Gym first.

Ben McPhee wrote:
As for posing properly for sensititivity training, It's not a bad idea. Just let me get to the Gym first.

Nah, just do it.

Ben McPhee wrote:
I've done a few nudie runs in my time, but found it more of a laugh than anything.

As for posing properly for sensititivity training, It's not a bad idea. Just let me get to the Gym first.

I like the trusted friend route (no need to work out). Also, posing for drawing seems easier than for photography. If you can pose five minutes, you can pose all day.

Kelli wrote:
Nudity is not a big deal, unless someone makes a big deal out of it and then I don't want to work with them cuz they're obviously a pervert not interested in actually working!

Someone being interested in nudity does not make them a pervert--it makes them human.

Ben McPhee wrote:
I had an interesting experience the other day, and I just wanted to explain how it came to be. But if you don't feel like reading, just skip to somewhere around the bottom.

A model I had organised for a shoot backed out at the last minute, leaving me high and dry for an assignment I had due in a few days time.

While it didn't specifically call for nudity, I wanted to explore it because the assignment was to do with Black and White Printing on Fine Art paper, with fine grained film, and skin seemed to suit it.

I was telling a good friend of mine from my course the situation - more just venting than anything - and she volunteered to stand in. I was careful to explain to her that my original ideas involved some level of tasteful nudity, but that they could be adapted to levels she was more comfortable with, but she felt like it was something she was curious about, and agreed to just go with the original plan.

I'd taken nudes before, but every other time, the girl had some expereience or was very open minded, and I was usually way more nervous than they were. But this time, the model was a good friend, who had never posed nude before.

It started off slowly, with her in a robe and my back turned until she was in place. When she was ready, I turned around, and it was then that I first saw her boobs, and I have to admit it gave me a bit of a rush - not in a sexual way - but in an "I can't believe this is happening" way. Maybe it was because she was a friend, and it satisfied some curiousity I may have had about what she was like under the clothes, or maybe I'm just a typical guy. But I hid my amazement as best I could and got to work.

At one stage - before I'd even really seen more than boobs, I tried to direct her to pose a certain way while she held a piece of fabric in front of her. It wasn't quite working the way I'd planned, and I couldn't find the words to describe to her how I wanted her to hold it, but I was too scared to physically approach since she was naked, you know? After a minute or so, she just dropped the fabric and let me see her in her entirety. Jokingly frustrated she said, "Is this what you want"? We both laughed nervously, but from that moment on, things got a lot more comfortable, and the shots improved beyond believe.

But it occured to me during the shoot, that it must be so odd to take your clothes off and be photographed. But I wasn't really sure what feeling would stand out the most.... Fear, Insecurity, Excitement, Freedom or all of the above?

So my questions is, how does it feel to pose nude - especially when you are new at it? And is it better or worse to know the photographer well first?

I'd love to hear some feedback.

Ben

try it and find out.

Ben McPhee wrote:
I had an interesting experience the other day, and I just wanted to explain how it came to be. But if you don't feel like reading, just skip to somewhere around the bottom.

A model I had organised for a shoot backed out at the last minute, leaving me high and dry for an assignment I had due in a few days time.

While it didn't specifically call for nudity, I wanted to explore it because the assignment was to do with Black and White Printing on Fine Art paper, with fine grained film, and skin seemed to suit it.

I was telling a good friend of mine from my course the situation - more just venting than anything - and she volunteered to stand in. I was careful to explain to her that my original ideas involved some level of tasteful nudity, but that they could be adapted to levels she was more comfortable with, but she felt like it was something she was curious about, and agreed to just go with the original plan.

I'd taken nudes before, but every other time, the girl had some expereience or was very open minded, and I was usually way more nervous than they were. But this time, the model was a good friend, who had never posed nude before.

It started off slowly, with her in a robe and my back turned until she was in place. When she was ready, I turned around, and it was then that I first saw her boobs, and I have to admit it gave me a bit of a rush - not in a sexual way - but in an "I can't believe this is happening" way. Maybe it was because she was a friend, and it satisfied some curiousity I may have had about what she was like under the clothes, or maybe I'm just a typical guy. But I hid my amazement as best I could and got to work.

At one stage - before I'd even really seen more than boobs, I tried to direct her to pose a certain way while she held a piece of fabric in front of her. It wasn't quite working the way I'd planned, and I couldn't find the words to describe to her how I wanted her to hold it, but I was too scared to physically approach since she was naked, you know? After a minute or so, she just dropped the fabric and let me see her in her entirety. Jokingly frustrated she said, "Is this what you want"? We both laughed nervously, but from that moment on, things got a lot more comfortable, and the shots improved beyond believe.

But it occured to me during the shoot, that it must be so odd to take your clothes off and be photographed. But I wasn't really sure what feeling would stand out the most.... Fear, Insecurity, Excitement, Freedom or all of the above?

So my questions is, how does it feel to pose nude - especially when you are new at it? And is it better or worse to know the photographer well first?

I'd love to hear some feedback.

Ben

Well I have lots of experience shooting nude models and have some posing experience as well. 

When I was a freshman in college, the first week of school a female grad student asked me to pose nude for her.  I agreed and told my room mates about it.  They were both younger than I - 18 and 17 (I was 19 at the time) - so they wondered how I was gonna get naked in front of a woman and not show my "interest".  They suggested I have a few drinks before going over there, and I did.  The photographer had some drinks for me too - since she apparently had similar concerns.  So needless to say - I had quite a buzz during the shoot.  The pics turned out OK, but I don't have any idea where they are now.

Then I would run into a few other female photographers at my school who wanted to shoot art nudes, but didn't really know how to go about it.  So they asked me because they knew I had shot many nude models (I was a TA over the years and people knew who I was).  I suggested that we could shoot together sometime - they pose for me and I pose for them.  Some of them had no idea how to shoot a nude model until they themselves had been in front of a camera to see what it felt like.

Then one time well after I left school I was working with a model and a female assistant.  I wanted to get some baby oil on the model's skin - which was quite dry due to it being winter.  The female assistant had a hard time staying professional because she was bi and couldn't wait to get her hands on the model.  I asked her to leave and the model was glad I had done so.  But she had a hard time getting into the whole posing routine, so I asked her if it would help her if I posed for her while she shot pics of me.  So I posed for her and gave her an idea of what I was looking for her to do - experience and enjoy the freedom of being nude in front of the camera.   The pics turned out good, and she wanted copies of all of them - since she shot the pics of me.  She actually used those pics in her own portfolio for a few years.  When she dated a guy I knew, needless to say he was not thrilled that there was evidence out there that she had posed nude for others, and at least one person she posed for posed for her as well.  That suggested to him that there were other reasons why we were naked in the same room.

But it was a great feeling to pose for other artists - it does give the photographer a unique perspective on what the models feel.  I highly recommend it.

damon wrote:
at first, nervous.

after about 2 minutes it's like.  I'm nude, so?

I don't really think it matters whether it's a friend or not, after 2 minutes, no one cares.

Stop trying to make me like you more than I do already....

Iona Lynn wrote:

Stop trying to make me like you more than I do already....

  I'd pose for you.    does that help

Kelli wrote:
Nudity is not a big deal, unless someone makes a big deal out of it and then I don't want to work with them cuz they're obviously a pervert not interested in actually working!

I find your comment interesting since on your port you have listed: "Kelli Exposed: New book just released with over 2 dozen of my hottest nudes!!!"

You have pics that are intended to be arousing yet it's somehow wrong to turn on the photographer, a person that is tryng to capture that hotness in the first place.

It's not just you, Kelli, it's a weird dichotomy that I see models state all the time.

Personally, I want to be visually infatuated with my model if I'm trying to capture something hot. It helps me "see" it. Doesn't mean I turn into the GWC pervyman. If I'm doing some kind of figure study, then it's different. But sometimes it's just about getting a hot image. Why is it wrong to acknowledge that?

Great Miss Qthulu wrote:
But damn, if I could model nude for someone else, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

so hey, how are you? 

SFDigitalphotography wrote:

This is the kind of post I would have expected from someone in America, but seems that nudity is a big deal in Australia too.

In Europe this would just not even occur to anyone to say.

Agreed, exactly what I was going to say.

HippieChick wrote:
I, for whatever reason, was not the least bit uncomfortable. I rather enjoyed it!  Felt VERY freeing and a little bit naughty   It makes me feel confident.

-Hippie

Electrifying Freedom and never-ending confidence?  Very cool.

D Wolff wrote:

Electrifying maybe?

Good God David, when I saw you had posted to this thread I thought you were going to announce your new modeling profile!

Telephoto Studio wrote:
But she had a hard time getting into the whole posing routine, so I asked her if it would help her if I posed for her while she shot pics of me.  So I posed for her and gave her an idea of what I was looking for her to do - experience and enjoy the freedom of being nude in front of the camera.

Hmmm...no model ever wanted to see me SANS clothing. It's a great way to relax a new model though, putting her behind the camera and posing, albeit in clothing.  Last time I got naked on a beach, the Coast Guard showed up with their Marine Biologists.

Billy Monday wrote:

Good God David, when I saw you had posted to this thread I thought you were going to announce your new modeling profile!

Yeah...Dave the model.  Plus sized and available for artistic nudes. LOL.