Having taken photographs for nearly 60 years in one form or another, I’ve always shied away from photographing people. In the early days, it was down to simple shyness. Later, it became more about the growing complexities around consent and privacy. For those reasons, portraits—especially nude ones—never found a place in my work. That is, until now.

Early in 2025, everything changed when I stumbled upon a tasteful, low-key, high-contrast nude photo. It stopped me in my tracks—not because of shock or scandal, but because of its artistry, simplicity, and emotional power. Something inside me said, “You need to try this.” So I did.

I set up a small home studio with a couple of lights, read countless online articles, and purchased a mannequin head to practice on. Once I felt confident enough that I could produce something up to my own standards, it was time for the biggest hurdle: finding a model willing to pose nude. Gender didn’t matter—I just needed a human body, a presence, a story to tell through the lens.

To my surprise, and with no small amount of gratitude, my daughter-in-law stepped forward. I was stunned and moved by her generosity and trust.

The first session was awkward, as you might expect. But slowly, we found our rhythm. The awkwardness faded into quiet focus, and eventually, I had a set of images I was proud of. I knew I could do better, and she kindly agreed to a second session.

She later shared a few of the images with a friend, who—again to my amazement—immediately volunteered to model. Energized by this new momentum, we set a date. On the morning of the shoot, I sat nervously in a local bar, needing a moment to steady myself. Then I noticed something hanging on the wall: a saxophone.

That unexpected object sparked something creative in me. I called the bar owner and asked if I could borrow it for the day. To my delight, he agreed.

The shoot went better than I could have hoped. Though it was her first time posing, my model was confident, natural, and full of creative energy. Poses came quickly, and I struggled to keep up—my modest lighting setup barely holding its own.

After an intense hour, I was exhausted. But as I reviewed the images later, I was genuinely surprised by the results. Processing them brought the final vision to life, and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive.

I hope to continue this journey, to push further outside my comfort zone. But finding willing subjects isn’t easy—understandably so. Still, I’ve learned that when the moment feels right, when trust is shared, and when creativity takes the lead, remarkable things can happen.

Stay curious, David