Alexia has to be one of the most beautiful models that I have seen to date. She's very natural, and that is a clear statement about who she is. She isn't afraid to challenge many things in her galleries and to make more than one statement using her body.
Choosing the images for this gallery was a nightmare, and I am afraid that I may not have done the best job. It's very hard selecting the right images when every single image is beautiful and the model is as alluring as Alexia. I just hope that I haven't destroyed her delicate and amazing beauty in the process and that you'll still be able to appreciate it.
There's a backyard feeling to this gallery, something that's recurrent in most of Grace and Beauty galleries. There's a great variety of personalities, models, and beliefs in the United States, and I think that he captures the best of those according to his own nostalgic and simple style. It's generally a hard job choosing a single gallery, and even a bunch of images from there, a lot of galleries are amazing and a lot of models are truly beautiful.
I hope that you'll enjoy this gallery from the United States.
I have little respect for the majority of Hegre's work. The themes seem to significantly repeat themselves. Petter does have superior technical skills and wonderful equipment, and arguably, some of the most beautiful models who ever appeared on nude websites. However, it takes more than that to create beauty.
It takes a vision. Photography often mirrors the photographer's vision, and while reviewing some of his galleries I found many of the images to be disrespectful. Not in the sense of being degrading, but rather in the sense of not capturing the entire beauty of a model, of often being mediocre in the themes, and in being more or less the same despite the fact that the models are often different. I don't know whether it's an issue with Hegre's vision or the fact that producing so many nudes for a 'nudes mill' steals away a photographer's creativity.
The only thing that still makes Hegre retain some appeal is his models. Those wonderful women who appear in his photographs. Their beauty can be so powerful that it overcomes those senseless patterns. This was the case with Muriel.
Muriel comes from Argentina. I originally mistook her for Lola from Walter Bosque Art - they look very similar and Walter Bosque did collaborate with Hegre when Hegre visited Argentina, Hegre did some shoots with Jacqui and Tacha. Muriel and Lola look very similar, but their bodies are different, they're bot beautiful in their unique ways. Walter Bosque did confirm their being two different women.
I just couldn't let Muriel's beauty pass unnoticed. This is why I created this mega gallery, which consists of 96 images from 6 different sets - out of the 60 sets of Muriel that are available at the moment. This gallery is quite big, so it may not be suitable for you if you're on dial-up.
The second thing that I hated about Hegre-Art was his Mr. Right contest. Which basically was a matchmaking service between his models and his members. You became a member, sent a letter to the model who was looking for "Mr. Right", and then you could date her. It sounded like prostitution back then, but after actually talking to some Eastern European women it's not that hard to understand how a competition like that may work without direct exploitation from Hegre.
It's a fact that in the modern world there's an elite, those born in the free world have many privileges; In terms of travel, special treatment abroad - some parts of the Middle East may be the only exception, and civil rights at home. Many people in third world countries - most Eastern and Southern countries - look up to those nations and the visible inequality that can only be overcome through birth, marriage, wealth, or outstanding abilities. The easiest way to get into the aristocracy - those are the same rules that were in place in order to be accepted as a part of the aristocracy, there are even some aristocrats who are squeamish about the idea of 'new money' becoming aristocrats, or to get a citizenship or the permission to live in the free world is arguably marriage. Those women are often trying to escape economic hardship, corruption, or are simply looking for less abusive relationships in cultures that are less macho. Some simply don't want to live their entire lives bumping against low glass ceilings, so they go somewhere else where the ceilings are a bit higher.
Some models from Russia for example get into modeling because they want to travel the world, go to other European countries, not to settle there per se, but just to see how life's really like over there. To get a taste of the freedom that they keep hearing about. It may sound simple for most of the EU citizens. Some people go all over Europe with basically a couple of hundreds of Euros and a backpack. Those young women can't do that, even if they have the money. They need permissions, invitations, or truly significant amounts of money for luxurious tours.
The cultures of those countries were mutilated by communism, gulag systems, and Stasi-like agencies. The free world became free because the revolutionaries were honest enough to give those who supported them the freedom that they all fought for, while for others that freedom was quickly stolen away, by those who were in power. Many old Eastern Europeans are even starting to question the revolutions, since some of them think that nothing much has changed. The stores were empty, but they had the purchasing power, now the stores are stacked with products, but they don't have the money to pay for them. Some people with strong connections were the old regimes suddenly became in power, so it indeed seems to them that nothing has changed.
Some countries were geographically fortunate enough to be close to the forming EU, and reform was being pushed down from the EU, often in exchange for aid. Those countries are making some progress, their citizens feel more free, and some of the people are starting to feel optimistic despite the fact that employment and business opportunities are still based on connections, just like they were back in the soviet days.
However, for the unfortunate countries which are still far away, it means that dreams like the EU will not come true, and now almost universal austerity measures are even making the future more bleak for the citizens of those nations. Which brings us back to the easiest, and sometimes the only, way of having access to the free world, namely, marriage. Which has created the whole mail order bride scheme, in which women do risk their lives, in return for freedom, whether social, civil, or simply economic. The economic part is almost universal, and it may be easy to find rich people in those countries - who are often seen as being corrupt.
However, there's some humiliation in the process of listing oneself up for marital 'adoption'. It basically is a process of selling oneself, in the form of sex or beauty, in exchange for access or admission to that form of aristocracy. Prince charming may be a sex offender, or simply a prince who's not at all charming. There's also the reverse phenomenon, with young men choosing to marry old women from the aristocracy for the exact same reasons.
This means that there indeed is a competition regarding who crosses the border based on merits like physical beauty or sexual attractiveness.
If we apply the same about close neighbors, we can talk about things like the Arizona law. Which I think is only a form of 'palliative' treatment. I don't think that immigrants like standing out in the crowd or the discrimination they face, but rather they're forced out. The true political remedy would be supporting civil rights in those countries where immigrants come from, achieving equality, and then removing all the artificial borders. Back in the dark ages there were no real borders, but people mostly stayed where they are, that because the technology was the same, and you could, for the most part, leave if you didn't like the rules of your tribe/group.
Anyway, Hegre may have started this matchmaking service upon the request of his models, as a way of helping them fulfill their dreams. I think that it's as bad as mail-order brides, but some of the models came from places like France - which for the most part is free, with the exception of some weird laws. The models get to choose, and it's not as straightforward as pay and have this model - a mail-order bride shop, where the most beautiful Barbie doll wins.
But even freedom has its enemies from within, stupid bills are being passed/proposed more than before. The Founding Fathers had remarkable foresight when they said the following words:
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions."
So, it's not as bad as it first seemed. The exploitation isn't Hegre's fault, it's the fault of human inequality and artificial borders.
At the cinema: A beautiful naked woman is relaxing in her house, enters another lady: "Helen, what are you doing staying here like that? have you no shame?". Helen grumbles in her usual defiant way that she has every right to do whatever she wants and that the old lady needs to loosen up. Helen has just been portrayed as a 'bad' woman.
Why does it have to be that way? Why can't Helen be an ordinary beautiful lady who finds no reason to wear restrictive apparel on a hot summer day. A lady who knows that she is beautiful and finds no shame in showing her body just in the same way that she has no shame to share her personality and her beliefs with the world? Why couldn't the old lady respond by commenting that it indeed is a hot day and then decide to be as free as Helen, while sharing a story about the restrictive habits of the past? Or just move as usual without making a comment.
I think that there's nothing strange about nudity, and I know that many people agree with me, but such scenes are not just strange, but they're kind of perverse. Normal people can enjoy being who they are, and other people can live with it. There are many nudists, and they don't have any major issues except with the occasional close-minded visitors.
Beautiful ordinary girl can enjoy being nude, some of them even make it a special occasion, with a photographer, and total pride. Those are the beautiful women that you see here.
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Technical note: I think that this is one of the best sets yet by Dwayne and Leanne, it's very simple yet very powerful. The poses of Jacqueline are full of pride, pride for being human, for being alive, and for being able to grasp the meaning of life. The poses are very striking, and they're full of wonderful messages. I don't want to spoil the riddles for you, so you are welcome to take a look.
There are many special things about the artwork of Craig Morey. He's the photographer behind most of the images (trash?) at LSG, but he still manages to make most of those sets more presentable and actually quite artistic on his own website. I think that it's a story of how corporate mentality can damage perfect beauty.
I admit that his sets are quite explicit, but - I can't believe I am saying this - they're not vulgar. Yes, you can see the model's vulva, but there's nothing shameful about it. There's no unnecessary attention. Actually, there's some sort of a very personal feminine pride in those images, and I have to salute him and his models for it.
He apparently really likes simplicity, and I quite like his style myself. I think that most of his American sets look better than those shot in Prague or London. Most of his American models look like real girls who are very brave. I will be publishing another gallery of his with a different model soon and you will see what I mean.
American nudes can just be as good as those produced anywhere else. There's no shortage of photographers, talent, or equipment. I just don't really know what's wrong. Maybe it's the general attitude about nudity. Let's just hope that a day will come when Janet Jackson or any other celebrity can be willingly nude on TV without anyone complaining about it.
Women have been punished for their beauty many times throughout human history. There have been hundreds of stereotypes used to target their depravity if they dared to take control of their bodies or their beauty. Prostitution was a word used to denote things that are now considered normal such as cohabitation. Docility and humility were the standards of beauty. A woman who accepted the chains was considered the most beautiful of all.
I simply look at Klaudia and wonder about the progress that has been made. Nudes are still considered immoral and shameful, regardless of whether they depict a noble ideal or the debasement and degradation of bravery. The models still face many real life troubles for what they do. If the model is not a famous model, if she's just an extraordinary girl from the crowds, then all the comments will be related to the anatomy of her body. I don't know if this is our modern-day punishment for a woman who takes the chance to dream and to aspire or if it's just basic media-driven conditioning.
It is a true tragedy. For neither the brave woman nor the thinking viewer have the respect that they deserve. Those amazing nudes just remain confined to a niche, to connoisseurs, just like most works of culture. To be replaced by the basic works that target sexuality - softcore - or some other works that provide no cerebral stimulation whatsoever.
Tasteful nudes are almost like a mystic dance, the poses represent small pieces of the greater puzzle of life. They serve as a reminder and as a source of inspiration. They're distinctly human, and they have a uniting force. They also serve as a blank canvas, to be filled with one's imagination by the most honorable of human qualities. Then they start serving as a model.
The models must be beautiful in real life, for beauty is very distinct from physical attractiveness. I am quite sure that the picture that our minds paint are very similar to what can be found in real life.
Beauty certainly deserves more respect, and more understanding. I am sure that true beauty will be produced, no matter the artificial barriers. And it will always find an audience, even if that audience is only compromised of a few hundreds of people.
Ariel is a very well-known model in the world of nudes. She has her own website and has appeared on almost every website that you can think of. However, she often collaborates with photographers who aren't that interested in the production of tasteful nudes. This time it's different.
It did come as a surprise when I read Stefan Soell's name on this gallery. Even more surprising was the fact that he created a lot of explicit images in this particular photo shoot. It's no secret that Stefan has recently been pressured to create more explicit nudes and he often complied by producing a couple of explicit pictures here and there, but this gallery was full of them. However, he still managed to create some beautiful and tasteful nudes that you can see here.
I certainly hope that Stefan will keep on producing tasteful nudes. I don't really understand why he yield to such pressure. He's the only FEMJOY photographer whose name appears on every image that he creates and his pictures has helped make FEMJOY what it is today. All I can do is hope that he won't abandon capturing beauty for anatomy-textbooks style pictures.
Anyway, I hope that you will enjoy this FEMJOY gallery of Ariel by Stefan Soell.
Books are one of the few sources of pleasure in life. Their ability to absorb and ignite one's imagination is unmatched by television and the Internet (that is unless you're reading books on your computer). That encompassing quality is unsurpassed by anything else.
Personally, what I like about good photography books, despite their relative lack of words, is the fact that they're tangible and are beautifully arranged. I can bookmark a page and keep coming to it over and over again, or I can flip through one of them in the morning when I am having my coffee for inspiration.
So, I decided to make a list of books that look tempting. This list is more of a wishlist than of a list of the books that I do have, but those are the books that I am very likely to buy right away. I hope that you do like this list.
If you do have a favorite book that I missed then please feel free to mention it. I will be glad to add it to my wishlist. :)
Beauty represents power. It represents freedom. Freedom from the influence of the society and its constant pressure for conformity and mediocrity. That's what makes beautiful women so threatening, they represent all the beautiful values of humanity. The values that, when discovered, helps us realize the beauty of life.
How often can we experience something great? Something that helps us know and realize our true potential, our own power, our own values, our own beauty? It takes courage to experience such a thing, to be enshrouded in its light. I think that's why beauty is so vilified by all those who worship mediocrity, who abhor individuality, and who hate freedom. It helps us break free from that cycle of slavery.
It is true that you become a slave to others when you mindlessly submit to their whims and rules. It is indeed dangerous when someone starts a rebellion by simply discovering her/his freedom and by showing everyone the superiority of having those unique human values, the values that we have learned to hate.
A simple smile showing the benevolence of it all is dangerous. Someone admiring that smile is even more dangerous. It is funny that a bold message need not be hidden in order to be invisible. Beauty has such a message, a message that many people just can't see.
Try to throw all that you've been told about nude women behind you for a second and take a simple look at a picture capturing an instance of beauty. That sort of empowering generosity is not evil, it's human. It's a true shame that we now consider ourselves evil.
Just think.
From one of the most exotic places on Earth comes a strong and a rare form of beauty, captured by a doctor who was captivated and determined to help show it to the world.
When I first heard about Joel Pelerin I was told that he comes from a place called the Reunion island, an overseas region of France that's to the east of Madagascar. A hidden Shangri-la in the middle of the Indian ocean.
He says that he wants to show the world the "metissage", or the mescigenetic - mixed ethnic - origins of most of those wonderful women of that Eden. The pulchritude that radiates from the models who collaborate with him is marvelous. One rarely comes across that sort of bravery and beauty from a place that's so close to Africa.
Honestly, I don't think that place or color matter that much. It's challenging the established rules which are designed to keep people from pursuing happiness through actions that do not inflict harm on others. Challenging every artificial barrier will mean that one will be more capable of coming up with unconventional ideas, those are the ideas that change the world. Change is something that we all desperately need. Those women are discovering their potential and helping others discover theirs, may their rekindled passion retain its vigor. This is what we truly need, new ideas.
There are a lot of things in the world that every one of us cherishes, it's one of the things that make us special. We have all those warm memories, all those moments, and all those ideas and beliefs that we hold. Beauty represents all of that for each of us, and that's why it's so special.
Anyone who is into wine tasting knows the value of a glass of fine wine, all the memories and smells that it carries; the sun that suddenly shines out of nowhere, the meadows, and the vineyards are some of the visions that some may have. I think that it is this fantastic nature of it that makes fine wine so expensive.
However, wine is material, beauty isn't, and that makes it much more powerful in my opinion. It's out there, and it is, more often than not, absolutely free. It is this non-inhibited nature of beauty that makes it so despised; that's why it is often considered a bohemian value in our world of pure order and classification. We strangle our own senses through that mundane system; an average person sees a nude picture and he or she will gasp and call it obscene, or will just dismiss it as a product of perversity, without even thinking about it, and he or she will feel satisfied for that quick judgment. It is this exact lack of connection with beauty that makes us often feel very powerless.
Yes, we will make it on the deadline, we will get that degree, but there's a lot of scarring along the way if you don't manage to rediscover your passion for beauty and your connection to it. That's what will make the journey enjoyable; unless you take an occasional rest, a dash along the most beautiful trail in the world will still leave you breathless.
Note: This is the first gallery from Michelle 7, it's one of those rare websites out there that offer premium fine art nudes. It has left a very good impression of me so far, but I am yet to fully explore all of the beauty that's there. There will probably be more to come from there.
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