Young British Naturists (YBN)

Nakedness is usually reserved for the private realm. We make sure the curtain is pulled before we undress. On the beach, we wriggle awkwardly behind towels to preserve our modesty and a dropped corner is cause for deep blushes The most natural and ordinary of all uniting topics, nudity continues to play a huge role in art and photography. It is about more than just skin. Nakedness is a concept as much as it is a state of being, and one wreathed in paradox. As one YBN member explains: "I was drawn in by the great equalizing aspect of naturism. It is an interesting question how far people would retain their respective rank if they were divested of their clothes.. In the naturist environment classifications disappear and the playing field is leveled. By removing clothing I feel a barrier between people is gone and I’m more able to meet and to talk to others without the feeling that I or they have something to hide." We arrive in this world without a stitch on our backs, raw-skinned and unadorned. In infancy and childhood, nudity is still considered natural, a sign of purity, untainted by the unseemly connotations that begin to attach themselves as we get older. I aspire for the viewer to engage with my subjects and see their nudity as a secondary element amongst the everyday setting. This project consists of young British naturists aged between 17 and 30. I aim to capture them as individuals, not just naturists;