In this week’s#UndressedThread, we’re exploring the role that photos and images play in promoting body freedom. Most would agree that visuals are key to normalizing anything, including the unclothed body and breaking down social barriers. And yet, there are many different ways to reach people, such as through stories or other forms of advocacy, without relying so heavily on nude imagery, which may understandably put some people off, considering the many societal taboos that exist around nudity alone. There’s also the simple question of how impactful nude photos truly are in shifting perspectives on body acceptance, particularly when so much nude photography represents a polished or unnatural view of the body. I don’t know. What do you think?
Are photos or images essential for promoting body freedom, or are there other, more effective ways to spread the message?
How can we best communicate body acceptance to those who are not yet comfortable with the idea of nudity?
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Share your views in the comments. I look forward to reading your thoughts!
Photos are a great attention getter when posting or writing an article. Drawing attention to the photo will hopefully get the reader to read the whole article.
Essential but not the only tool. For instance, locker rooms in municipal pools and other venues have moved to stalls with curtains. The argument is that "we should not submit children to naked bodies". Yet, with the internet and accessible porn, where will children see naked bodies of every shape with no sexual context ? I believe everyday behaviour such as in locker rooms should be the priority if we want to change the mentality toward nakedness.
The ban on photos at clubs, resorts, and public beaches has robbed a generation of their memories. The extensive photos from the 60’s & 70’s have guided the movement on what is possible. The huge gatherings, the family vacations, and the civic battles were all captured for the next generation to admire and learn from. We lose our history by not having the photographs documenting it.
I answered 'Not crucial at all' although my intuition is that using any imagery at all may be counter-productive. Since we all have a body, none of us needs to be reminded what it looks like. Prudists want to shame us into hating our bodies so that they can control our behaviour...
Pornographic photos are not helpful and artistic photos are good but I feel the most helpful nude photos to normalize nudity are “ordinary” photos of nude people doing ordinary activities. This will help the most in normalizing nudity. Unfortunately photos of ordinary nude people doing ordinary activities are not normal on the usual places such as Facebook or other social media. Thus making them extraordinary.
Whilst I agree with your comment about much nude photography being polished or presenting only certain ('perfect') body types, I think we have to take & share more, untouched, natural photos of other ('normal') bodies. It is only by people seeing that it is fine to be nude (and perhaps, more importantly, being seen nude by others) that they may finally decide to try it for themselves.
I agree about sharing all body types. If we only share the "fashion approved" body type, we perpetuate that culture of body shame. I have a dad body. I don't look like Ken or other fashionable people. Thankfully, we are teaching our daughter that there are a wide variety of people with normal bodies.
I’m in my 70s and promote body freedom by modeling for art classes, artists and photographers. I am also a photographer specializing in photography of the nude. I work with models of all ages and body types
There is beauty in the nude body and photos of healthy active bodies would bring attention to the joy of nudism. Unfortunately, there is also so much worry about being exploited with the internet.
Tbh, I worry about the young nude photos I have of myself. They are such innocent photos but could they be conceived as child exploitation? But officer, really, they are ME! Lol
Many of us have or had photos of ourselves when we were growing up, Many people share those photos on various social media sites, it's a shame that some families can't do that. While most of here would allow your photos, unfortunately the majority of the people on the planet wouldn't understand and lets face it, freak out. How many "innocent young babies in the bathtub" photos have been flagged? It's silly, but the world we live in.
Just this morning (very early) I posted the following on another Substack:
Regarding aging and nudity, Frank Cordelle's book of photography - "Bodies and Souls: The Century Project" - may be of interest. Frank set out to document ordinary women, ages from 9 months to 94 years, all naked. They posed willingly for him and seemed quite unashamed. Apparently many, if not most, weren't naturists. The images aren't in any way "pornographic".
I was fortunate to have lunch with Frank at a restaurant around the time the book came out (2006). He was a very "normal" guy and a fine photographer. He planned to produce a second volume but died a few years later, unfortunately. Copies of the book (maybe used) can be purchased at Amazon, AbeBooks, and other online booksellers. And here are some reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/188486.Bodies_and_Souls
By the time I caught up with Frank Cordelle at Lupin Lodge, he was only looking for the very young and the very old, so I missed out being one of the women in the book. I had answered the call for models back then. I wonder if the reception were different today, if a similar call for female models went out. The millenials might be ready to be all out with photos and the young naturist influencers in Mexico.
Hi, Claudia. You should use your Substack account to write about your long experience with naturism. I'm sure your perspectives would be quite interesting - and probably inspirational for other women.
As a naturist I believe it is essential to project nudism in it's most innocent and pure form. I do not feel that it is appropriate to post any photos that suggest erotica, are personal intimacy. If nudism is to be promoted to a new audience, it must be done in a holism manner. I believe in many cases NUDISM gets a bad wrap because of suggestive photos posted by individuals that are looking for something other then the social if not spiritual aspect that we as nudist truly enjoy. When nudism if promoted correctly, it is hard for anyone to condemn the practice. We all must be good stuarts of our beliefs and actions.
Tasteful innocent and artsy nudist and naturist photography is essential for normalizing nudity and achieving more body freedom! As someone whose photos have graced the Internet annually since the 1990s through my public appearances walking nude in the Bay to Breakers every single year since 1998 until into the pandemic and having returned, the SkinnyDipDay.org on beaches for the past three years, and all the World Naked Bike Rides I have participated in (different cities), I walk the talk being nude in public and getting photographed. We need more people to be willing to be photographed for newsworthy events such as the ones I just mentioned. This adds legitimacy to our cause.
I get tons of audience feedback each year in the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, and it has been 99% positive! I am able to stop and interact with the people lining the streets of San Francisco along the race course, having short conversations, be encouraging, inspriring, empowering to women. I get endless photo requests to pose with strangers and always smile and thumbs up!
Yes, there are many other ways to promote body freedom like my women's groups (women only), literature, art, entertainment, shows, etc.
Claudia, I've never officially introduced myself to you but I think our paths have crossed more than once. I am also a San Franciscan and a participant in non-sexual public nudity. I have a lovely photo from Bay To Breakers 2012 , which I'm fairly sure is of you; it shows a nude couple with a clothed child. The late Woody Miller (well known as one of SF's street nudists) is in the background): https://flickr.com/photos/nakedsatyr/7235425512/in/photolist-hMjVA8-V2j6Tb-ardHpn-c2nrVJ
Sadly, I never had a Flickr account and cannot get on to see your linked picture, but I am pretty sure that it must be my family, because we did the Bare-to-Breakers together from 2002 every year and after 2006, always with our son in a stroller, until he got old enough to walk on his own. We were the only nude family.
I agree with normalizing nudity with photos of ordinary nudists doing ordinary activities. Showing the body freedom of all sizes, shapes, ethnicities I am in my mid 70's and would not be adverse to nude modeling. Claudia K, I am in the San Francisco Bay Area/ East bay. I would enjoy meeting you to collaborate on ideas to promote nudist/naturalism.
More pressure put on local and state laws is absolutly necessary to achieve anything. Research when these laws were put on the books . The nudity laws are ancient and its time for a
Most anti nudity laws are very much on purpose. Read Judith Levine book. It’s a way to trash degrade and push men down. Men are always prosecuted woman are not and that’s not an accident. Until people wake up and push to have people actually vote on these laws the woman that push ratchet laws will keep pushing
Photos, in my opinion are essential to promote through normalisation, the joys of being naked! However - photos can also be hugely detrimental to our cause.
Here are the types of photos I believe we DON'T want to be associated with nudism.
Posed professional models (Promotes body-shaming)
Anything showing sexual activity of any sort (They only add to the myth that nudism is about sex)
Photos with faces, tattoos etc obscured (They give the impression that there is something to be ashamed of in nudism!
To my way of thinking, the basic nudism-promotion photograph is of an ordinary person doing an everyday activity - Ideally, I think a photo that would be eye-catching even if the "model" were clothed, would serve nudism the best - in other words, photos that offer more than just nudity (beautiful scenery, interesting activity, abundant SMILES and so on). That way, the nudism becomes less shocking! Make the nudity a support act in the photo!
If the object is to normalise nudism, the focus of our pictures should not be solely the body parts normally hidden.
I believe that most textiles fears of nudism are based on either one of two main concerns (or perhaps both).
1. A fear of being seen naked and
2. a fear of seeing other people naked.
It takes getting used to both these things to realise that the visual part of nudism is minor - for all of us. Rather, it is the sense of freedom, the feel of the elements etc etc that is the ongoing attraction!
By the judicious use of photography, we can hopefully get everyday people to appreciate that the visual part of nudism is almost irrelevant - thereby, going some way to alleviate the fear!
Like the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Like so many have commented though, the pictures need to be of regular people doing normal things as well as showing some of the outdoor activities most of us like to participate in such as hiking, swimming, bike riding (think WNBR), gardening, etc.
When I was in grade school the service station where I got my Ice cream cones and hair cuts also sold magazines. That included the Nudist Magazines of the late 1940's into the 1950's. The covers featuring naked people having fun outdoors playing various games. I was impressed and eventually added naked volleyball to my repertoire as an ASA/AANR member. The Barber had the Marilyn Monroe centerfold hanging, nice but my thing as a kid.
Need to be natural and family friendly. Supermodels don’t really help unless there is a message about the” why” like century project
Positive images and celebrations of health and overcoming adversity. That also includes the hateful feeling society in America have for males. All males and then wonder why
What strikes me is that almost none of the articles about body positivity, acceptance or freedom show naked men, as if all men are fully confident about their body.
I think it depends on the context. If it is artfully done and used as a tool in the correct setting, then yes, it is completely appropriate. However, since many people equate nudism and the naked body as pornographic and having to do with sex, it may be more harmful in certain circumstances if not done correctly
I voted "essential" as it is my view that photos exemplify the notion of "walk the talk." That having been said, your comment above about actual nudity putting people off, as more thoroughly laid out in the recent post "Pornography as Mirror" show it to be a double-edged sword, begging the question which side of the sword is sharper?
Photos are a part of our history which we must capture. We can never go back to that particular moment in time. And when you look back on the pictures from years ago, you can remember and relive that moment once again. It could have been a memory you long forgotten, good or bad, but that is our history of life.
Totally agree, Dennis. Yes, photos are essential for documenting our history. I think the question, however, was more to do with how essential photos are for promoting body freedom and acceptability. I think maybe photos have a place for that purpose, but my experience is that it's far better just to get out there naked and meet and chat with people.
I guess I should have said "for documenting our NUDE history". I'm 65 and when I look back on photos from ages ago, I can appreciate and see how my body has changed over the years (and I smile at my past). We only get one body in life so watching our transformation into old age is pretty amazing and shocking. And you do learn to body accept. I'm an artist and I truly appreciate the human body. I love photographing it. If you take a picture right now, that proved that moment in time, and for our history and acceptance. I've written numerous articles for AANR and TNS on nude activities with lots of pictures. So we can see everyone is appreciated and are participating in nude recreation. The beauty of being nude, there are no social barriers because you can't see them. Everyone is truly equal when nude. Nothing to hide behind.
I just commented on this in another Substack. But I’m a shutterbug, if that’s still a word. I’ve always wanted to capture the moment. I’m happy to say that I have a lot of photos over my life — with family and friends, vacations, work, and yes, naturist adventures as well.
I’m so glad to have all of them. I love going back and seeing my nude photos, usually just doing every day stuff. As someone who has an occasional unexpected change in my nude geometry (length, girth, or angle) I spent years trying to avoid those photographic moments. “Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea”. What idea is that?! So, no longer. Capture the moment, enjoy the moment. It speaks truth.
So my personal naturist photo collection is a personal celebration of my naturist life. It’s important.
It is important to normalize the human form in all its “glory”. All facets of life and ages and genders need to be included. Sexualization should be minimized (not eliminated, it is part of life as well).
There is a sub on Reddit called NormalNudes. People post "selfies" of themselves in non sexual nude poses, looking for comments, hoping to embrace or like what they look like Of course, 99.9% of the comments usually are what you'd expect from social media nudes. As a Nudist, my comments would always pretty much be the same. "You look great, those aren't flaws, (When they ask about or mention what they hate about their body,) you be you and embrace your body. You can point out that not everyone has a supermodel body, or Ken or Barbie. I believe the sub started out as nudist-feel-good type sub. Erotic poses deleted, users banned. But what started out as a good idea, well just isn't working.
As others have said, when the pictures are like the pictures from the old nudist magazines of the last century, those pictures actually do "sell" nudism. Normal people, doing normal things. They just happen to be naked. It's what we see still today when we visit nudist venues. Even back then though they did use models. Hired good looking people to sell the "product". Diane Webber for example. And while she did embrace nudism and become a nudist, she was hired to sell the product. Which of course does not give the proper representation of nudism. Sure there are some of us that look like models, but wouldn't we all rather see a true "what it's really like" when viewing nudism pictures?
So I voted Depends on the situation. I don't want to see hired nude models doing normal things nude. I want to see nudists doing normal things nude. I happen to think my wife is the most beautiful woman on the planet. Could she win a beauty contest? Probably not, and I couldn't be a judge either, I'd pick her no matter what. But It's people like her, a real nudist, that I'd want to see.
The images must accompany the narrative. We can all imagine nudity and naturism but seeing is believing. We are all more a part of it when we can see what is being discussed. The images can be idealized or even historic— nude statuary from the ancients, for example. When we discuss nudity and naturism we are all invested in a clothing optional, or clothing-absent discourse. Let’s take off our clothes and join in the fun.
Visibility is an important tool for the normalization of simple simple nudity, and photos are often the most feasible way to be visible to more viewers. I've previously elaborated on this in an article titled "Going Public," which has been published here on PLANET NUDE.
For me, what's important is to have a conscious awareness that the lens is not consuming people's bodies in the same way it does in the textile world. Many naturist websites fail at this. Far too many pictures of women and men in gender-constrained poses. If we want to showcase freedom, we need to be aware that freedom from constrictive stereotypes is a critical part of that.
Photos are a great attention getter when posting or writing an article. Drawing attention to the photo will hopefully get the reader to read the whole article.
Essential but not the only tool. For instance, locker rooms in municipal pools and other venues have moved to stalls with curtains. The argument is that "we should not submit children to naked bodies". Yet, with the internet and accessible porn, where will children see naked bodies of every shape with no sexual context ? I believe everyday behaviour such as in locker rooms should be the priority if we want to change the mentality toward nakedness.
The ban on photos at clubs, resorts, and public beaches has robbed a generation of their memories. The extensive photos from the 60’s & 70’s have guided the movement on what is possible. The huge gatherings, the family vacations, and the civic battles were all captured for the next generation to admire and learn from. We lose our history by not having the photographs documenting it.
And we lose the ability to show anyone today what it looks like to be free outdoors.
True, but nobody wants to be exploited on the internet.
I answered 'Not crucial at all' although my intuition is that using any imagery at all may be counter-productive. Since we all have a body, none of us needs to be reminded what it looks like. Prudists want to shame us into hating our bodies so that they can control our behaviour...
Pornographic photos are not helpful and artistic photos are good but I feel the most helpful nude photos to normalize nudity are “ordinary” photos of nude people doing ordinary activities. This will help the most in normalizing nudity. Unfortunately photos of ordinary nude people doing ordinary activities are not normal on the usual places such as Facebook or other social media. Thus making them extraordinary.
This is why I chose 'depends on the situation'
Photoes are good to premote an event. But most of the pictures shown on here are of groos overwaights that just put people off their dinner.
What a stupid comment! If looking at a person's naked body puts you off your dinner then you're clearly not a nudist. (So why are you here?)
I agree. What about the human body in all of it's wonderous variety and beauty is gross!?!
Your attitude is as terrible as your spelling.
Winner 🏆
Whilst I agree with your comment about much nude photography being polished or presenting only certain ('perfect') body types, I think we have to take & share more, untouched, natural photos of other ('normal') bodies. It is only by people seeing that it is fine to be nude (and perhaps, more importantly, being seen nude by others) that they may finally decide to try it for themselves.
I agree about sharing all body types. If we only share the "fashion approved" body type, we perpetuate that culture of body shame. I have a dad body. I don't look like Ken or other fashionable people. Thankfully, we are teaching our daughter that there are a wide variety of people with normal bodies.
I’m in my 70s and promote body freedom by modeling for art classes, artists and photographers. I am also a photographer specializing in photography of the nude. I work with models of all ages and body types
Photography has to be something that each individual is comfortable with and not used for inappropriate means. Body positivity is important.
There is beauty in the nude body and photos of healthy active bodies would bring attention to the joy of nudism. Unfortunately, there is also so much worry about being exploited with the internet.
Tbh, I worry about the young nude photos I have of myself. They are such innocent photos but could they be conceived as child exploitation? But officer, really, they are ME! Lol
IJs photography pornography? Society, sometimes the Congress and sometimes the highest Court grapples with this.
Many of us have or had photos of ourselves when we were growing up, Many people share those photos on various social media sites, it's a shame that some families can't do that. While most of here would allow your photos, unfortunately the majority of the people on the planet wouldn't understand and lets face it, freak out. How many "innocent young babies in the bathtub" photos have been flagged? It's silly, but the world we live in.
Just this morning (very early) I posted the following on another Substack:
Regarding aging and nudity, Frank Cordelle's book of photography - "Bodies and Souls: The Century Project" - may be of interest. Frank set out to document ordinary women, ages from 9 months to 94 years, all naked. They posed willingly for him and seemed quite unashamed. Apparently many, if not most, weren't naturists. The images aren't in any way "pornographic".
I was fortunate to have lunch with Frank at a restaurant around the time the book came out (2006). He was a very "normal" guy and a fine photographer. He planned to produce a second volume but died a few years later, unfortunately. Copies of the book (maybe used) can be purchased at Amazon, AbeBooks, and other online booksellers. And here are some reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/188486.Bodies_and_Souls
By the time I caught up with Frank Cordelle at Lupin Lodge, he was only looking for the very young and the very old, so I missed out being one of the women in the book. I had answered the call for models back then. I wonder if the reception were different today, if a similar call for female models went out. The millenials might be ready to be all out with photos and the young naturist influencers in Mexico.
Hi, Claudia. You should use your Substack account to write about your long experience with naturism. I'm sure your perspectives would be quite interesting - and probably inspirational for other women.
I would second this and also happily offer a space on planet nude for such musings!
I am still looking for a creative home for my musings
I don't have plans for Patreon :)
As a naturist I believe it is essential to project nudism in it's most innocent and pure form. I do not feel that it is appropriate to post any photos that suggest erotica, are personal intimacy. If nudism is to be promoted to a new audience, it must be done in a holism manner. I believe in many cases NUDISM gets a bad wrap because of suggestive photos posted by individuals that are looking for something other then the social if not spiritual aspect that we as nudist truly enjoy. When nudism if promoted correctly, it is hard for anyone to condemn the practice. We all must be good stuarts of our beliefs and actions.
Tasteful innocent and artsy nudist and naturist photography is essential for normalizing nudity and achieving more body freedom! As someone whose photos have graced the Internet annually since the 1990s through my public appearances walking nude in the Bay to Breakers every single year since 1998 until into the pandemic and having returned, the SkinnyDipDay.org on beaches for the past three years, and all the World Naked Bike Rides I have participated in (different cities), I walk the talk being nude in public and getting photographed. We need more people to be willing to be photographed for newsworthy events such as the ones I just mentioned. This adds legitimacy to our cause.
I get tons of audience feedback each year in the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, and it has been 99% positive! I am able to stop and interact with the people lining the streets of San Francisco along the race course, having short conversations, be encouraging, inspriring, empowering to women. I get endless photo requests to pose with strangers and always smile and thumbs up!
Yes, there are many other ways to promote body freedom like my women's groups (women only), literature, art, entertainment, shows, etc.
Good for you and for we naturists, Claudia. You do us proudly as a great ambassador for nudism. Thank you. Jan&Gary
Claudia, I've never officially introduced myself to you but I think our paths have crossed more than once. I am also a San Franciscan and a participant in non-sexual public nudity. I have a lovely photo from Bay To Breakers 2012 , which I'm fairly sure is of you; it shows a nude couple with a clothed child. The late Woody Miller (well known as one of SF's street nudists) is in the background): https://flickr.com/photos/nakedsatyr/7235425512/in/photolist-hMjVA8-V2j6Tb-ardHpn-c2nrVJ
Sadly, I never had a Flickr account and cannot get on to see your linked picture, but I am pretty sure that it must be my family, because we did the Bare-to-Breakers together from 2002 every year and after 2006, always with our son in a stroller, until he got old enough to walk on his own. We were the only nude family.
Please feel free to send me your email address in a private message, if you wish, and I’ll send the photo to you.
I agree with normalizing nudity with photos of ordinary nudists doing ordinary activities. Showing the body freedom of all sizes, shapes, ethnicities I am in my mid 70's and would not be adverse to nude modeling. Claudia K, I am in the San Francisco Bay Area/ East bay. I would enjoy meeting you to collaborate on ideas to promote nudist/naturalism.
More pressure put on local and state laws is absolutly necessary to achieve anything. Research when these laws were put on the books . The nudity laws are ancient and its time for a
change to keep up with today's society
Most anti nudity laws are very much on purpose. Read Judith Levine book. It’s a way to trash degrade and push men down. Men are always prosecuted woman are not and that’s not an accident. Until people wake up and push to have people actually vote on these laws the woman that push ratchet laws will keep pushing
I find that one of Judith Levine's books is very interesting.
"when so much nude photography represents a polished or unnatural view of the body"
There is nothing unnatural or unpolished about my own nude photos. We need more natural nudes of everyday adults.
Photos, in my opinion are essential to promote through normalisation, the joys of being naked! However - photos can also be hugely detrimental to our cause.
Here are the types of photos I believe we DON'T want to be associated with nudism.
Posed professional models (Promotes body-shaming)
Anything showing sexual activity of any sort (They only add to the myth that nudism is about sex)
Photos with faces, tattoos etc obscured (They give the impression that there is something to be ashamed of in nudism!
To my way of thinking, the basic nudism-promotion photograph is of an ordinary person doing an everyday activity - Ideally, I think a photo that would be eye-catching even if the "model" were clothed, would serve nudism the best - in other words, photos that offer more than just nudity (beautiful scenery, interesting activity, abundant SMILES and so on). That way, the nudism becomes less shocking! Make the nudity a support act in the photo!
If the object is to normalise nudism, the focus of our pictures should not be solely the body parts normally hidden.
I believe that most textiles fears of nudism are based on either one of two main concerns (or perhaps both).
1. A fear of being seen naked and
2. a fear of seeing other people naked.
It takes getting used to both these things to realise that the visual part of nudism is minor - for all of us. Rather, it is the sense of freedom, the feel of the elements etc etc that is the ongoing attraction!
By the judicious use of photography, we can hopefully get everyday people to appreciate that the visual part of nudism is almost irrelevant - thereby, going some way to alleviate the fear!
Like the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Like so many have commented though, the pictures need to be of regular people doing normal things as well as showing some of the outdoor activities most of us like to participate in such as hiking, swimming, bike riding (think WNBR), gardening, etc.
Photography is very important, provided they are natural people in natural locations.
When I was in grade school the service station where I got my Ice cream cones and hair cuts also sold magazines. That included the Nudist Magazines of the late 1940's into the 1950's. The covers featuring naked people having fun outdoors playing various games. I was impressed and eventually added naked volleyball to my repertoire as an ASA/AANR member. The Barber had the Marilyn Monroe centerfold hanging, nice but my thing as a kid.
Need to be natural and family friendly. Supermodels don’t really help unless there is a message about the” why” like century project
Positive images and celebrations of health and overcoming adversity. That also includes the hateful feeling society in America have for males. All males and then wonder why
What strikes me is that almost none of the articles about body positivity, acceptance or freedom show naked men, as if all men are fully confident about their body.
I think it depends on the context. If it is artfully done and used as a tool in the correct setting, then yes, it is completely appropriate. However, since many people equate nudism and the naked body as pornographic and having to do with sex, it may be more harmful in certain circumstances if not done correctly
I voted "essential" as it is my view that photos exemplify the notion of "walk the talk." That having been said, your comment above about actual nudity putting people off, as more thoroughly laid out in the recent post "Pornography as Mirror" show it to be a double-edged sword, begging the question which side of the sword is sharper?
Photos are a part of our history which we must capture. We can never go back to that particular moment in time. And when you look back on the pictures from years ago, you can remember and relive that moment once again. It could have been a memory you long forgotten, good or bad, but that is our history of life.
Totally agree, Dennis. Yes, photos are essential for documenting our history. I think the question, however, was more to do with how essential photos are for promoting body freedom and acceptability. I think maybe photos have a place for that purpose, but my experience is that it's far better just to get out there naked and meet and chat with people.
I guess I should have said "for documenting our NUDE history". I'm 65 and when I look back on photos from ages ago, I can appreciate and see how my body has changed over the years (and I smile at my past). We only get one body in life so watching our transformation into old age is pretty amazing and shocking. And you do learn to body accept. I'm an artist and I truly appreciate the human body. I love photographing it. If you take a picture right now, that proved that moment in time, and for our history and acceptance. I've written numerous articles for AANR and TNS on nude activities with lots of pictures. So we can see everyone is appreciated and are participating in nude recreation. The beauty of being nude, there are no social barriers because you can't see them. Everyone is truly equal when nude. Nothing to hide behind.
I just commented on this in another Substack. But I’m a shutterbug, if that’s still a word. I’ve always wanted to capture the moment. I’m happy to say that I have a lot of photos over my life — with family and friends, vacations, work, and yes, naturist adventures as well.
I’m so glad to have all of them. I love going back and seeing my nude photos, usually just doing every day stuff. As someone who has an occasional unexpected change in my nude geometry (length, girth, or angle) I spent years trying to avoid those photographic moments. “Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea”. What idea is that?! So, no longer. Capture the moment, enjoy the moment. It speaks truth.
So my personal naturist photo collection is a personal celebration of my naturist life. It’s important.
It is important to normalize the human form in all its “glory”. All facets of life and ages and genders need to be included. Sexualization should be minimized (not eliminated, it is part of life as well).
I believe that ou are correct.
I love non violent photography and pornography.
There is a sub on Reddit called NormalNudes. People post "selfies" of themselves in non sexual nude poses, looking for comments, hoping to embrace or like what they look like Of course, 99.9% of the comments usually are what you'd expect from social media nudes. As a Nudist, my comments would always pretty much be the same. "You look great, those aren't flaws, (When they ask about or mention what they hate about their body,) you be you and embrace your body. You can point out that not everyone has a supermodel body, or Ken or Barbie. I believe the sub started out as nudist-feel-good type sub. Erotic poses deleted, users banned. But what started out as a good idea, well just isn't working.
As others have said, when the pictures are like the pictures from the old nudist magazines of the last century, those pictures actually do "sell" nudism. Normal people, doing normal things. They just happen to be naked. It's what we see still today when we visit nudist venues. Even back then though they did use models. Hired good looking people to sell the "product". Diane Webber for example. And while she did embrace nudism and become a nudist, she was hired to sell the product. Which of course does not give the proper representation of nudism. Sure there are some of us that look like models, but wouldn't we all rather see a true "what it's really like" when viewing nudism pictures?
So I voted Depends on the situation. I don't want to see hired nude models doing normal things nude. I want to see nudists doing normal things nude. I happen to think my wife is the most beautiful woman on the planet. Could she win a beauty contest? Probably not, and I couldn't be a judge either, I'd pick her no matter what. But It's people like her, a real nudist, that I'd want to see.
The images must accompany the narrative. We can all imagine nudity and naturism but seeing is believing. We are all more a part of it when we can see what is being discussed. The images can be idealized or even historic— nude statuary from the ancients, for example. When we discuss nudity and naturism we are all invested in a clothing optional, or clothing-absent discourse. Let’s take off our clothes and join in the fun.
Visibility is an important tool for the normalization of simple simple nudity, and photos are often the most feasible way to be visible to more viewers. I've previously elaborated on this in an article titled "Going Public," which has been published here on PLANET NUDE.
https://www.planetnude.co/p/from-the-archives-going-public?r=222z6m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I have placed nude images of myself in Creative Commons or public domain, so they can legally be published by anyone. Some of them can be found here:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=%22the+naked+gentleman%22&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image
For me, what's important is to have a conscious awareness that the lens is not consuming people's bodies in the same way it does in the textile world. Many naturist websites fail at this. Far too many pictures of women and men in gender-constrained poses. If we want to showcase freedom, we need to be aware that freedom from constrictive stereotypes is a critical part of that.