Does nude photography promote stereotypes of the human body?

On the eve of the Super Bowl, I am reminded of the phrase, “football player build.” One could argue that such a build is necessary for the physical demands of the game. But is there a required body type for the nude model?

When artists like myself photograph models that are physically fit (in my case, males), some may ask if we are promoting stereotypes of the human body. I believe this is a legitimate question asked by sincere people. It does make an assumption that someone is chosen to model based on their body type. While I cannot speak for other artists, my view is that a fit body is merely a by product of the most important quality for a model to have: body awareness.

In modeling, body awareness is key

For someone to be an effective nude model, they need to have a great sense of themselves. This means knowing their physical capabilities and limitations, how their feelings affect their body and how to express themselves. Many gain this awareness through physical activities that they are passionate about. Still others push the boundaries of sensory experience in their lives through lifestyle choices.  These things put people in touch with themselves in a way that make them ideal models. They are able to take a concept presented to them by the artist and interpret it with their body at a moment’s notice. This is why models that have no previous modeling experience are able to come up with great interpretive poses. All I have to do as the photographer is articulate a clear vision of what we are trying to accomplish together and beautiful images emerge.  

A person can develop body awareness in a number of different ways.  It has just been my experience that the physicality of the models posing for me has been key in achieving effective images.  There is also the practical consideration of being able to hike for miles to reach the outdoor shooting location. Does nude photography promote stereotypes? I think the answer to that depends on how you approach a project. If you are interested in photographing the nude figure, ask yourself some questions: What is your project about? What level of body awareness do I need from the model to accomplish this? Am I basing my choices on superficial qualities that society promotes or my own authentic vision?  It's all about the artist knowing what they want, why they want it and the model's ability to render it.