Welcome Yuri Bonder, in loving memory

In loving memory.

" The main thing is the desire to photograph, this feeling which eats you, like a disease. If I don't photograph, I feel myself ill." Yuri Bonder

"Seized"









"......NO......"

"Rain"

All fine nude art lovers know Yuri Bonder, the contrary being quite impossible, with regard to his acclaimed talent, his powerful creativity and his huge production.

His work is often poetic, always delicate, full of emotions, original and also amazing. It seems he can always be at the right time and the right place for the best shot.

You'll find in his portfolios many wonderful images prooving his perfect master of light, exposure, composition, framing.

It took a long time and many mails to obtain his "OK" for this first feature, the only word he wrote me. So you can imagine how much I'm happy to welcome him in this site as a new great Contributing Artist.

"Models and cat"

Before his departure to Israel, the childhood of Yuri was occupied by learning business and sport, from Chelyabinsk to Moscow and back. At this period, he didn't think at all about photography.

Arrived in Israel in 1995, walking in the street, he saw a photographer, approached him and asked to look at his camera. The next day he purchased the same.

Self called "professional-amateur", today photography is his basic occupation, his passion, shooting for the pleasure, and everything, from birds to nudes.

Yuri Bonder has been exhibited at more than 50 international photo exhibitions, often awarded with gold medals, in Japan, America, Yugoslavia, Israel, etc...

"Forms...."

"Heat"

"Dreams..."

"LOOK"

By Tony Dummett, photographer :

" To me the strength of Yuri's main body of work lies in his use of saturated colors as integral elements of his composition and the unusual perspectives he has taken on his varied subjects. A refreshing change indeed.

He demonstrates a confidence with his medium and a quirkiness of visualization that is both motivating to his fellow photographers (to get out and take some more pictures), and interesting to look at in itself.

Look closely at Yuri's images. They are what photography is (or should be) all about : use of your eyes, reflexes and your mind, all combined in one instant of capture to communicate a worthwhile idea."

"Sad Clown"

" The Art City Publishing House presents "Nude. New Russian Photography", a contemporary nude photography album, 345 pages, English version. It includes the best artwork of well-known Russian photographers revealing in their art the aesthetics of a nude body."

In his foreword, Valery Savchuk (professor of philosophical faculty of St.Petersburg State University), a theorist of photography from St. Petersburg, notes : "This nude photography album that presents so many various authors is the first in the photographic history of new Russia. This is, probably, why the editors have tried to make it a true encyclopaedia of the genre."

"Alone"

In the book-album you'll find the works of the most famous Russian photographers :

Yury Bonder, Vladimir Arhipov, Serzh Golovach, Dmitry Donskoj, Alexander Kitaev, Evgenie Mohorev, Alexander Shahabalov, Igor Amelkovich, Pyotr Anikin, Vlad Gansovsky, Victor Ivanovsky, Pavel Kisselyov, Evgeny Kozhevnikov, Aleksey Kozlov and Marina Khlebnikova, Dmitry Konstantinov, Konstantin Korneshov, Oleg Kosyrev, Alexei Krivtsov, Mikhail Panin, Dmitry Polyakov, Dmitry Puzyryov, Tatyana Rudenko, Vyacheslav Filippov and Dmitry Filippov.

"Together.............."

Welcome St Merrique

"I'm a nature girl and am passionate about anything that represents growth, change, and enlightenment to the higher self." St Merrique

by James David

by OnePixArt -
"Spirit Dance"

It's not the first time we publish St Merrique, art model, author and singer for Dhatura, but we never did a complete feature about her.

She has so many facets beyond her somptuous beauty...

St Merrique is an art model we love since a long time (I'm her fan !). And she's also an author (who took the time to translate some of my texts ! Do you imagine the work it is ?...). I put behind the photograph she sent me a song she wrote and I'll keep till the end of my life. For sure.

And St Merrique is an inspired singer with a true voice I hear often, even if she doesn't know.

St Merrique, we're so glad to know you.

by David L. LeBeck -
"The Secret Life of Arabia"

You'll find St Merrique at : her photoblog, her Model Mayhem 1, her Model Mayhem 2, deviantART, her MySpace, Dhatura official site.

by John Carman

" I'm a nature girl and am passionate about anything that represents growth, change, and enlightenment to the higher self.

Being at one with Earth, and giving back the love she has given us; going back to our roots, self-realization; birth, reincarnation, death and rebirth; the thinner lines between surrealism and the coffee we stir every morning; don't forget yourself..." 

by Dearest Grudge
"Hide the Angst II"

by Tyler Kandel

by David L. LeBeck
"Secret Life of Arabia II"

About her modeling work :

" I'm always pleasant to work with bringing positive energy to a shoot. I'm very down to earth and appreciate creativity in original work. I take my work seriously while still having fun with it. I have determination in positive execution of a shoot. I can incorporate many different looks, styles, concepts, and emotions. I work well when refreshed with new, creative and original ideas. So if you have crazy ideas, don't be afraid to ask.


What I model :

Fine Art, Art Figure, Erotic Nudes (non-glam and not negotiable), High Fashion Nudes, Counter Culture, Abstract/ Artistic Nudes, Body Paint or Clay, Outdoor/ Indoor, Environmental Nudes, Film and Stage, Act, Sing, Dance, Artistically, and musically ambitious.

by Gregory Prescott
"The White Wall Project"

From Obsidian Visual Concepts :

" NOTE TO PHOTOGRAPHERS :
This young lady is elegant, graceful, versatile, pleasant, intelligent, cooperative, exceptionally skilled at posing, as beautiful as a woman gets, and just plain cool to hang out with !
I HIGHLY recommend her to any professional photographer who would like to work with a model who has an exotic look and requires no direction. She's magical !"

by Matt Conrads










by Daniel Acuna
"Lamenting II"

As the masterful poet and musical engineer for Dhatura :



" Every goal, wish, dream, or bit of hope starts with how you apply yourself, the steps you’re willing to take to get there… the journey.

A journey is the length of courage you hold to keep going now matter how distant your dream, how faint the light appears ahead, or how dark the road may seem. For some, that dream is in the universal love and influence of music.

For Dhatura, this budding seed of musical romance began in the early spring of 1999 and has, undoubtedly, only grown in influence over the years through sounds of rock, jazz, and funk to start. For some, music may just be a passing fancy, but for the members of Dhatura it is a lifelong journey, only to get better with time.

Merrique and Willie bring their own style, their own beats and poetic lyrics that can either keep you dancing, take you to another world in time, or reach the bottom of your aching soul to pull you through.

Album cover

While Merrique is the masterful poet and musical engineer, Willie adds his own creative touch and soulful artistry with the guitar and bass. There is only room left to grow to inspire music lovers around the world.

As you listen to the unbelievable new sounds of Dhatura, close your eyes and listen. Listen carefully to the funky fusion beats and collaboration of a voice that will no doubt, addictively stay in your mind."

by Charles E. Nevols -

Joel Belmont, a new member

Joel Belmont at deviantART.

"Wind of Light"
Painting by Lili Belmont

While I was contemplating his work, choosing the pictures to illustrate his first feature, I quickly saw two main things in the work of Joel Belmont : a predilection for B&W shots, "printed by hand in a traditional wet darkroom", and a wonderful collaborative work with his wife, Lili Belmont, painter.

All his pictures have a meaning, something beyond the breathtaking shot, something about the sense of life. His work prooves a constant and deeply inspired search for beauty in every form. Go and visit his site, and you'll see by yourself the power of his creative and genuine vision.

"Grace amid Chaos"
Painting by Lili Belmont
Silver Gelatin print mounted on panel with oil paint, 16x20"

Who is he ?

" At the young age of 30, Joel Belmont has spent almost a decade working in the photographic arts, and has achieved a level of work usually seen only in more advanced practitioners of the art.

Receiving a BA in Mass Communications from Principia College, he exhibits frequently and continues to pursue the cutting edge of his creative vision.

"Between Matter and Spirit"
From the Series "Human Condition"

The themes in his work pursue intangible spiritual qualities, taking the human experience, of which we are all a part, and transcending it into the “Divine Adventure” of life.

While these spiritual qualities are not something one can see with the eye, he is able to use visual metaphors to capture glimpses of the deeper truths and struggles of life, and convey them in a universal way that the viewer can relate to in their own experience.

Working in large format film (4x5” negatives), his work achieves the highest quality, print definition and a charisma only found in film. He prints his own black and white images by hand in a traditional wet darkroom, but works in a dry darkroom as well depending on the project.

From the Series "The Search"

"Escape"
From the Series "Human Condition"

" This image, to me, shows how perhaps women feel the need to enhance their bodies, but then ultimately want to climb out of the resulting role of being appreciated only for their skin. To me, this image is part of an ongoing and wide-ranging commentary scattered in my work, about social stereotypes, and how they reflect on the people that buy into them, as well as the people that support them, and ultimately, hope for overcoming and transcending them."



He grew up on the Monterey Peninsula in California, where such photographic masters as Edward and Brett Weston, Ansel Adams, and Wynn Bullock lived and worked. After spending six years in Oregon, he moved to Colorado where he has resided for the past nine years, near Aspen.

His wife, Lili Belmont is an accomplished painter from Germany who also frequently exhibits internationally. Every few months he finishes new projects, working in the studio, landscape, or out on the road, both in the United States and abroad.

From the Series "Divine Adventure"

A new member : Beau Nestor

" I have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented models in the world and the reality and honesty of their emotional expression has been a truly uplifting experience. This is a tribute to their courage and power. I was just fortunate to have been there to witness their strength." Beau Nestor.

"Dawn Stretch"
Art Model Dollybeck






Beau Nestor at his official site, deviantART, Model Mayhem.







"Rocky Times"
Art Model Tigeress

Sharing his time between Australia and USA, working in the photographic arena for over 35 years and travelling a lot, Beau Nestor is a true gifted and passionate "photo-impressionist" :

" I'm an impressionist, and the equipment and purity of photography leaves me cold - but the way that images can be created, and then manipulated to achieve my personal, changing concept of art - astounds me daily."

First time I discovered his gallery, I was immediately captivated by the power of his artistic inspiration. His romantic way to capture the beauty of the woman is absolutely amazing and so poetic. Besides, he's writing since 45 years, for himself until now, but I'm impatient to read him.

"Pooling her Thoughts"
Art Model Dollybeck

"The swimming hole"
Art Model Dollybeck

" Beau grew up in a photographic background, with his grandfather, his father and his fellow students who all worked together in such studios as Peter Fox, Athol Shmith and John Cato.

Beau took to the Fashion Photography side after completing his studies at RMIT. He then spent many years working on Fashion Ads and Glamour magazines in Australia, before travelling to Europe and working with Art and Glamour magazine publishers.

His return to Australia allowed him to travel the country, capturing the beauty of Dawn Light, and producing exhibitions "The Nude in Nature" and "Anonymous Nudes". Beau's work has been handled by Galleries in Cologne and Munich as well as New York.

Beau's style has always reflected the deep respect he has for his subjects and his love of nature - he finds the combination of the human element within the natural surroundings to be an expression of great beauty."

"More of More to come"

"Dawn Exposure"


















His work has been exhibited in PhotoKina, Cologne (Germany), New York, Washington DC (USA), UK and many Galleries throughout Australia. He won Piccol, National Mutual, Linhof and PhotoKina awards.

He travelled to Japan for 2 weeks (Dec 2004) with 6 models for Erotic Magazine work, New Zealand with 4 models for Snow shoots and Fine Art Nudes in Nature, Outback Australia with models for a dustfight on many occasions, Washington DC, Winston-Salem NC, and Savannah GA exhibitions.

"Morning Exercises"
Art Model SarahB

A wise point of view I share :


"No Dowry"



" Women are traditionally seen as being sex objects, and marriage has for too long been a form of submission for many women. Here, a mother and daughter are happily being open about their sexual freedom, entering the church as powerful women, and Not submitting to any males. They are the ones in charge - not the pawns in a man's world.

They are joyful about their role - not with bowed head and being led by a man down to the sacrificial altar. They are walking in proudly independent, with full knowledge that men will look at their bodies, and not realise their strength. The major religions all are run by men, and all attempt keep women in a secondary role, as mothers, wives, and feeding machines for men.

Perhaps this series will allow women to break free of the traditional shackles of relationships, and see themselves as powerful decision makers that are no longer held down by the concept of sexy or cute, but instead, strong and demanding. Perhaps this is the reason I work with many "non-traditional" models, because these people are Artists, that "get it" and want to be a part of the artistic expression, not just exhibit their bodies for men's ogling eyes."

"Timeless Princess"
Art Model Amy Spease

"Drying her wings"
Art Model Franki