If one is describing a site to either entice folks to visit or to warn those who might be offended, some of these modifiers may serve a purpose. However, once someone is viewing the work, I’m not sure we need to explain to them, or persuade them, that its either art or glamour.

In some cases, I see people adding modifiers to the word because it matches a domain name that was available. I’m reluctant to name specifics because that might offend the owners of those sites, though I’m really not condemning practice. We all have to make compromises to get the domain names we want. I’m not sure, however that we need to build brands that match the exact domain name.

Here is an example of a “dark, semi-monochromatic figure art bodyscape”

The post Why not just plain nude? appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

How to know you’ve gone too far with your retouching

• If people (except other photographers, perhaps) look at your work and say, “Nice Photoshop work,” instead of, “wonderful image,” you’ve probably done too much.
• If people can name the specific effects you used, such as blurring, vignetting, etc.
• If the model looks at her final image and asks, “Nice, who is this of?”

Tips for keeping retouching realistic

• Don’t zoom-in too much. It’s important to get close to your work, but not so close that you’re tempted to clone out every pore and heal every wrinkle.
• Remember that real skin has variation to its texture. The skin on an elbow doesn’t look like the skin on the rest of the arm. Arms don’t look like legs. So don’t try to make every body part look like a baby’s butt.
• When applying effects, apply them until you notice a difference, then back off to about 70% to 80% of that point.
• You don’t need to use every trick you know on every image.
• Don’t try to use Photoshop to fix bad lighting, bad shooting, or a poor choice of scene. The more you have to do in postprocessing, the more it will look fake.
• Before you dive into a Photoshop tutorial, look at the “after” image. Does the style look like what you want your work to be?

This unretouched image includes a tattoo, clothing lines, and some stray hairs.

The post Achieving realistic retouching results appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

I’ll help teach you how to not be that photographer who always gets stood up. Instead, you can be the second photographer, the one who actually gets to do the shoot. You do this by building a professional relationship before booking the first shoot. It won’t be a strong relationship yet, but it will be a start.

A step-by-step guide to recruiting beautiful models, lighting, photographing nudes, post-processing images, and maybe even getting paid to do it.

The post A good photo is meaningless – a model relationship is golden appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

1. Establishing contact
2. Building interest
3. Overcoming objections
4. Getting commitment

If you skip or rush through any step, you risk not getting the booking. This happens to many photographers and they wonder if it has something to do with the model. In many cases it is a matter of not completing the process. Many photographers fail to secure bookings because the skip directly from establishing contact to getting commitment.

Establishing contact means meeting the prospective model and exchanging contact information. Just handing out a business card is not establishing contact. It is important to have the model’s contact information so that you do not have to rely on her to retain your information and follow up. If you make contact online, the exchange of a return email address is usually automatic.

Building interest is an often overlooked step. This can be a simple as showing some portfolio pieces to the model but it should involve more. You need to let the model get to know you a little bit. Nobody wants to work with someone until they gain a comfort level.

Overcoming objections is something photographers often engage in, but seldom in the right way. Objections are usually requests for more information or confusion about what you are proposing. The faster you attempt to get a model to commit, the more confusion you will encounter. The first step to overcoming an objection is to recognize it. Then you need to let the model know that other models had the same question. Finally, you need to explain how you will make things work out.

For example, a model might object because she does not feel she would know what to do as a model. If a model says this to me, I let her know that this is common among many new models and more than half of the models she sees on my website expressed the exact same concern. However, once they did a photoshoot, they found that it was easier than they thought it would be.

Finally, you must ask a model to commit to booking a specific time and location. If you rush the model to commit, she may agree just to delay having to deal with you. You want a true commitment. A good first step in getting a commitment is to ask the prospect to come to a face-to-face interview.

I hope to write more on the above four steps in the future.

The post The Stages of Recruiting a Figure Model appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

Here is how the conversation went with the reluctant model

Model: “I’m not sure that this is for me”

Photographer: “I can understand that you might have hesitations about doing this. A lot of the models who pose for me felt the same way before they started. Some of them never took the plunge. But those who did found it was a lot easier than they thought it was going to be and were glad they did.”

Model: “I see what you’re saying. Maybe I should try this.”

That was all it took. So, next time you get frustrated with a model who is initially reluctant, don’t end the conversation. Just let her know that her feelings are normal. Some models may come up with an implausible excuse. My advice is that you not dwell or her reason for cancelling, bargain or argue. The shoot is not going to happen, but another one can. If you focus on the future you can still have a great shoot.

If you are a model thinking about posing nude for the first time, rest assured that with the right photographer it can be an exhilarating and fulfilling experience.

The post From Zero to Ten, The Model Who Almost Didn’t Pose appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

The final week, a pose from model Venus (Sarah). Some you may have seen before, some are new, all were chosen as favorites.

The post A Pose a Week: Venus in Black & White (12) appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

The last pose from model Venus (Sarah) is next Friday. Some you may have seen before, some are new, all are chosen as favorites.

The post A Pose a Week: Venus in Black & White (11) appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

Scheduled for every Friday for the next 2 weeks, a pose from model Venus (Sarah). Some you may have seen before, some are new, all are chosen as favorites.

The post A Pose a Week: Venus in Black & White (10) appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

Shot at f/16 and 1/160 second to balance with natural light. Flash is an Paul C. Buff Einstein powered by a Vagabond Mini battery. I had a Zeus Bi-tube with me but the Einstein (640W) was sufficient and less trouble to set up. Who says small flashes can’t be effective? I was also unsure what the effects would have been of the freezing cold on the higher-powered flash tubes. Trigger was a wireless Elinchome Sky Port.

The post Outdoor Shot Overlooking Albuquerque appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

Scheduled for every Friday for the next 3 weeks, a pose from model Venus (Sarah). Some you may have seen before, some are new, all are chosen as favorites.

The post A Pose a Week: Venus in Black & White (9) appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

The myth is that one must be age 18 to pose for a nude photo.

That is probably the simplest answer but it is not entirely correct… In the United States, the age of majority is 18 in most states, but it is 19 in some places such as Alabama, Nebraska, and Delaware. I’ve hear that in Arkansas you are not of majority until you are both 18 and graduate high school. I’m not sure what that means for people who never graduate, but it illustrates that the answer is not straight forward. Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah have similar laws, stating that the age of majority is 18 unless you’re still in high school. But they cap the race at age 19. In Mississippi the age of majority is 21.

One can reasonably feel safe photographing and publishing nude photographs of someone in the United States who is at least 18 and the age of majority in their state. With your model not being a minor, you can also have them sign a model release.

In some places like American Samoa and Puerto Rico the age of majority is 14. I’ve also read that in Utah, you reach the age of majority before 18 if you graduate high school. I’m not sure what that means for photography, but I would not recommend photographing nudes of anyone under 18.

Above, I mentioned photographing and publishing nudes of someone who is 18 and the age of majority. There is actually nothing automatically illegal about nude photographs of minors. Think of images you have seen of babies, medical images, family photos, and the like. But for the type of images that you see on this web site, it is best to play it safe. Remember that 18 is not always the minimum. Check the laws in your area and if in doubt, consult a legal expert.

The post What’s the Minimum Age When Models Can Pose Nude? appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.

Scheduled for every Friday for the next 4 weeks, a pose from model Venus (Sarah). Some you may have seen before, some are new, all are chosen as favorites.

The post A Pose a Week: Venus in Black & White (8) appeared first on Elegant Eye Blog.