Skin textures and photography. How does skin appear in photographs?
Many factors affect how skin texture is rendered in photographs. Is the image taken in natural light? In a studio? Is the light “hard” or “soft”? How does the photographer edit the images afterwards? What kind of texture are we talking about? These are all relatively easy to answer technically, but I want to talk a little more generally about skin.
An Experience of Being Photographed
A few years ago, I booked a kind of boudoir shoot for myself. The session was short and the photographer was a professional. I planned the outfits and did my own hair and make-up. Visually, it sat somewhere between boudoir and pin-up. I arrived, changed clothes, and waited for my turn.
The photographer was professional and respectful. The set was ready, and they guided me through the shoot. I did everything they wanted, and none of their requests were rude, unpleasant, or offensive. Everything moved along smoothly. I received encouraging feedback, and in the end we thanked each other. All good — except that I felt uncomfortable.