We live in a world where sexuality is slowly but surely coming to the point of universal understanding, but still, we’re nowhere near where we need to be. There’s still a stigma surrounding various aspects that are even mildly sexual, and nude art and photography are no exception.
Most people feel like nude art and photography are nothing more than pornographic stills and are often judging the people that are participating in such activities. Seeing how that doesn’t sit well with us, we’ve decided to talk to you about some of the most common misconceptions people have about nude photography and maybe help you fully understand what this art form is all about.
Let’s begin.
It Is The Same As Pornography
Unfortunately, many people will call ladies (and gents) that take nude photography some pejorative names, and when you confront them about it and ask them why, they’ll tell you because it’s the same thing as porn. Now, we’re not going to go into the whole debate of whether they’re enjoying watching porn or not, but rather we’ll focus on debunking this myth.
Nude photography is not the same as pornographic photography. It’s not even remotely close. The essence of pornography is sex, and the essence of nude art is art. It’s about love, beauty, romance, elegance, none of which you will often find in porn. So, no – nude art is definitely not the same as porn.
You Have To Show It All
A great number of people think that nude photography has to show a lot of skin. In fact, they are firm believers that if the model is not wearing its birthday suit – it’s not nude photography. Even though we might see the confusion, with “nude” being in the name and all, this is simply not true. A model does not have to be fully naked.
In fact, if you take a look at some of the finest pieces of nude photography, you’ll notice that most of the time, models wear quite a bit of clothes and are often covered with some kind of fabric. You don’t have to show a nipple. Heck, you don’t even have to show your ankles if that makes you uncomfortable. In fact, a great number of these photos are less “provocative” than your average selfie from the beach.
You Have To Be In Perfect Shape To Take These
First of all, there is no perfect shape. No matter how good you look, how hard you work in the gym, or how good you dress – there is no such thing as perfection. What makes someone perfect is love. To your partner – you’re perfect the way you are. To your parents – you’re perfect. And, if you love yourself – you’re perfect. Perfection has nothing to do with your face or body, and since nude photography is about love, you can be in any shape and take these photos. If you don’t believe us – just look at some vintage nude photographs at Meisterdrucke.us. Do you see anything even remotely close to what we nowadays consider to be “perfect shape”?
So, forget about the beach body, perfect lips, cat eyes, toned arms, perky breast, and all that jazz. The only thing that matters is how you feel about yourself and how comfortable you are in your skin. If you’re all good in that department – nothing else matters.
It’s All About Sex
This is another misconception about nude photography. While it is true that a naked human body is erotic and sensual, nude art photography isn’t just about sex. It can be, don’t get us wrong, but it’s not always like that.
More often than not, nude photography is just about capturing the essence of the model at its most natural, most vulnerable, and most comfortable state. When you’re in the nude, you’re left with nothing but yourself. There’s no room for lies or pretending. It’s just you. It’s you the way you’re meant to be. And, we don’t know about you, but for us, that transcends sexuality in more ways than one.
It Will Be Very Uncomfortable
A lot of people are led to believe that shooting in the nude is uncomfortable, and that’s usually because they haven’t done it. If you just go out and ask someone that has posed for nude photography, nine out of ten will tell you that it was their most comfortable experience in front of the camera.
You see, not everyone can shoot these kinds of photos. These photographers are incredible at making you feel at ease and comfortable. They will talk to you, they will never force you to stop out of your comfort zone, and they will never make you feel uneasy, ashamed, and uncomfortable. If they don’t make you feel comfortable – you shouldn’t take these photos.
Your Nudes Will End Up Online
It is not wrong about worrying that something’s going to end up online because, let’s face it, once something gets online – it stays there forever. However, unless you’re dealing with some sketchy photographer, there is no chance that your photos will end up online unless you post them.
If you work with a reliable photographer, you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of. And, if you’re really that worried about photos getting online – you can always find someone to take pictures of you with an analogue camera or a Polaroid.
You Can’t Display Nude Photography In Your Home
Well, that one’s just not true. Some of the most renowned art pieces throughout history feature nude men and women, from sculptures to photography. We’d assume you’d be more than glad to display your Botticelli or Francisco Goya if you had one, so why wouldn’t you display a piece of modern nude art? It makes no sense.
Now, we understand that you might feel some way about hanging a nude portrait of yourself above the mantle, but who says you have to do that? You can keep your photographs private if you wish, but then again, it is up to you whether you want to hang them or not. They certainly can be displayed. The only thing is whether you want them to be or not.
Conclusion
There you have it. As you can see, there are quite a few misconceptions about nude art and photography, but we hope we’ve managed to clear some of them up.
