Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Mmmmm let me get this right. Your not adverse to watching a bit of porn but maintain you are shooting nudes to benefit the woman?
So can we assume you only watch Gay male porn or the porn you watch is the sort I was not aware of where the female participants are held in high esteem?
If its Gay porn you like bro then no problem carry on and enjoy, whatever floats your boat. If however its heterosexual porn where the woman is not portrayed as a sex object displayed to titillate the male population please provide a link as this may revolutionize some people's views on pornography, mine included.

You mention the attic which is a place I have never posted in should you wish to check my profile. So when you aim a bullet at me please take the time to check details before pulling the trigger. Just trying to ensure you do not look dumb. Being a self confessed voyeur of pornographic material is enough for one man to publicly bear I feel

Sprocket Loc: Upstate New York

Buckwheat,

Glad to hear that you will always continue, because your photographs not only expose your subjects inner beauty, they also express their personality and tell a story. You have a gift. I attempt to do that all the time and more often fail than succeed. Some comments are not worth the effort of typing a response. It's not like opinions will change. That would take both parties having an open mind. Looking forward to seeing more.

buckwheat Loc: Clarkdale, AZ and Belen NM

Thank you for your comments. I'm still learning.
I'm not quite sure why I tried to start a dialogue with a person who's mind was closed, and I'm not quite sure how or why it deteriorated so quickly. But I have moved on and will probably shoot with her at least one more time.

Lady Red Loc: Puget Sound, WA

What is perfection? Something different for everyone. This lady seems to be happy with her body and that is what counts. To me the shot is a bit busy, but hey, such is life. And I have tattoos also, don't see anything wrong with them.

NoSocks Loc: quonochontaug, rhode island

I would have done something to remove the tattoos.

c49smith Loc: Ohio

I think that the unfinished wall adds rather than detracts from the overall composition. I get your desire for a log cabin motif but this works from my eye... very nice work.

daddybear Loc: Brunswick, NY

Not sure, they sort of set thescene and break up a rather bland horizon. Just M H O.
DeanR.

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

Some comments/thoughts of mine provoked by posters in this and other threads...

I have been following this Section since its inception, and there have been some beautiful images posted here that really show the talent of the photographer. There have also been several contributions that leave me scratching my head and wondering, "WTF?"

To me the main purpose of this section is to help photographers improve their skills in creating works of art. All good art -- landscape, still life, macro, ... whatever -- begins with a good subject presented in a way that arouses an emotion in the viewer. It could be tension, intrigue, wonderment, beauty, a sense of peace, or any other feeling. To that end there has to be a focal point of the image that kindles that emotion, and that is supported by all the elements in the image, without detraction by extraneous bits.

Clearly, given the title/description of the Section, the main subject is the naked human form, and we all know it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some naked bodies are extremely attractive in their entirety, while others not so much. The latter are more of a challenge to work with, but let's be honest -- taking one's clothes off cannot create beauty where there is none. A woman with a pretty face and a wonderful smile might be a great model for a portrait, but perhaps seeing more of a less-than-perfect body actually detracts from the final product. I think the image in this thread is one of those.

Billyspad (maybe his name should be "Spade" because he doesn't mince words and calls a spade a spade!) had some very blunt comments regarding the model, and while I may not agree with him or his approach all the time, I think in this case he may have a point. The model does not have a body build that most people would call sexy, beautiful, attractive, etc (Rubenesque was mentioned). To invoke euphemisms and references to "inner beauty" to mask her true shape doesn't quite cut it for me. DPullum suggested cropping below the elbow, and I agree totally with that suggestion. Perhaps a pose with more clothes in which only her breasts were bared, or having her standing behind a half-height door, would have worked better.

Another poster commented about the buildings in the distance being a distraction; I don't necessarily agree with that comment for the full image as presented. But if you crop from below the elbow to get more focus on her face and eliminate the distraction of her lower body, then I think the buildings and some of the wall behind her should also go.

So what you would be left with is a lovely waist-up portrait of a mature woman with a very pensive look that really does strike an emotion with me. And while the face alone is a great shot, as you lower the bottom crop line you can choose to stop at any time. Perhaps you want to include the bare breasts, or maybe not; I would like it cropped below the elbow but above the navel. Of course, zooming would have been preferable to cropping, but my point here is presenting a work of art as opposed to a naked lady.

I have had similar feelings about many other models in images posted in this section. Not everyone gets to work with Playboy Playmate hopefuls, and there have been some great images of much more average looking women presented in flattering poses, settings and lighting, and in various states of undress. But let's not be dishonest with ourselves in giving false kudos to a photographer who just happened to find a woman willing to pose in the nude. We owe it to everyone to speak truthfully about what works in the image, and what doesn't.

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

Are you saying whoever doesn't agree with your assessment is being dishonest, as your last statement says?

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

That is a very literal way of interpreting my statement, but I was trying to be somewhat general. To use two trite expressions, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But using yet another trite expression figuratively, if it looks like s**t, smells like s**t, feels like s**t, tastes like s**t -- need I say more? -- it probably IS s**t.

The number of gorgeous women with great hair, pretty face, wonderful complexion, curvaceous body, toned muscles, and great personality (the latter not necessarily important in a photo) is a small fraction of the population. And while standards for "beauty" are not carved in stone and can vary as a function of age and between cultures and races, on a scale of 1 to 10 I think most people -- male and female -- would probably agree on the 1 & 2 vs the 9 & 10. I also think one has to apply different criteria for choosing nude models for photography vs choosing a girlfriend or spouse, for example. When choosing a life partner one looks at the totality of the person -- inner beauty if you like -- that is more than skin deep. If not, the human race would have died out long ago.

Some of the models that have "graced" this website section have been less than ideal as subjects for nude/boudoir photography. That is not to say that budding photographers should not use these women as subjects, because finding a woman who feels confident and comfortable in front of a camera AND is a knockout may be challenging in many ways for a novice. One can practice nude photography with any woman, or even a manikin, with a bit of effort. So if the model in the photo is maybe a 3 or 4 on the scale or is clearly uncomfortable, why make flattering comments about her "inner beauty?" Why not critique the photo in terms of pose, setup, lighting, composition, etc, and leave out comments about the model; that would be most helpful to the photographer.

There have been several photos posted in which the models are not the ideal 9 or 10, but something about the photos successfully brings out a special expression in the person or sets a mood that deserves mention. It is probably a credit to the photographer for being able to see that characteristic and exploit it in the final image, and these images deserve the kudos and positive critique. I just don't agree with false flattery for poorly exposed snapshots of ordinary women in unexciting poses simply because they are naked. There aren't many of these, but there have been a few and I have on occasion wondered about the sincerity of the comments. And that, my friend, is my opinion.

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

Well I didn't think you really thought that everyone who didn't make the same assessment of a shot as you was being dishonest, but that's what it sounded like at first. And you are absolutely right, everyone has a right to their own opinion! So I guess if someone sees a shot we think is absolutely terrible, and someone else likes it, that is just their opinion and they have a right to say so.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

when you photograph a very thin attractive nude woman , almost everyone loves it. when you shoot an older woman or a heavy woman, or lots of tats, or maybe a few extra lines or belly creases . You get lots of negative opinions. It is much harder to make those people look good in a pic. My opinion is, I dont like the bits of hair sticking up on top of her head, I think it should be cropped down from the top a bit , I love how she's holding her hands, I love how she's looking at the camera, I love her feet placement but I might have had her right foot, up on her toes. As for her, its unimportant what I think , this is a photography site we judge photography not the models . with that said, I think she's attractive.

PaulG Loc: Western Australia

The whole secret to getting a decent and acceptable shot of the human form (portrait, fully clothed, naked or otherwise) is to study the subject before hand and reach a very simple conclusion - what are their redeeming and less redeeming features. Enhance the assets and minimize those less so. If you took a portrait of someone with a large nose or chin there are numerous effective ways to totally minimize those "imperfections" to produce an acceptable shot. There have been some beautifully composed shots on here - well lit, well composed photographically, and well planned. But many are simply point and shoot shots with no thought whatsoever photographically and consequently look appalling. I think the negative comments in this section as a whole are aimed primarily at that sort of photography and I wholeheartedly agree. Plump (for want of a better word) models can be made to look extremely appealing; that is the challenge to the photographer. I absolutely guarantee that I could make a 65 year-old, tattoo'd, slightly overweight female look extremely appealing through any number of means - light, focal softness, pose, angle - the list is almost endless. It needs thought. And that's what many shots on here lack and that is simply being pointed out by various members. Same with the other sections, by the way, some thoughtful and awful shots there too. The challenge as photographers (of varying degrees of competence) is to put some thought in to the effort. We should all ultimately look at our work, take on criticism and learn from it - that way we improve. Regarding this shot.... if you look at the model, what features appeal (face, hair, overall figure?) and what areas might pose problems? That would be the "ingredients" to work with and the factors to consider and plan for when creating a final image.

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

Well said. I agree completely.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Very well said indeed my friend but sections like this tend to cater primarily for the type of guy who just gets his rocks off looking at tits and arse whether that is just viewing or taking the snaps. Look at the large number who subscribe to this section as against some of more serious photographic forums.
All these subscribers have an interest in the art of the nude form huh. Yep Im sniggering as well my man.
Love to check these guys PC's. Betya we find a fair bit of porn and browsing history would be a hoot to look at.