THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO TAKING (AND RECEIVING) INCREDIBLE NUDES

Guest written by Rain Andersen (@wearenotfriends_) a veteran sworker with nine years in adult entertainment and five years working for Lovers.

Damn, you look good naked.

QUICK LINKS:

1. 6 Guidelines for Taking (and Receiving) Great Nudes
2. How to Take a Thirst Trap: 5 Tips for Magazine Quality Photos
3. How to Safely Share & Store Naked Photos
4. The Best Poses for Your Nude Selfies

6 Guidelines for Taking (& Receiving) Great Nudes

In 2022, anyone with a camera phone and a south-facing window has the tools to take professional quality nudes. The rules around how to distribute them and what to include in them- tend to be a little blurrier. Here are six guidelines that any modern selfie-taker can reference when organizing their next at-home Centerfold shoot:

• You are not required to be completely naked: Partial and implied-nudes can be an effective way to tease and build anticipation around future encounters. Experiment with lingerie or a tastefully-placed emoji to find the perfect level of exposure for your comfort level.

SPICY TIP: Looking to send noods? Use menial household objects like books, plants, or a favorite vinyl record to cover up NSFW body parts!

• You are not required to reveal identifying features, i.e., faces, tattoos, or birthmarks: The fear of having your naked photos leaked online (and the inevitable repercussions for it) are a sad reality for many people. Fortunately, there are still plenty of ways to participate in this form of digital debauchery (because we have plenty of body parts)! Emphasize and highlight the features that make you feel sexy and secure.

• Nude photos do not have to be sent to anyone. They can be a simple reminder of your bad self 🔥: Despite the narrative that we see in mainstream culture, nude photos do not need to be created for consumption. Some experts in the medical community are exploring a controversial new treatment called Therapeutic Photography (AKA: PhotoTherapy), which combines journaling and photography to challenge an individual’s negative self-image, particularly after a traumatic or life-altering event.
  
  
• Always ask for consent before sending someone a nude photo: While we can agree that there is a disturbing abundance of dick pics on the internet, this rule extends to all people (penis or no penis).

• Typically, people will exchange nude photos with another individual: This approach can suggest that the trade has been agreed to, and is of equal consequence to both parties. Additionally, an equal transaction can lead to a more fulfilling digital encounter. Establishing your trade in the beginning of your conversation is crucial. You can prompt this by directly asking if they’d like to “exchange sexy/nude photos.”

SPICY TIP: As you text, slowly scale up the intensity of your photos, starting with body parts like the legs, obliques, or back, and working your way to more explicit areas. 

• If you receive a nude photo from someone, that does not mean you are entitled to share it: Forget the fact that leaking nude photos shows a complete lack of human decency- sharing explicit photos can lead to some harsh legal penalties, too. Did you know that sharing nude photos of people without their consent may be considered a criminal offense in 42 US States?

How to Take a Thirst-Trap: 5 Tips for Magazine Quality Photos

You might be asking yourself what type of phone you need to buy or which farm animal you need to sacrifice in order to take a nude photo on par with a “nude selfie expert.” Iconic nude photos can’t be attributed to a specific piece of technology (R.I.P. Pink Motorola Razr) or a magical incantation: the most memorable nude photos abide by these five guidelines.

• Use Natural Lighting: You don’t need professional lighting equipment to maximize your best angles- windows can be used as a primary light source, creating a soft and natural hue once translated to “film.”

SPICY TIP: Try taking nude photos during the “Golden Hour” (the hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise).

• Clean Your Room: Garbage and clutter doesn’t just distract from a good nude photo- it can also reveal important details about your identity. Make sure to remove mail, local shopping bags, and other potentially recognizable objects outside of the frame of your photo while you tidy up!
  
  
• Viva La Homemade Tripod: Camera tripods can be a costly investment, but one that can be worth the expense if you love taking, or want to potentially profit from your naked photos. If taking nudes is more of a casual pastime or a form of personal exploration- save yourself the money and opt for a homemade tripod. Homemade tripods are essentially stacks of your personal belongs- like books, chairs, boxes, etc.- that when combined, help to position your camera to the ideal height.

• Freak in the Streets, Model in the Sheets: When I worked as a sex worker, I was often reluctant to show people details about the inside of my home. I used bed sheets and blankets to create backdrops for my nudes and eliminate clutter from my photos. Bonus points if you iron your laundry.

SPICY TIP: Build a photo set using bedding, newspapers, painted canvases, or other creative materials from around your home. 

• Self-Timer, Burst Photos, & Video-to-Photo: There are several ways to capture the perfect nude photo! Most camera phones are equipped with a self-timer, which is designed to delay your camera shutter to allow you to return to the frame of the photo before it is taken. This feature is typically available in three second, five second, and ten second intervals. Other individuals have opted to film a short video, before screenshotting their favorite poses and frames. Burst Photo is a feature available exclusively on iPhones that allows users to take a sequence of ten photos when the shutter button is held down.

How to Share & Store Nudes Safely & Confidently

Sharing nude photos of yourself will always pose some risks. For many people, this risk is precisely what makes sending and receiving nude photos so arousing. When we share private photos of ourselves, we are putting our trust in another person, and that trust can be a building block for intimacy. As many people are painfully aware, trust isn’t something that we can afford to automatically award people when it comes to something as valuable as our nudes. Below, I’ve outlined five of my favorite ways that people can safeguard their DIY porn:

Using Encrypted Messengers: Encrypted messengers, like Snapchat and WhatsApp, are secure messaging services that provide end-to-end (E2E) encryption for users. When a message is encrypted, it prevents other users from being able to monitor the contents of your conversation. Many E2E services do not prevent the receiver from taking screenshots or screen recordings of a message’s contents, even if it expires, but there have been some companies experimenting with "screenshot-proof" features, like the Confide App.

Removing a Photos EXIF Data: Every file you send will contain a piece of metadata known as EXIF Data. EXIF Data can reveal incredible details about an image, from the shutter speed the photo was taken at, to the GPS coordinates of where the image was shot (yikes). Learn about three simple ways you can remove this data from your images on a Windows or Mac Computer.

Automatic Syncing & Backups: Automatic bills, automatic pet feeders, and automatic syncing… they are all a bit of a double-edged sword. Spare friends and family the accidental film debut and turn off the automatic backups and location services in your phone settings for additional security.

Private Photo Albums: Have you ever taken (or received) a nude so good that you had to revisit it? Learn how to create private, password encrypted albums on your desktop computer or cell phone, that can only be accessed by Face ID or ID Code.

The 5 Best Gender-Neutral Poses for Your Nude Selfies

As you become more confident with taking naked photos, you’ll start to identify different poses and techniques that make you feel sexiest. We’ve curated five of our favorite gender-neutral poses to get you started below!

The Gimlet: A fun and playful pose that can be done in a sitting or standing position! Start by placing your body at a 90-degree angle to the camera lens, to naturally emphasize the curve of your booty. Your arms can be placed at your waist, leaning on an object in front of you, or running through your hair to add extra dimension to this pose.

The Old Fashioned: There is something so powerful and cool about this timeless pose. Use “the old fashioned” grab, with or without clothing on, to reveal hard on’s, sex toys, and lingerie!

The Fuzzy Navel: Another great pose for concealing and teasing- this pose can be accomplished by wrapping both arms firmly around yourself. If you’d like to, you can adjust the pressure of your hold to emphasize the amount of cleavage you create. I suggest facing your hip towards the camera lens and popping your knee to create more shape and complexity from head to toe.

The French 75: The French 75 is a beautiful pose that gives off a casual and laid-back feel. To complete this pose, turn away from the camera allowing your booty to be the focus of the image. Look over the back of your shoulder to give the viewer the sense that the subject knows they are being watched.

The Caipirinha: This pose offers plenty of versatility for those who want to experiment with full nudity or partial nudity. Lying flat on your tummy keeps the front have of your body concealed, and produces a gorgeous silhouette from shoulders to thighs. Angle your body diagonally to allow your face (if you wish) and your booty to stay in the frame.

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Further Readings:

A Newbee’s Guide to Taking A+ Nude Pics: Bustle
New Study Explains Why Men Send Dick Pics: Inverse
The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Sending Nudes: Insider

WITH PLEASURE,

LOVERS