Eternal beauty, that's what nude photography is all about. Showing how beauty can always survive hatred, wars, blood-shed, senseless dogmas, lies, and massacres. It's the essence of everything, the blessing that no one can rob you of. They may try calling those wonderful models name and falsely claiming that their courage is the source of misery in this world to serve their own purposes, but they can never kill beauty or its appreciation in anyone of us.
Why?, just open this gallery in a new tab and click on any image. It will tell you all the things that I can't describe, it will give you the key to happiness and tell you the secrets of life. It will teach all the things that no educational system being employed in any country can teach. I by no means have the ability to teach you what a single image of those can, not even in a century.
Never be too afraid to learn!
I recently watched an excerpt of a video by Jean Kilbourne that's called Killing Us Softly 3, she was basically discussing how advertising and the media has helped in influencing human beings' perception of beauty all over the world. She is right and I agree with what she is saying there, but I had a sudden realization, I distribute media Online and may even be influencing others' perception of beauty, am I contributing to this?, Have I become one of those whom I hate?
I certainly feature pictures of excessively thin young women, even more, I applaud their beauty without drawing the lines and explaining what I exactly mean. It may be strange that I have never noticed it.
Well, I don't think that I am. I rarely even consider that flat stomach or perfect skin whenever I post a gallery to Graceful Nude, what I see is the whole picture, a beautiful young woman who's enjoying being free and unafraid of sharing her whole beauty with us. The outer beauty is only skin deep, this is not the beauty that I mean. I mainly mean the virtue of getting rid of all that pressure and blessing the world with a smile. Take this gallery for example, it may not be the best gallery I have here on Graceful Nudes but Tiffany has convinced me to feature it with nothing but her smile. I doubt that any woman in her place won't look just as beautiful as she is.
Perfect skin doesn't exist. I only know a few website that do digitally modify the skin of their models to make it "perfect, smooth, and attractive". I won't name those websites, I just don't feature any galleries that have been blatantly modified. The skin is nothing but the outer shell of a radiant soul that's willing to share its kindness and virtue; it means nothing.
I hope that this clarifies everything a bit. I will let you enjoy those galleries now.
Beauty is one of the abstract ideas that are very hard to grasp, there are a lot of persons out there who spend a lot of time trying to define it and to restrict it to certain qualities and values. Beauty is a relative thing, but there are some shared qualities that make a woman beautiful, those are the qualities that some philosophies are trying to represent, and Simple Nudes is one of those philosophies.
No, it's not yet-another-simple-nudes-vs-super-nudes argument, it's just a neutral view of a fan of both philosophies.
Simple nudes have a lot of good principles, the first of which is that natural beauty is more important than artificial one. To me, this means that a woman being herself is more beautiful than a woman trying to be someone else. Being herself means that she's confident and very comfortable with who she is, which is ironically one of the main qualities that super nudes attribute to super beauty. There are no commercials there, no lies, and no fake things. She's not nude for the sake of nudity, she's nude for the sake of freedom.
However, in practice Domai doesn't follow this rigorously, sometimes having strange nudes and labelling them as simple nudes, this often contradicts with its main philosophy. There are some common things in some of Domai's gallery that make me cringe, the most prominent of which is the use of nail polish and very neutral facial expressions in most of the galleries. Anxiety taints natural beauty, which is what they're trying to represent after all.
Also, by contrast sometimes the focus of the image is the models body. The presence of close-ups in most of the galleries and the request for full-breasted models on their photographers' page contradict once again with their philosophy. Which is to enjoy non-sexual beauty for what it is, not what others are telling us is supposed to be.
Sometimes I feel that the photographer concentrates on the model's nudity instead of focusing on her beauty and the feelings that this state gives her.
We don't live in an ideal world, therefore I understand some of those shortcomings, that's why I often go there, it would be great if we can get rid of them though.
On the other hand, super nudes, mainly represented by Body in Mind, offers what can be considered unrestricted beauty. By getting rid of all of the limits(they don't have a lot of erotic or insipid pictures there though), they promise to deliver the most beautiful pictures out there and capturing real beauty which isn't the simple "natural beauty", for natural beauty is enhanced by the artificial beauty which is the beauty that comes from the mind or in other words the model's personality.
Capturing a model's personality isn't an easy task and that's why some of their pictures don't deliver what they promise. However, I don't remember seeing a lot(any?) of close-ups there. Every image is aesthetically fulfilling.
With an update rate less than that of Domai, they claim to concentrate more on quality rather than quantity. It's easy to understand that, but honestly some of their galleries don't completely follow their standards and sometimes I feel strange when they use the word sexy to describe their models. Their theory is great and most of their updates follow their philosophy well, and I don't always like the text accompanying the galleries. For example, their latest gallery of Natalie Oxley has this paragraph:
"Guys, how many times in your life have you been sitting beside a beautiful girl at a party or friend's place and started to imagine her naked? Lost count? Us too. That's why we love this set of Natalie Oxley by R.L. Wainwright. It's like we were sitting chatting with Natalie and then she just started to strip for the fun of it. Instead of just imagining a world full of babes who love stripping off and showing off, enjoy the very real world of Body in Mind, and the happily nude ladies we adore."
This reminds me with the weird statement of Simple Nudes that you're supposed to stare at every beautiful woman walking down the street(I often am too busy to look, or have something better to do). For instance, I have never imagined a beautiful woman naked, why would I?, A beautiful woman doesn't want to hide her body, she will be comfortable being who she is, and if she's that beautiful(=interesting) then I will probably be too busy conversing with her to imagine her naked.
To me(or to Graceful Nudes, if you want to consider it a distinct philosophy), beauty isn't an obsession, it is something that makes life more fulfilling. Beauty resists aging, it comes from the mind and radiates outwards covering the while woman. Her being naked just gives you a chance to appreciate her whole beauty, her nudity represents her self-respect, appreciation of freedom, and confidence. It's not a "have sex with me", but rather a "here I am, beautiful and true" kind of nudity.
I respect both Simple Nudes and Super Nudes, for the beauty they represent and their unique approach to a subject that's often misrepresented. In my opinion, they both provide a unique experience that must be appreciated. They offer a variety that enriches the same subject. I currently prefer super nudes to simple nudes, but my opinion often fluctuates. It's that I now have a strange attraction towards vibrant colors, which are abundant in super nudes but are rare in simple nudes. My advice is that you enjoy both philosophies and then to have your own opinion. I assure you that it's going to be a very fulfilling experience.
We often search for miracles in the wrong places; looking for them in the sky or in trivial everyday coincidences, but we rarely inspect the beauty around us to learn that this beauty is the best miracle of all, not that it's rare, but that it's a true gift of nature, not to its bearer only, but to those surrounding him/her.
Looking at this amazing gallery of Corinna you can't help but notice her beauty and charisma that permeate every image. She has got what it takes to be a beautiful woman: self-confidence, a radiant smile, and the willingness to share that smile with the rest of the world, that's true divinity.
No matter what happens, we should always be glad to have women who are as beautiful as Corinna in this world.
I hope that you will enjoy this gallery by Stefan Soell.
Sometimes a single image can bring a lot of emotions that are buried deep inside one's soul, bring out his/her humanity, and make him feel like s/he's one of the knights in the Arthurian legend. An image the strips you of all your masks and peers deep into your soul to stir all the water that you have been trying to keep stagnant in the well of callousness.
This image and those that are like it are very rare indeed, especially in nude imagery, an art that's being sabotaged by the so-called erotic art, their mere existence can give you a look down a beautiful model's soul, a message that her beauty is trying to convey.
To me, the most beautiful part of any human body is the face, not for the complexity of the structures underlying it, but for all the brief glimpses into the soul that it can give. A smile can alleviate all the pain in the world, but few persons care to share it with the rest of humanity.
Nikkala Stott is one of those few persons in this world who are willing to share their beauty, kindness, and the perfect moral code that can be found inside every one of us. Her semi-nudity is her way of showing us the true meaning of purity, she is the best teacher in the world, as every beautiful woman is.
In this set, even when she takes off her bra, she does it in a very innocent way, it's almost like a heavenly experience. The breasts, her body, or even her nakedness are what your eyes see, your eyes cease to see a body or to see Nikkala, all you see is the radiance of her pure beauty, moral thoughts, and an overwhelming harmonious mix of human emotions.
Her eyes tell you to treat others well, to save all the injured animals, to heal those who are suffering, to fight for the good side, to conserve the planet that has produced all that purity and gladly offered it to the rest of humanity, it even makes you feel as if you're peering at the universe from a spectators seat. A trance of real beauty.
I haven't experienced that trance at many places, and I have to admit that this set of Nikkala is the first one to make me reach this level of inspiration. It's no wonder it's a Body in Mind set.
I can only conclude this short collection of paragraphs by thanking Nikkala Stott for who she is and what she does, and thanking our planet for giving rise for that pure beauty.
It would be very cruel to deprive humanity of beauty. Imagine being locked up in a room starting the day you were born and allowed to see nothing but a single tree. Psychologists say that you will start to be depressed and even to imagine things. Your ancestors loved beauty, poetry would be much poorer if there were no flowers, a brown featureless moon, and no green meadows.
Some people claim that women should cover their bodies up and to "save" their beauty for their lovers or husbands, the same people probably believe in the presence of a God who has created those beautiful female bodies. Their God has created nature in its splendor to show off his greatness and to help human beings appreciate his efforts, yet he tantalizes them by putting one of his best creations off-limits.
It may be true that special things(I am by no means trying to liken women to inanimate objects) are rare, and that this rarity is to be respected by putting valuable things away. You simply don't throw gold on the streets, but you certainly wear your ornaments and feel proud of sharing their beauty with the world.
An artist doesn't hide his works unless he has some psychological problems, and a perfect God simply doesn't need a have a problem with people showing his greatness by letting the world see how a great "designer" he is.
They also claim that female beauty is there for a female's partner to exclusively "enjoy", which contradicts with another belief that marriage is for reproduction. They probably will be very grateful for living in a world full of females who look the same as long as they have ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a uterus. If their God has created women to reproduce then why did he equip women with a superfluous energy-consuming design?
If beauty is there to help a woman reproduce then why doesn't it manifest itself only when a coitus is about to take place or when she's most fertile(a visual display of ovulation?).
It all comes from fear of that beauty, some males simply find it irresistible and fear that other males who have better qualities than the former ones possess and therefore replace them. Beauty is treasured and therefore they tend to be overprotective about it, all those irrational beliefs are a direct result of centuries of harboring irrational beliefs and making up excuses to make sure that every male won't waste energy by raising up children that aren't his.
Thus, beauty is turned into a curse instead of being a bliss. A woman is born to bear the shame of being beautiful, being over-protected by every prospective partner and having her fidelity frequently questioned.
It seems that we have become very accustomed to challenging nature that we are starting to challenge our own nature. I am not aware of any sound scientific theory that says that the distant ancestors of modern humanity copulated all the time simply because the fur didn't cover it all.
For all the reasons mentioned above such a belief sounds very absurd, it has no solid grounds and serves as a shield for the insecurities of some males which are translated into a dress code, which are natural for patriarchal societies in denial.
Enjoy beauty, don't fight what's natural.
Mountains are close to heaven and often have a high status is most religions, including Judaism and Christianity. It's not a surprising fact at all giving the serene pristine nature that can be found at the mountains that aren't densely populated. The fatigue and breathlessness that result from the low level of oxygen may have easily been attributed to a supernatural presence.
It sure is a fascinating experience being up there, with all the purity, space, and freedom those mountains offer, but what if you can add more beauty to the scene?, that's exactly what this set is about. The beauty of a young maiden, Megan, and the beauty of nature, from above.
I hope that you will enjoy this gallery by Max Asolo.
Centuries ago young men often travelled great distances to wise men to teach them noble ideas like wisdom, happiness, and courage. The quest itself was far from being an easy one and the instructions often served as obstacles behind which the truth lies.
Those were journeys that we respect and tell quite often in our stories and fairytales. Unfortunately, we always miss the moral of each one of those stories, which is to search for the morals wherever they can be found while daring to challenge anything that may stop us from reaching our final moral destination, fighting and killing the mindless monsters whose aim is to destroy whatever they encounter, and enjoying the light that's offered at the end of the road.
The monsters in our modern days aren't dragons, trolls, or ogres. They are the misconceptions or the serpents that have been growing inside our bodies since the day we were force-fed them. We rarely think about those beliefs that we take for granted, we simply run away and hide from our weak monsters.
We also always miss the places that can teach us all of those morals and the true meaning of beauty for the nudity. Taught to be shallow that is all that we see, nudity, and forget everything that super nudes have to offer.
We don't have to travel great distances to be taught about all the beautiful meanings of life as they can all be found at Body in Mind, we simply don't have the courage to overcome our weaknesses and the misconceptions that we have about nudity.
That's what Body in Mind is trying to change, while teaching us all the good values in the way, it's the ultimate beauty school. Teaching beauty and morality.
We often forget that the intentions of the person behind the camera often influence his/her pictures. A picture is supposed to represent the photographer's view of a certain scene. Different people see different things in the same place, the processing done by the brain is influenced by past experiences. This means that a picture is much more than a display of a certain location and certain elements; it offers a glimpse into the photographer's mind.
This is why through the works of Viktoria Sun I have come to respect her. Apart from occasional lapses of quality her pictures are very simple and beautiful, and are never sexual, even when she takes a close-up. Her intention clearly is to capture the beauty that she sees and not the shallow sexuality that others want to see.
This is the case with this set, it comes from Amour Angels, a website mainly with "teen" sets, but they sometimes feature a good set or two. Her works stand out there, with all of the beauty they offer and their simple non-sexual nudes.
There's one thing of sure, a lot of her works will stay in my memory for a long time, and won't cease to inspire and guide me.
I hope that you will like this gallery.
It has been a long while since I last added an Evas Garden gallery to Graceful Nudes, and that can be understood when you consider the fact that they have a lot of erotica. The main thing that attract me about some of their sets is the bright colors used in them, but even those aren't that common anymore.
However, this gallery did catch my attention. Mainly because it's a gallery of Rebbeca and because it follows a dark theme, black always adds certain elegance to any gallery and highlights the model's beauty, which are two things to be appreciated about any gallery.
I just like 3 pictures in the photo set, and I have put them in the gallery with other 3 not-so-bad pictures. I hope that you will like them.
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