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Photographing young nude girls may sometimes deliver unexpected challenges. First of all one has to have a plan
for how to transition the model from fully closed and pre-occupied with daily issues girl into a nymph and in conclusion into an actor. From my experience one has to give the model some time to go through this transition period. It usually takes about ten minutes while I “the photographer” have to perform during that period while the model is the recipient of my performance.
In the beginning of the photo shoot most of inexperience in modeling girls are quite confused and sort of lost in the new setting. They always seem to ask – “should I take my clothes off”. For some reason the statistical review of images leads to the conclusion that the sooner the clothes go down, the poorer the results of the session. It is up to the model to decide when and how to take the clothes down. I at the same time take opportunity to capture the beauty of the personality and freshness of the girl. The more shy and confused she is the faster I shoot.
The face is the greatest asset in every model and in spite of the subject of the nude photography session; the face is what I am most interested in. This time of transition is the most crucial part of the photography session. My inaction or the absence of pressure that the model is anticipating to encounter provides her with the needed shelter and the time to make decisions that are suddenly in her hands and not in mine.
Soon the girl realizes that she is not the victim but the star. With minimum direction or simply asking the model to pose as
she wishes I communicate the victories of good shots that I am proud to capture. The girl begins to want to show more and in reality she answers the initial question herself “should I take my clothes off”. Now she is defining the order and the speed with which she undresses. I continue to capture this process anxiously. The next opportunity to obtain meaningful images will arrive long after that initial moment and at the near end of the photo shoot.
As we travel through the standard set of poses when many of great images can be obtained I never come closer then two feet from the model. This noticeable and artificial distance that I keep further assures the model as to my intentions. We begin a partnership where I am the worker and she is the sculpture that we are trying to create. Slowly we approach well understood conclusion of the session. I often have in mind a specific and difficult to put together setup that I want to materialize. She is relaxed and helps me in achieving that goal.
Now arrives the second opportunity to
obtain great images – the time of relaxing exit. I revert to the
beginning of the session where I want to capture couple of
additional facial close-ups of the model. Now however, we are on
different terms because by now we are new friends. She knows
that the element of unknown has vanished; she knows that the end
of the session is eminent and at that time she is glowing while
stripped from reservations. I have a lot of fun during these
last moments because some of the girls really get to let their
spirit out. I just wish that I could remember to set my camera
on sport fast capture mode to obtain more in focus images.
(Oct. 2006) J.D. Akin
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