Here is the general advice that I give models to prepare for a shoot. I’m posting it here in since it may be helpful to other models and photographers. It is in chronological order from about a week before the shoot. Models should read the whole list before beginning the schedule because the order of some steps will vary based on particular situations.

7 Days before the Shoot

• Confirm all details of the shoot and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to call and ask for clarification.
• Know what makeup (if any) you are expected to do before arriving to the shoot.
• Don’t experiment with hair or skin treatments. There’s not enough time to recover from a mishap.
• Don’t change your hair style unless requested.
• Cut back on tanning, this can dry skin. Use sun screen.

3 Days before the shoot

• Do your nails. Unless you’ve discussed otherwise, I suggest trim nails with a neutral color (e.g. French manicure).
  Take care of your skin. Avoid sun exposure, tanning salons. Avoid getting paint, ink or bruises on your skin. Stay moisturized.

2 Days before the shoot

• Get some moderate exercise.
• Get rid of any unwanted hair in your normal fashion. Do this more than two days before the shoot if it normally takes you longer to recover. Don’t experiment with a new method; you won’t know the recovery time.
• Exfoliate dry skin, don’t forget your feet.
• Exfoliate lips if needed.
• If this is your first nude shoot get a restful sleep tonight. You may be too excited the night before the shoot to get enough rest.

The day before the shoot

• Day before the shoot:
• Pack your kit. Bring moisturizer, a snack, makeup, robe/cover-up. (see my post: Nude Model’s Survival Kit)
• Avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol. Eat sensibly.
• Stretch. Stay limber. Stay active enough to burn off any excess energy before bedtime, but don’t do any marathon workouts today. Stay hydrated.
• Get a full night’s rest if you can.

The day of the shoot

• Wake up early enough that you don’t feel rushed.
• If you’ve been asked to have your hair and makeup a certain way, allow preparation time.
• Don’t put on any tight clothes or anything with elastic in it. We want to avoid elastic lines on your skin.
• Don’t tie your hair tightly, that can also leave a mark.
• Avoid anything that will stain your teeth: tea, coffee, cigarettes; they all show up on the image.
• Moisturize everywhere from the neck down. You don’t want anything close to dry skin.
• Directions to the shoot: Don’t forget to bring them with you. Call if you’re lost, don’t be embarrassed, just call and ask. If you’re going to be late or can’t make it, call ASAP. Don’t be a no-show without calling.
• Once at the shoot keep cell phone use to a minimum.
• Be friendly and professional

After and between shoots

• Take care of skin. Bug bites and tan lines can last a long time. A model’s body is her income, protect it.
• Eat healthy foods. Stay away from sweets, fatty meats, and junk food.
• Exercise vigorously five days a week. Perform a mix of strength, flexibility, endurance, and fat burning exercises.
• Practice posing and posture.

Nude with red cloth. Model: Audrey Rose.

Here are a few tips I have on nude model booking etiquette that I’ve compiled. They apply pretty equally well to models and photographers. There are tons more, but this is what comes to mind right now.

1. Treat others as you’d want to be treated
2. Be upfront about your expectations
3. Be realistic about your expectations — don’t think you’re going to get everything you want out of every shoot
4. Don’t apply for a job if you don’t meet the published qualifications
5. Don’t take any flack; if someone is a jerk, politely retreat.
6. If you have to cancel, call ASAP and be honest.
7. Show up on time.
8. Don’t get upset if things aren’t going well. Either take it in stride or end the shoot if you can’t talk it out.

If you’ve read Internet forums about composition, you’ve undoubtedly seen advice “not to cut off the model’s arms or legs,” or “if you crop a limb, do it between the joints.” You’ve probably also seen in major magazines stunning examples of photos that blatantly violate these so-called rules. And you probably have stumbled upon at least one discussion that asks why these rules exist if so many successful photos obviously disobey them. If you look to works of master artists such as Michelangelo or Degas you will see they sometimes framed their figures with limbs, hands, or feet cut off. Did the master artists goof? No, they just knew how to break the rules and make a successful composition. When done properly, it can make the composition more distinct and interesting.

The reason these rules exist is that they provide a structured framework for creating well-balanced images. If you’ve read my other posts pertaining to “rules of composition,” you know I’m not a fan of static, safe images. Read more

Here is my list of priorities in building a nude image. These are specific to me and vary widely based on individual photographers. However, there are many photographers with a similar background to mine that follow this general hierarchy of steps for building an image. I have a parent who is an artist, a sibling who is a university art professor, and I have an art degree where I studied more than just photography. I grew up overseas and have been to museums in dozens of countries. Since my exposure to art, from childhood through college has been mainly non-photographic art, it has influenced my thinking on building an image.

#1: Composition. Any image is perceived by viewers as an abstract composition first. Before you can process what an image is (context) you see how it is composed. We’re hard-wired to do this and it’s not just my opinion. Without a solid composition, the viewer’s attention will go elsewhere quickly. Quick test: convert your image to black and white and reduce it to about 200 pixels wide, if it’s a strong composition it will still look interesting.

#2. Context (mood): What is the image about? Context tells you what the mood of the image is, not necessarily a story (context is the what not the how). The mood is not always beauty. Sometimes an image can be intentionally jarring to communicate the context.

#3. Beauty. Context and content can feed into beauty, but do not have to. Beauty can be flattering to the subject in traditional ways, but is more about intriguing the viewer — sometimes with an unusual approach. Don’t underestimate the power of beauty; my mediocre shots of extremely beautiful models win more appreciation that the most meticulous shot of a just slightly beautiful model. Capitalize on the innate beauty of your subject; don’t try to put her in the role of something she’s not.

#4. Illustration. I’m not talking about pen and ink here, but story telling through images. This is not essential to a good nude photo, but most good nudes tell some sort of story. Not surprisingly, the story is often somewhat ambiguous and thus open to interpretation.

#5. Technical aspects. A favorite Ansel Adams quote goes “Nothing is worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” I’m not saying that technique isn’t important. It is very important, but it comes after good form. A poorly executed image can be distracting and sabotage a good concept.

Just following the above doesn’t make an image successful. Nor am I recommending anyone could use this as a recipe for success. This is food for thought; an insight into my process.

If you’re a fan of nude photography, you’re probably familiar with the technical aspects: focus, light, depth of field, and so on. In the four years getting my art degree, technique was something infrequently discussed in the realm of painting and drawing, and was also a minority topic in photography. Never did we discuss in depth what kind of chisels Michelangelo used, or whether Edward Hopper preferred natural or synthetic brush bristles and how technique affected the way we interpreted their resulting artwork. After art school I found it refreshing to hear more discussion of technique. Many years have passed since my undergraduate degree, and outside of art school it seems that technique is the most discussed photography topic, and in some circles technique seems to be the only topic.

In this article I will discuss some of the other ways to look at photography, beyond aspects of technique. This article is about interpreting photography. Not just what technique was used to create the photograph, but the role that you as the viewer play in interpreting the image. Read more

A synopsis of True Confessions of Nude Photography has been posted at The New Book Review blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Thank you Carolyn!

1. Myth: To become a model you first need to pay a photographer.
   Reality: There are a lot of scams out there. Modeling is a job you get paid to do. If you have to pay, you’re not modeling. No major modeling agency requires that you hire a photographer before interviewing and they state this on their web sites.
2. Myth: Modeling is easy glamorous work.
   Reality: Modeling can be fun, but it requires effort.
3. Myth: Anyone can be a model, it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, skinny or fat.
   Reality: Modeling is competitive — you need to look better than the competition or you won’t get the work. True, there are lifestyle models and plus sized models, but these fields are no less competitive.
4. Myth: You have to look like a runway model to find work.
   Reality: Not all modeling is runway modeling. Print models under 5′8″ appear all the time in pin-up and nude shots in Playboy, on posters, advertisements, etc.
5. Myth: Models have to be skinny.
   Reality: Models need to be healthy, if you’re doing glamour or nude modeling some curves are helpful.
6. Myth: Models are dumb.
   Reality: Successful models are smart. Dumb models don’t get work — modeling is competitive and smart models know they have to exercise, eat right, and get as much practice as possible.
7. Myth: You need to take a class to learn to model.
   Reality: You can shell out a ton of money on modeling schools (or scams) and it won’t help you as much as getting real experience or advice from experts.
8. Myth: Models shouldn’t smile in photos, the expressions should always be blank.
   Reality: Sometimes a smile is called for; sometimes it’s not. Being able to show a range of expressions and moods is important.
9. Myth: Modeling is like what you see on reality TV.
   Reality: Get real!
10. Myth: Always look right at the camera.
    Reality: A variety of looks and poses is better.

1. Bring some of your own wardrobe
2. Look at as many sample photos as possible, make sure you know which poses are going to be expected of you
3. Ask about hair and makeup. Should you arrive with it done? Fingernails and toenails are part of your makeup
4. Beware of elastic in tight undergarments it leaves lines on your skin
5. Stay hydrated, drink water (and avoid alcohol) the night before the shoot. This will help your skin “bounce back” from garment lines.
6. Practice posing at different curves and angles
7. Don’t automatically smile and look at the camera, mix it up a bit
8. In standing poses, rest your weight on one foot or the other, but not evenly
9. In sitting poses, keep your weight on the back hip or thigh to give a slimming effect to the front leg.
10. For some poses you may need to suck in your stomach even if you’re very fit, but don’t hold your breath
11. Make-up for camera can look different in the mirror than it will in the final image, make sure to listen to any on-camera makeup advice if you’re not experienced in this area.
12. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
13. Turn off your phone if you can; if you’re expecting an important call, make this known before beginning work.
14. Study poses that you like