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Revealing the Nude: Steve Halderman Offers Tips on Working With Models
By Jerry Currier | Wisdom and Inspiration |
Sep 20, 2008
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All images © Steve Halderman
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| Touch |
The nude human form has long been the focus of visual artists. Painters and sculptors have celebrated the nude for centuries. Then, the invention of photography and its acceptance as an artistic tool created a new stage for the exploration of the nude form.
A longtime Photoworkshop.com member, Steve Halderman, has explored the art of creating beautiful images of the nude female form and he does so without any formal training. Instead he credits the advice and suggestions of many members of Photoworkshop.com for his photographic growth.
In a recent interview with Steve, Double Exposure asked him to give our readers some insights into how he approaches the creation of his fine art images of the nude.
Double Exposure: What motivated you to start shooting nudes?
Steve Halderman: The first nude shoot I ever did was a group shoot, which was put together by my friend and fellow member, Phil Hilden. I believe there were eleven of us, all Photoworkshop.com members, shooting throughout the day, along with four or five models.
The second shoot I did was also a group shoot (put together by Phil as well). I came away from these shoots with a couple of images that got my attention and made me decide to try working in the field of fine art nude photography.
DE: Were there particular goals you wanted to achieve when you first started? Have these goals changed with experience? If so how?
SH: Actually, I’m not a very goal oriented person.
The first “one on one” I did was a total disaster. I was extremely nervous and completely out of my element. To make matters worse, the model wasn’t very experienced. What ensued, was a total miscommunication of the type of photography I was trying to create. I guess my first clue was when she sprayed herself with that “instant tanning” stuff.
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| Femme Fatale |
Fast forward to my three latest shoots. After the first of these, I emailed several of my friends to ask their opinions. One of these friends was Ginny Felch, and she came back with the suggestion that I try to see the model the way the artist in me sees the model. In short, if anything has changed in the way of goals, it’s to explore the light and the curves in the nude female form.
DE: What do you look for in a model?
SH: That’s a tough one. It might be easier if you asked me to calculate the complete value of pi. Much depends on my mood at the time when I decide to do a shoot. For instance, I may be looking for a certain vulnerability. I might, instead, be trying to obtain an element of eroticism. I let my moods dictate the shoot, and then choose a model accordingly. Personality is always a factor. I’m not much of a “people person,” so I have to feel that I can connect with a model.
DE: Are your subjects all professional models?
SH: So far, they’ve all been professional models, or at least they’ve claimed to be.
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| Midnight Grace |
DE: How do you go about locating a suitable model or models?
SH: Either through One Model Place (www.onemodelplace.com), or Model Mayhem (modelmayhem.com).
DE: I assume that you want your model to be relaxed and at ease. Do you have any special methods for creating an atmosphere that promotes this?
SH: I’ll sit down with the model, just before a shoot, and discuss what it is that I’m trying to capture. I always treat the models the way I would like to be treated; I’m not rude or demanding. I’ve heard some stories from a couple of models, about working with photographers who are demanding. I’ve found that experienced models are generally relaxed and at ease to begin with. Being nice and treating them with respect can only help.
DE: What are the “no-nos” that apply to working with nude models?
SH: The obvious thing that comes to mind, is to never mix business with pleasure. Touching the model(s), when directing them in poses, is another. A totally professional approach is very important. Aside from that, I’ll ask them to go easy on the makeup and jewelry, especially eye shadow and instant tanning spray.
DE: Do you direct a model to achieve the desired pose or do you rely on their experience to suggest a pose?
SH: Based on what we’ve discussed prior to the shoot, I mostly rely on the model’s experience. Once the shoot gets going, I may ask for a particular pose, or suggest modifications to the poses that they’re choosing.
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| Mirror, Mirror |
DE: What do you use for studio space?
SH: The living area of my apartment. My dining and TV areas are grouped together as one large room with a high, sloping ceiling. This would make for a pretty ideal studio if it was empty space, but it gets pretty tight with my furniture. I guess if I were a true “starving artist," I’d get rid of the furniture.
DE: What kind of lighting do you prefer?
SH: Good question. Currently, I’m working with strobes (mono lights), mainly because my apartment doesn’t have enough windows to provide good natural light. Another problem is that there are no northern exposures. Even if there were, though, I’d probably still need to use strobes, as I have to close the blinds (after all, I have neighbors who have small children).
DE: What equipment do you use? Please list cameras, filters (if any), lighting equipment, tripods all equipment that you feel is necessary for a shoot.
SH: I shoot completely digitally, with a Canon EOS 1Ds. Although I have several filters, I don’t use them for indoor shooting. The two lenses I use most often are a Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L, and a Canon EF 28-135mm IS (1st generation). The latter is an old standby and just a superb, versatile lens. I currently have two Elinchrom 500 ws and one Elinchrom 600 ws mono lights (I like expensive toys, I can’t help it), a couple of light stands, a small boom which can also be used as a regular stand, a medium Photoflex Multidome softbox, a 32” Photoflex Multidisc reflector, a couple of Photogenic umbrellas (which can be set up as regular bounce umbrellas or as shoot through, a technique where the light of the strobe is passed directly through the umbrella. Photogenic umbrellas have a removable black outer cover for this purpose, a snoot and a couple of sets of Barn Doors. I use cloth backdrops, but that’s just a personal preference. Although I own tripods, I don’t use them for studio work with models, the short duration of a good high speed strobe provides the same stop action effects as using fast shutter speeds. Although I have—and use—the equipment I’ve just listed, all that’s really necessary is a camera, lens (I’d recommend the Canon 28-135mm), reflector, and a strobe with a softbox or umbrella. The strobe would, of course, not be necessary for shooting in natural light.
DE: Steve, thanks for sharing your views and suggestions on the art of creating fine photographs of the nude form with Double Exposure readers.
See more of Steve Halderman's images at http://shalderman.photoworkshop.com/
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Last Updated: Jul 10th, 2010 - 16:19:44
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