Photographer
ShutterSpeedPhotography
Posts: 186
Tempe, Arizona, US
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference
Photographer
Charger Photography
Posts: 1731
San Antonio, Texas, US
Just shoot what you like... and let others shoot what we like.. 
Photographer
Good Egg Productions
Posts: 16713
Orlando, Florida, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit I think you should do what you want and let everyone else do what they want.
Photographer
silverystars
Posts: 2524
Allentown, Pennsylvania, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit there are lots of people that take uninteresting photographs of clothed models with no artistic integrity.
there are also a lot of photographers that make beautiful artwork with nudes.
the amount of talent and vision varies from photographer to photographer.
Photographer
Jacob Davis
Posts: 858
Boulder, Colorado, US
I wouldn't put that question to anyone else's work; to each their own. My sense is that, while some degree of nudity is needed for my own work, full-on nudity (visible genitalia and nipples) affects the narrative I wish to create and distracts from my goal.
Then again, I'm rarely going for "sexy."
But, in general, yes, sexy and sensual can be done without full or implied nudity. It's a matter of what kind of sexy/sensual you're trying to achieve.
Photographer
ShutterSpeedPhotography
Posts: 186
Tempe, Arizona, US
yeah well I have seen nudes that have lots of artistic integrity, just hard to find them... most are cliche
Photographer
Kenzphotos 2
Posts: 183
Anaheim, California, US
Charger Photography wrote:
Just shoot what you like... and let others shoot what we like..
Yes, I agree.
The OP could possibly just move to the Middle East. He already lives in the desert, so the heat would be no problem for him. There are no nude photo shoots there. He might possibly enjoy taking photographs of local Arabic models wearing burkas (
Photographer
jonaswahlin
Posts: 1167
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
I don't see an issue. People do as they like.
Photographer
Good Egg Productions
Posts: 16713
Orlando, Florida, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
yeah well I have seen nudes that have lots of artistic integrity, just hard to find them... most are cliche There are many different genres of photography.
Model photography is one of them.
There are many different genres of model photography.
Nude model photography is one of them.
There are many different genres of nude model photography.
And like absolutely everything, there are good examples and poor examples of every genre.
I'd like to think that I make sexy images of women with some of their clothes on. And I also make interesting images of women with their clothes off.
Photographer
JQuest
Posts: 2453
Syracuse, New York, US
I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity. Why? What drives you to question someone else's artistic motivations unless it's directly affecting you? I would be more concerned about my own integrity than theirs.
If shooting nudes makes you uncomfortable don't do it. No need to question anyone else's motivations.
Photographer
Jeffrey M Fletcher
Posts: 4861
Asheville, North Carolina, US
Sure we can all question each others "composition or artistic integrity".
Why would you choose to do so around the subject of nudity?
Photographer
AgX
Posts: 2851
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference I would suggest not spending precious energy questioning others' composition or integrity, as it's not likely to gain you much if anything.
Shoot what you and your clients/collaborators/subjects like, leave others to their own devices.
Photographer
Abbitt Photography
Posts: 13564
Washington, Utah, US
You are free to shoot what ever you wish and form what ever opinion you wish about other people's work.
I think any subject can be shot well or not so well. That's not unique to nudes.
I shoot nudes. As with anything I shoot, I try to capture it to the best of my ability. As with everything else I shoot, I do a better job than some and not as good a job as others.
Model
LizzyB
Posts: 2225
Rochester, New York, US
silverystars wrote:
there are lots of people that take uninteresting photographs of clothed models with no artistic integrity.
there are also a lot of photographers that make beautiful artwork with nudes.
the amount of talent and vision varies from photographer to photographer. ^this, agreed!
although as an aside, i'd add that there are some/lots that make beautiful artwork with clothed models, and some/lots that take uninteresting nudes with no artistic integrity, lol
So yes, to re-iterate, to each their own 
oh, and sex sells 
Artist/Painter
MainePaintah
Posts: 1892
Saco, Maine, US
Artists have been painting nudes for centuries. Now photographers are photographing nudes.
One man's art is another man's porn.
Do what you like. Life is easier if one does not pass judgement on others or on their "art".
Photographer
ontherocks
Posts: 23575
Salem, Oregon, US
everything's cliche now (can you say lens flare?) that there are 5 billion photographers on the planet (half of them pro. lol) my suggestion is to start a meetup group focused on what you want to shoot (either clothed stuff or artsy nudes). regarding artistic integrity, glamour is about making it hot and sexy. that's the whole point. whereas the art nude guys do their bodyscapes and put the model on driftwood and make it grainy b&w on special paper. so i'm guessing you'd fall more into the art nude camp. or maybe you should go more fashion-y. and then there are the guys who combine fashion and glamour (glashion? famour?) http://www.wildevision.com/ there's nothing wrong with not shooting glamour. and nothing wrong with shooting it. to each their own. for my part i love glamour and if chicks want to get nekkid for my camera i'm not going to turn them away (plus some of them will pay for it!) Matthew Braney wrote:
yeah well I have seen nudes that have lots of artistic integrity, just hard to find them... most are cliche
Photographer
FemmeArtPhoto
Posts: 133
Washington, District of Columbia, US
Charger Photography wrote:
Just shoot what you like... and let others shoot what we like..
Well said.
Photographer
Jeffrey M Fletcher
Posts: 4861
Asheville, North Carolina, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
yeah well I have seen nudes that have lots of artistic integrity, just hard to find them... most are cliche The vast majority of photos ever taken are of poor quality and are cliched views of the world. Nudes are no different in this respect. So, why concentrate on this as a problem with the nudes?
Photographer
Dark Shadows
Posts: 2269
Miami, Florida, US
A photographer can make a living without ever shooting any nudes, however, I've found that most photographers do shoot nudes, even if it's only as a side thing.
Photographer
B R U N E S C I
Posts: 25319
Bath, England, United Kingdom
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. If you're worried that you don't know where that line is then yes, you're probably better off sticking to clothed shoots.
Just my $0.02
Ciao
Stefano
www.stefanobrunesci.com
Photographer
MC Photo
Posts: 4144
New York, New York, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference I don't think there's a fine line between sensual and sexual, I think there's a wide area that can be fun to play in.
The big question is what's wrong with shooting a sexual image?
Photographer
ontherocks
Posts: 23575
Salem, Oregon, US
maybe try a model like this one? https://www.modelmayhem.com/347669 she is super sweet and does these wonderful ballet-type poses. partly it depends on the model . plus your little brain may tell you when the line is crossed. that's when i know we're getting the good stuff. Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual.
Photographer
Erlinda
Posts: 7286
London, England, United Kingdom
I don't understand your OP, are you saying that sensual and sexual can't be in the same picture? are you saying shooting nude make the artist have les artistic integrity? 
Photographer
Don Garrett
Posts: 4984
Escondido, California, US
Live and let live.
As has been amply pointed out in this thread already, neither clothing, or the lack thereof, has anything to do with either integrity, or skill.
-Don
EDIT: Oh, and in answer to your thread title, nudity is NOT necessary - the same as clothing.
Photographer
Art of the nude
Posts: 12067
Grand Rapids, Michigan, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference If you don't want to shoot nudes, don't. If you don't want to participate in a specific group for whatever reason, don't.
If you want to, privately, question someone's "artistic integrity", you're welcome to. Plenty of others do as well. Not sure nudity has a lot to do with it though.
Photographer
Art of the nude
Posts: 12067
Grand Rapids, Michigan, US
Jacob Davis wrote:
I wouldn't put that question to anyone else's work; to each their own. My sense is that, while some degree of nudity is needed for my own work, full-on nudity (visible genitalia and nipples) affects the narrative I wish to create and distracts from my goal.
Then again, I'm rarely going for "sexy."
But, in general, yes, sexy and sensual can be done without full or implied nudity. It's a matter of what kind of sexy/sensual you're trying to achieve. I frequently have "full on nudity" in my shots, and I'm almost never going for sexy.
Photographer
Back_Yard
Posts: 87
Portland, Oregon, US
Maybe its just me but what's the point here?
Do what you love and don't worry about others are doing. It would seem to me that if you are doing something you don't like only you are suffering not me.
Photographer
Connor Photography
Posts: 8539
Newark, Delaware, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference Just becasue you are gay, does not mean everyone have to be gay. For the record, I like gay.
Photographer
Michael DBA Expressions
Posts: 3730
Lynchburg, Virginia, US
Any hack can make crappy photos, doesn't matter whether the model is naked or dressed to the nines and wearing a burqa to boot. And it is also true that the less the model is wearing, the harder it is to make good art.
Still, shoot what you want, the way you want to shoot it, and ignore folks who want to shoot something else or in a different way. You are neither required to like their photos, nor authorized to denigrate their preferences.
Photographer
Erlinda
Posts: 7286
London, England, United Kingdom
Connor Photography wrote:
Just becasue you are gay, does not mean everyone have to be gay. For the record, I like gay. What a ridiculous comment. Gay men enjoy shooting nude women as well
Photographer
Jacob Davis
Posts: 858
Boulder, Colorado, US
Art of the nude wrote:
I frequently have "full on nudity" in my shots, and I'm almost never going for sexy. I think it is useful to distinguish between "going for sexy" and "achieving sexy." It is perfectly reasonable to have an idea in mind that is entirely about form and metaphor. If the execution includes nudity, how does that presence influence the communication of your intent? Even if your intent is not to achieve some level of sexiness, what happens if that is how it is interpreted by everyone who sees it? Does unintended sexiness detract from what you try to accomplish?
To be clear, this is all just hypothetical and not commentary on anyone's work. Just a bunch of questions I ask myself from time to time, and something I wonder about others' internal dialog.
Photographer
Connor Photography
Posts: 8539
Newark, Delaware, US
Connor Photography wrote:
Just becasue you are gay, does not mean everyone have to be gay. For the record, I like gay. Erlinda wrote:
What a ridiculous comment. Gay men enjoy shooting nude women as well This calls fight fire with fire. Ridicules OP calls for ridiculous comment, perfectly legal.
Bite me
Photographer
Erlinda
Posts: 7286
London, England, United Kingdom
Connor Photography wrote:
This calls fight fire with fire. Ridicules OP calls for ridiculous comment, perfectly legal.
Bite me Tempting but no thanks
Photographer
Haarvey Aardvark
Posts: 976
Raleigh, North Carolina, US
Why would you want to cover up a perfectly good model? Don't you feel that detracts from the beauty of your work?
Model
MatureModelMM
Posts: 2843
Detroit, Michigan, US
MainePaintah wrote:
Artists have been painting nudes for centuries. Now photographers are photographing nudes.
One man's art is another man's porn.
Do what you like. Life is easier if one does not pass judgement on others or on their "art". This, exactly.
If you don't like what the other photographers in the local meetup group are shooting, why even involve yourself with them? Just do what you find the most pleasing.
Photographer
J O H N A L L A N
Posts: 12221
Los Angeles, California, US
I agree that if you don't quite know where the line exists for you yet, maybe you prefer to err on the side of conservative.
To help you find your line, you might want to look at images that are being produced outside your small photo group, which might include some degree of nudity.
Photographer
BodyartBabes
Posts: 2005
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference Nudes are timeless, undated, and non-fashion.
Clothing is "fashion" and thus dated, non-timeless, and in many cases, not "art" because it *is* fashion. You aren't going to hang it on your wall.
Nudes has been an artform for a long, long time.
Deal with it.
Scott
Photographer
Christopher Hartman
Posts: 54196
Buena Park, California, US
Matthew Braney wrote:
I am a photographer and I currently don't do nudes because I feel there is a fine line between sensual and sexual. You can make a photo appealing without the girl being naked. There's a photographers meetup group where I live and all their shoots are just paying models to get naked, which I don't 100% agree with considering most of their shoots look more like porn. I understand there are a lot of models and photographers that do nudes but I honestly question a lot of their composition or their artistic integrity.
Does anyone agree? This might backfire on me but I'm willing to take the hit
Maybe it just boils down to preference is your problem really with nudity or just poorly done nudity?
I see a LOT of bad photos that would be largely ignored but because the model is naked, it becomes art.
Photographer
J E W E T T
Posts: 2545
al-Marsā, Tunis, Tunisia
I've found my time is better served worrying about my own photography rather than others. Is my composition good? Is my quality good?
There are myriad crazy/silly/weird/frightening photography clubs in Phoenix. If one creeps you out, move on. And, yes, you are right. The group I think you are talking about is a little off. I do believe they would all be happier shooting pr0n. : )
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