Carrie Leigh's interview

" You can view images on the internet and get a glimpse into what the artist is saying, but to get the full impact of the art it should be viewed in Gallery Print or in a Magazine that prints in high quality." Carrie Leigh

Dear Carrie, we are celebrating the first year of Carrie Leigh NUDE ! I can feel how proud you are... Have you ever imagined the amazing success of the magazine ?

To be honest after I saw the first NUDE printed I loved it but did not know how the world would take it. The first one sold out so fast I was in shock. Then the questions were : what do we follow it with ? Could we recreate the fascinaton of the first issue ? Somehow, someway, with a lot of help we were able to do it.

Publishing is very hard, and I am very proud of NUDE Magazine and all those who work and exhibit in it. I never imagined that NUDE would reach the level of success it has in only a year.

Carrie Leigh
"Warehouse"

Carrie Leigh
"Shawn"

And what is your recipe ?

The recipe is based in my love, passion and determination to create a showcase for art that everyone would love to have on their coffee table.

NUDE Magazine is there to promote the arts and for those in the world of art, music, acting, etc... I think the reason NUDE, besides the great art, has done so well is that everyone knows we would never make anyone look bad, something most magazines can not claim.








Passion, my prefered word ! Carrie, you have interviewed and published many great artists (and among the greatest) from all over the world. Could you tell us some anecdots ?

The privilege to interviewe a celebrated artist is something I hold very dear.
Each one is different.

When I went to interview Leonard Nimoy I had a list of questions but the minute I sat down in his office, with his art work on the walls, he took me on a artistic journey I will never forget.

The Kim Weston interview has led to a lifetime friendship based on trust, honesty and creativity. After the interview we both realized that we shared a passion so deep that we knew we had to work together. Now we have the Wildcat Feature where every few issues of NUDE, Kim and I are going to shoot a exhibit together.

Kim Weston
"Afternoon at Reed's # 3"

Kim Weston
"Nude on oven"

Carrie Leigh
Robert Wuhl and NUDE cover models Sydney Brown and Alicia Marie Clark




With Robert Wuhl, in this issue of NUDE a new creative avenue opened for us. We went to interview him on politics and history but two days before I woke up and thougth wouldn't it be great to shoot him as George Washington with NUDE Cover models. After the interview we asked him if he would be into it and to my great surprise he said yes. This has become the first production shoot for NUDE and Robert Wuhl was so creative and inspirational, I really thank him for doing this for both me and NUDE.

Nick Ash
"Dune nude 11"

Calvato





When we interviewed Theodore Mann it was to talk about Broadway, he is the longest running human being on Broadway. But then I found out he was also a photographer, much to my surprise, he is very good so we exhibited his art along with the interview.

You never know where the interview takes you.

With NUDE, the interview is just like art-pure creativity and spontanious work. At this point we never go into a interview with preconceived goals. We have an idea of what we want but we let the subject take us there.

Carrie Leigh
"The Wildcat Shoot"

(Shot on the grounds of Edward Weston's Home Land in Northern California)





Carrie Leigh

Have you a favorite picture ?

All the pictures are my favorite ! That is why they are in NUDE.

Lucien Clergue

François Benveniste
"Female Queen"

Perry Gallagher

"Denise"

For the second year, is there something really special you'ld love to give us ?

Each Issue of NUDE takes on its own life, so there is always something special. It just seems to come alive as we start to work on it.


You're also a renowned fine nude art photographer. Every photographer has his own trademark, what is yours ?

People say that I have a style but I just shoot what I am feeling at the moment.








Nick Ash
"Death Valley Nude No. 4"





What are your personal projects ?

As far as my own projects I just keep shooting my art, I have a book planned and I hope to get back to it. And I am always looking for models who inspire me.


I'll tell them ! Carrie, I know how much you're working hard... Do you plan some deserved vacations ?

I wish I had time for a vacation. Maybe soon I am trying to talk my husband into going to Europe, I would love to shoot there.


I'm waiting for you. Any message you’d like to leave to our readers ?

I would also love to add that the first NUDE photography contest was great and to see all the new talent out there was really a thrill.

Also, many ongoing contributing photographers are shooting specific exhibits for NUDE and to me that is the greatest aknowledgement of success that NUDE Magazine could ever achieve.

And I want to thank you, Chris. You are a creative person and it is important to the long term success of NUDE to have you along side us. You promote the arts and that is important to the world.

Thank you Carrie !... It's my passion and my only pleasure.
Thanks for your deep commitment.

Olivier De Rycke's interview

"Shoot with your heart and your eyes. The rest will follow. Photography is a commitment, so be ready to live it." Olivier De Rycke

"Light my fire"
Art Model Elisabetta

Dear Olivier, we want to know how did your passion begin ?

It happens in two times, with a great gap in between. I like to tell the story...
I started to interest myself in the subject as a teen, but I did not takle the subject right at that time. I was really wondering how photographers could realize such great and nice pictures I could see on posters, magazines. I was using my cameras without technical knowledge and without really looking. So I gave up when my camera was stolen. I did not touch a camera for 10 years !

"My power"
Art Model Marie

To understand photography, it came much later when I started to make it a hobby. I was fond of computer and was running a computer shop that took a lot of my time. I really needed to escape from this. At my father death I inherited his camera, a Canon A1. I had a client who was a photographer so I asked what to think about this camera, I had no idea. He kindly said it was a good camera to learn and advised me to go to a photoclub for that purpose which I did. And here it started all over again !

I have then really undergone the learning process of technics and understanding what was an image to realise that it appealed to me. Shooting nudes was another story !










"Spleen"
Art Model Carmen





Today I mostly shoot nudes for my job. Never having approached nudes photography before, this could seem far from obvious.

A few tries at the photoclub made me understand the difficulty of this kind of shooting, so I stayed on practicing only portraits.

It is when I have been offered to attempt a one week photographer gathering in Mallorca on the subject that it appeared to be a revelation and a great opportunity to make my hobby a real job !

I just did it and it went fine. I came back with 6 000 pictures that I show to my friend, editor of internet content who offered me this trip. When he saw that he just proposed me to join his team !

"Gone"
Art Model Maria

"Harvest of desire"
Art Model Olga

"See you"
Art Model Amandine





I love the story ! Finally, where did you really learn your art ?

In fact, by my own and in a photoclub as said above. First I am reading a lot : magazines, books on subjects as technique or about images, colors etc. Second the photoclub, I attended for 3 years was a good start to practice photography, especially portraits. But I must say, that the most important to learn is to have a look around you.

You must teach yourself to watch with another eye than anybody else.

That was what I did not understand at first when I started photography when I was a teen.

This learning process was eased by the fact that I am Fond of art also, especially modern art. I have been surrounded with it when I was a kid thanks to my family. This has been strenghtened when the director of fondation Veranneman in Belgium became a friend of mine. I was then attempting most of the previews by the time, and I was just fond of artists like Botero, Magritte, Delvaux, Mathieu, Zao Whou Ki... and so many I cannot tell ! I even started to collect on my own.

It was the foundations of my understanding about images, but this has been strenghten when I interested myself in photographs. I am really curious about everything, I keep looking and looking even now !

"Nonsense"
Art Model Maria

"A second gone"
Art Model Liana

How long could you be far from your camera ?

To tell the truth, my brain is working on ideas all the time and it happens that I need some rest from time to time. Indeed, I am looking for new ways of photographying so the shooting for shooting has a little bit desappeared.

However I consider important to practice quite often. So after one or two weeks without going on production I really feel the need to go for it and plunge into the creation process again. The thrill of it is a real drug.
But ok, I admit I always have a camera on me !


I have the same feeling with the words. Who are your favorite photographers ?

A lot, there are so many talented people out there that I am just surprised. I everyday fall in love about a picture I have found. For some photographers it can be their entire work which makes me thrilled... A few well know photographers I enjoy : Jean-Loup Sief, Hamilton, Bettina Rheims, Helmut Newton, Andreas H. Bitesnich and some others like Désirée Dolron, Christian Coigny... I regret I cannot tell about everyone !

From his book : "My body My Soul"









"Grace"
Art Model Betty

"Take a big breath"
Art Model Eve





How long dit it take to find your own style ? Could you define it ?

That's the big question : that's 2 years and a half that I am doing nudes and it is not yet well defined.

I touch to everything, try many ambiances, but it seems that in all my pictures a few characteristics appears like the look of the model, the pose (fashion like what I prefer) and the composition that are of great importance to me.

I also try not only to show the body but the mood, the model's inner personnality. It gave the title of my coming book : "My body My Soul" !


So, there is a message you want to express through your work ?

Certainly !

Beauty, espression and respect... I really try to catch the best of the model when I am working on my photo series. Never forget the model is a woman and deserve the greatest respect.

It seems ambiguous or contradictory to show nudes for that purpose. But if considering nudes as the state of art and as the upmost natural of our human condition I will go on work of this infinite subject of predilection.

"Closer"
Art Model Tereza

You're so right ! Do you plan every details of a shooting ?

I am of improvisation ! First because I have no choice and second I really prefer.

First reason : I discover the location and the models at the same time as I travel to meet them. There is no way to meet the model before and to visit locations. But this way, first ideas are most of the time the real fresh ones.

Second : I prefer ! Because, this way you do not try to copy or do what has been done. The part of improvisation will always bring something new.

Your duty is to create an atmosphere, then I consider the shooting as a performance between two actors on the stage, playing, advancing till the point that the model gives a sight or gesture full of emotion : so then we did it !


You seem to use mainly a studio ?

In fact no ! I prefer daylight and often work in difficult light conditions. I really push my camera and lens to its limits. I do not have so much lightings equipment so It is hard for me to create ambiances which I would like. So in order to work in those ambiances I use the daylight and what is offered to me.

"Old room"
Art Model Michelle

"Uncertain circonstance"
Art Model Lucy





Some words about your marvellous models ?

I have to pay tribute as they have not such an easy task. Have you ever tried to pose ? Believe it is not easy at all. Some do it with great ease as if they were born to be in front of the camera. They do it with natural and grace. For the other, it is the job of the photographer to make them feel at ease and let their pose become as natural as possible.

They are like actors without text to tell ! I really think it is necessary to have a good knowledge of ourselves to pose well, and certainly to feel good in its body and mind. Dealing with nudity, it is then even more obvious the have this high spirit.

And how do you feel at the end of a shooting ?

Exhausted ! I give all I have. And I move a lot in fact. This I need, it helps to find angles, point of view originals... It happens that I pose better than the model ! It makes the joy of my fiancée who is sometime doing the backstage pictures.

The shooting is really like a photo report ! It moves, it lives, I try to catch the special moments... The aim is to compose and picture those little details that will create the ambiance, always behaving discreetly so the model feels at ease.

"Come in my dream"
Art Model Dasa

Have you some challenges you're dreaming about ?

I am really interested in the fashion photography. I approach my area of nudes a little bit as fashion photography and I must say I am fascinated by it. So maybe one day I will be able to work in this area, who knows !

But first my dream is to create my own photo studio. As at the moment I rent locations and travel quite a lot to realize my pictures. I now feel the need to work more in studio and especially to make it easier for models and so to catch opportunities when they travel nearby ! So Paris or Latvia are two possibilities I am studying.

I wish you to find your place ! When and where will be your next exhibition ?

It is not planned yet, unfortunatly. By the way if someone is interested by my work for an exhibition they can contact me. I feel ready for it !

"My Fantasy"
Art Model Klarys

You have published a book ? Is there one to come ?

Yes, a book is about to arrive in two weeks time. The title is "My Body, My Soul" and it is released by a french editor "les éditions Ragage". I am really excited to have my first book realized, and I consider it is a real chance for me that an editor accepted to publish my work.


A message to send ?

Shoot with your heart and your eyes. The rest will follow. Photography is a commitment, so be ready to live it.

Thanks a lot Olivier ! What a nice interview... I really appreciate your support. Come back soon !

"Just dreaming of you"
Art Model Katerina





Olivier De Rycke ©

Gamini Kumara's Interview

Gamini Kumara at his beautiful photoblog, PicassoMio, JPG Magazine, ALTphotos and this article.











"Costume play"




Gamini Kumara, tell me how did your passion begin ?

The passion began from my travels. Being in unfamiliar places and seeing new things. Of course I was taking pictures of them like a tourist to bring back the stories.


Did you learn photography in a special school ?

Yes, I attended Minneapolis College of Art and Design to study graphic design and ended up doing more photography than graphic design


Who are your greatest inspirators ?

The great inspirations came from Eugene Atget and Richard Avedon. Incidentally I have met Richard Avedon during his great show at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and he gave a lecture to my photography II class at the College of Art and Design which is next door to the Institute of Art.


How long could you be far from your camera ?

I can not be too far away from my cameras at all. I shoot with all types of cameras mostly film cameras though I shoot with digital cameras now. They are everywhere in the house and one in the back seat of my car.

"Nude in bw"

Your preferences, indoor, outdoor, natural lights, color ?

I do not really have a preference either way but natural light is preferred for the photos. I try to stay away from artificial lighting and prefer a muted color scheme. I also shoot in bw occasionally and make them toned. No longer in the dark room but on the computer.

"Nora garden"

What is your process of creation ?

I would definitely say my process of creation is chaos. The order comes from that chaotic process of creativity. I have made photographs I did not intend to create out of the chaos, even though I might have an idea of what I am going to create.










"Pickle's farm"




Do you make many corrections ?

There had been times I made corrections over a long period of time, coming back to the same photo again and again. Now I am making an orderly progression from the chaotic process, that rarely happens these days. But I can never say I might get stuck with an idea and revisit the same image and struggle with it for some time.


What is your preferred photos in your own portfolio ?

They are the new series of nudes I am working on in a friend's costume design studio and the manipulated images I am working on at the same time. I prefer these nudes in the architectural space to other types of nudes.


Have you scheduled your next exhibition ?

No but I would like to show some works overseas in the future.


A book to come ?

Definitely. In color and b&w with my own graphic design.

"Melanie's fashion"

What's for your next future ?

.... is perfecting various discoveries I am making while photographing and experimenting with the visual style.


A message to send ?

... is to keep photographing what you would like to and experiment.

Gamini, a huge thanks for your time !

Ramez El Saïd's Interview

Ramez El Saïd won the award Art Limited in july 2007. ALTphotos, deviantART, Obsküre (an interview in 2005 in french).









How did your passion begin ?

Working in a hospital I wanted to express the joys and pains I witnessed every day. At first I grabbed a camera and tried to shoot corridors, patients etc... It happened to be a total failure. Afterwards I decided to start from scratch and manipulate images with the same purpose.


How long could you be far from your camera ?

I can forget my camera for months... until something flickers in my mind. I'm a sort of "sleeping agent"?


What inspires you ?
At first the medical environment, as I said. Most of the time it can be writings and movies, of course.

"Boss's out"

Do you feel particularly inspired by a type of location ?

Mostly desert places, I think. Since I made a trip to Iceland 10 years ago.


Who are your great guys in the job ?

There's too many of them ! Ok, regarding the renowned ones I'ld say Todd Browning, Fritz Lang, Bacon... For the people I know, all my friends in DeviantArt (I'm lazy, I know).









"Not alone anymore"





What is your process of artistic creation ? Chaos or Order ?

Both like most people I suppose... Sometimes I have a picture I manipulate without thinking and hope that it will end properly. Sometimes I have an idea and try get a result the closest to what's in my mind. Both process are a pain in the neck.


Your preferences, indoor, outdoor, natural lights, color ?Indoors and natural light. I don't know how to use those big flashes with umbrellas.


Do you find easily your models ?

Easily ? No. Most of the time we eat drink and talk... And eventually if there's time left we shoot a little. Being a mediterranean, the models are like guests.

"The doll that..."

Do you make many corrections on a long period ?

I take too much time... I think too much, go backwards.


I understand... And how do you know when your work is finished ?

Until now I never know... but now I can live with it.

"Pretending..."

How do you feel when your work leaves you ?

Subtle question... I'm the kind of person that can easily tear my drawings, even if I spent hours on it. Same thing on digital files (but don't worry, the raw picture is still safe).


What is your artistic dream ?

Well... Being inspired until I die ? Only a dream of course.

"Mechabutterflies"

A beautiful one ! Have you scheduled your next exhibition ?

There's an exhibition to come, but as you noticed, communication is my weak point. No precise date until now.


And a book to come ?

Hey ! There's another dream !



What's for your next future ?

The "artistic" future is quite uncertain. The priority being my real work and my family... But I hope that I can keep everything balanced together.

Thanks a lot for your trust !

David Kirk's Interview

You'll find him at deviantART. Check also this article and this one.





David Kirk, how did your passion begin ?

Probably around 1989.


How long could you be far from your camera ?

I try to keep a camera with me at most times, even if it is the one on my phone - particularly useful when you are out and about and see something that even just gives a basis for an idea.

"Excitement"
Art Model Britney Lee

What inspire you ?

Music, films, the way the light is shining. Sometimes other photos will give me an idea.










"Cher"




Do you feel particularly inspired by a type of location ?

Sometimes. Really want to travel that bit more. Though really love the East Neuk of Fife (St Monans (or Monance) Pitenweem, Anstruther etc).


Who are your great guys in the job ?

John McMurtrie - pretty sure I met him when I was working backstage at a Sum-41 concert in the Barras years ago. Ross Halfin, the late great Bob Carlos Clarke, Andreas Bitesnich, Helmut Newton - he has some fantastic shots. Bill Brandt - fuckin' love his nudes shot with the old wide angle (I think it was an ex-police model for crime scenes). There are so many more - I really love McInnes, Davemc and Sera.


What is your process of artistic creation ?

Umm, organised Chaos...


Your preferences, indoor, outdoor, natural lights, color ?

 Usually indoor - I prefer natural light, but usually I have to resort to flash due to the weather being a bugger. When I use digital I shoot colour but usually use the plugins in Bibble to go B+W.

"In the Corner"
Art Model Katy

How do you find your beautiful models ?

Usually through Mcinnes's site, sometimes Purestorm and occasionally Net-Model.









"Posing At The Window n°2"

















What kind of ambiance do you install to warm the often shy atmospher of the beginnings ?

Bang the heating on full whack. Natural charm, umm a wee chat see what we both want out of the shoot.


Do you make many corrections after a shoot ?

Generally I can whack out a decent set after the shoot, though when I look back some time later I see a few more that I like or don't like and make a later edit.


What is your artistic dream ?

Keep changing, fleeting images, suppose it depends on my mood.

"Cody 6"

Have you scheduled your next exhibition ?

Nope.


A book to come ?

Would like that, though still need more images.


What's for your next future ?

Umm well the most immediate is sitting, and passing my SIA Door Supervisor course for the day-job.

Thanks Dave ! See you soon...