Eroticism in Photography

The secrets and taboos concerning the human body are at the very heart of sensuality, sexuality and eroticism. It is a fact that for many, these items are kept secret; they are personal feelings that we keep to ourselves and are private to each individual. However, here are times when these feelings and emotions do rise to the surface and are exposed to others even when those who are privileged to be the recipients may be unaware of what they have been shown.
Many believe that the naked body represents us as we really are. The naked or near naked body represents the ultimate and vulnerable reality of this and gives one a view of their own sense of eroticism. In the case of sensual and erotic art photography what the viewer sees is of course defined by his or her own idea of what they determine as sensual and erotic beauty.
However thoughts of corporal beauty can differ so much from person to person, from one ethnic group to another, from country to country and from era to era that there is no definitive area where it would be the same for everyone.

The pear shaped nudes of the early 20th century where no less erotic to their viewers than the stick thin models of the 1960’s or the rounded Rubenesque models of centuries past. Eroticism, like beauty, is very much in the eye of the beholder. This holds true for everyone and defines eroticism in a unique sense for each artist. As it must for the eventual viewer of the work.
Each artist has his or her own methods and unique way of recording the image and genre that can bring a fresh idea of eroticism to the subject.
I, as a photographic artist, prefer to convey a feeling rather than an object. I work to suggest the sense of eroticism and sensuality rather than the obvious representation of sexuality. I feel that it is un-necessary to show more than a few significant elements in the scene. Only so much should be shown as will arouse the final viewer’s appreciative mind and interest and therefore contribute to the aesthetic result in their own imagination.