Shooting Nudes has always been a very satisfying experience for any creative professional, be it a photographer or a painter. Here is a series of Nudes photographed around a window. One can either use just the existing window light or smartly mix and complement it with additional lights just to add that extra kick in the photographs and have better control over the way the light falls on the subject to reveal the shape and texture.
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Stripes created by the light coming through the handwoven blinds, not only create an interesting pattern on the body but on the wall behind as well. Most of the body is thrown into darkness.
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In these nudes above the subject is mostly in dark rendered almost as a silhouette. the light is relatively much bright outside as compared to the interiors.
Shot from outside the subject is in a relatively dark interior as compared to the broad daylight outside. The woman is positioned quite close to the glass, with the natural daylight exposing her along with the reflection of the outside environment on the glass. A Black sheet was strategically placed so as to selectively allow reflections on the glass.
This is a typical example of short lighting created by the natural light coming through the window. When the light illuminates the side of the body away from the camera it kind of gives a slimming effect, specifically highlighting the shape and roundness of the features. No external lights were used.
When shooting from this position, it best to keep the exposure that is right for the outside light. The light naturally warps around the subject creating short lighting. Depending on close the walls are in the rooms and the colour of the walls, the light reflects back on the subject filling the darker areas. If you notice, there is a white door right next to her which is working as an existing reflector.
As one moves away from the window and shoots from the opposite direction against the light, the subject is rendered as a complete silhouette allowing to reveal only the shape. Where and how you position the subject is very important as the image is all about shape and other characteristics are not visible at all.
It's always a delight to shoot in the warm Golden light. As the sun is close to set, the light becomes warm and golden. Rinsed through the mesh the golden light is falling on the Nude looking out of the west-facing window. Direction plays a very important role in window lighting. You cant expect this kind of lighting in the morning through a west-facing window. East-facing windows will work better in the first half of the day. Keeping the exposure a little under helps in getting deep and rich tones of the bare skin.
Open up the exposure in comparison to the one which your camera meter is suggesting based on the outside bright light and you have all the details on the subject. Notice how the outside light is spilling over and illuminating the front and the way the light is reflected back from the adjoining white door on her left.
Eye contact always works. A simple nude illuminated by natural light.
Shooting through a glass or a mesh adds an element of interest to the photograph. While the images above were created from the natural light with the subject standing next to a window the shots below were created in the studio with strobes.
Not so clearArtistic Nude photography by Munish Khanna
It's always debatable if the nudes should be black and white or colored. While striping off the colors and making the photographs is artier, I am always resistant to discarding the color. I simply love the natural warmth and richness created by the light which is evident in a color photograph as compared to a Black and white one which loses on revealing this aspect of the characteristic of the fine art nude photography. Even though these nude studies are colored, there are almost monochromatic with nothing to take away the attention from Shape, form and texture.
