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| Photo by Nicolas Taillard |
I was determined that this would be my big farewell, but the idea of simply turning off the lights and walking away on so many year's worth of work and having the Google servers erase the blog for inactivity was too much to bear. More importantly, losing the opportunity to communicate with so many great artists is a blessing I can't simply toss away. So what is the answer? For now, it is taking an extended break of a month or two. After that, posts will go up when I find art or information that really inspires me. There will be less posts advising about current exhibits, new books, etc., fewer repeats of old favourites and the work that gets posted will be the best of the best.
It was nine(!) years and nearly 3000 posts ago that I started this blog as an experiment in sharing my bookmarks. Little did I know what it would eventually become. The site has received literally millions of visitors. I've been interviewed for a nationally published magazine and for several different art websites. I've been humbled by very generous gifts of original photographic art and books. I've received emails from hundreds of photographers requesting to be featured and hundreds more expressing thanks for the exposure this blog has given them. Most importantly though, I've had the pleasure of forming friendships both real and "virtual" with dozens of the artists whose work I admire.
I couldn't have carried on this long without the support of several dedicated readers who regularly scoured the web and kindly submitted links for me to post. Some burned bright and faded, others are still going strong, but I am grateful to them all. With that in mind, I'd like to extend a special thanks to the following people.
Eric Kellerman
Michel Nahabedian
Nicolas Taillard
Chris Triance-Martin
Raymond Delhaye
Mariana Pinheiro
Brooks Ayola
Furthermore, I'd like to thank all you photographers that submitted your websites and online portfolios to me. I sincerely hope you continue to do so although posts will be much less frequent. It is my greatest pride that this blog is visited regularly by so many talented artists.
Thank you also to all my readers. Knowing that there were thousands of people a day visiting the site was an awesome responsibility, but one I was proud of.
Finally, I'd like to thank Jean Jacques Andre for sparking my interest in figure photography in the first place. Merci beaucoup JJ!
I sincerely hope my efforts have brought only good publicity and increased exposure to the artists featured here, and to fine art nude photography in general.
37 comments:
Below is a special message from long time contributor Eric Kellerman that he's asked me to post for him as he is traveling at the moment.
From Eric K.
Many many thanks for having provided such a wonderful and unique photographic resource for so long. It will be strange and not a little sad not to be checking out the Art Nudes blog as one of the first things to do when I switch on my computer in the morning. What a variety of talent you unearthed for us over the years, and how carefully you sifted the wheat from the chaff! By maintaining strict standards, you more or less defined through photographic example what is meant by 'the fine art nude'. And because of the reputation your blog built up, a mention on it was always guaranteed to send the hit rates on one's own site soaring. There was no better advert for one's work than to appear on your pages.
Your decision to give up the blog after eight years is understandable, given the time and effort you had to expend on doing the research, maintaining the site, following readers' suggested links, writing introductions and, very occasionally, handling difficult commenters – all of this on top of a full-time job. It truly was a labour of love. Whether there are other sites that can fill the gap left by Art Nudes, I very much doubt, but let's hope someone is inspired by you to take up the challenge.
I'd also like to thank you for being not only an excellent blogger, but also an excellent correspondent over the years. Civilised, to the point, and always friendly. I shall certainly miss artnudesblogspot.com, yet I am glad you will remain only an email away.
Enjoy your 'retirement', Michael! It's well deserved and you will now have more time for your own photography!
Eric
great photography, many wishes on 2012:)
Thank you for all the marvels contained in this blog, very beautiful year of 2012 !
(Automatic translation)
Thank you Michael.
Like Eric, one of the first things I do in the morning is click on your website and take a deep breath. As a poet I look for inspiration in the beautiful and universal. Here is a thank you gift for you:
the nude
let a nude in the morning
refract the light through a curtain
before my breakfast has cooled
and i count my first coffee spoon
a body will eclipse the room
in color tones and spatial rhyming
the folds of flesh in celebration
skin the aguish plot and setting
an archetypal myth in dreaming
to dream a dream a gift so pure
the body the palace of the soul
fingers and hands melodious
backs and slides curvaceous
what a wonderful extraction
to hang like a man
or to cavern softly round
a woman’s frond of monsy
lips and stretching hips
oh please no distractions yet
do not repulse the delicate
no complaints of puerile stimulation
just reflect upon it for a second
no red robes or eye-wise amulets
one more moment ‘fore the veil is fitted
only air needs now to adorn
what gold chain cannot improve upon
leave it alone and just respond
let the body sing its praise
to God the father mother made
let the breast and chest
and knee and spine
reflect the joy of all mankind
oh how reprimanded the body seems
when beauty rendered as obscene
Sorry to see your blog is slowing down... however you'll still be on my blog roll on 'A Natural Background'. :D
Many, many thanks for all the hard work you've done to offer this blog to the photo community. Over the years I've been introduced to the work of outstanding photographers world wide whose work I probably never would have found on my own. I've gained inspiration and friendships from them.
2012 appears to be a year of changes and transition for many people. May you be blessed in what hopefully will be more than a sabbatical and less than a retirement.
Doug Earle
Thanks so much for all your work and for featuring my work this year. Best wishes for 2012.
E. E. McCollum
www.azeneye.com
Thank you, Michael, for all the years of work on this wonderful blog. You have made it a great resource and source of inspiration for many years.
As a blogger I understand very well the pressure that a blog can create. I respect your decision to slow down. I did that with my blog after a while. What I found was that simply doing a post when I felt like it made blogging much more enjoyable and still kept the blog going. I hope you'll find the pace that works best for you and continue to share with us.
But, whatever you do, know that you have done a great service to your fellow photographers and to all who appreciate the fine art nude. Thank you!
really sorry to see you slow down but I'm in a thing now, a figure drawing group, that started out as fun and ended up as work and I'm slowly backing out myself.
So sad to read your post as I sat down this morning for my weekly Sunday ritual of a Timmy's and Art Nudes. I know the work it takes to keep up a blog as I have horribly neglected mine over the last several months.
I hope one day to be able to pop over to visit with you, Michael. Have a few beers and talk shop.
You rock my friend. I'm hoping you'll have more time to shoot yourself. Your blog has provided so much inspiration to so many, and elevated some who otherwise would never have been heard, and for that you should be very proud.
Your blog is magnificent and I will continue to enjoy it when you have the time to post.
I started my own blog a little over a year ago. It has brought me great exposure as an Art Nude Model, but I do understand the pressure to keep up with it on a nearly daily basis.
Take care,
Sunshine in the Desert
Michael , I'm so sad with this notice, your blog was a source of inspiration for me, but I understand that you need long vacations. Thanks for all the time dedicated !!! Can anybody continue with this project?
Thanks again !!
Eduardo Aguirre
Patagonia / Argentina
Wishing you a Happy New Year with many good things ahead! It's been a fun ride reading your blog all these years. And even though my own blog has been in slow motion for some time...every day my stats show the majority of my readers are coming from you...and there are a lot!
Cheers to whatever the future holds! Keep in touch!
Vous laisser un grand vide dans
monde l'image
Merci pour votre exellent travaile.
Resourcer vous,et très bientot je l'espère
Nicolas
Thanks for all your hard work for so many years. Your dedication is inspiring, as are all the artists you shared. Thanks and have a great future, may any obstacles to your wishes be removed.
Je continuerai à suivre toutes vos mises à jour, aussi longtemps qu'il y en aura.
Merci pour votre investissement, bonne année 2012.
Happy 2012!!! You have certainly served the artistic photographic nude international communitiy well with this awesome blog!!! I definitely enjoyed coming here every week, once a week, to see what's new with nudes. May you keep it going when you feel so inspired, as it should be.
- Carpe Diem - Miss Anthrope 1007 -
http://missanthrope1007.tumblr.com/
I've only been following you for a while but you've brought several outstanding photographers and models to my attention in that time, so thank you.
Hope you manage to continue even if it is irregular.
Phil
It sounds like you can use some time off, Michael. Yes, blogging can be a chore (I'm reminded of the old "Time to make the donuts" commercial), so enjoy your time off and I will enjoy the occasional entries that you may make.
Of coures, thanks too for featuring my photos, blogs and calendars here. I never got a bump in hits the way I did after I was featured here.
Dave
While I completely understand why you are slowing down the time you spend on this, I'm sad to know it will not be nearly as active as it has been. Like others have said, thank you for consistently maintaining the high standards of work presented here. It was largely through the influence of your blog that I began seriously shooting nudes about 6 or 7 years ago. I'll continue to enjoy the less frequent updates!
Dave
Best luck Michael
Happy new year
Roberto
ahhhh, today i found you....
beautiful photography!
I don't believe you could stop to post Michael 8-( If you stop, I stop too and so on for many others nude art bloggers... I always said to myself, don't copy the master, look for what he looks...
See you soon, Théo
nudeartvideo.canalblog.com
Thank you Michael for opening the world of figure photography to me. My own photography has truly been enriched by your blog.
R. Fong
Michael
I am one of those anonymous surfers who once passed across your blog and since then has paid a regular visit to it.
I have a passion for photography... but, with your blog I discovered how artistic nude photography can be inspiring. It became a ritual to visit you every evening (and not morning like some others ;-)
Thanks a lot for sharing all your "coups de coeur" with us. I'll keep visiting your archives. Please keep this blog alive!
Eric
Merci Michael
Thank you for this constant flow of inspiration, and the great work of keeping high standards in the selection of photographers.
I hope that you'll be back for more gems, even if they are not as regular.
All the best
Philippe
Michael,
I'm not much for blog commentary -but- after reading your farewell/de-intensification felt compelled to express my sincerest gratitude.
You've turned me on to several great photographers and helped inspire me when inspiration lagged.
Thank you for all your hard work and please know that it is appreciated.
-Adam
Michael, I am so sorry to hear this. We have lost most of those who pioneered the fine art nude blog. The community has been so strong, and your part has been immense.
However, I can understand the reason (my blog consumes my life, honestly).
Please accept my heartfelt appreciation for all your years of service to our community and my hope you will continue in some way and not cease publishing entirely.
You have indeed been a great force to increase exposure of worthy artists and a great force for fine art photography in general.
wow!
I like to see your nude work, beautiful sir! :)
I'd take the 2nd offa there
like Jimmy Hoffa - dijoo know
he was buried in Giant's Stadium
by the opposing mob? Real stardom.
See the whorizontal similarites, bro?
I dont wanna lose you, either...
yet, 2/3 get so caught-up in the
intimate passion of the world,
they completely forget who made'm
N what their purpose is.
So, they descend at death's hour,
never to be heard from again.
Dont be like the lemmings who
follow U.S. o'er the cliff
into the Abyss o'Misery.
Coming to my BIG-ol,
John Belushi, party-hardy
in illustrious Seventh-Heaven?
Eternal pleasure-beyond-measure??
...yet, gotta wanna quit materialism
N whorizontal vanity: God's Rules
aint crippling; SIN is crippling.
Make Your Choice -SAW
God bless your indelible soul.
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