Being interviewed about a topic you love talking about is really nice. You are forced to put into words the ideas, feelings and pictures that have just been floating around in your head. And sometimes that can really give you some aha-moments.

During an interview with the erotic lifestyle online magazine Indranis recently, I had the chance to do just this, and I got that very question.

First I said the obvious. "I like women more than men". Shallow? Yes, but it was only a start. "To make good photographs of anything, I believe you have a greater chance of success if you like the subject you are shooting." That's not to bad. But it is more of an excuse than a good reason, and it is still not quite there yet. So my brain kept on working. I asked myself what I want to accomplish with the pictures I end up giving to my customers (in this case the customers are the women I take artistic nude pictures of, or their friend, husband or boyfriend). Thats quite easy to answer : the pictures should be good enough, safe enough, tasteful enough, and abstract enough to hang on someones living room wall, or at least bed room wall, without knocking out grandma when she drops in for tea and biscuits.

The symbolism of the nude female form has completely different meanings compared to the nude male form. Think of the gods of war like Jupiter and Mars. Think of hard men like Conan and Dirty Harry. Then think of the gods of love and passion like Venus and Aphrodite. Think of sensual and erotic icons like Greta Garbo, Elle McPherson, Jenna Jameson and so on.. (ok enough thinking now).

Now we replace those symbols into the original question, and we get this : "Why do you photograph love and passion, and not violence and war?" Then, I can ask back: "Which would you rather hang on your wall or give as a gift to someone you love?"

So there it is. The most politically correct reason/excuse I've yet to come up with for taking artistic sensual nudes of mostly women.

What are your thoughts? Add your comments below.

PS. I have taken artistic nudes of men as well. And after having tried it, it is something I'm not interested in focusing on. Just like team sports photography.
PPS. Also, I take pictures of what ever I damn well please. So there. Tut.

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