Up above you have Park Slope #17 and Carroll Gardens #13, respectively. Jennifer Loeber is bringing nude photography close to home with her series that show different Brooklynites in the flesh, in their apartments. They could even be your neighbors! And her inspiration? It came from a flasher on the subway, of course: "The idea to shoot nude portraits came about as I rode the NYC subway and pretended not to notice, across the aisle, a man fumbling to remove his clothes and expose himself to me. He looked distinctly uncomfortable yet wholly determined in his goal. His great drive to reveal himself to the commuting populace was made more palpable by the fact that he hadn't quite worked out the logistics." An unlikely muse, indeed. We recently asked Loeber some more questions about her ongoing project...
How did you find your subjects? My subjects are a mix of friends, acquaintances and even absolute strangers. I decided pretty early on that when dealing with the subject of nude photography, directness is the best way to go. Sooner or later, I'll pretty much ask anyone I meet if they would be interested in posing. This can sometimes bring cocktail parties to a grinding halt, but I persevere. The most frequent reply I hear isn't actually 'No,' but more like 'No... but my friend would do it!' That's always great.
Were most in their 30s? So far, all of them have been in their late twenties to early '30s. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to other age groups, but I'm currently exploring people within my peer group because they're the first to volunteer.
Will these be a part of a show in the future? A couple of images have already shown in galleries across the country, but mainly because they both sought them out. I've been busy shooting and traveling so I'm only now looking for local opportunities. I'd like to get as many eyes on the series as I can. I would also love a warmhearted patron with renowned taste and buckets of disposable wealth to snatch up all my nudies and get the American Express guy off my back.
Did you find the subjects were more comfortable doing this type of shoot in their own apartments? My first impulse with shooting in the subjects' homes was to see if and how comfort zones changed the dynamic of the shoot. That informs every one of the collaborations so far. In the end, most people disrobing for a photographer are probably doing so for the first time. It's an unfamiliar experience no matter whose kitchen you're in.
What areas in Brooklyn did you cover with this project? I live in Cobble Hill, if you couldn't have guessed by where I've photographed so far: Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill and Boerum Hill. This is an ongoing series... I'm looking at you, Bushwick!
See the photos, which are part of Loeber's Zeig Mal (Show Me) ongoing project, in their uncropped, natural state here.
