Nudes: Ricardo de Vicq de Cumptich of Brazil & more international entries

Ramon Vaquero, Howard Rosenberg, and Ricardo de Vicq de Cumptich are the focus of this week’s nude photography spotlight.

Nude photography has a elegiac grace to it that few other subjects are capable of displaying. There’s a sense of noble vulnerability to the naked human form, one that is as fragile as it is bold. Furthermore, presenting it in monochromatic and/or subdued color schemes–as these photographers have done–forces the viewer to reconfigure their perceptions and expectations of the body. It is in this context that Ramon Vaquero, Howard Rosenberg, and Ricardo de Vicq de Cumptich showcase some of the very best that nude photography has to offer in this week’s showcase.

Ricardo de Vicq de Cumptich’s Andressa (ABOVE) displays the body in woeful frailty that is both inspiring and yet jarring. Whether’s its the cascading water that ripples around the subject or their fetal kneeling position, it’s the juxtaposition between the two sentiments of strong and weak that propels this work into excellence.

Equally capricious is Blue Nude (ABOVE, LEFT) from Ramon Vaquero who presents the body as if it is a marquee in a sea of light. The poised shape of the body, coupled with the contouring lighting that details the shape and outline of the body, presents the body as an immaculate design that is the focus of any and all. And yet, as Vaquero explains that “colors were important to achieve the laid-back sensation,” adding that “they should be soft and limited to a few blue tones” so as to achieve an unobtrusive visuality.

Similarly, Howard Rosenberg’s Untitled (ABOVE, RIGHT) uses lighting and shadows to detail the body in a refreshingly new manner that is both powerful and breathtaking. Utilizing a chiaroscuro approach, Rosenberg presents a noir-like aesthetic that is anachronistic of early- to mid-century photography. It is both wondrous and yet uniquely American.

It isn’t too late for you to see your work up here too! Submissions for Graphis’ Nudes 5 Competition run till August 7. Winners will have the opportunity to see their work published on our website, blog, newsletter, and social media platforms!