Photography is more popular than ever. While some future-focused photographers blend modes and styles, others want to capitalise on the latest trend in “intimate” photography. Nude and boudoir shoots have exploded in popularity in Australia. The photographers offering them say the work is emotional, fulfilling and mind-bending.
When Jaq, owner of Gang of Babes Photography in Melbourne, decided to offer shoots with nudity, she had a very specific vision. ‘It’s not about sexy,’ Jaq tells ArtsHub. ‘It’s about body neutrality. It’s about saying, “You know what? This body has got me this far. And we’re just going to honour that, in this moment of my life.”’
Intimate photography clients are diverse. Some are recovering from cancer, childbirth or heartbreak. Jaq works with clients in their own homes for her brand of intimate photography, which she calls Home Body shoots. She has lengthy conversations with her clients before entering the shoot, and the conversation continues as they prepare the house and then glide into the shoot itself.
In establishing an environment of vulnerability and safety, Jaq is often surprised at the conversations that take place during the shoots. ‘We end up having big chats,’ she tells ArtsHub. ‘Everyone I’ve photographed has these moments of confidence and empowerment.
‘One client of mine talked me through her entire family and how she’s proud of her body for mothering two kids, how she’s falling in love with her husband again and feels at home in her body. Just how alive she felt.’
With that client, Jaq shared a couple of edited photos in the hours after the shoot. ‘I want them to see at least a couple of photos pretty quickly after,’ she says, ‘so they’re still in that joyful space we’ve just established in the shoot.’ The client replied to Jaq immediately, saying that she was overjoyed.
Later that night, the client suddenly died from a brain aneurysm. Jaq founder herself in the surprising and honoured position of capturing this woman in some of the final hours of her life. She delivered the photos to the client’s husband and also offered an intimate conversation between the photographer and the client. The experience shook her.
‘It’s this thing I talk about all the time,’ says Jaq, ‘for any photo shoot – the question is “who is this for?” And, of course, it’s for you, so you can feel empowered and confident. But it’s also for your kids and grandchildren. To capture this particular moment in time, to show a part of yourself that would go unseen. When kids are grown up and look at these beautiful shots, they’ll be able to say, “Wow, my mum is beautiful and a total badass!”’
Intimate photography’s spectacular rise
Marta Andrzejewska and Steven Mikoczi are partners in life and profession. They are both photographers who currently work for Verve Photography, a studio with offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Since Verve began offering “intimate” photo shoots late last year, Mikoczi tells ArtsHub they’ve been overwhelmed by the format’s popularity.
‘There’s a lot of diversity,’ he says, ‘from people in their twenties to their fifties. Couples and individuals. Some are getting past something. Some are in the best shape of their lives and want to capture it. We expected a lot of cis women to be our customers, but a lot of cis men have taken it up, which has been great.’
Mikoczi tells the story of a former MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter who found a sense of tenderness and softness in his body through the shoot. ‘It ends up being quite therapeutic,’ Mikoczi says. ‘I’ve been surprised. As long as you approach it with an open heart and a focus on empowering them, you end up with these amazing results.’
These days, Andrzejewska is often behind the camera, while Mikoczi meets with the client to review their photos. Any initial hesitations about facilitating “sexy” atmospheres have vanished, even as a lone female photographer conducting shoots with solo men.
‘It’s all about the chat beforehand,’ says Andrzejewska, echoing Jaq’s experience in establishing a specific framework before the shoot begins. ‘It’s professional and safe, which means everyone can be vulnerable.’
Shooting intimate portraiture has been part of Andrzejewska’s practice for years. ‘It started with my mum, actually,’ she says. ‘And then it grew from there. I love being able to empower women. It’s work I feel very honoured to do. Ultimately, everyone wants to be seen. It’s nice to be seen. It’s a real privilege to capture someone like that.’
Intimate photography empowering women
Jill Kerswill has worked as a photographer for over 20 years. Operating out of Brisbane, she offers boudoir and “empowerment” sessions focusing on feminine beauty. ‘It’s a unique privilege,’ she tells ArtsHub. ‘It’s one step away from therapy, or that’s what it feels like.’
Kerswill reached an international viral flashpoint in 2016 with Positively Glittered. ‘It started when a stranger on the internet contacted me and wanted me to meet them in a field at three in the morning,’ Kerswill laughs. The result was nude group photo shoots of bodies covered with glitter. The idea exploded, and Kerswill and her team have since toured the country with the format.
Kerswill’s political vision is clear. ‘As a female photographer, I can remove the male gaze from my sessions, and so it’s about celebrating female bodies with the female gaze,’ she says. ‘It’s quite subversive. You can contact me privately and do your private shoot, but never share the photos with anyone. It’s when people start thinking about how they’ll be perceived that they close down.’
In this way, Kerswill says, her clients’ experiences are frequently transformative in their relationship with their bodies.
‘My industry does have a problem with predatory male photography,’ Kerswill continues. ‘It’s also generational. I know a lot of older people don’t get it.’
But for Kerswill and others like her, the intimate photo shoot can serve as ‘a little piece of healing,’ she says. ‘It’s an act of radical vulnerability.’ While all the photographers who spoke to ArtsHub are different in style, all commented on their work’s empowering and privileged position.
