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BEAUTY NUDES@HOME
PORTFOLIO BUILDING PROJECT

Shooting

feat. Aneta, Brenda + Mischa

SEXY WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHY! Dan Hostettler 50 PAGES | Freebie - Not For Resale
StudioPrague.com

Imprint
Shooting Beauty Nudes @Home
2nd Edition

by Dan Hostettler
https://StudioPrague.com
Copyright 2020 © Dan Hostettler

Photography, Concept, Editor & Publisher: Disclosure of Material Connection


Dan Hostettler (SUI) Some of the links in this book are “affiliate links.”
This means if you click on the link and purchase
the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.
Co-Editor: Tanja Napier (USA)
Regardless, I only recommend products or services
Models: Aneta (CZE), Mischa (CZE), Brenda (CZE) I personally use and of which I believe that they
will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in
accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s
16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of
Notice of Rights: Please Play Nice Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
SWP by StudioPrague
Dan Hostettler
110 00 Prague 1
Trademarks
Czech Republic
All mentioned brands and terms in the book should
not be regarded as affecting the validity of any
trademark or service mark. All brands and terms are a Got a Question?
https://studioprague.com/contact-us/
registered trademarks of the respective companies in
the United States and/or other countries.

Disclaimer General
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY
ANY BRAND MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK.

Model Brenda on set. IKEA table,


some fabrics on top and a lots of light...

StudioPrague.com Freebie - Not For Resale


Table Of Content

Preface: About My Project 04

Concept: “Confidence Makes Sexy!” 05


Choosing the Ladies 05
No Budget, No Problem 06
The Look 06
Composition 07

Lighting Design 08
A Question of Character 08
Implementation 09
Background Lighting 11
Key Light 12
2D Set Plan / 3D Lighting Illustrations 13

Showcase: Mischa 14

Showcase: Aneta 24

Showcase: Brenda 34

Conclusion 51

About The Author Dan Hostettler 52

FREE 101 Online Course 53

Other Digital Training 54

Model Mischa and Dan on set.


Fun times :)

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“To experience sublime natural beauty is to confront the total
inadequacy of language to describe what you see. Words cannot
convey the scale of a view that is so stunning it is felt.”
- Eleanor Catton

Welcome To “Shooting Beauty Nudes @Home”!


I would like to thank you for your interest in my work, exploring my little private project
and implementation approach. I hope you will gain some insights, ideas and bits you can
replicate and evolve on your own.

What For: Portfolio Building, Different Genre Exploration

“Don’t just shoot what it looks like, shoot what it feels like!” That’s the
basic idea I outlined for this triple-part series.

I detected an artistic lack in my portfolio that urged me to produce a


different and supplemental style of imagery as an addition to my
commercial glam/nude photography. Less colorful, less gloss, less
glitz - no direct provocation and allure by model’s interplay and
striking poses.

I strived to reduce visual elements, cut perceivable temptation and


tone down superficialities in order to boldly concentrate on the
women in front of my lens – driven by soft tonalities and charming
personalities.

The booklet you find here now is the result of my work, a project
report so to speak.

#ShootBold

Yours,

Dan Hostettler, Pro Photographer & StudioPrague Owner

 My commercial Glam & Co. productions: Simple settings, no glam, natural feel.
Lovely work, strongly glitzy, and perfectly Exploring a spontaneous, beauty
successful... - yet for my personal growth, nude style to complement my current
I had to embark on a new visual journey. portfolio.  BEAUTY NUDES @Home 4
Concept: “Confidence Makes Sexy!”
The most beautiful women are the ones that feel confident. Confidence and heart create
sexiness. Feeling inner strength and being centred translates into a beautiful personality.
No overdone beautifying and styling here. No excessive simulated poses. I sought to capture
the sense of real inner beauty, attractiveness and the graced soul that is hidden in every
woman, yes, in every model. There’s something special behind every model’s pretty façade.

Choosing the Ladies: Sticking to Models


(Because Of My Working Portfolio)

I’m professionally working with a lot of models I was very much looking forward to see and also
and my connections to potential candidates for curious about how the results were going to look
this project were given (and most valuable). like:

Although one requirement demanded to work • Could I stick to my original idea and create
with persons that are capable of staying in an natural beauty, grace and appeal?
all-natural spirit - No fakes, no hoity-toity girl
• Would the tremendous accumulated
folks – I guess you understand what I mean.
experience in a specific genre affect the
To push the variety, I decided to pick models model’s essentia?
from different sexy women photography genres.
• Would the model with enhanced curves act
• I ended up with an intriguing semi-pro art in a more stereotype manner than the other
nude model (Aneta). ones?

• A very natural, curvy blonde pro glam


Remember: “Shoot what it feels like…” was my
model (Mischa).
mission!
• And – I couldn’t help myself – I invited a
beautiful brunette glam stunner (Brenda).

Example Aneta: Confident, natural beauty, attractive


Aneta Mischa Brenda appeal, subtle seduction. Simple settings, powerful
results. BEAUTY NUDES @Home 5
No Budget, No Problem: 2 People on Set The Look Beautifying & Styling: For this portfolio series
I only revealed the concept’s essential buzzwords
Let me here in the very beginning state again What makes the look? A comprehensive look
and vague “feeling outline” to the models.
that this project was brought into existence for consists of the following components:
the purpose of enhancing my portfolio, and at Buzzwords were: “Natural, inner beauty, sexiness,
• Beautifying: Make-up & Hair
the same time as a kind of a personal work as confidence, appeal” but I did not any briefing
well. For once, there was no budget allocation in • Styling: Outfits & Accessories about the “looks” we are going for.
place at all.
• Posing: Acting, Expressions, Gestures The subjects were asked to apply their own
judgment of the project in order to select outfits
Surely, the models received their small fee based • Lighting Design: Sculpting with Shadows that support their personality and help bring the
on a non-commercial contract and limited
• Composition: Besides angles, focal length project’s message across.
distribution rights.
and depth of field, turning photos into black The same requirement was set regarding
But during the shoots, the team only consisted of & white pieces is absolutely a compositional beautifying actions: it was left up to the models
the model and me – 2 persons. That was it. element as well what they wanted to apply for and during the
Based on the looks required, the involvement of shoot. I just asked for a very light, natural nude
a MUHA was not necessary. Find a very detailed post about creating, varying make-up for the first set.
and purposefully utilize looks here:
“The Look Maker” . The choice and the progress thereafter were for
the models to decide upon. Naturally, they were
consulting with me between each set but it was
always their suggestions that I went along with.
Styling

Beautifying
Posing

What Makes A Look?

Lighting Design Photo Composition

Article: “The Look Maker”


Post Processing

 Just the model and me, no make-up/hair artist on set.


Beautifying and styling was done by the model. When I
wanted to have changes in hair style, the model just did
StudioPrague.com variations “on the fly”.  BEAUTY NUDES @Home 6
Posing: At ease, natural, flowing, spontaneous, Composition
open hearted, comfy, cheerful…no plans, almost
no instructions given! It was interesting to Framing: The most important elements in these
experience that as soon as the model felt totally shoots were – of course – the women. So the
relaxed and we were in a kind of a conversation composition fully pinpoints on a subject-centric
or diverted mood, the energy was greatly flowing approach. Not much else. Depending on the
and I could just snap away. message and selection of the body-area (face,
breasts, hips-to-head…) I selected to frame
As soon we were back intending accurate
looser or tighter.
“posture creating”, the models started to pose
more attentive or were even asking for direction While I kept some visual room when shooting
every now and then. three-quarter length, I once again framed very
tight in certain portrait series. I like that very
When focusing on achieving attitude, the full-  Framing & Cropping: Original image left, cropping-in in much but unfortunately it leaves me with no
blooded glamour models fell back into the more layout to add visual boldness.
possibilities later on to add more space.
genre-specific posing. Their work specialty Read a full post about “Creative Cropping vs.
definitely had an influence on their behavor. Framing” .
Don’t get me wrong! I love all the poses they
stroke for me. We crafted beautiful, strong, Black & White: Of course I already made this
expressive, round, soft and alluring poses – just decision in the early stage (meaning in the very
impressive! beginning) of the concept development. It’s the
backbone of my portfolio- and look-
Nonetheless, I tried to break up standard enhancement after all.
demeanor and patterns to get as natural
expressions as possible throughout the whole However, this might also be qualified as an
shooting. artistic decision, but for me it’s an aspect of
Article: “Cropping vs. Framing” implementation, a compositional element. That’s
Due to the relative broad action radius created why I placed this topic here.
by the particular lighting design, I could Shot in color, finished-up in B&W. Intentionally choosing
a world without color pushes you to view things
photograph from a three-quarter length to head in a different way: We get raw feelings, an emotive Retouching: As with the black & white
connection, gain purity and create timeless class.
shots. During the course of the shooting, both conversion, leaving the women untouched was
the model and I could fully concentrate on poses an essential choice and is necessary to support
and more specific framing like a portraiture- the idea of inner beauty and naturalness.
series or a more moving/bending/flowing-series. Photoshop isn’t always a woman’s best friend.
Even a few sets with lying and kneeling positions Certainly not for this concept!
were possible – thanks to the balanced lighting A woman’s best companions for the
setup once again. implementation of my vision regarding these
series are starting with self-acceptance, body-
love, feeling sexy on the inside = resulting in
confidence.
Photoshop isn’t all evil and shouldn’t be public
enemy number one. But in this concept, style
and desired look, there’s no space for artificial
“photo surgery”.
 Posing: Aside from coaching a few poses, the
overall flow for all series was based on natural,
organic movements. BEAUTY NUDES @Home 7
Lighting Design
Backlighting created an aura around
I must admit that I used quite some lighting equipment. I put 3 flash heads into action. the subject, producing those soft white
However, you can implement the same look with “only” two speedlights. You just have to lines - the fluffy, ethereal look I was
looking for.
waive the idea of evenly lit three-quarter length shots. When you stick to a portrait-mode
you will be able to excellently implement the same style. This brings us to the actual lighting
design needs…

A Question of Character Supporting the Look

As described earlier, I herewith fully wanted to


I was craving to create a setup that utterly
concentrate on the women’s expressions, natural
flatters the women’s forms. The facial lines, the
beauty and the nuances.
head and hair form, cheek bones, collar bone,
In order to receive a genuine image that is shoulders and all the rest of the magically
reflecting the essential features as close as beautiful body lines.
possible, the light’s characteristic needed to be
as unexcited as conceivable. Female character The light fundamentally needs to sculpt and
versus lighting character! accentuate the different body parts. But at same
time it’s impossible to let shadows (which are
So I flattened-out the light’s character (shadows) created by light) distort the overall notion.
to develop the women’s personalities in a much
stronger way. Furthermore, the setup stayed
totally the same during all the different shoots
done. That’s the other key parameter! This
means, the quality of light is throughout
congruent.

The models’ different essentia neither got mixed-


up nor hardly influenced by various moods
created with lighting.

We fully concentrate on the person’s character,


not the character of the light.
Key light: Uniformly soft in nature,
a large, even volume, not adding
distinct shadows. In short: a modest
characteristic that lets the subject’s
I can’t live without them when shooting beauty & beauty shine and does not influence
portraiture: catch lights. A catch light is simply the highlight the overall mood.
of a light source reflected by the surface of the subject’s
eye. This highlight adds depth, dimension and liveliness to
the model’s eyes. The key light designed for this set offered
a flattering solution for these series.  BEAUTY NUDES @Home 8
Implementation

Diffusion is the key factor #1. I always use


shadows as a reference in my creations. It’s the
same case here. Creating with shadows in these
series means to make them as soft and subtle as
possible. Soft shadow transitions, only
graduations.

The action area is the 2nd factor. The full


 Cheap shower curtains are the core element of this lighting
setup. I got mine at a Czech IKEA for roughly US$ 2.80/p.  shooting-set buildup was limited in space (due to
a small corner), but the usable area had to be as
wide and evenly lit as possible. The given posing
radius was very important for the model so she
could unfold, develop her own acting-story and
have the ability to move around a bit.

In order to get the two important factors


implemented, I created two consistent soft
spreading light volumes. One to forcefully wrap
its light around the model from the back; the
second one, the actual key light, filling-in
extensively and yet gentle from the front.
 Manfrotto Autopoles, an aluminum pipe and a broomstick
act as frame. Everything was attached and stitched together
with a bunch of clamps. Since I already own the Autopoles,
I used them to build the basic frame. But of course you can
come up with any DIY solution for the mounting of shower
curtains. 

Equipment Used

• 5 translucent, white-fabric shower curtains.


4x for background, 1x for key light
Crucial: lighting tests after the setup to find the right aperture and
• 3x 400 WS Monoblocs lighting power in order to overexpose the curtains’ wrinkles was
key. 
• 2x 80x120cm/3x4’ Softbox, background
• 1x Ø120cm/4’ Octobox, key light
• 4x Manfrotto Autopoles for the frames.
You can use any construction you want to
attach the curtains to. I just own my
Autopoles so it was the natural way to use
them.
• A few clamps

StudioPrague.com BEAUTY NUDES @Home 9


400cm / 158’’
400cm / 158’’

200cm / 78’’ 200cm / 78’’

300cm / 118’’
180cm / 70’’

360cm / 141’’ 360cm / 141’’


180cm / 70’’

 The “Glowing Heart”: Measurements and setup from a different perspective. 

Building the key light curtain wall incl. the final


light testing. I did the full setup a week prior to
the first shoot. Proof of concept, so to say.  

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Background Lighting: The Glowing Heart of this Series

The background wall was built out of 4 white translucent shower curtains; the frame was created
with the help of 2 Manfrotto Autopoles, an aluminium pipe and a broomstick act as crossbars.
Everything was attached and stitched together with a bunch of clamps.

The shower curtains were not that plain but it didn’t matter because of the (subtle) overexposure
the background-lighting created in this scene.

The shoot-trough background was lit with two 80x120cm/3x4’ softboxes. Two of them were
necessary to create an even light in almost full width. Just one box would not provide a beam
that was wide-spread enough. The light fall-off to the left and right would be clearly visible.

I had no space to position a single box further away (remember the small areal corner) in order
to create a larger and wider volume with just one beam. So due to the limited distance between
the softboxes and curtain, I had to place two of them side by side.

The boxes already scattered and diffused the light to a certain degree. But the curtain-wall then
did the final job: even-out the volume uniformly and very soft.

 Background: 2 softboxes are boosting an even, scattered light


through the 4 shower curtains towards the model’s back. Due to
the limited space, I had to position the lights relatively close to the
curtains. 2 lights where necessary to balance an otherwise too
rapid light fall-off. 

1 light only = note the faster light


fall-off towards the edges

2-lights volume

 The “Glowing Heart” created a diffused light cloud in the back.


The large surface and 2 lights behind the curtains allowed for
evenly lit three-quarter length shots. You can of course replicate
the same settings on a smaller scale by using just one speedlight
in the back, sticking to a portrait-mode framing. BEAUTY NUDES @Home 11
Key Light

The most important aspects in designing the key light’s characteristics were:

• To create a uniform volume that could be used for a three-quarter length shot. Meaning
no light fall-off from crown to knee.

• An appealing fluffy light that keeps our attention fully and solely on the subject. No drama,
no semi-hard shadows that could distract one from the model’s inner (and outer) beauty.
 In the first step, the key light gets softened by the octobox (=
softbox) and thereafter scattered and diffused by the shower • A flattering catch light! Due to the large area such a curtain features – and the little distance
curtain. Therefore, we receive a very soft light volume plus a
distinct catch light in the model’s eyes. from this surface to the model – we received most flattering catch lights and very open, lively
and blazing eyes.

The “key-curtain” was lit by the same principles applied to the background. However, I used a
medium-sized octobox here (Ø120cm/4’), simply because I had no additional softbox of that size
left. And any other smaller modifier would not have provided the same large light volume I
needed.

Implementing the light’s characteristic - let’s call it the soft-light-creation-principle – was based on
the same approach I used for the background. The Octo scattered and diffused the light to a
certain degree at the first stage. The beam was medium-soft and medium-wide. But the
translucent curtain did the final job: spreading the radiance even more. And this final bigger-
dimensioned surface creates a much more distinct sparkling catch light than the octobox ever
could.

 Front: One octobox that


is blasting light through
shower curtain #5 creates
the key light. The grid was
necessary to bundle the
light and not to lose too
much light volume due to
an uncontrolled beam/spill. 12
BEAUTY NUDES @Home
Back Light 1 Back Light 2
• Softbox 80x120cm/3x4’ • Softbox 80x120cm/3x4’ Backlighting: Power related to the camera’s aperture:
• @400 WS • @400 WS f/11.
This is a 200% light volume that hits the subject’s
back. I increased the background’s light power by
one full f-stop in order to get glowy characteristics
(and to blow out the curtain’s wrinkles).

Key Light: Power related to the


camera’s aperture: f/8 = 100% light
volume hits the subject.

• Full frame
• 28-200mm (focal length range)
• f/8
• 1/125 Camera: 1/125, f/8, ISO 200
• ISO 200
• 4800°K

Key Light
• Octobox Ø120cm/4’ w/grid
• @300 WS

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MISCHA | Showcase

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Cam/Lens Settings Used
For All Of The 3 Series
• Nikon D700, Full-Frame
• Sigma 28-70, 2.8
• Nikkor 85mm, 1.8
• Nikkor 80-200, 2.8
• 28-200mm (focal length range)
• f/8
• 1/125
• ISO 200
• 4800°K

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ANETA | Showcase

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BRENDA | Showcase

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 Even though the 3 part series was planned
to be a B&W work, I couldn’t help myself and
finished up a few series from Brenda in various
color styles, applying distinct image looks...
That’s the beauty having well-lit shots and all
parameters right in the camera: It allows for
 Sweet Dreams: Yellow with Cyan Boost finishing up results in various moods. 

 Sensual 70s Polaroid: Creamy Overdose  Bold Allure... BEAUTY NUDES @Home 42
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Conclusion

Requirement Divinely Fulfilled

It was a real pleasure, exciting learning curve and worth the experience to work with
three totally different personalities under the complete same settings.

I am very convinced of the results and more than pleased to add this marvellous
style of photography to my public portfolio.

I learned that all three women felt basically free, relaxed and just themselves during
most of the shooting time. No ice breaking needed; only some coached directing
every now and then, but mainly just talking.

The series reflects beauty, attraction, fascination, enchantment, grace, sexiness,


temper, bliss, ease…- and much more.

I simply adore it!

Thanks for following my endeavours and your interest in my little portfolio-building


project.

Yours,

Dan Hostettler, Pro Photographer & StudioPrague Owner

StudioPrague.com BEAUTY NUDES @Home 51


About Dan Hostettler

Dan & Brenda Mischa

DAN HOSTETTLER - Photographer, Educator & Creative Strategist

Dan Hostettler is a Switzerland born Dan has had the pleasure of photographing
solopreneur, photographer and author. In 1995 some of the world’s most beautiful female nude Aside from his own creations, Dan has been
he graduated from the Professional School for models and he always strives to capture that internationally published and featured among
Fine Arts and Design in Bern as a photographer. “bold sexy moment”, both in the studio and on others on and in GQ Online, The India Times,
location. FashionONE TV, GoodLight! Magazine, FotoTV,
Dan has been a professional sexy women
ModelMayhem EDU, MUZE Magazine,
photographer for more than 15 years. Dan continues in 2013 with his latest innovation, FOTOdigital.
BLOG+, which evolved 2016 to
In 2001 Dan founded his flagship StudioPrague in
SexyWomenPhotography.com (SWP). Dan’s passion for traveling, cinema and visual
Prague, Czech Republic, which includes a
adventures translates into a high degree of skill
dedicated production company that has received
SWP is a knowledge boutique, offering online and creativity. Inspired by the world’s top
international recognition and offers private,
educational resources dedicated to help train magazines and brands like Playboy, Maxim, FHM,
high-end workshops.
and mentor other photography enthusiasts in Vogue and Victoria’s Secret amongst others, Dan
Sexy Women Photography. continues his pursuit of being the best in his
field.
Contact details:
https://studioprague.com/contact-us/

StudioPrague.com BEAUTY NUDES @Home 52


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BEAUTY NUDES
Shooting @HOME
A StudioPrague Original
by Dan Hostettler

StudioPrague.com

Freebie - Not For Resale

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