If you are commissioning a photograph, you should own the rights to it. A completely different scenario is if you're being paid by the photographer to pose for photographs that he will then own the copyrights on and will have the right to exhibit, use in a portfolio, etc. Some photographers only work this way and will not work on a commissioned piece. Check with the photographer ahead of time. Some also trade Time for Prints if you're interested in being paid with photographs. Again, in this case, copyright ownership usually remains with the photographer.

What Are Artistic Nudes? Artistic nudes are not boudoir or pin-up photos and should not be thought of as "sexy pictures for lovers". They are the depiction of the human form as art. "Beauty is form contemplated without desire." Eoin de Leastar

Think through these ideas and discuss them with your photographer.

Do you want the image to be made using soft lighting with a light-colored background (high-key), or would you rather have strong contrast of brights and darks against a black backgound to accentuate form (Low-key)?

Is it a full body shot or an abstract of just select body parts?

About location, do you want it shot in a studio or would you rather it was shot in your home so the setting is more familiar? Or maybe an outdoor natural location? A field of wildflowers? A cornfield? A mountaintop?

Other locatons that could serve as backgrounds include a private riverbank, the woods, a meadow, your garden, architectural ruins, a greenhouse, an old warehouse or even horseback riding on the beach.

Is it Legal to be Nude Outdoors? Check with your local National Forest or BLM Land office, but so long as you're not being lewd, there is no law against nudity on federal land. Of course there are always private locations and places like nude beaches and hot springs.

You can also choose to be photographed partially nude, with a sheer cloth for some cover. Or a prop. Remember the rose petals that covered Mena Suvari in the movie "American Beauty"? Or Whoopi Goldberg's famous photo by Annie Leibovitz in a bathtub of white milk? There was also Demi Moore nude while she was 8-months pregnant on the cover of Vanity Fair. And for another cover she was "wearing" only a painted-on suit. There was even a famous calendar of nudes made a few years back by the "Ladies of Rylstone" in England featuring women from age 40-60.

You’re not limited to the photos that you’ve seen before. If you have a unique idea, you can work with that. You could even be photographed underwater (if you can find a photographer who can shoot underwater). Or playing the cello. Or at the kitchen table with a cup of steaming coffee. What prop would be most appropriate for your photograph?

Your spouse also could be in the photograph. That’s another option. Or you could be photographed with your baby. Or family.

You can choose to have your eyes open or closed. You could be sitting or standing. Facing front or away. It is preferable to keep your look off-camera, so that you are not connecting with the viewer directly..

Take a look at the work of some photographers’ work for ideas. Like Joyce Tenneson and Edward Weston. Both have galleries online. There are many other galleries online as well for an overview of various styles and use other images as a starting point for stirring your own creativity.

Are you looking to make a single photograph that will be matted and framed? If so, what size would you want it? Or would you rather have several photos in a series?

As a final thought, there’re both male and female photographers, so use whichever you feel more comfortable with.

And you should certainly be able to bring a friend for company. Talk to the photographer about this. A parent or guardian's consent must be required if under 18.

Be creative and try different approaches.

A photographer who prints digitally, using software like Photoshop, can retouch blemishes if that is so desired. (Nobody famous looks that good without a little help from their makeup/hair stylist and a retouching lab!)

Tips for the day of the photo shoot: Wear loose clothing without elastic so you don't have "marks" that take time to disappear. Make sure the location will be as warm as you like it. Make sure you call the shots while allowing the photographer to suggest ideas and use his/her expertise to capture the image. If uncomfortable, end the session and leave.