Nudity

I just got an email from Sara, a model I worked with this year. Sara and I go way back. I contacted her in early 2005, we met for a coffee and a walk around NYU and made plans to shoot. I rescheduled, she rescheduled and it was June 2006 before we actually shot. Shortly thereafter, Sara, an actor, made the BIG decision to move to Los Angeles, where she is, I'm happy to say, working - and I mean as an actor!

This makes me happy. That shit is hard.

Anyway, Sara emailed me today and said that she had been visiting family here in NYC for the holidays and thought about me and would be back in The City in May and she would like to shoot with me again.

I'm always flattered by this, especially since Sara and I really hit it off and made some really great shots. As I told her, I'd shoot with her anytime, city-wide terrorist act aside...

There are several model/photographer networking websites where I have a presence. On them, I am absolutely clear about one thing in regards to my personal work: If you want to work with me you better be willing to take your fucking clothes off. It's pretty simple, really. One rule.

Now, that does not mean that I do not and am not interested in taking pictures of people with their clothes on. Or clothes that I provide, or wardrobe from my stylists. I think of myself primarily as a portrait photographer and all my photos are about "people." But here's the deal: I use the nudity rule as the litmus test. If you are willing to give that much to me, then we will be able to go anywhere creatively. Even places where you have your clothes on. I've done shoots with models who agreed to shoot with me and never asked them to take their clothes off. Hell, I've even purposely put clothes on figure models and documented their uncomfortableness with being clothed...

That said, I also enjoy being known as an photographer of things "erotic."

Sara is as great example. She didn't want nude photos of her circulating out there due to her burgeoning acting career, but agreed to shooting some because she wanted to work with me. The nude shots are beautiful, but all of the shots are great, because she was free. And she trusted me.

And now she's back. I can't wait!

This is Sara, with my belt pulled tight around her neck. It's one of my favorite shots from the shoot, and she ain't nude.