I was intrigued to read a post by PhotoAnthems about a UK photography student who is doing some research on posing nude and its effects on the body image of the model. The young woman in question has also contacted me to hear my views. I was about to email her but I then decided to share such views in this post.
As Terrell points out there are no specific studies linking posing nude with positive body image. I know of life model Esther Bunting who runs workshops for would be life models and who is very passionate about life modelling as being empowering for women and their self-perception. But though the women who do these workshops find the experience very positive it is not clear whether their body image actually changes as a result of the experience.
The same could be said of art nude photographic modelling, that it has positive effects on the model's body image. I emphasise the 'could' because it is all very much a potentiality. In other words, there are many factors involved. Posing nude for an artist or a photographer can be a very positive experience and the woman who models (not necessarily a professional) may feel that she is 'a thing of beauty, a joy forever'. But it can also have the contrary effect of emphasising a sense of inadequacy and the constant feeling most women have of being 'not beautiful enough, not slender enough, not tall enough' once they begin comparing themselves to other women.
It happened to me. When things turned sour with someone I was close to, he began to list my physical shortcomings publicly, comparing me to other women who had modelled for him. It was humiliating and I would constantly hear a little nagging voice repeating inside my head "you are not good enough, why dont you stop?"
But I was truly in love with modelling as performance. I was also getting offers to pose from other photographers, so in the end I decided I would continue anyway, for my own enjoyment. In other words, I validated myself and that was what allowed me to carry on and feel comfortable with my body.
This act of validation does not come from the photographer, nor from the camera. It comes from within and it is this which allows you to develop a relationship with the camera that leads to beautiful results.
So yes, posing nude can have very positive effects on your own body image, your perception of yourself, but only if you are already somewhat confident about your own body.
(Photos by Paul Ward modelled by Alex B)
I had a positive experience drawing myself nude from a reference photographic self-portrait. It was interesting, because during the process, I was forced to look at myself objectively. That's a little different than giving control over to another artist, but it was something I encourage everyone to do.
ReplyDeleteBefore I started working with models, I had a friend who was willing to volunteer for me. But before we got to work together, I had already worked with a few others. On the day we were to work together, she backed out almost in a full-blown panic, citing that when she saw the other models she compared herself to them and couldn't go through with it.
That still hurts me to this day.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI found your blog recently, last week to be precise, and would just like to point out that not all models are female.
All too often when the subject is art modeling, life drawing, fine art nude photography etc it is implied or explicitly expressed that the modelis female.
Please share your thoughts, who ever may wish to reflect on the topic.
I'm one of those odd (?) male modelis that would like to seea broadwe mindset when it comes to the perception of and selections/bookings etc of life models and why not more fine art nude photography with male models.
Konstmodell you have raised a very important issue. I will be posting about male models very soon
DeleteI'll be delighted to read that.
DeleteAlex, you make a really good point. Even those of us with confidence in ourselves can be the victims of attacks from photographers we've worked with who decide to be vindictive after the fact. You know that last spring and early summer I was attacked ruthlessly by an Australian fine art nude photographer and a photographer I had worked with for three years. Their attacks regarded my age, calling me an "emaciated corpse" and such things, and focusing on their alleged disgust at seeing someone in her 60s still modeling nude, although when we worked together the photographer spoke quite differently.
ReplyDeleteEven for someone confident enough not to believe such tirades and to understand where they were coming from, it was quite painful. For a woman to remove her clothes and model nude is greater exposure than others seem to comprehend (or perhaps such photographers who turn on their models DO comprehend this). I am still weighing the costs of modeling nude at any age. Thank you for this and other posts you've written on the topic.
Thank you UL for this comment. I am worried about the magical quality that is being attributed to the act of posing nude. It is your own acceptance of yourself that changes your self perception not something outside . In fact posing nude can have devastating effects. Even Kate Moss felt uncomfortable and disliked her body when she posed topless at age 16 or 17, though that image made her famous.
DeleteAlex, you are absolutely right. People ask me how I can model, implying or actually saying "at your age." As a performer I was already comfortable with my body. Through the years in backstage dressing rooms, I could not have harbored self consciousness about how I or any other performer looked nude or nearly nude. As I said in my latest post, I have never before in any other mode of artistic expression been made to feel as much discomfort about myself and what I do as I have as a fine art nude model. General societal conceptions of what nude models do need major education and adjustment.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Alex. I think, though, that nude art--that is, art that focuses on unadorned humanity, including or not including its sexuality--is too important for our health as a species for its makers (painters, sculptors, models, photographers, and whatever other people help make it) to back down from the making. Yeah, I can see the need for times of creative withdrawal--but we need to get back in touch with ourselves, especially our bodies, and nude art is one way back.
ReplyDelete" I validated myself and that is what allowed me to carry on and feel good about my body" Awesome! You have the brightest ideas and I love Your blog
ReplyDeleteI find posing nude has become very normal for me in that, although I still enjoy a feeling of wonderful liberation when l am nude, l am no longer so concerned how l look. l don't think l have a classicly good looking body but then l don't care whether l do or l don't. There is still some room for vanity though! l had my photograph taken earlier this year and, when l got the pics, l thought my stomach was sticking out a bit too much and therefore l wasn't sure l liked the pics. However, l went away and didn't look at the pics for about 24 hours and, when l returned to them, my attitude was completely different. l found that l judged the photos on their merits and that a fat stomach was irrelevant so far as judging whether it was a good photo or not. In other words, that was me in the photo and l wasn't going to change and l accepted it. l love my body because it is my own. lt is me and l prefer to be photographed naked than dressed because it is the real me. l am not covering up in every sense of those words. l don't know how relevant all the above is to this discussionbecause l am a bear of little brain but l hope it is of interest.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tim.i think that you are confirming what I said about body image. We are not here talking about the photograph and how this is perceived. Despite everything you had a moment in which you felt unhappy about your body image and it was seeing yourself in a photograph that triggered that moment of discomfort
ReplyDeleteI agree that seeing yourself in a photo would trigger discomfort.Its quite common for people to pose nude but get critical of their bodies upon seeing themselves in the photograph.They basically use the photograph as an assessment of their bodies.."I should have covered up.My stomach looks fat"
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