Sketch legend:
Anyone who has ever photographed a group of people knows how much more difficult this is compared to photos of individuals: As soon as there are several people acting as models, you as the photographer have the greatest difficulty working against the group dynamic. You have to raise your voice to avoid being drowned out by the general murmur and laughter of the group members.
In order to attract attention, you are then usually forced to play the "solo entertainer", because as soon as people come together in a group to be photographed, the insecurity of the individual people is covered up by indiscipline and silliness, which means that you as the photographer have to counteract this with even better jokes in order to "incidentally" direct the group members in order to achieve an appealing photo.
However, group shots in nude and erotic photography are also a sensitive subject in two respects for other reasons, which requires a great deal of sensitivity on the part of the photographer: firstly, in some cases, photos in which people are interacting with each other can quickly cross the line into pornography for some viewers.
Incidentally, this can also apply to the models, who you should therefore involve very closely in the brainstorming process. Secondly, it is certainly not everyone's cup of tea to pose for nude photos with a stranger, especially as physical contact between the models can only be avoided in the rarest of cases.
However, in recent years I have often found the opposite to be true, namely that the models tend to see mutual physical contact during photo shoots as fun and, on the contrary, have no fear of contact at all.
Group arrangements
Whether a group starts with three people or just two is a rather pointless, theoretical question, especially since the problem for the case we are interested in here, erotic photography, is the same: "How can I relate the models to each other in a meaningful way in the photo without the shot losing its expressiveness?" What image statement can I achieve? And is the result of the group arrangement still photographically aesthetic?
Anyone who has ever taken erotic photos with several models at the same time will be able to confirm that, starting with a single model, the number of problems during the photo shoot increases exponentially with each additional person. The difficulty stems from the fact that, in addition to the above-mentioned problem of the social structure, such arrangements cannot be solved with any rules of thumb (e.g. the "cloverleaf principle") such as those used in portrait photography.
The reason for this is that the cloverleaf principle, for example, cannot easily be applied to full-body erotic shots: Here, the viewer of the photo demands more pictorial statement than just the depiction of formally arranged bodies: he wants to be told an explanation of the relationship between the unclothed models through the photo.
I chose a very simple arrangement of the people for this photo. If the picture idea is really interesting, other creative measures, such as unusual lighting effects, etc., can be dispensed with without the photo losing its expressiveness. Please note, however, that such an image idea should only be used once if possible, as the originality will inevitably fall by the wayside if it is repeated.
The purpose of the photo in erotic photography is therefore completely different to that of classic portrait photography. While a documentary function predominates there, of course usually not without presenting the people depicted in the photo as favorably as possible, the emphasis in nude or erotic photography is on the artistic and creative interpretation of the bodies and their charms, which is why the personalities of the people depicted do not necessarily have to be the focus of the shots.
The art now lies in arranging a group of unclothed people in such a way that the viewer does not even ask the question of why (why naked?). Or, to put it another way: in a bad group nude photo, the absence of clothing on the models is not conclusive for a neutral observer and may even counteract the actual message of the picture.
For group shots in erotic photography, it is advisable to use models who know each other and who at least respect each other, but preferably are friends.
Especially outdoors, two or more models can be perfectly combined in one photo. A "paradisiacal" environment takes away some of the erotic sharpness of the photos, even if the models appear to be "cuddling" with each other. Such shots are the domain of black and white photography, as the restriction to shades of gray enhances the graphic quality. Success here depends not only on the placement of the models but also on the skillful use of image composition.
Furthermore, models with a talent for sport and a certain amount of tension (not just of the body) during the shoot are helpful in achieving the desired result.
Bear in mind that the search for suitable body postures is a rather boring task for most models, and that an exciting nude photo cannot be created with bored models, which is why you should think about the image composition and poses in advance.
(Love) couples
The arrangement problems described above do not occur if the models are a (loving) couple, i.e. if they know each other very well and the nudity of the other is no longer unusual. The possibilities of erotic photography are quite diverse here, although photographing couples is still far too rare.
This may be due to the fact that most models (couples) only think of the possibility of a pornographic representation of nude couple shots and are therefore generally critical or even hostile towards such a project.
The idea behind this photo, which was taken with two of my favorite models in a posh discotheque, is humorous. Humorous, cheeky and sexy at the same time, that's a mixture I like to use when it comes to erotic photos that should stand out from the mass of "nice-smiling" photos.
Another tip: Even if you take photos in nightclubs during the day that are not open to the public, you should not automatically feel alone and unobserved with the models, because it is not uncommon for such venues to have surveillance cameras that are also in operation during the day - because they are permanently on. So don't necessarily choose a corner that is being watched by a surveillance camera, because you have promised the models a photo shoot and not a making-of video ...
The great black and white nudes by the well-known Munich photo designer Stefan Mayer show that very intimate (but by no means pornographic) and yet distanced (but not impassive) shots of couples can be photographed in an artistically sophisticated way.
Many of his shots are captivating in their informality, while others radiate an incredible authenticity, which is sometimes achieved through the skillful use of smudge effects.
Only rarely will you find a couple who are so open in front of your camera. In such a case, it is better to press the shutter release a few times more often, but stay discreetly in the background.
Nudes like these require a lot of empathy on the part of the photographer. The aim here is to convey the desired image idea to the acting couple with the help of specific instructions, without restricting the couple's space for their own feelings/actions by directing too much.
The final result will benefit if the shots can be taken in an environment familiar to the models in available light. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the models do not make direct eye contact with the photographer (or look into the camera), as this would destroy the sensual character of such a shot or make it appear too provocative.
A sample contract for a model release is available as working material.
