It's hard to imagine that I was complaining about being on "inspiration overload" just two days ago. Last night (Saturday) and this morning I was crazed with creativity! Pulled an all-nighter, in fact. Before I fell into bed at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning, I'd posted three new images in my Winter Nudes gallery (CLICK HERE) to see them). After only two and a half hours sleep, I was up and at it again. And the fact that I got out my tripod means I'm really getting serious about this project. Today I put up two more new images, one of which you see here.

Working with the nude body is bringing back memories of art school. I spent years in life drawing and life sculpture classes. As every artist knows, there's no better way to learn about form, contour, light, values, scale and composition than to draw and sculpt from nude models. I remember being put off at first, especially when the model was male, but those feelings quickly passed. They had to. There was no time for discomfort when you were trying to express in two or three dimensional forms what was standing, sitting or lying in front of you. The task needed every bit of your attention.

I'm finding the same is true with photography. Working with nudes sets up artistic and even ethical choices that other subjects don't. What makes one photo fine art and another pornography? I believe a lot has to do with intent. If you as photographer are wanting to titillate your viewers, you will make certain choices in the poses you ask your models to take, the vantage point from which you shoot, even what props you give your models to hold. In fine art photography, you are most interested in capturing the essence of your model's humanness. You might want to isolate certain parts of his or her body. Or the play of light and shadow might be what interests you most. Maybe you're intrigued by the way one shape or form contrasts with another. Whatever your intent as photographer, that is what the viewer will intuitively see and respond to. One knows instinctively whether an image is fine art or pornography by the physiological response it triggers in you. There's a big difference between awe and sexual stimulation.

Nude self portraiture, whatever the medium, can be challenging because of the inner and outer voices that try to tell you it is "bad" to show your body to anyone but your spouse or doctor. And yet there is a time-honored artistic tradition of painting, drawing and sculpting the nude body. Just think of all the medieval paintings of Adam and Eve in the Garden. Or Michelangelo's Creator with outstretched hand painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Don't you imagine some of these were based on self portraits? I'm sure it was as hard to get willing models then as it is now. If you stay focused on your purpose in taking these photos, the images themselves will reflect that purpose.

That's why I try to hold in my mind why I am taking these nude portraits and self portraits for my Winter Nudes gallery. I want my intent to be clear so the images will tell the story I want the viewers to hear. These are not nude bodies just to show nude bodies. No, I am committed to bringing about a change in attitudes about our culture's definitions of beauty. That's what this series is all about.