Nude Photography doesn't Need to Be Censored

Why Would You Put a Black Censor-Bar on a Perfectly Good Photo?

This is how Blog ideas are formed. A topic comes-up in general conversation. Often it is discussed, and various ideas are batted-about. Ya think it was a simple conversation, but then once you have gone to bed, it comes to life in your over-active mind, keeping you awake, and flooding the mind with so many thoughts about the original topic.

My friend Kim is a writer, photographer, and aspiring Journalist. She has been writing for 18 years. And pursuing photography as she has grown in life. She currently is going to school for her Journalism Degree. I Absolutely love, respect,and admire that at the age of 32, she is returning to school and pursuing her goals in life! In her learning, growing, and achieving new levels of what has always been part of her passion, she is pushing her own boundaries, comfort-levels, and learning to look at things in new ways. For many years she has already proven to be good at what she does. In addition to her photography, and writing, she also is undertaking the battle of weight. She not only is growing in her field, but also shrinking at the same time. (You might ask what losing weight has to do with her writing? Well, She also is a blogger. One of her blogs is called Who Took My Donut?) She approaches life with a non-traditional view. She is a success at losing weight, while still enjoying an occasional pizza, cheeseburger, and fries.  (She is a friend of mine... so Ya Know without a doubt, she likes food!~Duh!) It has not been easy for her, but that is what makes it a personal challenge, and why she is inspired to write about it. She also is married to a wonderful man who happens to be a professional photographer, loves food, and has a great sense of humor. Their passions and desires in life merge well together. 

You might wonder how any of this connects to me... and how we became friends? 

Well, the simple answer would be: Photography.

But of course, there really is no simple answer. Yes, we met through our mutual passions for photography. Strange as it may sound, Yes, we met online. We found our photography, and paths in life often intersected with each other's lives. For many months, it seemed we had just passed one another in our comings and goings around the not-so-big big-city of Las Vegas. (My own humorous poke at how Vegas people think Vegas is a Big-City, when it really is a tiny little town.) Our paths crossed many times, and finally Kim, Her Hubby John, and myself planned a meet-up. We've found much mutual ground, plus much not-so-mutual ground. In the discoveries of what meshes and what does not, we've also discovered that my life as a nudist is not a threat to either Kim or John. They have welcomed who I am, even come to my home knowing I am gonna be nekkid. 

And Just to make it clear: No, We are not at all involved in any way sexually! I know all-too-often the first thing people think of when it involves nudity is that it must be sexual. I am a non-sexual person. I am not in any way interested in anything sexual. I am simply a person who loves to live life naked. Kim and John are in no way interested in me in a sexual way either. They accept me as the human I am, who just happens to be nekkid. Now, How does all of this connect to Naked photography, and the topic of the censoring of pictures? Simple... sorta:

Kim has also pushed her own boundaries in photography. In my own opinion, she is an excellent photographer!  Like almost any artist, or creative-type, we often seek new skills, new ideas, and explore ways to expand our passions. One of the greatest challenges to any photographer is to capture another human in a way that feels natural, not staged, and for the photograph to convey to anyone viewing it the same feeling. When Kim and John came by my place one day, after noticing it really was comfortable to be around me while I was nekkid, plus I was not in any way acting weird about them seeing me nekkid, she asked if she could take some pictures. Of course I agreed.

She took a bunch of photos, and found it was fun, and free. The lighting in my home was a challenge, and she enjoyed the opportunity to be allowed to  experiment, push her boundaries, and not feel it was awkward. Her husband also enjoyed watching how she pursued this, plus how I welcomed it. While she got a bunch of fully-visible naked photos, she also got some fun ones that show I am naked, without actually showing the parts most people do not want to see. Here is one of those (My Favorite!) and if ya click the photo, you can see the entire set. (But be warned, in the rest of the photos, I am fully, visibly naked... I am not ashamed of this, just want you to know before you see something you are not wanting to see.)

This photo Is absolutely my favorite of the entire set! ...and which leads me to the topic of this post. That topic is "Nude Photography without Censors".

As she and her hubby were leaving, she asked if I would be open to allowing her to practice more nude-photography, using me as her experiment. I totally agreed. While I hid my body for much of my life, I also have always welcomed anyone who is safe, comfortable, and trusted to look, touch, learn, explore, and find their own level of comfort about the human body using my own as an experiment. Now that I do not hide, I am even more welcoming of others' desire to learn, explore, and expand their own boundaries. I make clear my own boundaries, and know how to say no, or draw the line so I am never put in a bad-situation. I have grown immensely in my own acceptance of who I am, and happily help others pursue their own growth.

In Kim's pursuit of Her Journalism, and photography to go along with that, she is learning more about interviews, and how to capture the person of interest.

Last night, she presented this to me in an Instant message/ Chat...

"okay, i gots a question for ya

i have no clue offhand what direction i'll go with or how the fawk i'll write it to begin with but i would like to do an interview of sorts with ya about your nekkid lifestyle."

Of course, I agreed. (Whoa~! What just happened to my font?? Hehe! After I copied and pasted her question, this new font somehow became my own font... Just goes to show my lack-of computer knowledge... Oh well, I like it, and have no idea what it is, but will go with it, until it somehow goes a different direction. .... You are beginning to see how my mind jumps. Just enjoy the ride, and have fun with my random mind!) ~=:-)

But after agreeing to the original part, she then threw at me this:

"WOOHOO!!

and this will go on the kim ulmanis site ya know"

Again, to which I am fully willing to be part-of. (The "Kim Ulmanis Site" is her newest blog, which is just beginning, but will focus more of her writing, and photography.)

Then she took me by surprise adding This:

"if i do post any fully nekkid photos i'll probably put a black bar over your lower half.

over a certain part that is"

THAT is what got my brain going! It sent me totally telling her how wrong I thought that was, and how I did not support the use of the black-bar. I did not tell her off, or tell her I would not still allow her to photograph me. It was simply just making clear what, as a nudist, my view of censoring was. We had some good exchanges about what and why it is used. I totally agree that full-on naked photos are not always appropriate, especially since she is doing this for her classes, plus for her own web-site, which is not necessarily going to feature full-on nudity. I mentioned how creative photography can be used to capture a fully-naked person without being too revealing. Often a creative photo can show full-nudity, yet at the same time never reveal anything to the viewer. 

I suggested we could do some fun, creative photos in nature, or with other items which would show the point she wished to capture, but not be so revealing in that it shocked her class, or would somehow not be acceptable on her blog page. I totally am not wanting to cause offense, or make anyone uncomfortable. But I am totally against the use of a black-bar placed across a photo.

She agreed, asking me to write down some ideas, and we could further discuss the ideas soon.

I understand her trigger-response to want to put a black-censor-bar on a photo. That, sadly is what people are taught. They are taught that somehow viewing the human body is bad, shameful, or even illegal. People are taught that somehow simply naked is not to be viewed. It is a mind-set that is difficult to alter. Most people have been taught that naked is illegal, when it is not. Most people have been taught that in the media, journalism, or anything related to this field is not allowed to show a fully-naked human...Ever. (Funny, tho' how if her area of schooling was in The Arts, instead of Journalism, naked would be perfectly acceptable... but that is another subject.) While I will never understand where this thought and teaching comes from, I DO understand that most people believe this. So, I cannot blame Kim for automatically thinking the same thing. But I would not be true to myself if I did not take a stand against her using any photos of me with such a censor in place. I can and will work towards pursuing other options, and creativity.

I believe too often people have been taught naked is always sexual. I believe most people somehow think naked is about seeing someone's genitals... and they focus on that exactly. (maybe not with the camera, but with the mind.) Part of my own battle in life was to finally allow myself to think freely, and not to think like I had somehow been taught. I had to accept my own body before I could allow another to see me naked. I had to also learn to look at the naked body just as I would look at the clothed body. It is a human. It is not a genital. I do not blame Kim one bit for automatically thinking "Censor". That is what she's been taught. I applaud her for accepting my rebuttal of such a thought, though. I applaud her for being open to other options. 

In my thoughts of where I should go with this idea of creative photography, verses censoring, I have many wonderful photos I can show as examples. My own pursuit of presenting my life as a naked human without being too graphic for many, plus showing how simply naked is truly Family-friendly, and in no way sexual.... I have managed to come up with quite a collection of photos showing exactly that. Following this post, I will put together a separate post showcasing ideas of how creative photography can show full-nudity, yet not at all show the nudity. 

I will leave ya with one more photo. This one was also taken by Kim, showing she is already aware of how to be creative in capturing the nudity, without needing a censor-bar.

Coffee Anyone? ~grin!

Meanwhile... Hope ya find your creative way to photograph the subject you wish to capture!

~=:-)