if you know me or my work for some time or if you just landed on my blog/website, after having a quick look it will be impossible to hide from you that I’m very much obsessed (in the best way possible) of the nude body.
This came more clearly to me when challenged to complete my first ever photography assignment that I was given, I chose exactly the forms of a nude body. It was a sequence of close-ups, shot in daylight in my small student bedroom, the first place I accommodated when I arrived in England. Completing the project was weird in a way, as untill then I had never done such sitting, and somehow very fulfilling with a sense of “this feels right to me”.
Here is a test sheet of my first assignment.
Looking in retrospection now, it’s funny how this genre has always been inside me. The drive is too strong - it pulls me and I can’t ignore it. So, the only way to move forward is to execute the calling or live with regret. (The second one can be really hurtful.) I think this comes from two things. Firstly, my upbringing - my parents were very open and ok with nudity. In fact, my crafty dad made this collage wall, where he mixed a picture wallpaper of a palm beach with a sexy lady with an erotic bodysuit and installed it in our living room (this was way before the Internet or Photoshop). I understand this must of shocked you just now and you might question the parenting I was given but TRUST me, my parents gave me and my brother everything we needed, our childhood was good and the house was full of laughter. Secondly, the fact that I’m from the seaside. When you live in a country with hot summers and access to a sea/ocean/river, undressing and enjoying the sun gently kissing your skin is a normal ritual during those hot days. No, it is not like on a holiday. Being barely clothed for over half of the year every year is not like a 10-day trip.
So, back to the question, Why photographing the Nude?
Prey. Lover’s Diary, 2020
Like every other creature on this planet, we are born in a certain way. Our bodies are our physical form. We don’t have fur as some other mammals do, instead, we have bare skin with some hairy sections. This is our initial outfit. Covering this body on the other side is part of weather necessities and the fashion evolution throughout history. Somehow, our predecessor men decided women should fit in certain “standards” regarding nudity and body appearance. And here I go nuts on the subject. I’m so, so against the “male” way we’ve been operating for centuries that I can come across a bit violent sometimes. I know, this is what it was at that time, and now it is different, but still, I find it unfair. On the other side, I’m against the pornographic appearance of women, but this is a subject for another post.
The female nude is my favorite object to photograph, because of its unique beauty and strength. I like the male form and the combination between the two, but the femininity of the female humans is way more inspirational to me. The shapes, the forms, and the gentleness are one of a kind. And then that extension of bringing life to Earth and the motherhood that follows just completes the picture. I believe every woman should appreciate her body, as it is one of a kind indeed, and must embrace her beauty daily. There is too much comparison and thrive for perfection, emerged from our ego side and society. There’s no need for that. I know it's not easy to just do it as we’ve been trained to do the opposite for decades, but it is possible and achievable. Maybe even easier than you might think. I have personally struggled with body image and acceptance from an early age throughout my whole life, and in fact, still, catch myself copying the old pattern, but I decided to consciously do my best to live in balance as much as I can. This is also why I like photographing women - to show them that they are incredible the way they actually are here and now, that the magazine covers means nothing if the beauty isn’t felt from the inside, and that it is possible to feel comfortable in their own skin, despite background or painful past.
So, women - embrace your beauty! Men - compliment it daily! Don’t hide behind clothes or torture yourself, instead appreciate the magnificent “machinery'“ your soul is living in! You’re worth it and you deserve being seen!