At first glance, I wasn't very impressed with David-Nudes. It looked like another ordinary website of a photographer trying to make some money by listing some of his works. However, after a closer inspection it turned out that he has a slightly different approach.
The first thing that a user may notice is that the entire website is publicly accessible, and it seems to have been like that for a few months now. After delving deeper into the website the sets don't really look that different from the sets that you may find at any other website, except that you can sometimes see the reactions on the models faces and notice that he doesn't use the same techniques and settings over and over again. David sometimes accompanies his sets with a tutorial containing a description of the concept behind those sets and even how he created those sets, and this is something to be respected, even though it may restrict one's interpretation of some of his beautiful works.
There are also video interviews of the models, which simply add to one's fascination and gives the person a glimpse into the model's personalities and souls, thus helping him appreciate the art more fully and to realize that models aren't passive subjects in nude photography.
He also made some photoshoots with a wonderful model named Olya, showing the beauty in the variety of human bodies. It is something that I really appreciated and respected.
Anyway, this website has the potential to be one of the best websites out there. We will just have to wait and see how it turns out, I am very optimistic.
I haven't featured a lot of drawings on Graceful Nudes before, but I am honored to make an exception to show you a small collection of outstanding drawings of Jacques Miller.
Drawings show the beauty the artist sees, just like photography, but in drawings the artist has more control on what she sees and what she draws. By inspecting the drawings of Jacques Miller one can really see his view of the world and his grasp of beauty. It takes a lot of practice and a developed aesthetical sense to produce such beautiful pieces.
It's not strange for a man who gave the world so much to give it much more, perfect beauty.
Enjoy!
This is a beautiful new set from Body In Mind, which is accompanied by the following paragraph by Dwayne Bell:
"We at Body in Mind are always telling people that beauty can save the world. And we mean it. But rarely does a beauty come along who perfectly illustrates our point. How does it work? Simple. If you're a young man, and you're healthy and possess a normal sex drive, you will find Klaudia very beautiful, and you will begin to fantasize about her. If you have a mind you will fantasize not only about sex with her, but about having her as a girlfriend, about her falling in love with you and so on. And if you're a moral man, you will know that to make this happen you will have to earn it, you will have to impress her as much as she's impressed you. And to do that, you will have to do something great. That is how beauty will save the world. It makes intelligent, moral men great. Start saving yourself, and the world, today, at Body In Mind." - Dwayne Bell
While I have a lot of respect for Dwayne Bell and Body In Mind, I have to disagree with what he has said in the previous paragraph.
It may be true that this is how inspiration works for some people, I am not sure as this has never been the way in which I saw the power of beauty.
Young men aren't the only ones who admire beauty, there are a lot of older men who do appreciate this beauty as much as any young man or even better, as their own interpretation of the images comes from a long experience in life and not hormonal urges, which isn't the way with which all young men view those images.
Men fantasize about a lot of things, they may fantasize about celebrities or various women. While they may think that all those women are beautiful, it's not always so. Universal beauty transcends attraction or even fantasy, it may invoke the powers of imagination and the sense of morality that is present in all human beings, but it doesn't yield to basic instincts.
What a person described in that paragraph experiences is not beauty, it is a combination of greed and sexual desire, which should not undergo a process of rationalization in order to be considered normal or natural. I don't think that a lot of people have fantasized about having sex with a subject of a classical painting that contains a nude representation of female beauty.
Unfortunately, I feel that Dwayne is somehow endorsing this kind of possessive behavior. I don't really think that making Klaudia sound like a trophy or a material thing to be earned is the right way to talk about beauty or its ability to alleviate pain or inspire heroic actions. I somehow feel that this concept was infiltrated by the current consumption trends: you can earn whatever you want as long as you work for it.
This view is somehow self-centered and doesn't give Klaudia the appreciation she deserves. A person who forgets the gaze and the eyes for a woman's bosom loses a lot. Bosoms are shared by all women, they're something that is dictated by physiological processes, or in other words are purely physical. The beauty I see is deeper than that, even though a lot of it may be based on the imagination of certain traits and psychological qualities, it is far more complex than simple curves, and most importantly more unique.
Beauty belongs to the realm of the abstract, the elusive ethereal qualities of life that can positively influence our actions. Not the realm of mindless sexual impulses or sexual fantasies.
For instance, what mainly attracted me to this gallery was the gaze of Klaudia and her attitude. A power manifests itself in her dark lucid eyes that almost belongs to the world or mythical heroines, she looks as if she's determined to achieve something. Imagination takes it from there, what is it that she's trying to achieve? Is it the end of all wars? Is it an ultimate cure for cancer? Is it the end of suffering?
She then becomes a role model, a source of true inspiration. Her beauty to me is that she, at least in my head, is trying to save the world, trying to do what no other human being has dared to do, she wants to stop people from harming each other, she doesn't care about fame as long as she does the noble thing.
I am not saying that this is what every man sees. I can't claim to know how others view the world, but in all cases I hope that they're not seeing it in the way that Dwayne has described.
Why do I associate nudity with beauty? What does self-respect have to do with it? Am I helping in the destruction of the self-image of some women?
There are a lot of reasons why a nude woman is beautiful, and those reasons have nothing to do with a wish to see more naked bodies. A nude woman is speaking for a lot of things by being nude, she is showing self-acceptance and a belief in her own strength. She's also showing trust in those around her, she's telling you that she's respecting your humanity and that she has trust in you. Clothes have many functions, one of which is to tell men that they're "sexual monsters".
A nude woman isn't a victim, she's not willing to victimize herself and she can defend herself well. She's not weak, she's strong. She believes in her powers and in her own beauty, those beliefs are sufficient to make her the most beautiful woman in the world.
A nude woman has conquered many inhibitions, has gone past the point of caring about the negative feedback from others about how her body looks. She came to be comfortable with any "blemishes" and transformed them into decorations that adorn her soul.
A woman doesn't need an image or a picture of another woman to feel beautiful. Beauty comes from the soul and then radiates outwards, instead of blaming a picture or some women who spend their days wasting their time in Gym's we should blame the insecurities.
A woman who spends endless hours caring about how she looks is trying to get approval of others and of herself. She is not comfortable in her skin. That's where the problem is. It may be true that women in real life may not look the same as the women that are represented here as "ideals of beauty". but they can be more beautiful. You can converse with a woman in real life, but you can't know the dreams or ambitions of a model. You can't really know the person, all you can do is use your imagination to fill in the blanks.
A woman should believe in herself and in her own powers, nudity is just one way through which those beliefs can be channeled and that's why it should be respected and cherished.
That's why I respect Deirdre, and that's why I find her beautiful.
A white canvas, the color of angels
Shining, pristine, beautiful
Unstained and free
A snake sees it
It wants to seize it
With its fangs it makes a scar
Innocence, is not what you are
A white canvas, stained with toxins
The work of man
In a gallery for all to see
Brushes tearing it apart
Smeared by lipstick
Colored with warts of epilation
The stains are clinging to it
Nowhere to escape
Trying to cork the holes
Seeping, bleeding, leaking
The corks absorb it all, sucking some innocence
Thrown around by the hands of strangers
Bruises or stains, it can not tell anymore
A longing for the fireplace
For destruction takes over her life
Black from all the stains
It realizes it has been burned
A thousand times.
"Beauty is not the same thing as decoration. Decoration is something you put on things that by themselves are not beautiful. For example a cake, or a dance hall. A beautiful woman, therefore, should never be decorated - no jewellery, no nail paint, no tattoos. This is because beautiful women are the decoration of the world, and as soon as you decorate them, our attention is drawn away from the aesthetic harmony between woman and the world and is focused on her bracelets, or her lingerie, or anything else used to decorate her. But when a woman like Deirdre is stripped of all decoration, then we see her true beauty, without distraction, and a barren spring morning becomes beautiful." - Dwayne Bell
I absolutely agree with every word that Dwayne has said. However, it is not true that the accessories that a model can wear are always distracting. The proof to this lies in this gallery, Deirdre has red pain on her toe nails, but this doesn't necessarily subtract anything from the quality of the gallery.
I think that Dwayne's real point is that a woman doesn't need any decoration to be beautiful, she is beautiful all by herself and has everything she needs in order to show the world the real wonderful human being that she can be.
It's a disgrace that we still can't get rid of the prejudice and the false impressions surrounding female nudity. We still are judgemental about others and it seems that the main objection to giving this freedom to women is just that, most societies don't want to give women more freedom.
Even most of the websites that barely make it on Graceful Nudes have a similar attitude about female nudity, it all comes down to revenues and the commodification of models. Even when one doesn't discuss the pay models receive, there's still a big ethical gap in the way the models are treated. I don't think that a model just gets into a hypersexualized state once she's in front of the camera. It's just a way of advertisement, telling the male-dominated audience of websites that are marketing nudity that these females are sexually available by using subconscious or conscious sexual cues, thereby confining the model to the role that she plays in the traditional "barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen" fantasy, satisfying the basic sexual urges of the visitors, and having a higher account balance at the bank.
And It's not getting better.
I was contacted about a month ago by a visitor who was asking for my opinion regarding joining Abby Winters, after prolonged discussions I told him to go for it, especially when they were going to split the website. Now that the website has been split, I completely regret telling him to give them a single penny. The initial new design after the split was of a model in the lordosis position, and now their newsletter videos are full of the weird sexuality that's found at every other porn website. Long gone are the days of free uninhibited sexuality of models who are in control, not models who are being controlled.
It isn't just confined to Abby Winters. Most of other websites now have a tendency towards featuring the cheap, grotesque, and quick-money kind of sets that the visitors who are looking for porn keep asking for. I don't really know what's happening, but this attitude certainly is going to ruin everything beautiful that they supposedly are fighting for.
However, no matter where every other website is heading. I will always keep fighting for female beauty and the empowerment of females everywhere, we all should if we want our western culture to truly progress and flourish in a free world.
Nudity is a symbol of freedom and not a fantasy of some perverted males. This freedom means even more freedom for minds everywhere and more development. I think it will solve a lot of problems in a lot of places that our governments are condoning through avoiding them.
Who knows, maybe it's just a storm that will calm after a while. Meanwhile, let's all keep enjoying tasteful nudes that are both inspiring and respectful.
I think that the thing that's making many miss the main point of tasteful nudes is the quick labelling that we're used to in real life. When viewing tasteful nudes your job isn't to label or to judge, your goal should be a profound enjoyment of beauty while transcending material thoughts or any distractions, i.e. it should be similar to meditation; approached with a clear open mind and a passion for the life forces and the discovery of truth, whatever that truth may be.
Let's imagine that you're at a park and that you encountered a magnificently beautiful rose, the rose's beauty stopped you from thinking about your worries, your fears, and the bombarding thoughts that are racing through your head. You no longer hear the barking of the dogs or the noise of the children, the rose absorbs your complete and absolute attention with its simple beauty.
What would you do if you're in that situation?
I liken those who suddenly have an urge to pick that flower and to deprive the world and itself from its selfless beauty as those who start having sexual fantasies about the models. Not that sexual fantasies are wrong, but sex is beauty that's shared, not beauty that's forcibly taken, not even in one's head.
Others may just look away and get back to their train of thoughts, continue being distracted and even regret "wasting" a few seconds contemplating the beauty of the rose. Those not only lose an opportunity to have a few rare moments of inner peace which may enhance their ordinary daily functions, but they also miss the point of life. Sometimes one needs to be a machine, but not giving the machine some rest will lead to quick erosion of its parts.
Also, There are those who will mindlessly point at the flower and start talking about its sexual function and the evolutionary benefit of flowers represented in their ability to attract certain species of insects that will aid in the pollination process and the reproduction of those plants. It's great knowing the function of something, but that function should lead to even more fascination, not total obsession. There's no point in pointing at nude female bodies and saying that those forms are the result of eons of sexual and natural selection without seeing the complete picture and appreciating what one sees, with an open mind and beautiful emotions.
Then there are those who ideally start inspecting every aspect of the flowers beauty, see how the lines and curves join together to form that picturesque view. They pay attention to the fine details that others miss in their hurry, they let themselves take what the rose is trying to give the world, which is simple beauty. Those benefit the most and rediscover themselves and life through the simple dedication of a few moments to unleash their pure human emotions and to get to know their true self without any artificial boundaries or limitations.
I think that we all can lead more satisfying lives if we take a few moments each day to enjoy life, in all its magnificence and beauty. Seeing beyond the material rose and aiming for the higher meanings that can direct us towards a better future and alleviate the stresses of our modern lives.
Experience beauty!
Everyone has a side in himself/herself that knows exactly what it takes to achieve the life that s/he want to lead. This side does show itself many times and guides our actions, however, we often lose the balance and let laziness take over. We forget our goals and our lives and become nothing but a hollow picture that is moved around by others. We lose control, and become a part of the faceless crowd, and even find our safety in that crowd.
While there may be safety in numbers in the wild, it isn't true in our modern societies and lives. Everyone of us is unique, yet we consign to desperation and start blaming others for our own mistakes. What's bad in our lives is a direct result of us not nourishing and embracing that positive side of us, that part that knows how to be successful and how to lead a fulfilling life.
To me, beauty activates that side. It makes it stronger, not by evoking some fatuous instinct-driven fantasies, but by helping me guide my compass once again to the pre-set destination, to the ultimate dream. It's not an incentive or something that I want to get, it simply works as a catalyst.
Is it related to sexuality? Even unconsciously?
I don't have an exact answer to that. While I am sure that I don't get any sexual gratification from viewing beauty, let it be in a museum or an art exhibition, or even have a wish of meeting the people featured in those pictures, I only get this result from female nudes.
I have a strong tendency to think that it's because the pictures featuring human subjects are more beautiful, and since the female anatomy is less stark and less threatening than male anatomy it's female nudity that evokes that response rather than male nudity. I think that there may be another biological instinct taking control here, as by mythical representation of male power a male may attribute imaginary powers to the male featured in the pictures and this may elicit a flight rather than a fight response. You wouldn't want to meet Zeus on a rainy day.
Cowardice creates guilt, guilt kills inspiration.
The fact that beauty has a positive effect on that better side may be another reason why it represents a great opportunity to get rid of depression. It helps that side maintain the balance once again, and equilibrium means progress in this case, which is what all human beings should be striving for.
It eliminates the "It would be great if.." from one's mind and replace it with "I will do" That's one of the many positive aspects about it.
It simply helps you rediscover yourself and to rediscover hidden parts of your psyche.
Feel beauty, and improve your life!
Sometimes one becomes adrift in the sea of life. Led by nothing and surrounded by darkness, it is then that one forgets how it was like being in the light. Depression is a reality, stalking you in the shadows and waiting until you reach the zenith of happiness to take over your life and to rob you of joy.
However, even in the darkest abyss of depression, there always is a light of hope. It's this light that we should look forward to, with a naked soul. So that we can be in control of the ship once again, and to be able to look at our compass through the fog.
In my opinion, beauty is one of the most important elements in the spectrum of that light.
That's what I thought when I saw this gallery. We can always regain control, but you need to find the catalysts that will make it quicker for us to reach our destination before too much damage is done.
Copyright © 2007 GracefulNudes.com.
