Fine art nude photography is hands-down one of the most difficult types of photography out there. There many factors that have to play in harmony together for the final image to be sensual, powerful, intriguing, natural and sexy at the same time. Your first barrier is your attitude as a photographer or an artist (or both in one, preferably). Model not only has to trust you implicitly, but she also has to feel completely relaxed and safe. Her body language has to be fluid and tension free, otherwise you are both wasting  your time. If you work with professional nude models then they are used to posing nude and some of them are more comfortable nude than posing to portraits. But don't be shy asking models, who even specify in their folio or website that they do not shoot nudes, if they would be interested in such photoshoot. Remember that women (especially attractive women) are bombarded with all kinds of advances on a daily basis. Most of those advances are shocking or just plain sloppy, so naturally their defense and self preservation instinct kicks in, and rightly so. So what can you do then. Build your folio with quality images only: solid composition, good lighting and skilled editing. Those do not have to be nude shots, just images that will tell the model what type of person you are, what artistic sensitivity you have, and what drives your passion for photography. Let your images talk for you. If a model likes your photographs she will most likely be interested in working with you. Then make an effort to look through her folio and see what she likes. Ask her to send you sample images from the net or her own, so you can learn what is appealing to her. I cannot stress enough how important that is. Get to know your models' personality. It not only is essential for you to understanding them, but more importantly shows that you actually care about them as human beings, and not just as a subject for the lens. Then just ask her if should be keen on shooting portraits or street fashion, which will give you a chance to meet and connect. When you meet in person you have a ground to judge when (or if) is the right moment to ask her about a nude shoot. Remember, it is not what you say but when and how.

Make absolutely clear what is the purpose of the shoot, how you will use the images and what images you will be publishing and where, and what she is getting out of it. Whether it is money or photos, you have to be clear about it. Just put all cards on the table so there is no guessing or misunderstandings. Do not surprise them with something they did not expect during the shoot. In best case scenario it will create a barrier and you will have to deal with fake and stressed body language. Remember they are nude, respect that.

Next, you should have some knowledge of human anatomy and how light can affect it. Learn how muscles move and align, how body moves, what poses or angles are in symbiosis with give type of light. Watch professional dancers in slow motion and see how graceful their movements are. Observe women on daily basis and learn, how they react, what they do with their hands, how they tilt heads and what emotion caused it, how they smile or fall deep into thoughts. Those emotions can be evoked or ruined by words. Choose them carefully.

You will be posing the model, yes, but photos should appear not posed and natural. Real life reactions are your best school of what is natural, but there are other sources of inspiration. Try to deconstruct fine art nudes from world class photographers (they don't have to be famous, they just have to be bloody good), especially the light and how it falls. Watch how women photographers capture nudes, they have different sensitivity and you can learn a ton. Unlike dancing, the trick here is to capture that balance in a single frame, a frame that is still, and viewer's eye has to glide through the image without abruptly colliding with composition issues. Stop thinking like a man, start feeling like an artist. If you really passionate about light and shadows, forms and creating, you will forget you have a nude model posing for you.

You will need at least basic understanding of how light works and what can be done with it. In fact becoming obsessed with light is your aim. For me nude photography is all about game of shadows. I do not see body parts, I see lines, shapes and the power of composition. Imagine that light falling on model's skin is like lingerie. Dress your model with it in away that she is sexy as hell but sublime and feminine, she doesn't excite but intrigues and stuns, she is not revealing but alluring, she ceases to be a model and becomes a wonder of light and shadows.

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Photography can be very simple in its form yet contain a powerful message. It is not how many or what type of elements you decide to frame with your lens but how all of them composed together will make the viewers feel, or what they will make them think of. Photography, or even art in general, is like flirting, you either click immediately or not. You either relate to what you see or you don't. Art is there to make you feel, not think. Once you start analyzing it it loses its charm and elegance. Leave thinking and pondering for snobs.

I took this image yesterday during private photography workshops in Tokyo. I like to challenge my students bu placing them in front of tricky to compose views, or just asking them to find me a photo in surrounding chaos. We were inside Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba and I have noticed this salary man resting on a couch. He was checking his phone and I took a few shots, but I was not fully happy with them. Then I saw him pass out and that was the moment I was waiting for. Perfect image to summarize Tokyo, with faint and very organized geometrical pattern (symbolizing Japanese life style by the manual) in the background, lots of negative space (traditional simplicity), a tiny bit of white shirt sticking out suggesting an office worker, bald spots on the head - a result of stress perhaps, and the plant that slightly resembles bonsai (traditional pass time), tucked in a corner because no one has time here in Tokyo for having fun.

The fewer the elements on the photo the less distractions for the mind. Viewers are immediately drawn to where you want them. Eyes do not wander about and subjects really stand out. It is a bit like writing in capital letters. Such images are harmonious but at the same time striking and powerful. There is no room for error or unnecessary elements. Even that reflection plays a role of an anchor that helps you to bounce back and forth between that highlight and easily recognizable shape of human head. Square to the top right of this guy's head is contrasting with its roundness, helping to frame it but it does it in an abstract and misaligned manner. The couch top provides a slide for the eyes to move left and right.

Always look around you because great photographs are happening everywhere, it is just a matter of being able to see them. Some of them can be anticipated, some need time to happen so you will have to be patient, and some just happen right in front of you. If you feel like something would make a good image then take it, do not waste time on thinking, your inner child's intuition is most likely right.

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Everywhere. The most important thing is to always follow your heart. For example, I never ever shoot with a story board. I hate story boards. For me they are too limiting. They constrain me in frames of an idea and I would be obligated to stay within certain parameter. I refuse do that and I cannot do that. When I shoot I react to the light that surrounds me or emotions on the set, personality of the model or maybe something that was said or happened, a deja vu or a memory, a distant sound or an instant thought that just popped inside my head. I can change my mind during the shoot and start working with a completely fresh idea that just presented itself. You should flow not follow. My planning is very general and loose. I can have a very focused shoot, theme wise, like a body art shoot for example, or a portrait session with a model that is tagged as "shooting for sci-fi photoshop manipulations". But it is never 100% decided. An average photographer will shoot with a firm idea because it is safe and logical to hold on to something. An artist will adapt, search, and evolve.

Inspiration should be like seeking order in chaos. If you are out doing some street or architecture photography you are dealing with chaos, and your job as a photographer is to find peace harmony and order in the mess and commotion of shapes, shadows and highlights, corresponding elements, or even subjects, etc. You are the composer, editor and performer in chief. Let your instinct lead you and learn how to react to what is around you rather than showing up with a goal. I had a photography student ask me a question recently "what camera setting do I use to shoot portrait?". I replied "I do not know. Only you can answer it. Think of what you want to achieve artistically and that will tell you the camera settings" .

Inspiration could be found in work of other people. They do not have to be well-known artists or masters of their craft. Only because someone is unknown it does not mean their art cannot be amazing (in most cases popular things are commercialized and common, and real art is discovered by the next generation or so, after the artist dies). All that is important is whether what you see connects with your soul and speaks to you or not. Do not be a sheep and follow  others. They are called others for a reason - they are not you. They are different. We are all different. Stay different. Art is a very self centered and egocentric discipline. This is why artist are aloof and often anti-social. You should follow what YOU like without any need of pleasing others. I do not care who likes my art. I do and that is all that matters. You should absorb all and anything because you never know which direction it will lead you. It is like a survival game, only on an emotional  level. The very fact that you are different and alone creates peace and seclusion, which is essential to developing the ability to reading and listen  to self. This does not mean that you should not learn from, listen to or share your ideas with others. I am not worried about someone else stealing my ideas. The moment they do I am already 10 steps ahead creating something new. Focus on creating, the rest is irrelevant.

Stay true to what you feel is right and instead of wondering where to look for inspiration search yourself first. Once you know who you are, what you want and what drives your creativity, inspirations will start popping up all around you. Do not decide, but react. Do not think, but feel. All 3 images you see in this article are from a single shoot. I had a rough idea what I want to do with each of those portraits, but it was not until I opened them in photoshop and started editing them when I "saw" the final images. It was either colors, face expression, angle or lighting that inspired photoshop manipulation. See, if I followed a story board I would be compelled to complete "a task". Art is a profession only because we need to pay the bills. If I did not have to, I would not give a monkey about the business side of it. I die a bit inside every fucking time I have to tag my photos or check my social media. Most of us care only about creating. The moment you stop thinking of photography art as a type of profession (even if it is your job) the whole new level of inspirational thoughts and ideas will present itself. The key to finding a real inspiration is staying true to oneself.

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I do not bother with story board when I shoot. I leave it for those who need guidelines find it difficult to shoot without following a plan. I do not plan, I react. It is the combination of what I see with what I know and the light that is being cast that makes my brain go creative mode. However, when you shoot for a specific concept, such as photoshop manipulation, it is good to know how to bring the base photo to as close as possible to what you need as your digital clay. Below you can see my latest photoshop manipulation of my self portrait. I wanted it to be dark and mysterious, like a scene from a fantasy game (think in terms of Greybeards from Skyrim). What I needed was a head and shoulders portrait of myself in something that would imitate hooded rags (I wrapped around myself black muslin cloth that I use as a  backdrop for studio portraits), and a blend of evenly lit image with deep well defined shadows at the same time.

I knew I will be going for an older and wiry face, with accentuated face features so that I can push those even further in photoshop via dodging and burning. But I also knew that I cannot make the photo too dramatic (too low key) because contrast is something that I will adjust as I create the photoshop manipulation. At the same time I needed my face to  be lit well enough so I can easily edit it. It is much easier to darken things down rather than brighten them up. Shadowed areas have less defined textures and are less three dimensional. If you watch the below video, you will notice at the beginning the original photo, straight from the camera. I lit my face from a slightly elevated angle so the shadows amplify my cheek bones and jaw. I wanted the light more or less in the center so the face features will be more symmetrical and more powerful. I knew I will be cutting this photo out of the frame and since I did not have to deal with masking out hair I could get away without  a back light. I used grid on my main light and the light that separates me faintly from the background is whatever light bounced off of the wall behind me. I needed catch lights in the eyes so I placed the softbox right above the field of view of the lens. Shooting with 85mm I had enough compression to get the light into a fairly low position. It was important because I did not want to use any fill light from underneath (it would ruin the shadows under the hood at the top of my head, and on the sides as well).

Working with flash guns is tricky, because every centimeter of movement counts. You can ruin or completely change the mood in the photo or its composition by moving the light by literally a centimeter or two. Studio photography is amazing for teaching precision and understanding the light and how to control it. Photoshop is like a tripod. It will slow you down and allow you to analyze the photo you are editing. People who do not like to edit their photos and just run and gun will never ever truly understand the depths of composition. It is a mixture of talent, ability to sense the energy flow between the elements of the photo and hours and hours of hard work. Do not neglect your photo editing - it pays off and will aid you in growing artistically, not to mention it will help you a lot in improving your technical skills as a photographer. And remember - photo manipulation or editing is not there to rescue bad images, but to complete your artistic vision and imbue your photos with personal style.

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Neither. It all depends on what mood you are after in your photos. I use studio for specific types of photography. Inside the studio I shoot fine art nudes, calligraphy body art, and dramatic portraits or portraits I use for photoshop manipulations. Outdoors I shoot urban portraits, natural light portraits, where I have the advantage of choosing from variety of backgrounds. On the other hand, I can create dramatic light outdoors as well with the help of flash photography. By combining natural light and flashes I am able to capture images that would not be possible to create in ambient light.

I find myself shooting outside more often, because I like the endless possibilities of what surrounding world has to offer. Whether it is city or nature the options are limitless. Studio photography usually has a very stiff and artificial feel to it, but it doesn't have to be so. It all depends on how skilled are you with controlling the light and how good of a connection you have with your model. Outdoors and indoors portrait photography come with challenges that you will need to face. Outside you have to be in control of the background, and also very skilled with understanding the ambient light and how to bend it to your will. It is much harder to control ambient light than artificial studio flashes.

When you choose between indoors or outdoors portrait photography always think about what is the theme, what effect you are after and who you are shooting and why. That should give you a clear answer on where to shoot. The most important is to capture your model at their best, and choice of a location is just another tool like your camera or lenses.

Props, make up, hair stylist and all of these are all great, but so much more can be done in terms of creative portrait photography during photo retouching process. For me photoshop is a doorway to complete artistic freedom. Being able to do anything I want with a photo in post production offers not only much more room during shooting, but also allows me to complete my vision and achieve that perfect mood I was after in a comfort of my digital dark room. I always shoot with a vision of post processing, and photoshop skills are an essential tool not just in my career as photographer, but more importantly as an artist. During the shoot I know exactly how much I can or cannot get away with, what I can or cannot remove or change, which elements of the photo I will use, or what other photos I need to take to complete the image. It is like a puzzle and hell of a fun as well. I love teaching photography and photoshop and I always try to show to others how important and powerful post processing skills can be. For me a photographer who cannot or does not want to edit his work is crippled or has limited imagination. There are occasions when a photo will require a minimum of editing, and I have those as well in my portfolio, but it is not really what the argument is about. The whole point of photo retouching is to give it your own personal finishing touch. For me capturing an image is 50% of work done, and sometimes much much less than 50%. Photo editing will broaden your horizons, your artistic sensitivity, the way you look at details and notice them, the way you take photos, the way you understand light and human anatomy, how to work and combine colors in the scene, how to notice an image in a chaos around you, how to compose images, and so much more. My advise to you is simple - if you want to sail the vast oceans of creativity and not just the seas, master the art of photo retouching, composite photography and even photo manipulation. It is a whole new world.

model: Mandy JanePortrait photography service, Tokyo - website
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This video tutorial is for lazy people like myself who cannot be bothered reading. I wrote an article on my other page, Portrait Photography Tokyo, that gives tips on how to crop photos in photoshop and you can read it here, though this video is probably covering it in greater depth. Cropping is nothing else but an attempt at fine tuning composition. If you shoot on a tripod, your composition should be spot on, but if you shoot quick and hand held things may get a bit misaligned. I create many composite images and photoshop manipulations so for me cropping is a second nature. Cropping is a fantastic exercise for improving your composition, and composition is one of the most important things in photography, or any type of art really. So take your time, bring some photos into photoshop and try different ways of cropping one image, you may be surprised what you can learn. In this video I am taking one image and showing you a few ways of cropping it, and explain in details why I cropped it this way or another, which brings you behind the scenes and lets you understand my thought flow. You can apply anything from this photoshop tutorial to your photography when you are out and shooting. Enjoy! Anyone interested in private photoshop workshops via skype desktop sharing please contact me directly. If you are looking for a portrait photographer in Tokyo, check out my services menu tab.

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When I was younger I hated school with passion. Not because I do not like to learn, quite the contrary, simply school was too intellectually confined, lacking finesse, and rather dull. I teach photography art the same way as I would like to have learned when I was a kid. I teach not what I know but whatever is that interest you, bearing in mind your current level and skill. I also teach with the vision of post processing and image retouching, as I believe that post processing is equally, if not more important than taking photos, and I really mean that. The technical side of photography, like setting proper ISO, shutter speed and aperture is not that complicated, and sooner or later you will pick it up naturally with practice.  Photography is an art, not a geek show. Leave the technicalities to those who cannot see a bigger picture. The most essential thing to master in photography is understanding the light (with the exception of portrait photography, in which case you also need to understand human psychology, to be able to evoke or comprehend their body language and reactions). You have to fall in love with light, learn how to adjust to it or control it. Light determines compositions, both during night and day. Photography does not exist without light, and good photography does not exist without understanding of how to capture it. I put a huge stress on composition, not in a technical sense, I rather emphasize the artistic  feel of composition and how to sense balance in the image. I teach how to find a photograph in a mess of nothingness, a scene that is loud and convoluted, how to appreciate art in what you thought was mundane, how to see and compose with energy and aura of a scene, rather than place items on the crossing lines of rule of thirds, because the book or article told you to do so. In addition, I also teach post processing and advanced photoshop manipulation online via desktop sharing, so once you return home with your images that you took in Tokyo or any other place, we can continue the education through the internet. My experience and scope as an artist goes far beyond photography, which allows me to see a much bigger picture. I do not just teach photography, I teach art. Contact me for details here. Available photography workshops:  portrait photography, street photography, architecture photography and night photography.

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In this video tutorial series I will show you how you can easily create a time lapse in photoshop. I will be using Bridge, Adobe Camera RAW, and Photoshop. Tutorial is split int part 1 is about preparing the files for the time lapse, and the second part will explain how to assemble a time-lapse in photoshop. Time lapse photography is great fun, it does require a lot of patience though, and quite a bit of post processing, but thanks to photoshop and other tools, it can be automated to a great degree. If you want to learn how to create a time lapse with ease, then watch my video tutorials.

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Whenever you lift your camera to your eyes and think of taking a photo you should already know which direction you want to go with it artistically speaking. When I press the shutter, I have a complete vision of the final shot. I usually know exactly what I want to do with it in postproduction, whether it will be an HDR image, or a straight forward editing in photoshop, I can see those final touches in the RAW file before I apply them. Having a vision is crucial in any type of art. Night photography is fantastic for this, as you need to take your time. Use the tripod to slow things even more. Compose, align, feel the scene, read the light, dive in the shadows, and live the scene. This video tutorial discusses my thought flow reasoning behind taking photos, and then the editing process. Incidentally, if you want to watch a detailed tutorial on digital blending, then watch this movie here.

Summer is at its full and fireworks shows are happening all over the northern hemisphere. In this video I will give you tips on what equipment you need to shoot great fireworks photos, how to set up your camera (ISO, aperture and shutter speed), what techniques you can use to make your fireworks shots look different, and finally I will edit one of my photos in photoshop, and show you my workflow. In fact, the photo that I am editing is a composite phot, meaning, it is made of two different shots. So you get three tutorials in one. Enjoy!

Here is another photo of Nicole that I took a few days ago in Tokyo. If you are shooting portraits of models or clients in a rather busy place, and you wish to separate them from the surrounding rush, the best way to do it is to use telephoto lens at a relatively wide aperture (this photo was taken at F3.5 / 100mm). Be careful with going too wide on aperture in cases where the models eyes are not parallel to the front of the lens, as then the narrow plane of depth of field might not be enough to have both eyes in focus (unless you are going for that particular effect, which is also fine). Another thing you can do is to convert the photo to black and white in photoshop or lightroom. 256 shades of grey are much less of a distraction that millions of colours. Lastly, tight framing of the portrait will remove even more unnecessary things from the frame, especially if there are any oddly shaped structures or objects (like lamp posts or trees) directly behind the model's head. Happy shooting!

Portfolio is the business card for any artist. For this reason, I have two separate folios, one for my photography art and the other one for my calligraphy art. Having a portfolio is essential for being able to make money from your art, but even more important is knowing how to keep your folio fresh and up to date. We learn new things all the time, evolve artistically and emotionally, experience new things in life, and all those factors have a direct impact on our artistic style. If your works are not consistent in style, then a potential client will have no clue what he or she can except from you as an artist. In short, they are confused and most likely will turn to your competition. In this video I am showing you how fast the style can change on the examples of my own work.

Each type of photography requires different set of skills and artistic sensitivity. For example, street photography asks you to make a connection with the buzz around, to possess a certain level predictability of upcoming events, and even compassion. Architecture photography requires geometrical imagination, or the gift of seeing the world in black and white tones. Wildlife photography will test your patience and even how you can deal with loneliness. Portraiture, on the other hand, will test your personal and psychological skills. A good portrait photographer has to have an outstanding understanding of human nature, and needs to be able to connect with the person he photographs, and reach deep inside, bypassing any social masks and ego. If the portrait has no soul written all over it, you do not have a good shot.


Model: Lin Lynn

As a photographer you ought to tell a story and create the mood. It breaks down to being able to communicate with whoever you are photographing, reading the light in the scene and knowing how to use it to your advantage, composition, and post processing. The technical skills and knowledge of the equipment is a must too, naturally. If one of those components is missing, you have not got a shot. Photography is like poetry, you ought to put your vision in a language that will be understandable to others, without stripping it off of its original beauty. Instead of being a photographer, an observer, get involved in the scene, become a part of the environment, and you will be able to capture the subtle moments that are happening around you. Photography is an art, not a craft. If you have no emotional and passionate connection with it, you will not be able to get lost in this magical forest.

Model: Nicole Rayne

HDR stands for Hight Dynamic Range, and it is a method quite common in today's photography. HDR concept is based on capturing few different exposures (usually it is 0, +2 EV and -2 EV, where EV stands for exposure value). So what does this mean? Well, human eye can see 11 stops of light, or more, whereas camera can see only 3 or 4.  So when you stand staring at the sunset, your brain will register much wider range of light (dynamic range) than the camera. So, by capturing and merging together different exposures, one can create a photo which has much more data in both highlights and shadows. In this video tutoprial, I will give you 10 great tips on how you can improve your HDR photography experience. If you want to watch a full length tutorial on HDR image editing, please see this video.

In this photoshop tutorial I will show you how you can massively improve the visual impact of your photo by using simple photoshop tools, such as curves, or layer blending. In this tutorial I am using two photographs, one in black and white, and the other one in colour. It is a simple method, and suited for everyone, both the beginners and more advanced photoshop users. By simple adjustments in contrast, or the difference between saturation levels in the photo, you can make huge changes and alter the look of your photo tremendously. It is always good to go back to your photo after some time, and see if you can improve it, too.

Here is another photoshop tutorial in which I will discuss the issue of composition in photography and its importance. I am talking a bit about the rule of thirds, and general idea of how to compose a photo, based on one of my own captures. I am also explaining how to deal with composition issues in photoshop through blending layers, ands using tools such as "blend if", layer masking, etc. For more video tutorials on photoshop please subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Today, I published my next video tutorial. In this episode I will show you how you can bring your night photography editing to another level by masking beautiful bokeh of night cityscape lights onto the original image. For more tutorials visit my Youtube channel. You will find there photoshop tips and tricks, HDR photography tutorials, photography techniques related tutorials

In this next episode of my photography tips and tricks and photoshop tutorials I will explain not only how to recognise camera dust in post processing, but also talk about how the dust gets into your camera, how to reduce the dust spots on your photo by adjusting aperture, and show you many photoshop tools that can be used to deal with it during retouching, including removal of camera dust from complex textures, such as architecture.

If you are interested in my other photoshop tutorials or HDR photography tutorials, please visit my YouTube channel.

Here is another video tutorial on photoshop and lightroom techniques. In this episode I will guide you through a process of retouching eyes, from basic clean up, through increasing the brightness of the irises, adding or enhancing catch lights, accentuating eyebrows and eyelashes, and even on how to use the liquify tool.

This is a second part to my other video on skin retouching, which can be found here.

Here is my next tutorials on photoshop tips and tricks, and in this episode I talk about my techniques for skin smoothing and how do I deal with skin tone transitions from dark to bright. I am discussing the frequency separation skin retouching, which is a non destructive way of working on a photo, meaning that you do not change the pixels on the actual photo, but the entire work is done on separate layers in photoshop. In this tutorials I work with various tools, which should give you a good starting idea on how to retouch your portraits, or boudoir photography, or any photos with people as your subject.

Many thanks to Jamosa Ladiva, who was modelling for me during that photo shoot, and kindly agreed for me to use her photo in the tutorial.

My other tutorials are available on my YouTube channel.

My new photo editing tutorial on how to transform the mood in your photo into a steampunk coolness. In this video I am working on a photo that I published in my article on Japan in Photography, which you can find here. Also, check out my other video tutorials.

I have launched a new menu on my website, titled "photography tutorials", where I will be posting my youtube channel videos on photography techniques, and image post processing. I plan to cover many various subjects in my videos, though my main focus will stay with HDR image capturing and post processing, as well as the photo processing software, such as HDR efex pro 2, photomatix, photoshop, lightroom, topaz and nik software products, and so on. You will find there both short and long video tutorial for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. In the future I also might venture into photo manipulation, composite photography and digital art. You can find all my videos on youtube channel, this site here, or my google+ account. Suggestions, ideas, and requests are more than welcome!

For cool daily photos from Japan, visit my blog at www.japan-in-photography.com!