Guide to Nude Photography: What is It and How Do You Get Started?

Nude photography, nude art - it is the act of capturing nude subjects. There are many different reasons why people do nude photography (models, fine art photographers, etc.), but it all comes down to capturing something beautiful about the human body that usually isn't seen in everyday life. This post will help you find out what nude photography is and how to get started doing this type of work!

When starting nude photography, it is important to first understand what it is. Nude photography is the act of taking pictures of people who are nude, or semi-nude. This could be for a number of reasons - maybe you're a model looking to expand your portfolio, or maybe you're an artist looking to create beautiful pieces of art. Nude photography could also be used as a form of sexual gratification, although that is not the focus in this post and you should seek out other resources when doing so (see end).

So now that we know what nude photography is, let's get started with how to shoot it! First off - figure out why you want to do nude art photography. Are you looking for something more artistic or are your motivations different? If possible, try shooting some nudes before investing money into equipment and time into learning everything about it - if nothing else, then at least build an understanding of lighting from those experiences since most models will expect their photographers to have a solid grasp on lighting something I'll cover later in this guide. Whether going to a model or finding someone you know comfortable with their body, start by having a conversation about what they expect from the shoot. If it's your first time shooting nudes, I'd recommend against doing anything too risque until you have more experience.

Assuming you've got all that squared away and everyone is on board - now it's time to think about equipment! You don't need much to get started in nude photography: just a camera, some lenses, and maybe a tripod if you're feeling fancy. However, those items will only get you so far; for the most part, learning how to use light is going to be key in taking great nude shots - which we'll cover next. Finally, before wrapping up this guide, I'm going to cover a few bonus tips and some resources that will help you get started.

Now, let's talk about how light is so important to nude photography! When shooting nudes, it is vitally important to pay attention to the lighting - otherwise, your photos could come out too dark or with hard shadows (or worse). This can be tricky at first since most of us don't start by taking nude pictures; for many, this might even take a little practice before getting good at it just due to all the different variables involved in creating beautiful lighting something we'll go over next. For starters though - here are three things that you should have on hand when working with lights: gels, reflectors/pop-up reflectors, and grids.

Gels are essential for adding color to your shots, and they come in a variety of different colors that can be used to add contrast or match the environment you're shooting in. Reflectors (or pop-up reflectors) bounce light back onto the subject and can help fill in shadows - which is especially important when photographing nudes. Finally, grids attach to the front of your light source and help control where the light falls; this is great for keeping highlights from becoming too harsh or creating directional lighting. Experiment with these three items until you find what works best for you and your style!