The female nude, photographed in the beautiful nature of New South Wales (Australia), is the speciality of the photographer Gerhardt Thompson. His work is based on the obvious relation between the human form and the organic landscape, sometimes intimate, often displayed monumental. But his work is not limited to this one single theme. In many of his images there are multiple layers, nearly hidden references, in a surreal dreamlike atmosphere.
His subtle and poetic way of displaying the nude, is sensual, but never really erotic. The compositional construction and his nearly formal artistic approach are preventing the images from getting sexually charged. In a way the nude is just as important, to the scene, as the structure of a rock or the shape of a tree. It’s the overall impression, the whole atmosphere that counts, not just the human flesh, or the female form itself.
Photographing female nudes, in a nature setting, is done by an endless amount of photographers. I must admit that when I first looked at the work of Gerhardt Thompson, my first thought was, seen that, nothing new to enlighten my day. But I was wrong, sometimes subtle quality needs a second look, maybe even a third one, to reveal itself. And after browsing trough his portfolio again today, I’m really impressed with his consistency, commitment and visual play. Needless to say that I can only recommend visiting his large online portfolio, the images in the gallery are just a small example of his oeuvre.
