Tropical nude photograph
This tropical nude photograph is primarily rendered in warm grays. It is a near-monochrome composition of woman, leaves, and shadows. Patterns of dark and light trace the contours of her body, punctuating the curves and musculature. Her face is cloaked in darkness, just the tip of her nose, lips, and chin observable. Grains of sand stuck to her shoulder blades give hints of her location and recent diversions. The sand texture continues on portions of her side and back, encouraging us to observe subtleties. Her serpentine posture is enticing, addressing our gaze, but not glaringly so.
Rather than use a wide shot to explain her location and full stance, this image is tightly cropped. We see from her buttocks to her head. The nature of the foliage is hinted at through pattern, including cast shadows.
Nothing spurs creativity quite as well as an inspiring location. This photograph was created over the course of a week-long project on the unspoiled, three-and-a-half-mile Harbour Island, part of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The remote Caribbean paradise has captivated painters and photographers for decades.
In creating this tropical nude photograph, I could not avoid recalling the paintings of Paul Gauguin and Henri Rousseau. Although my treatment is much different, my thoughts were with the symbolism and integration of the body with nature.
Photographed on a small island in The Bahamas. This image is a counterpart to other contemporary nude photography from the same location.
