I made this photo in March 2007. By then I had already been experimenting a lot with nude self-portraiture, but this shoot felt different. It felt quieter. Simpler. Less about pushing and more about returning. I went out into the woods and discovered something I love: the feeling of being naked in nature and the natural acceptance that follows.
To be naked in the woods really does feel like a return to creation, a return to God. There is a freedom there that is hard to explain unless you have felt it. “Forests are natural cathedrals,” and being there reminded me that God meets us in quiet places.
I began to realize the joy and specialness of being naked in nature. It was so freeing. By being liberated of clothes, I could also liberate my heart and be closer to God. In moments like these are some of the times I feel closest to God. It is great to worship with others in a church building – I aim to do this weekly. And I can be so much closer to God when I can be fully me, unburdened by anxiety of what others may think and simply be naked in the presence of God. I like that this image is not technically great. It’s too bright on my chest, too dark around, and partially out of focus. Yet it feels so real and raw and powerful in that.
What does a pinecone wear? Nothing. It simply unfolds into what it is.
Nude Soul