It's been a long time

It's certainly been a while since I had a really good art nude shoot. I've been in a state of self imposed purdah since the end of last summer. I've tried landscapes and I've shot other subjects as they have presented themselves but the creative buzz seemed to have deserted me.

Then out of the blue I get an email from a charming young lady in Sussex asking if I would set up a shoot for her. Now my first reaction was that the distance would be prohibitive and her interest would soon fizzle out. We exchanged a few emails and it soon became apparent that she was serious.

Libellule had got to an age where she realised that her body, whilst still lithe and fit was starting to change and she wanted a photoshoot to look back on in future years. I explained that due to the potential weather risks we would need a reasonable time frame to shoot and Libellule said she was happy to book in to a hotel for a couple of days. On this basis I went ahead and set up the shoot. Thank you Libellule for your confidence in me and for rekindling the creativity I have been missing for some time now. We created some beautiful work together. Here's a few 'anonymous' images …

Why I love this image

I've lots of favourites among the images I've taken, and this is one.  To some it may not be art nude as it's too full frontal.  More is revealed than is hidden for example, but to focus on the minor points of the image is to miss the beauty of the bigger picture.

I love this image for so many reasons.  It's different from much of my work where the model is posed in a location I've chosen, or sometimes with a prop that has been carefully selected to contrast with the model.  This image has nothing external to support it. It's Kirsty or nothing.  It works on so many levels too.
Apply the 'Golden Spiral to the image and it fits perfectly, starting from the models tummy the spiral winds out and down, returning up the line of her back then across her arms and down to the bottom left hand corner.

In some ways it is reminiscent of Amaury Duval's, 'The Birth of Venus'. A simple nude rising out of the sea against a plain background of the sky.

Amaury Duval - The Birth of Venus

Golden Spiral

I also love the way the shadows play across Kirsty's body, emphasising her shape and femininity. I love the colours too, subtly desaturated from the original.  I tried it in black and white too but for me the colour version rocks.  It's simple, clean and beautiful.

Hope you like it too.