People feel good in front of the camera only when you learn to help them feel comfortable being there! It is about infusing them with your passion and educating them about the how much they will enjoy the process.” David Beckstead
Artnude Photography Workshop
I’ve always been drawn to fine art nude photography as an opportunity to create art for the sake of art. No clients, no deadlines, no restrictions — just the human form as my canvas.
While nude photography can be whatever you want it to be, when I teach workshops I coach my students to focus specifically on the fine art nude with an emphasis on light, shape, form, storytelling, and mood.
When you look at my work, I never want you to see a ‘naked photo’.
Instead, I want you to see a creative exploration of photography with the nude form as part of the visual language and creative canvas.
When you look at my work, you shouldn’t be looking at ‘body parts’ but instead perhaps the way the light wraps around shape of nude subject. I try to pass these same sensibilities onto the students of my workshops both in my instruction and the inspirational references I direct them to study whether classical paintings, art photographers, or fashion photographers.
Many fashion photographers also have an extensive collection of nude work including.
One of my all-time favourites is Marco Glaviano.
When I look at his nude images I see the same elegance and exploration of beauty that appear in his fashion work. The difference? The nude work tends to have even more unfettered creativity to play with light and shadow without having to focus on hair, makeup or wardrobe in the frame. I love the graphic patterns, textures and compositions he explores in his nude work. In fact, even as a fashion photographer many of his most recognizable and iconic images are timeless nudes, not fashion imagery.
I have several goals that I want to achieve with my students.
First, I aim to educate. I want to help photographers understand how to manipulate the form to create the shapes they desire, and therefore gain a deeper understanding of posing. I want them to see (and experience) how the placement of light and choice of modifier change the appearance of the body, curves and musculature. I want to demonstrate the role of highlight and shadow in both sculpting and differentiating the form, and how his interplay of light and shadow becomes fundamental to fine art nude photography.
Next, I aim to reduce or eliminate fears. At times people are uncomfortable with photographing nudes because of societal taboos that have been imposed. During my workshop I help my students to become comfortable with planning shoots, the etiquette of approaching and directing their subjects and more. It is extremely important for a photographer to be professional and confident with their subjects in order to create the type of imagery that is the goal of my workshops.
During these workshops I carefully develop the concepts and the light, and invite my students to get creative and practice their fine art nude photography skills. Although I do not treat my workshops as shooting time for myself, I often take a few frames of the subjects in order to allow my students see me direct the models and also to allow me to provide a few frames of images to my models as an extra thank you for their hard work!
In indoors workshop I focus a lot on studio lighting for fine art nudes, and how to use the mood of the light to fit the theme of the nude or to tell the greater story. I also use studio lighting to create dramatic images that really focused on the nude form instead of a ‘naked subject’. In the other workshop we photograph in an incredible and exotic location. I show students how to photograph nudes in direct sunlight outdoors, and also how to analyse the location to find dynamic compositions.
Havana Photography Workshop
Cuba is not only an exotic destination; it has one-of-a-kind locations for photography. In this figure photography workshop, students will have the opportunity to create unique images inside neoclassic and art deco homes as well as crumbling concrete structures.
The Havana Photography Workshop is for photographers who would like to share time and ideas with a small group of like-minded photographers.
All aspects of fine art figure photography, including posing and coaching, will be covered. Personal guidance will be given to photographers who have not previously worked with models.
By limiting this workshop to few participants each photographer will be able to spend more time working one-on-one with models. It will also be possible to use locations not accessible to larger groups. Emphasis will be placed upon developing and refining personal style and vision.
