Sexy pictures as wedding gifts !

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JANUARY 2, 2011
Sexy pictures as wedding gifts
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BENNY Liew, a professional photographer in
Kota Kinabalu, has been taking nude portraits of some brides-to-be as a gift to their
soon-to-be husbands for some time now.
“They want the gift to be more personal
and, at the same time, to preserve their looks
on film while they can.
“It seems to be a growing trend but I don’t
expect it to be a massive one due to our
culture and that people are generally more
reserved. It may also not be easy to find a
photographer who you can trust, is comfortable with and can take the best pictures of you naked,” said Liew.
Anna Rina, a freelance photographer
based in Kuala Lumpur, has also been
getting requests from clients for such
nude shots.
One of her clients, financial consultant
Selina Tee, 27, definitely thought they
would make a nice wedding gift for her
then fiancé last August.
So she booked Anna for a two-hour
boudoir shoot, clad only in sexy lingerie.
“I guess I have a decent figure but
there are areas that I need to work on.
But I didn’t let those become an issue
when sharing my body with my
beloved.”
Tee, who had been following the
blogs of various wedding photographers in the United States, was intrigued with sexy photography,
which was quite common there.
“It’s a good idea even as a gift to
yourself. Why not preserve your
beauty when you can? I don’t think I
would look this good
Some
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Rina
when I’m 40,” she added.
The result of the shoot also gave her quite a
boost in confidence. “I didn’t think I could
look this good — like a real lingerie model.”
But to some, age is no factor as photographer Lam Wai Cheong discovered when he
got a request from a 50-year-old Englishwoman to shoot her in the nude recently.
The client had done nude portraits when
she was younger and wanted an updated
version as a birthday gift for her husband, he
said.
“Shooting nude is often a very personal and
meaningful decision. We always ask what the
shots are for and how much the client wants
to expose. The concept, whether artistic, sensual, fun, sexy or racy, should be translated
into the shots.”
Vee, a wedding photographer from Petaling Jaya, said photographing nude subjects
had its own set of challenges.
“The hard part is not knowing what to
expect until your client takes it all off. Bra
lines, skin creases and wrinkles are common
imperfections we have to deal with.”
Sometimes, clients would request shots
that weren’t the most flattering, and it would
take some skill and tact to get them to try
other angles, said Vee.
“People come in different shapes and
forms — shots that look good in the magazines or on the Internet might not suit your
body type.”
Besides finding the best angles, some photographers rely on lighting or even editing
software to make their clients look good on
film.
Lam, also from Petaling Jaya, said touching
up was done only to an acceptable extent and
with the clients’ permission.
“I don’t turn my client into a model —
only the skin tones and lines are evened
out, the fat is still visible. The size, the
dimension and the frame are still there. I
take centimetres off the waist, not inches.”
There are many factors clients should
consider when engaging in such photography, such as privacy and acceptance by
family members, and if the pictures were for
public viewing, Lam said.
Tee did not sign any contract to ensure her
photographs would not be distributed to others.
“I trust the photographer because we are
friends. She destroyed her copies and my CD
is the only copy that is left. But I would advise
others to sign a contract.”
What if she gets estranged from her husband? “I would just take back the CD.”
Single women wanting to have nude portraits taken are also a growing trend.
In the past year alone, Anna has taken on
four assignments from single women.
“I think there has always been interest
among single women for such photos but
most don’t talk about it. It’s amazing the
number of women who do this. I think it’s
great that so many are confident about their
bodies,” she said.
All her nude jobs were done based on trust
so far.
“Somehow, they never requested a contract. But my advice is, find someone who is
legitimate and meet up with them before
deciding.”
Liew, who prepares agreements or exclusive rights contracts for his clients when undertaking such assignments, thinks it is always a good idea to be protected.
n SEE ALSO PAGE 14
Benny Liew says a confidential agreement
or exclusive rights contract is the best way
to ensure one’s pictures will not be abused
Anna Rina says more single women now
want to have their nude portraits taken
Lam Wai Cheong says touching up on nude
photos is not meant to make a model out
of a client
Vee says bra lines, skin creases and
wrinkles are common ‘imperfections’ that
photographers have to deal with