What do you think?
Rate this book
Exquisite Curves
The contours of the female body are a masterpiece of nature and were the inspiration for the title of this book. There are an infinite number of ways to represent this beauty. The photographer's role is to create work that is appealing, fitting, and meaningful. This book takes a two-pronged approach: first by teaching the academic and second by encouraging hands-on creativity.
This guide presents the material through five main chapters: Composition, Technique, Posing, Self-Expression (Style), and Shooting Assignments.
The instruction is intended to be accessible to any novice with a serious interest in the composition and posing of female nudes. You do not need to be an artist or a photographer to understand the material but a basic understanding of camera operation is assumed. It is written for the uninitiated and for those who have no more than a modest amount of experience with photography or composition.
The book begins with a discussion of visual literacy and its importance. Next are the abstract elements of composition, such as lines, colors, value, mass, depth, illusion, time, and motion. A section on design principles instructs in the assembly of these elements. Visual pathways, including cyclical, triangular, and others, are explained. Methods of design such as the rule of thirds, the golden mean, diagonal method, armatures, and forty-five degrees are all described and illustrated. The design instruction is rounded out with a discussion of commonalities and pitfalls in the design methods.
The various camera techniques range from controlling framing, focus, and lighting. There is information about high-key, low-key, and minor-key lighting, complete with histograms and diagrams that show where the lights are set up. The section on post-processing mentions the importance of vignettes, contrast, monochrome (black and white) images, color mapping, the zone system, isolating images, and making composites (montages). The book includes 100 examples of nude poses (in addition to the numerous other samples) grouped into sections, such as standing, furniture, and props.
The section on style addresses why we make a photograph and what constitutes an artistic body of work. There is a discussion of how your choice of genre, whether it is pinup, glamour, or fine art, figure study, or commercial design, influences your composition. The examination of style would not be complete without addressing how to analyze your work and sources of inspiration. The shooting assignments are real-world exercises that provide an opportunity to put what you have learned into practice. The book is rounded out with a glossary, index, and bibliography.
This guide presents the material through five main chapters: Composition, Technique, Posing, Self-Expression (Style), and Shooting Assignments.
The instruction is intended to be accessible to any novice with a serious interest in the composition and posing of female nudes. You do not need to be an artist or a photographer to understand the material but a basic understanding of camera operation is assumed. It is written for the uninitiated and for those who have no more than a modest amount of experience with photography or composition.
The book begins with a discussion of visual literacy and its importance. Next are the abstract elements of composition, such as lines, colors, value, mass, depth, illusion, time, and motion. A section on design principles instructs in the assembly of these elements. Visual pathways, including cyclical, triangular, and others, are explained. Methods of design such as the rule of thirds, the golden mean, diagonal method, armatures, and forty-five degrees are all described and illustrated. The design instruction is rounded out with a discussion of commonalities and pitfalls in the design methods.
The various camera techniques range from controlling framing, focus, and lighting. There is information about high-key, low-key, and minor-key lighting, complete with histograms and diagrams that show where the lights are set up. The section on post-processing mentions the importance of vignettes, contrast, monochrome (black and white) images, color mapping, the zone system, isolating images, and making composites (montages). The book includes 100 examples of nude poses (in addition to the numerous other samples) grouped into sections, such as standing, furniture, and props.
The section on style addresses why we make a photograph and what constitutes an artistic body of work. There is a discussion of how your choice of genre, whether it is pinup, glamour, or fine art, figure study, or commercial design, influences your composition. The examination of style would not be complete without addressing how to analyze your work and sources of inspiration. The shooting assignments are real-world exercises that provide an opportunity to put what you have learned into practice. The book is rounded out with a glossary, index, and bibliography.
124 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
176 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Read
December 9, 2021While this is an excellent guide the MAJOR problem with this book is that it is an excellent guide only if you specifically want to photograph white, female, 20-30 year olds. There are a few images in the middle of the book of a 20-30 year old woman who is not white, other than that there is NO diversity and NO discussion of how to shoot different bodies. It is a depiction of only one variation of the female form. Maybe the third edition???
August 25, 2012
“Exquisite Curves” starts with a stunning photo followed by another stunning photo, and so on. Whether the reader is a photographer or uses pen and ink, paints or any other medium for her / her craft, the tips and lessons here are indispensable.
The book has quite a few exercises to help the reader understand the importance of composition. None are formal, but all serve to show important aspects of making a photo a piece of art rather than a snapshot.
Explore the elements of composition, which ones have most impact, how and where to find and use them. What is the importance of curved lines? Learn the “language” of different types of lines.
Discover the Mach Effect and how to use it to your advantage. See how different shapes add different meaning and emphasis to your composition. Understand how to use them so your image is conveying what you want to the viewer.
Another element that can be so obvious as to be overlooked is the importance of color, and its accuracy. A photographer can spend some time during set up to minimize editing or spend countless hours afterward making everything look right. Learn the tools to use at the beginning in order to be more efficient with your time overall.
Light, weight and mass are discussed and demonstrated, any of which can be your best friend or worst enemy as elements of the composition of your photo. The author offers great tips to help overcome the less-than-perfect qualities of a model whether poor skin tone or short legs.
Once you have read “Exquisite Curves”, you will want to experiment with the many parts of composition. You will be able to define various pathways and perspectives and convey different feelings with each pose within the composition.
See examples of what different types of lenses and focal points produce, and learn how to get those same results yourself.
There are loads of tips for digitally enhancing and processing the photos you take. Whether you want a vignette, want it monochrome, want to go abstract…you name it, it’s in here.
Discover the difference between someone who takes pictures, a photographer and a true artist whose medium is photography.
The whole idea is to take the best pictures possible, improve them when necessary but ultimately, be yourself, let your style shine through it all. It is all about being your personal best and doing your personal best work.
The book has quite a few exercises to help the reader understand the importance of composition. None are formal, but all serve to show important aspects of making a photo a piece of art rather than a snapshot.
Explore the elements of composition, which ones have most impact, how and where to find and use them. What is the importance of curved lines? Learn the “language” of different types of lines.
Discover the Mach Effect and how to use it to your advantage. See how different shapes add different meaning and emphasis to your composition. Understand how to use them so your image is conveying what you want to the viewer.
Another element that can be so obvious as to be overlooked is the importance of color, and its accuracy. A photographer can spend some time during set up to minimize editing or spend countless hours afterward making everything look right. Learn the tools to use at the beginning in order to be more efficient with your time overall.
Light, weight and mass are discussed and demonstrated, any of which can be your best friend or worst enemy as elements of the composition of your photo. The author offers great tips to help overcome the less-than-perfect qualities of a model whether poor skin tone or short legs.
Once you have read “Exquisite Curves”, you will want to experiment with the many parts of composition. You will be able to define various pathways and perspectives and convey different feelings with each pose within the composition.
See examples of what different types of lenses and focal points produce, and learn how to get those same results yourself.
There are loads of tips for digitally enhancing and processing the photos you take. Whether you want a vignette, want it monochrome, want to go abstract…you name it, it’s in here.
Discover the difference between someone who takes pictures, a photographer and a true artist whose medium is photography.
The whole idea is to take the best pictures possible, improve them when necessary but ultimately, be yourself, let your style shine through it all. It is all about being your personal best and doing your personal best work.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews