In this nude photography tutorial we show you how to master lighting and posing to create captivating fine art images of the female form.
From Brassai to Brandt, there’s a rich history of the fine art nude in photography. A nude shoot enables you to present the most celebrated form in the history of art – the female body – in any way you like, from a striking silhouette to an abstract array of simple lines and shapes.
However, there are fine lines between fine art, erotica, and porn. So how do we go about creating art from a naked body?
In this nude photography tutorial we’ll explore several ways to approach the subject, with the emphasis on form, shape and light rather than titillation; think understated rather than X-rated.
Studio lights are a must, but you don’t necessarily need a full studio setup for a shoot like this. Most of our shots were taken with two softboxes, of the kind you’ll find in any good home studio lighting kit.
We’ll look at a few different setups over the page, but for our first setup the aim is to shoot an abstract nude.
By excluding obvious features like the face, and concentrating instead on the shapes, shadows and highlights of the torso, we can transform the body into a form that looks almost like a landscape.
SEE MORE: Fine art nude photography from posing to prints
Four sensuous setups for capturing the body beautiful
Setup 1: Low-key edge lighting
For a moody low-key look, keep the frontal illumination to a minimum. Positioning the lights to the side and slightly behind the model will light the edges of the figure and plunge the front into darkness, enabling you to create bright highlights along the edges of the body.
Posing the body in an hourglass shape creates attractive gentle curves, from the feet slightly apart to the closed, overlapping knees up to the hips, waist and shoulders, and eventually to the face.
Having the head tilted to one side like this will allow the side lighting to hit the profile of the face and accentuate the features.
SEE MORE: Tasteful nude photography – how to shoot the human form in subtle classic ways
Kit needed: Black background, two softboxes and an optional top light. Exposure: 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO100
Setup 2: Wide angle
A wide-angle lens creates distortion, which is usually something to avoid on a portrait shoot. But for nudes, distortion can add to the drama of the shot by exaggerating and elongating parts of the body that are closer to the camera, like the legs here.
You’ll need to get in quite close to the subject and focus precisely, as the closer you are the more limited the depth of field.
You may find with a wide-angle lens that the backdrop isn’t big enough to reach the edges of the frame, but with a black backdrop it’s easy to fill these in later using Photoshop’s brush tool.
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Kit needed: Wide-angle lens. Exposure: 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO100
Setup 3: High-key backlit
For a high-key setup that turns your subject into a silhouette, use a white background and direct your lights at this rather than the subject – here we used two softboxes either side of the background, and a top light.
Angle the softboxes slightly inwards so that light spills onto the edges of the subject. The body shape is important, so ask your model to angle their hips out and hold their arms away from the sides of the body.
A sheet of white Perspex on the floor will capture a reflection that helps to ground the subject.
SEE MORE: High-key lighting – how to shoot portraits that are dominated by light
Kit needed: White background board. Exposure: 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO100
Setup 4: Capture a rippled reflection
At the right angle, a tray of water placed in front of your subject can create a beautiful reflection that mirrors the edge of the body. A shallow tray with an inch or two of water is all that’s needed (a black cement-mixing tray like this can be picked up from a DIY store).
Gently disturb the surface of the water for a lovely rippled effect. Of course, water and studio lighting can be a dangerous mix, so keep the power packs and studio heads well away. If water isn’t an option, a sheet of black Perspex is a good alternative.
SEE MORE: Black and white photography – how to make stunning monochrome
Kit needed: Shallow tray, water. Exposure: 1/200 sec, f/20, ISO100
Essential tips for a fine art nude shoot
Softboxes
Softboxes are perfect for a nude shoot as they provide even, soft illumination that can be directed in channels across your subject. You’ll need to light both edges of the body; a third light, such as a beauty dish, can be added for top-down light.
Black velvet
Nothing sucks up light like black velvet, which makes it perfect for a backdrop. A plain dark backdrop makes it easy to tidy up areas in post-production, but try to stop your lights spilling onto the background to keep it as dark as possible.
Light power & distance
As well as adjusting the power, you can control the strength of lighting by changing its distance from the subject. Keep in mind the ‘inverse square’ law, which states that halving the distance of a light source will increase its illumination by four times.
SEE MORE: Studio lighting – 4 seriously simple techniques to try at home
Exposure settings
A good starting point is to use Manual mode, set a shutter speed of 1/200 sec and aperture of f/11, and take some test shots. If images are too bright either close down the aperture or reduce the flash output; if they’re too dark do the opposite.
Wireless flash trigger
A wireless trigger that connects to your Canon’s hotshoe makes things easier, as you won’t need messy sync cables. These triggers have a receiver that connects to the studio flash, so that when you press the shutter release the flash fires.
SEE MORE: 6 simple lighting setups for shooting portraits at home (free cheat sheet)
Look after your model
If your model is going to be lying down for long periods, as here, think about her comfort. Bring along soft blankets, cushions or beanbags so she isn’t sprawled on a hard, cold studio floor. Turn the heating up too.
Booking a model
When booking a model for a nude shoot, it helps enormously if they have some experience, as they’ll be confident in front of the camera and will have plenty of poses to call upon – there’s real skill in knowing how to strike poses that are both aesthetically interesting and natural-looking.
We found our model through Model Mayhem, a website that enables you to connect with models and other creatives. Talk through your ideas with your model beforehand, and have them sign a model release.
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