Peter Bilous - The Beginners Guide to Photographing Nudes

Copyright 2010 by Peter Bilous.
All rights reserved.
All images by the author unless otherwise noted.

Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: 716-874-4508
www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt
Editorial Assistance from: Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder, Carey Ann Maines

ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-263-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009903890
Printed in Korea.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

W hen I was about ten years old, I received my first camera as a gift from a family friend. I dont remember much about the camera or about the person who gave it me, but I still vividly recall how it made me feel, because I still experience those same feelings every time I pick up a camera. Its exciting just holding a camera in my hands, but I was hooked the first time I pressed the button. Being able to capture what I see through the viewfinder, and then share that vision with others, is something that still thrills me today! As I got older, I learned more about photography, obtained better equipment, and created higher quality photographs, but the joy of that little boy with his first camera has always remained a part of me.

Since I have been a photographer for most of my life, I have explored many different subjects with my camera. Like many people, my first subjects were landscapes and other found objects. I photographed flowers, trees, rocks, buildings, and anything else that happened to cross my path. Since I had a good camera that took good pictures (no credit to the poor photographer), I was also elected to take all of the family pictures. I didnt mind, but didnt really find those images very satisfying. Those images did, however, help me learn more about photographing people. They also helped me hone my lighting skills.

It wasnt until I attended my first nude photography workshop in 1999 that I discovered my real passion in photography. Shooting the nude female form inspired me like no other subject ever had. I had always admired beautiful nude images and photographing nudes was something that I had always wanted to try, but I didnt really know how to get started. After somewhat nervously signing up for the workshop, I wasnt sure what to expect, but I was worried for no reason. The experience far exceeded my expectations. Not only did I create images that I loved, but the models were great to work with, which really contributed to the positive experience of the workshop.

I have done hundreds of nude photo shoots since that first workshop and still love the experience. The human body presents almost limitless opportunities for creating great images, and I have been exploring them ever since. In addition, meeting and photographing all of the wonderful people who have modeled for me has been a great experience. Its much more fun for me than photographing inanimate objects.

Since I strive to produce unique images, I do not limit myself to a single approach to photography. I shoot both in the studio and on location and love to experiment with lighting and photographic techniques. I also enjoy photographing many different types of people. My images run the gamut from fine art to glamour, nude portraits to experimental. The more I explore, the more possibilities I discover. Although I have photographed both male and female nudes, I find the female form much more interesting and inspirational and now exclusively work with female models.

Like many photographers, I love to look at other peoples work for inspiration. There have been many diverse influences on my photography, including both old masters (like Edward Weston, Helmut Newton, and Ruth Bernhardt) and more recent photographers (such as Robert Farber, Stephan May, and Petter Hegre). Although I admire their work and sometimes use one of their images as a starting point for a shoot, I strive to create my own unique images. When I show a model a photograph by another photographer, I tell her that the photograph is just a concept to use as a starting point. Our goal is not copy the image but to be inspired by it to create our own work.

I always admired beautiful nude photographs and thought that it would be something that I would like to tryI just didnt know where to start. Perhaps you have the same desire, which is why you picked up this book. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help others get started photographing nudes. As you read through the pages of this book and look at my photographs, I hope that you find the inspiration to start creating great nude images of your own.

I would like to thank everyone who encouraged me to pursue my dream of getting a book published. I would also like to acknowledge the other photographers who share my passion and who were willing to share their knowledge and experiences with me. Special thanks to the people at Amherst Media, who took a chance on an unknown author/photographer and allowed me to share my work and ideas with you. But most of all, I would like to thank all of the wonderful people who have modeled for me over the years. You have been my inspiration; without you, this book would not have been possible. And a final acknowledgement to the long forgotten family friend who gave a small boy a gift that started a life-long passion.

T he nude has been photographed ever since the beginnings of photography. In fact, nudes are one of the first subjects portrayed in most art forms. We seem to be drawn to human figures, both as artists and observers. Despite the popularity of nude images, everyone has their own opinions when it comes to nude photographs. One persons art is anothers pornography. Attitudes can also change over time. What was once considered scandalous may now be widely accepted. Factors such as gender, age, culture, and upbringing may also play a role in the perception of a nude image.