spousal support for nude photography

[jody]

Are interests in sexuallity wrong? We are sexual animals. Wouldn't be many of us around if we were not. I think interest in the form of the opposite gender is natural. Obviously, many photographers pursue interests. Some are attracted to violence, some to geologic forms, the human body is just another interest and maybe the artist is interested in sexuallity. (I do find it interesting that violence and its portrayal is so accepted in US society, but sex which is a natural function of life is hidden and taboo. I also think we would have fewer problems if we went to bed with our enemies than to war with them.)

I couldn't agree more

 

[FrankS]

Wow. What a thread.

I am a photographer and I have no interests in "nude" pictures in and of themselves. Here are a few thoughts I have:

The word "nude" does not specify a gender. I certainly think both Venus de Milo and Michealangelo's David are beautiful works. Nor does the word specify function - it could be used aesthetically, sexually, or scientifically. I think an interest in "nude" photography does not limit or fix an attitude. Although, I think if you are worried that your partner would approve, the idea of inappropriate behavior or reasons is being implied - I don't mean scientifically. This is probably where the problem is.

I think the reason for doing "nudes" is as varied as people are. I am sure there are some who get sexual gratification from it. But there again there is no gender implied here. I guess we could find statistics that point to one group doing it more than another, but that is a matter of degree rather than an absolute difference. Are women sex objects? Yes, and so are men. Do you need to be naked to be a sex object, no. It would appear that both sexes exploit their sexuality for their own benefit. The degree on how far that is exploited changes as society changes. Is Demi Moore exploiting her sexually or being exploited?

I cannot remember the photographer's name, but she did a series of nude protraits of her children. Porn? Well, she had her problems with the authorities, but where was the dirty mind - in the viewer or in the artist? Clearly David is not pornagraphic. It is an amazing piece of work. Could someone be aroused by it. Maybe, but it is not a problem of the work.

Are interests in sexuallity wrong? We are sexual animals. Wouldn't be many of us around if we were not. I think interest in the form of the opposite gender is natural. Obviously, many photographers pursue interests. Some are attracted to violence, some to geologic forms, the human body is just another interest and maybe the artist is interested in sexuallity. (I do find it interesting that violence and its portrayal is so accepted in US society, but sex which is a natural function of life is hidden and taboo. I also think we would have fewer problems if we went to bed with our enemies than to war with them.)

Regardless of the type of work, nude, still life, nature, journalism, the work I like the best comes from mature artists. Not in the sense of a mature career, but a mature human being. Pornography (meaning a work intended to arouse you) is not a mature form of art.

Finder, excellent post! I'd only quibble with one point: spousal support may be influenced more by the spouse's insecurities rather than any inappropriate intention/motivation of the photographer.

 

[Pherdinand]

The bigger question for me is, what should I say to the model herself to make her respond positively:
-Why am I willing to take her shots
-What am I going to do with the end results
??
This applies not only to nude shots but non-nude photography as well.

 

[FrankS]

Pherdinand, those should be easy questions to find answers to since photographers have been asking models to pose for them for a very long time. What did they say?

 

[Pherdinand]

OK so i just asked my "significant other" who happens to be over the ocean right now 😀 And she said:
"Can I come with you honey?"

 

[FrankS]

Pherdinand, you're lucky she took it well. This is not the kind of question IMO to ask over the phone when your SO is on another continent!

 

[raid]

Pherdinand: Say: Honey, of course you will be there with me. You can assist me and the model in the shoot." That's the way I would approach it.

Raid

 

[Pherdinand]

What I noticed out there in real life is: If an attractive looking man looks at a girl (or makes shots of her) he does not know, like, in the train e.g., then he's an admirer, there is "eye contact" and the girl feels proud. If the guy is ugly, then he is a pervert, he is staring and the official name of the act is unwanted attention.

 

[FrankS]

So true, Pherdinand!

 

[Pherdinand]

Pherdinand, you're lucky she took it well. This is not the kind of question IMO to ask over the phone when your SO is on another continent!

Wasn't on the phone.
It was on Yahoo Messenger 😀

 

[Pherdinand]

Pherdinand, those should be easy questions to find answers to since photographers have been asking models to pose for them for a very long time. What did they say?

Yeah. But thos are other people. Other photographers.
Their text is not good enough for me.
And i have no clue aboput these two points. I'm no professional, i'm not taking classes, I have no excuse!

 

[mc_vancouver]

what a great idea

what a great idea

Eddie, thanks for that great idea: unfortunately it's coming on winter here, which, in Vancouver, BC, (and Vancouver Washington, for that matter), means the rainy season. But come spring, I may consider this combo of performance art and street photography: I don't know if anyone has done this before, shooting people's reactions to a nude photographer. That gives me all winter to either get in shape or get further out of shape...

Maybe we could do this across the country, RFF'ers in the buff, a one-day challenge, an historic moment which would be picked up by the international press as arrests are made around the world, except in the enlightened countries in Europe where nudity in the city is not such an issue.

Sometime in the summer, I would think. Anyone got a memorable date in mind?

 

[Ergo]

Roland said it all.

 

[jody]

Eddie, thanks for that great idea: unfortunately it's coming on winter here, which, in Vancouver, BC, (and Vancouver Washington, for that matter), means the rainy season. But come spring, I may consider this combo of performance art and street photography: I don't know if anyone has done this before, shooting people's reactions to a nude photographer. That gives me all winter to either get in shape or get further out of shape...

Maybe we could do this across the country, RFF'ers in the buff, a one-day challenge, an historic moment which would be picked up by the international press as arrests are made around the world, except in the enlightened countries in Europe where nudity in the city is not such an issue.

Sometime in the summer, I would think. Anyone got a memorable date in mind?

This is funny how about nude self portraits for those of you daring enough. Start a tread.

 

[FrankS]

This is funny how about nude self portraits for those of you daring enough. Start a tread.

I asked my wife if I could do this and she said definitely no.

I think Joe's been looking for an opportunity like this.

 

[Pherdinand]

Nude self-portraits? yeah why not. I thought of it as a surprise to this thread, already, and I even have an idea. 😛

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

What I noticed out there in real life is: If an attractive looking man looks at a girl (or makes shots of her) he does not know, like, in the train e.g., then he's an admirer, there is "eye contact" and the girl feels proud. If the guy is ugly, then he is a pervert, he is staring and the official name of the act is unwanted attention.

There was a sketch here in the U.S. in SNL (Saturday Night Live) making "fun" of that, in a mock sexual-awareness training (sensitivity/awareness, use your own P.C. buzzword) in-office-work video (also in the cheesy 1950's style).

The recap in the end, the simple steps to not getting accused of sexual harassment were:

1. Be handsome
2. Be attractive
3. Don't be unattractive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QOspidd7ko

Warning: to the humor-challenged: it is a comedy sketch (look it up)

(edit: fixed broken link)

 

[jan normandale]

SNL always knew how to satirize GE instructional videos.

 

[sf]

Nude photography? I wouldn't even try it. I'm not married, and I don't even have a GF, but I know for a FACT that there is NO way a female would allow this. At least not in 98% of cases. And even if she said, "sure go ahead and do it, but I have to be there," you're still not going to be allowed to print and frame your work. No way she will want that hanging around the house. And if, on some very remote possibility, you are given the green light, some day you'll wish you hadn't.

 

[FrankS]

Nude photography? I wouldn't even try it. I'm not married, and I don't even have a GF, but I know for a FACT that there is NO way a female would allow this. At least not in 98% of cases. And even if she said, "sure go ahead and do it, but I have to be there," you're still not going to be allowed to print and frame your work. No way she will want that hanging around the house. And if, on some very remote possibility, you are given the green light, some day you'll wish you hadn't.

It seems that at least some do.

http://www.photo.net/gallery/photocritique/filter