I really enjoy teaching my fine art nude photography workshops for a number of reasons. First and foremost, though, is the opportunity to share my love of this genre with other photographers and help them improve their images.
The workshops are designed to focus on each individual’s growth as an artist by having only one person shoot at a time while I observe. Over the course of the workshop I help people identify patterns that limit their images and offer other ways to fulfill their vision. The way I do that is I look at where they are in relation to the model and background, note their choice of lens and camera angle and then think of how changing one (or several) of those elements might improve their image.
In this case, at the Joshua Tree Nude Photo Workshop, David was looking to create a primal image with strong emotional content. He asked the model to cover herself in ash, and crouch on the ground, then gave her some direction on the placement of her limbs. He was positioned directly in front of her shooting from a low angle, which made for some strong portraits.
As I watched, though, it seemed to me that he was losing the three dimensional quality of the figure, and the opportunity to create more depth to the image. I shot this image to illustrate the point, showed him the photograph on the LCD on the back of my camera, and allowed him to make the decision as to whether that direction was one he wanted to pursue.
Every artist works with the same elements. Composition, color, texture, pattern and depth all influence the final piece of work. Providing insights that advance someone’s vision is a great pleasure for me.
For information about the fine art nude photography workshops, go to NudePhotoWorkshops.com.