My own personal ESPN Body Issue
July 11, 2013 8:35 AM Subscribe
I guess I have the body (and ego) to ask this: Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on getting nude photos in the style of the ESPN body issue taken of one's self?
I guess I'd consider this a gift to myself in old age. I'm getting older, the metabolism's slowing, but I still look pretty good. I'd like a reminder of myself in this shape, or better, when I have it no longer. For anyone who's had such pictures taken --
* Where did you go?
* How did you find them?
* How much did it cost?
* What criteria did you use to choose them?
* Do you have any suggestions? (I'm in the NYC area)
* What was the experience like?
* Was there any preparation involved before you had the photos taken? Did you warm up, cycle carbs, worry about water retention, that sort of thing?
* Anything else I should consider, things you wish you knew or had done?
Thanks!
I guess I'd consider this a gift to myself in old age. I'm getting older, the metabolism's slowing, but I still look pretty good. I'd like a reminder of myself in this shape, or better, when I have it no longer. For anyone who's had such pictures taken --
* Where did you go?
* How did you find them?
* How much did it cost?
* What criteria did you use to choose them?
* Do you have any suggestions? (I'm in the NYC area)
* What was the experience like?
* Was there any preparation involved before you had the photos taken? Did you warm up, cycle carbs, worry about water retention, that sort of thing?
* Anything else I should consider, things you wish you knew or had done?
Thanks!
The Body Issue pictures are a big step above what a boudoir photographer can do, I'm thinking. The lighting, poses, and the capture of the moment are of a much higher quality. I have several very artistic professional photographers in my facebook friends list, and if it were me, I would go to one of them. Be on the lookout in NYC for photographs of a style you really like and contact the photographer to get a quote. Ask around and review a lot of work. That's what I would do.
posted by raisingsand at 9:05 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by raisingsand at 9:05 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was considered beautiful and athletic a long time ago. I personally knew some amateur and semi-pro photographers who took lovely photos of me, including some "cheesecake" shots of me in lingerie to give to my husband. In contrast, every single photo my husband ever took of me was hideous. I eventually had the epiphany that those photos said something about how he saw me, which explained a lot. Oy.
So in addition to looking for a photographer whose work you like, I would personally want some rapport with the person. I would want it to be someone who found me personally likable and whom I would feel comfortable taking my clothes off in front of. Given your stated goal, I would try to make sure that rapport was clearly platonic in nature. I have seen lovely, flattering photos taken by men who were hot for the subject (whether me or someone else) and those photos can skew towards vampy even when fully clothed. So if you want a tribute to your athleticism, you want a photographer whose admiration of your physique clearly skews towards appreciation of your sculpted muscles as a prowess thing rather than a sex thing.
I personally would try to arrange to make friends with someone who was not bad with a camera, even if they were not professionals. In fact, I recently ran a similar idea past a friend for future reference. If the photo I want ever happens, I think it will be made by a friend, not a paid professional. I think a critical element will be my comfort with being unclothed in front of another person with a camera in their hands. I am not shy but I am painfully aware that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," that reality has tremendous impact on photographic art, and I am not as young as I used to be.
posted by Michele in California at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2013
So in addition to looking for a photographer whose work you like, I would personally want some rapport with the person. I would want it to be someone who found me personally likable and whom I would feel comfortable taking my clothes off in front of. Given your stated goal, I would try to make sure that rapport was clearly platonic in nature. I have seen lovely, flattering photos taken by men who were hot for the subject (whether me or someone else) and those photos can skew towards vampy even when fully clothed. So if you want a tribute to your athleticism, you want a photographer whose admiration of your physique clearly skews towards appreciation of your sculpted muscles as a prowess thing rather than a sex thing.
I personally would try to arrange to make friends with someone who was not bad with a camera, even if they were not professionals. In fact, I recently ran a similar idea past a friend for future reference. If the photo I want ever happens, I think it will be made by a friend, not a paid professional. I think a critical element will be my comfort with being unclothed in front of another person with a camera in their hands. I am not shy but I am painfully aware that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," that reality has tremendous impact on photographic art, and I am not as young as I used to be.
posted by Michele in California at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2013
You definitely need someone with a studio and lights to get that high quality image. Possibly a boudoir photographer would do this, but they are usually very soft focus and pretty cheesy. I work with several photographers local to me, primarily for portrait work, and they would all do this easily. One even specializes in sports portraits (clothed, though, usually). Prices local to me will not be relevant to where you are.
When I have portraits done, there are usually 2 people being shot, and we usually take about 2 minutes of the photographer's time, including lighting set up in a couple different areas at our location, indoor and out.
I've found photographers using google and word of mouth, but I've also called places who had photos I liked and asked them who shot them. The guy I use most now did the head shots at the local theatre school and I followed up with them to get his contact info.
* Anything else I should consider, things you wish you knew or had done?
I wanted to do this when I was 28, but didn't, and my fifteen-years-older self profoundly regrets it. I wish I had known how sad I'd be that I didn't capture peak fitness.
posted by looli at 9:54 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
When I have portraits done, there are usually 2 people being shot, and we usually take about 2 minutes of the photographer's time, including lighting set up in a couple different areas at our location, indoor and out.
I've found photographers using google and word of mouth, but I've also called places who had photos I liked and asked them who shot them. The guy I use most now did the head shots at the local theatre school and I followed up with them to get his contact info.
* Anything else I should consider, things you wish you knew or had done?
I wanted to do this when I was 28, but didn't, and my fifteen-years-older self profoundly regrets it. I wish I had known how sad I'd be that I didn't capture peak fitness.
posted by looli at 9:54 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've had breast cancer and numerous surgeries and am very sorry I didn't think to do this when I was young and perfect. This isn't vanity, it's memorializing yourself, come what may.
posted by thinkpiece at 10:17 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by thinkpiece at 10:17 AM on July 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
As someone on the other side of the camera - find a local art school or a college with a fine arts studio photography program. One of the assignments will be nude photography: tasteful and artistic photos of the human form, which is what you want. It's one of the reasons that issue of ESPN was so gorgeous, it's usually an assignment that brings out the best in students and aspiring artists.
Ask the program office about offering your services as a model, and give up a few evenings or a couple hours on the weekend to hang out in the studio. They will probably have you do hand modeling at the same time, to knock out another common assignment.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:41 AM on July 11, 2013
Ask the program office about offering your services as a model, and give up a few evenings or a couple hours on the weekend to hang out in the studio. They will probably have you do hand modeling at the same time, to knock out another common assignment.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:41 AM on July 11, 2013
Find a photographer who specializes in nudes, not a boudoir photographer. Very different clientele and mindset/skillset.
Go check out ModelMayhem.com for nude photogs near you, and as a bonus you can inspect their portfolio before you even make contact.
posted by IAmBroom at 1:33 PM on July 11, 2013
Go check out ModelMayhem.com for nude photogs near you, and as a bonus you can inspect their portfolio before you even make contact.
posted by IAmBroom at 1:33 PM on July 11, 2013
Coming in to suggest ModelMayhem as IAmBroom has done. Lots of examples of peoples work on there. I myself took out a free account, had lots of pics taken, usually on a trade basis and now have many lovely shots of myself, in the buff. Good luck.
posted by Youremyworld at 8:56 PM on July 11, 2013
posted by Youremyworld at 8:56 PM on July 11, 2013
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posted by pyjammy at 8:38 AM on July 11, 2013