how to photograph like playboy

Nudes & Centerfolds: How To Light Them & Get Paid Doing It

fsnewslogo Nudes & Centerfolds: How To Light Them & Get Paid Doing ItDean Capture, a professional photographer with over 20 years of experience behind the camera, has spent the last 10 years living in Los Angeles, shooting the most beautiful nude models and porn stars on the planet. He’s shot covers, centerfolds, featured layouts for magazines like Penthouse and his work is regularly published on the largest, most successful adult websites on the internet. So, if it’s always been a dream of yours to make a living out of shooting nudes and glamour then this post can help make that dream a reality.

It’s no secret that I don’t shoot nudes and have harbored a considerable amount of prejudice towards “those photographers”. You know the ones? The guys who only pick up a camera so they have an excuse to get a girl’s clothes off. So when Patrick suggested I do a post on Dean Capture my knee jerk reaction was, “Are you crazy? No way, forget about it.” But in the spirit of open mindedness and because Patrick scares me just a little, I decided to look into it. And you know what I found? Dean, and many like him, are skilled, artistic, consummate professionals who are making a living doing what they love and I’m a tad jealous.

Dean recently posted the results of his Shyla Magazine Shoot in our forums, detailing his set up. He even goes a step further and provides us with an instructional ebook of the shoot. Download ebook.

bare2 Nudes & Centerfolds: How To Light Them & Get Paid Doing It

In addition to his recent forum post you should check out Dean’s ProGlamour Blog. Where you can find regular updates on his shoots, tutorials, industry info, T&A umm I mean Q&A video podcasts and more.  If your goal is to break into this market Dean’s blog will no doubt be a wealth of knowledge for you.

lighting Nudes & Centerfolds: How To Light Them & Get Paid Doing It

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July 5, 2011
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  • http://www.patrickhallphotography.com Patrick Hall

    we aren’t shooting your wife with you…

  • http://twitter.com/mjcarrasquillo Michael Carrasquillo

    NIPPLES! QUICK COVER ‘EM! JUST THE NIPS! LOL

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25AWTS2RWV4GNQYIIIROVV5GF4 gp

    I enjoyed reading the explanations for the lighting system, especially since they weren/t that easy to figure out at the first look, I also like the polished look and editing of the final photos. I also shoot nudes from time to time and although I don/t have as much experience as Dean I do know it is quite a bit of work to get a great nude image especially if you are shooting for a magazine or for print.
     The people that commented on the model/s body parts need to grow up and stop acting like they have never seen a nude woman before and also understand that both the model and the photographer are professionals working together to get the best results for a job that they are getting paid for. A lot of people forget that this is a career and people on both sides of the lens do it as a job and they all should be treated with respect.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25AWTS2RWV4GNQYIIIROVV5GF4 gp

    I enjoyed reading the explanations for the lighting system, especially since they weren/t that easy to figure out at the first look, I also like the polished look and editing of the final photos. I also shoot nudes from time to time and although I don/t have as much experience as Dean I do know it is quite a bit of work to get a great nude image especially if you are shooting for a magazine or for print.
     The people that commented on the model/s body parts need to grow up and stop acting like they have never seen a nude woman before and also understand that both the model and the photographer are professionals working together to get the best results for a job that they are getting paid for. A lot of people forget that this is a career and people on both sides of the lens do it as a job and they all should be treated with respect.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25AWTS2RWV4GNQYIIIROVV5GF4 gp

    I enjoyed reading the explanations for the lighting system, especially since they weren/t that easy to figure out at the first look, I also like the polished look and editing of the final photos. I also shoot nudes from time to time and although I don/t have as much experience as Dean I do know it is quite a bit of work to get a great nude image especially if you are shooting for a magazine or for print.
     The people that commented on the model/s body parts need to grow up and stop acting like they have never seen a nude woman before and also understand that both the model and the photographer are professionals working together to get the best results for a job that they are getting paid for. A lot of people forget that this is a career and people on both sides of the lens do it as a job and they all should be treated with respect.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25AWTS2RWV4GNQYIIIROVV5GF4 gp

    I enjoyed reading the explanations for the lighting system, especially since they weren/t that easy to figure out at the first look, I also like the polished look and editing of the final photos. I also shoot nudes from time to time and although I don/t have as much experience as Dean I do know it is quite a bit of work to get a great nude image especially if you are shooting for a magazine or for print.
     The people that commented on the model/s body parts need to grow up and stop acting like they have never seen a nude woman before and also understand that both the model and the photographer are professionals working together to get the best results for a job that they are getting paid for. A lot of people forget that this is a career and people on both sides of the lens do it as a job and they all should be treated with respect.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25AWTS2RWV4GNQYIIIROVV5GF4 gp

    I enjoyed reading the explanations for the lighting system, especially since they weren/t that easy to figure out at the first look, I also like the polished look and editing of the final photos. I also shoot nudes from time to time and although I don/t have as much experience as Dean I do know it is quite a bit of work to get a great nude image especially if you are shooting for a magazine or for print.
     The people that commented on the model/s body parts need to grow up and stop acting like they have never seen a nude woman before and also understand that both the model and the photographer are professionals working together to get the best results for a job that they are getting paid for. A lot of people forget that this is a career and people on both sides of the lens do it as a job and they all should be treated with respect.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=716882270 Clay Kerri

    It’s cool if you’ve got an opinion man. stop forcing it down everyone else’s throats. I think the photographer did an excellent job, and I see no reason why he shouldn’t have used seven lights. If that’s how he works, that’s how he works. Does Joe McNally really need 50 lights to light an aircraft? Probably not. He could do it with ambient. That being said, it’s not the way he feels comfortable working, so he shouldn’t have to work with ambient. At least, that’s how I feel about the subject.

  • Mike M

    Stop being silly? Lawl that’s funny comin from you bud.

    “Would the viewer keep buying the magazine if it had a fat nude woman with great lighting?”

    lol. Maybe if you could remove some stuff from your arse you’d “lighten up” and not be such an elitist hater against some work that’s clearly better than your own (at least the work you haven’t had linked on fstoppers, and are apparently pretty damn sour about). But then again, you seem to love passing judgement on something another person has done well, which you have yet to do with any skill, or intent to help anyone else.

  • Mike M

    Stop being silly? Lawl that’s funny comin from you bud.

    “Would the viewer keep buying the magazine if it had a fat nude woman with great lighting?”

    lol. Maybe if you could remove some stuff from your arse you’d “lighten up” and not be such an elitist hater against some work that’s clearly better than your own (at least the work you haven’t had linked on fstoppers, and are apparently pretty damn sour about). But then again, you seem to love passing judgement on something another person has done well, which you have yet to do with any skill, or intent to help anyone else.

  • William Walker

    I did an essay “Art vs. Pornography” in art school.  At the time the Attorney General’s definition of pornography was “any image with a prurient interest” (or something to that effect).  The key word being “prurient”.  There was no clear line differentiating the two, just the notion that it’s porn if it makes you think dirty thoughts.  I think there is a lot of cross-over between art and porn.  Who says a portrait artist can’t create beautiful portraits that spark a “prurient interest”?  In example the pin-ups of Glen Elvgren or Abercrombie and Fitch ads.

  • Anonymous

    I found the part about metering the main light for consistency especially helpful. Something I overlook, but an easy fix to expedite post-work.

  • Anonymous

    I found the part about metering the main light for consistency especially helpful. Something I overlook, but an easy fix to expedite post-work.

  • Anonymous

    I found the part about metering the main light for consistency especially helpful. Something I overlook, but an easy fix to expedite post-work.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Russ-Turbide/100002507691143 Russ Turbide

    A while ago, I heard some playboy shots have had as many as 39 lights for one photo. (Correct me if I am wrong please)
    anyone know Whats the most lights ever been used in one photo of a female? anyone?:) I like odd facts like this, just wanna know.

  • http://twitter.com/shaxnu Sha Nu

    Can’t deny how nice the lighting is, and can’t say I didn’t learn anything. Thanks for sharing. :D

  • Jim Fury

    Those shots are incredible and not just the girl. It’s not always about what is necessary but what you can do creatively with what you have. I use 2 speed lights currently as I’m relatively new and I’m a fan of the strobist methods. I use those 2 lights as creatively as I can. But if I had more to play with, I could see myself going absolutely crazy on how to light a shot. I could just as easily use only one light and never any more, never aspiring to build on lights but in time I would get bored and want to do more.  I shot this with 2 lights, had I had a third I would have found a way to incorporate it if it fit the shot. Disclaimer of course is you don’t just use everything you have for the sake of, but if you can find away for it to fit and make sense, that’s just awesome. Here is my shot if anyone wants to take a gander.

    http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp6wpn5tk51qdw45lo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1312751567&Signature=ZSIoGXCtjVq95t7a7j2bvj9Asgk%3D

  • Jim Fury

    Oh and since this article I’m now following Dean and reading his blog. I love this site, keep it up fstopper.com staff.

  • A.K. Nicholas

    I’m a fan of Dean’s work and glad to see him getting recognition here.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Fehrman/100001948802700 Rich Fehrman

    I think your use of the word “porn” shows  just how sexually repressed you and our society is. Also your use of the word is totally wrong. A better term might have “erotica”, but not porn.

  • http://www.colorspace.am Alex Masters

    ..was that intentional?

  • http://www.fo2graphy.com Ahmad Aleidan

    You can say that haha

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lukáš-LuXa-Király/1661391658 Lukáš LuXa Király

    guys i have photoshoot on saturday and need some kind of form to sign by my models that they agree with photoshoot and that they are over 18, and there will be pictures taking of them in underwear…can anybody send me some example please? :( will really appriciate

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lukáš-LuXa-Király/1661391658 Lukáš LuXa Király

    guys i have photoshoot on saturday and need some kind of form to sign by my models that they agree with photoshoot and that they are over 18, and there will be pictures taking of them in underwear…can anybody send me some example please? :( will really appriciate

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lukáš-LuXa-Király/1661391658 Lukáš LuXa Király

    guys i have photoshoot on saturday and need some kind of form to sign by my models that they agree with photoshoot and that they are over 18, and there will be pictures taking of them in underwear…can anybody send me some example please? :( will really appriciate

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lukáš-LuXa-Király/1661391658 Lukáš LuXa Király

    guys i have photoshoot on saturday and need some kind of form to sign by my models that they agree with photoshoot and that they are over 18, and there will be pictures taking of them in underwear…can anybody send me some example please? :( will really appriciate

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lukáš-LuXa-Király/1661391658 Lukáš LuXa Király

    guys i have photoshoot on saturday and need some kind of form to sign by my models that they agree with photoshoot and that they are over 18, and there will be pictures taking of them in underwear…can anybody send me some example please? :( will really appriciate

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