Discover the intricate interplay between human form and nature in our exclusive interview with renowned nude art photographer, Paul Veron. Through his lens, Veron captures the raw beauty of the human body, challenging taboos, and redefining conventional notions of nudity.
Join us as we delve into his creative process, inspiration, and tips for budding photographers looking for inspiration to capture breathtaking nude art photos.
Q1. How did your journey in photography start?
Ans. I was looking for some new challenge and interest just over eight years ago, when I began to ease back from my long-term career employment. As my education and training had largely been based in science and analysis, as had my career, I was particularly keen to find an outlet for my largely latent artistic and creative side.
Q2. How would you describe your style of photography?
Ans. Just as artists across most artistic disciplines across centuries, I am intrigued by the female nude. Initially I worked mainly in studios where I could tightly control the lighting to emphasise the beauty of feminine curves and lines, highlighted by precise lighting.
It took several years to find my favourite art nude genre, and also my particular artistic style and the principal messages in my work.. These lie in working outdoors in nature almost exclusively with natural light.
I am continually searching for effective ways to show not only the beauty of the female nude, but also humans’ instinctive place in nature and the natural environments. My work tries to depict the intrinsic connection and sense of true belonging we humans have with the natural world.
Q3. What do you think are the challenges in shooting fine art nude photography?
Ans. For someone new to photography, there are all the technical challenges of photography to grapple with; not only capturing the image but also editing and processing for the results one is seeking.
However, the greatest challenges have been the prejudicial, negative and occasionally shaming attitude from some people to the nude human body.
I find the amazing tolerance from large sections of society to violence in films and on television for example to be astounding, compared to the often irrational and illogical attitudes expressed by a simple nude human body depicted in some artistic way.
Q4. What would be your 5 tips for someone just starting out in fine art nude photography?
Ans.
1 – Early in my photography career, I was advised to work with the best models that I could afford. In my ninth year I still regard this to be one of the most important and helpful pieces of advice given to me, and I would certainly repeat it to others. Professional, experienced and talented models can be relied upon to take care of the posing, leaving the inexperienced photographer to concentrate on the technical aspects of the shoot.
2 – Collaborate with the model, do not dictate what you want. Almost all of my favourite images have come from such collaboration, where I discuss an idea with the model and then we jointly develop it, even when the results have varied somewhat from my original concepts.
3 – choose your model carefully by reviewing their work on other portfolio sites. For example, there is very little point in selecting a talented boudoir model for a dynamic art nude shoot that requires athletic skills or ballet training for example.
4 – don’t be afraid to break the supposed rules, and to try new things. While much of the time, perhaps even most of the time, such creativity may not deliver the results you want, on occasions diverting away from the norm produces striking results.
5 – share your work on reputable social media sites and seek constructive feedback from fellow photographers, models and other artists on your images. Learn from others’ experience, but do not necessarily copy their style. Develop your own style by shooting what you want to shoot, how you want to shoot it; do not necessarily shoot for what you perceive others’ may like (unless of course you are relying on selling a lot of work).
Q5. Which photographer’s work do you look up to the most?
Ans. I like both Helmut Newton ‘s and Bob Carlos Clarke’s photography, especially because they had individual styles and both were always looking for new and exciting images that differed from the work of other photographers. Both were cutting edge in what they shot.
There are many current art nude photographers across several art nude genres whose work continually inspire me including Randall Hobbit, STEIN, balm in Gilead, BenErnst, imagesse, Thomas Holm and Thomas Bichler.
Outside the art nude genre I love the work of Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado because his photography really matters as a strong pictorial social commentary on people across the globe and topics that are critically important to our cultures and social development. His thematic work on important topics such as Amazonia, Workers, Migrants, Sahara, and the Environment are amongst the best I’ve seen to date.
Q6. Tell us about your favorite shoot you ever did. Why is it your favorite?
Ans. Oh dear – it is rather invidious and incredibly difficult to pick out just one or two shoots as my all-time favourite, but let me select two and I’ll explain why.
The first is the studio dynamic fine art nude shoot shot back in 2015 with the multi-talented and highly experienced models Ayla Rose and Anna Rose. Both models are very athletic and flexible, so I asked them to pose together in a low-key dynamic art nude set.
It was obvious from the start that both women loved the challenge, and although they had never worked together before on such a set, they sparked off each other and produced the most creative and stretching studio shoot I’ve shot to date. I ended up totally exhausted after the rigors of the four hour shoot, but the images that resulted have won several international competitions and highlighted my work to a broad audience.
The second such shoot was a solo shoot with professional model Cariad Celis in May this year at two Ice Lagoons in Iceland. How Cariad could pose so beautifully and naturally in such low temperatures with a biting wind chills factor was incredible. Iceland’s scenery of snow and ice was stunning, but add Cariad’s harmonious posing and the resultant images are amongst my personal most loved images.
Q7. What can we find in your camera bag for a regular nude photography shoot?
Ans. My Canon 5D Mk 1V camera, complete with Canon Zoom Lens EF 24-105 mm 1.4L IS 11 USM, which I find the best overall lens for my natural nudes in nature work as it allows both wide shots of the landscape, as well as close-ups where the model features much larger in the frame.
I would also have a standard EF 50 mm Canon Lens 1.18 STM, as well as a portrait lens the Canon EF 85mm 1.18.
In addition – two spare batteries, several memory cards, lens cloth, spare lens caps, and because I work mainly outdoors in nature a small first aid kit.
Q8. How do you select your models?
Ans. I spend many hours looking on fine art nude portfolio sites identifying the models whose work I particularly admire. I’ll then review the most recent References to check reliability, work ethic etc, and while I prefer to work with professional models, I am also looking for people who are artistic and creative so that we can collaborate.
Once I find the models I like to work with I’ll continue to work with them as the more you work with someone the more relaxed and easier the work flows. Having said this I do vary by looking for some new models with whom to work.
Q9. 3 of your top nude posing tips every photographer should know?
Ans. Give a clear brief in advance about what you are hoping to achieve from the shoot, and be clear about the levels of the shoot (never ever pressing above what has been agreed);
Always respect the models and give them time to ease into the shoot, and don’t over-direct them;
Don’t be too fixed in your views and encourage experimentation and creativity, giving encouragement and never criticizing the model’s look or pose; always see the positives and gently move more to what you want to achieve.
Q10. If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
Ans. Unquestionably an author of both factual and fictional books.
While not confined to photography as a subject for my writing, my ultimate dream is to partner my photography with my writing skills to produce a book with a message containing my best work.
Q11. What message or feeling do you hope to convey through your nude art photos?
Ans. I am always seeking to convey the intrinsic connection and belonging that we humans have with our natural world, and the deep sense of connection that we have with nature and the natural environment. This message is especially important in a world where digital and virtual experiences are so rapidly and comprehensively replacing actual person to person contact and time spent amongst nature. This message is increasingly being recognised worldwide by psychologists and other health professionals.
Q12. What do you consider your biggest achievement so far?
While I have been very pleased to have won several international photography competitions, and to have been published extensively in many magaziners on several continents, my most satisfying achievements to date have come from exhibiting my work alongside other talented artists and photographers in art galleries and juried exhibitions in Hamburg, Lisbon, London,Miami, Milan and Seattle.
However, perhaps the pinnacle is my first ever solo exhibition at the beautiful lePassage Gallery on my home in the British Channel Islands. This exhibition runs from 2nd – 9th September 2023, and will feature some of my favourite studio dynamic fine art nudes as well as Natural Nudes in Nature imagery shot in several European countries.
In wrapping up our chat with Paul Veron, it’s clear that his work as a nude art photographer is a testament to the power of visual storytelling and the celebration of human vulnerability. Veron’s ability to merge sensuality with artistry in his nude art photos is marvelous.
By blending sensuality with creativity, Veron challenges old ideas and encourages us to view nudity differently. The bond between nature and humans is unwaveringly strong and Paul has captured that through his nude art photos.
Check out more spectacular work by him here.
