Australian Penthouse

By Daisy Hamlyn

Australian-based French photographer Marie Brokensha teaches Sydney’s amateur snappers the art of nude photography

Using live models and outdoor settings, Marie reveals the secrets to mastering the greatest job in the world.

2pm Meet at rendez-vous to be escorted to secret location for the afternoon shoot

2:15 First impressions: French photographer and sexy French model. Instantly impressed and excited about the afternoon. The European cast gives it an exotic feel

2:20 There are three others taking the course. Men aged 30-40. We discussed our backgrounds and what we wanted from workshop. One of the guys has a full Leica kit, inherited from his father.

2:40 Walk around Sydney’s eastern suburbs coastline to get away from the crowds. We want to avoid passers-by rubber-necking the shoot. Marie brought a yellow bike and a spotted umbrella as props to create a story for her shots.

3pm We begin in a sheltered section of the rocks shielded from the sun and dog walkers. Instruction is split 50/50 film and digital. Marie instructs us that when shooting in the shade it is best to shoot black and white and expose for the shadows. This gives more detail in the shadows and interesting in the highlights when they are blown out. One of the photographers brings a light meter for accurate readings for exposure on skin tones. Marie suggests a high aperture to get depth and create atmosphere to enhance the shots. I love shallow depth of field–where you focus on a small part of the image and the rest falls out of focus–so chose to ignore Marie’s advice on this one. I think this is where personal style of shooting can come into it.

Pauline, our model, is in her early 20s. She has dark features, tousled hair, sensual curves, and is perfectly groomed yet fun and smiley. She has a gorgeous French accent that heightens her sex appeal.

During the photo shoot Marie asks her to mostly look away with soft, dreamy expression, though every once and a while she would look to my lens and you would capture her dark eyes looking right into you. It is exhilarating because you know that photo will be ‘the one’ as it catches the fire in her eyes.

3:30 We stop for a break. Marie enjoys a cigars, not a cigarette. How very French!

4:00 When we move into the direct sunlight for shots, we exposed for the highlights, and shot in colour as they would be vibrant and punchy. Due to the heat of the day, before most shots Pauline pinches her nipples to make them firm for the photos.

4:20 We’re between shots and Pauline casually walks over to Marie to look over a new rock to pose on, and I think how exhilarating it must be to walk around naked. The breeze makes the 35-degree day bearable, and it sweeps Pauline’s hair into a new sexy wave for every shot. However changing lenses without getting sand in the camera is proving difficult.

4:40 Cigar break

5:00 We manoeuvre around rocks and rock pools all afternoon. I find myself psyched on a position that I feel has nailed the sexy scene and I want to shoot it from every angle.

5:30 Cigar break

I am most interested in how Marie instructs the model to pose. While shooting, Marie tells the model to look away or arch her back or stretch out her arms—in French, which adds to the exotic ambience of the experience.

6:20 Cigar break

6:30 Pauline, our model, is a trooper. She enthusiastically lies across barnacles, climbs into murky rockpools, and lies in the chilled waves. We finish the day with a two-minute shoot of Pauline giggling and screaming in the water with the golden afternoon sun behind her.

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