! JANUARY 2, 2011 Sexy pictures as wedding gifts Eileen ding picture of Nude pre-wed r husband’s back. — he Lui straddling of Yeh Poh Chung sy Picture courte 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 shedd married cou in inhibit g their clo ples are also io Pictur ns post-w thes and e cour e tesy o dding. — f Anna 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