INFOCUS

from Penthouse Australia - 12-2021

PREPARE FOR THE TALIBAN CRIME RISE

WHILE some of us mere mortals spend our days glued to our keyboards, staring into the digital abyss, Jean-Philippe Piter has spent the past 30 years living his best life, photographing a rotating bevy of beauties against a backdrop of white sand beaches and pristine turquoise waters in the balmy Bahamas.

Born in Dakar, Senegal, Piter splits his time between St Barth’s and the Bahamas. Renowned for his playful art nudes and creative celebrity portraits, Piter’s work is regularly shown in galleries in New York and Saint Barth, and has been published around the world in publications like: Vanity Fair, Vogue UK, Times magazine, Photo and more. His photos are a celebration of women, nature and sexual freedom.

For Piter, photography was always in his blood. “I am a voyeur, so I guess photography is instinctive for me. My first ever photo was a nude shot I took of my girlfriend at the time.”

When it comes to a great photo, Piter says there are three elements that need to be considered. “One: a great subject. Two: the way the photographer captures it with his own vision and the way he adds his own signature to the image. Three: good lighting.”

Piter has been shooting professionally for three decades now, and says moving from film to digital cameras was a gamechanger. “Photoshop has made a big difference in my approach to photography and has changed the way I work. It allows me to stress less on a photoshoot. I’m able to focus more on the subject and their energy, and less on the small details or having a perfect technique.”

“Techniques change and your own personal style evolves with it, but in the end, it remains the same: capture the moment, the emotions and tells a story,” he added.

His advice for budding nude photographers? “Be yourself. To not try to imitate. I would advise you to develop a rich, diversified artistic and photographic culture. Always treat models with courtesy, manners, and respect. And having a good sense of humour and patience will definitely help.”