Nude Modeling: Aesthetic or Trashy?

[SunDude]

hmmm . I'd need to see the photos.....to get a better idea. :newangel:

 

[fivesalive]

i'd say its all in the intention too... basically if you or the artists knows that what you are doing is catering to someone's masturbation, i'd be more inclined to call it trashy.

since i masturbate while looking at anything from van gogh, magritte and basquiat to any architecture taller than 6 stories, i think it's all trashy. no one ever said trashy was bad however.

but it's all back to the art/porno split... if generations of lawyers and judges can't even properly define it, i don't think i can either. i know it when i see it.

 

[slate_australis]

I think the border is fine, but when a nude is done well, it's absolutely amazing.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Most people have some sexual reaction in some form or another when looking at a beautiful naked body. I have no problem with people masturbating to my nudity. I hope they are inspired to. Trashy to me is what most mainstream porn asks of the women involved.

I find it more attractive to see authentic consentual bondage where both parties are enjoying their roles compared to raunchy pro porn- thats trashy.

 

[B_henry miller]

My voice teacher was a very conservative, old fashioned lady in her 60s. I told her I was posing nude for art classes. She told me there was nothing wrong with it and it was not at all like stripping because the purpose is completely different. When you are stripping, the purpose is sexual titilation. When you are posing nude for an art class, the purpose is to educate young artists.

On the other hand, I had a shocking thing happen once. One day out of the blue I received an e-mail from an artist who said he had received my information from the college I was modeling for. He said that his practice was to photograph models, and then make art based on the photographs. He wanted different types of modeling, ranging from simple nudes, to nudes with erections, to masturbation. I thought for a moment about doing the just plain nude photos. Then I, thankfully, decided to not respond.

If done correctly, preferably in a college setting, it should be completely respectable. As for those who may find it taboo, well, remember: there are some people who find Michelangelo's David to be distasteful. Seriously.

 

[kjguy]

I'm gotten several of offers to do everything from casual nudes to promoting sex toys, to being in Playgirl and having my own solo masturbation video for some website. Although, I was flattered by it all, I turnned down just about all of them. I only really did local, natural photography. I have to keep in mind that I'm trying to be a teacher someday.

All in all,this has all been very nice to hear everyone's responses! I 'd love to hear more. I've actually decided to take this topic and write a paper on it for my philosophy of the arts class. It may be interesting to quote some of you guys who responded, if that's ok.

 

[Swordie]

I think nude modeling (male and female) can be beautiful and artistic. In my opinion, it crosses the line of artistic to trashy when the model is put into a pose that is generally viewed is "overly" sexual. Its a VERY subjective notion, however.

And just to put things in perspective - just because its artistic, doesn't mean I wont whack off to it...

 

[B_Hung Jon]

I'm gotten several of offers to do everything from casual nudes to promoting sex toys, to being in Playgirl and having my own solo masturbation video for some website. Although, I was flattered by it all, I turnned down just about all of them. I only really did local, natural photography. I have to keep in mind that I'm trying to be a teacher someday.

All in all,this has all been very nice to hear everyone's responses! I 'd love to hear more. I've actually decided to take this topic and write a paper on it for my philosophy of the arts class. It may be interesting to quote some of you guys who responded, if that's ok.

I think so much about nudity gets influenced by our sexual mores. I don't think that every culture has the same strange and puritan views of the USA. On the one hand we connect sexuality and nudity with impurity and disgust for the body. On the other hand advertisers sell tons of stuff with photos of half-naked women. I blame religion for our stupid neurotic views about nudity.

 

[goodwood]

kjguy -
you know what? your body may or may not be in as good of shape as it is now. While you are young, enjoy having it photographed artistically and aesthetically by a good photog. Greg Louganis was once photographed by Time or Life magazine diving naked and he was quoted as saying in the mag. "My body will never look like this again so I want it to be captured" or something like that.
I hope you are able to understand how beautiful you are now in your youth and be able to capture it and at the same time have a good agent and make some money off of it.
I had the opportunity to do that when I was your age and scoffed at the idea b/c my families had so much money I wouldn't even think about being photographed for money. Now that I am old and gross and my families have run out of money, I wish I would have had the balls to be well photographed and had a good agent when I was young.
I say if the pics are great and well placed for the designated purpose of their taking, then have at it.
Nothing wrong with having the male form well captured on film. Yup. Go for it. You seem to be a thoughtful guy and will not do anything you are not comfortable with. The best of luck to you. I wish I would have had your confidence when I was your age.

 

[kjguy]

kjguy -
you know what? your body may or may not be in as good of shape as it is now. While you are young, enjoy having it photographed artistically and aesthetically by a good photog. Greg Louganis was once photographed by Time or Life magazine diving naked and he was quoted as saying in the mag. "My body will never look like this again so I want it to be captured" or something like that.
I hope you are able to understand how beautiful you are now in your youth and be able to capture it and at the same time have a good agent and make some money off of it.
I had the opportunity to do that when I was your age and scoffed at the idea b/c my families had so much money I wouldn't even think about being photographed for money. Now that I am old and gross and my families have run out of money, I wish I would have had the balls to be well photographed and had a good agent when I was young.
I say if the pics are great and well placed for the designated purpose of their taking, then have at it.
Nothing wrong with having the male form well captured on film. Yup. Go for it. You seem to be a thoughtful guy and will not do anything you are not comfortable with. The best of luck to you. I wish I would have had your confidence when I was your age.

Thank you so much! It's really nice to hear your comments. I do often think about what could happen when I'm older, and I'm very happy I'm getting many pictures of my "sexy self." lol! But aside from that, I am more on the aim to being an actor. Ofcourse having been nude as a professional actor isn't necessarily the end of the world. In fact, it could even help your career, but if I go down the road of theatre teacher, instead, that might be a problem. So I'm cautious with what I do, and exactly how much I do.
My family has never had a lot of money, and I'm especially frugal, with no stable job. So the occasional money I've received from nude modeling has been nice, and the pictures are super fantastic! I'd love to get an agent of some sort. Unfortunately, a lot of the casting calls for male models are looking for people taller. I'm pretty short. My girlfriend told me maybe I could be an underwear model...but who knows?

 

[Deamian]

I'm an art student right now and I sure do wish we had models like you. Modeling for art is never trashy. Sadly in america most people are so ignorant about nudity and think that it has to do with any form of sex. You have done nothing wrong. Good question and thread by the way.

 

[Darpon]

So if you get an erection during modeling, they don't like you and don't want you to model for them again?

That just seems kinda harsh. If someone likes the idea of being looked at by a lot of people, and in nervousness accidentally gets a boner, that's the end of whatever modeling they're doing?

I can understand all of the reasons, but it still seems kinda harsh in my mind.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

Aesthetic totally...

 

[B_retracted]

If it's for a real art class then it's not trashy.

But it is trashy if you're stripping off in the pet food supply aisle at Wallmart or next to the jungle gym at the local kindergarten.

 

[dc9]

Alright, I am a model and have done some nude modeling for what I feel are aesthetic purposes, with a true artistic outcome. However, many people find it trashy or taboo, and very similar to careers, like stripping or pornography.

I happen to think, it all depends on both the model's and the photographers point of view and their intentions for the photos. So, it could go either way.

What are your opinions?

I dont feel its trashy or pornographic, if done tastefully, as art. I dont dig photos that are in your face, here it is....I dig pics like your avatar.

 

[Pendlum]

I wish I was a nude model. That would be one of the best gigs on the planet, being paid to be nude. Maybe I should buff up so I can try out?

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Theres not a lot of money in it. You are often the muse for up and coming artists....starving artists.

 

[B_lamdellboo]

Aesthetic.

I'd do it.

 

[Pendlum]

It would still be a lot more fulfilling than a fast food job.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

A lot of times its a volunteer job with hopes of eventually making a little money.