Photography byFwee Carter

As a photographer I am used to naked people around me all the time. Ever since I moved to New York City in 2014, I have opened up to doing more nudity themed photoshoots.

We would have events at least once a week, usually hosted by the co-owner, and have a bunch of naked men just hanging out in an apartment, drinking and talking.

Before I moved to the city I used Model Mayhem but now I use Instagram and people send me messages from there or on Twitter as well.

It takes around 15 minutes. We have to add the baby oil on the arms and upper chest first and I then put glitter on those areas since they dry first. Then we put baby oil everywhere except below the knees and the back. The removal all depends on the model’s patience. Some have showered for less than 20 minutes, some have showered for longer.

Doing glitter shots started when a friend of mine saw a glitter shoot with the glitter dripping off them like water. We shot that, and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to do more. But, of course I had to figure out what works best.

In terms of confidence, I’m the awkward one! But usually I work up to doing nude shots. So I start fully clothed, then underwear and finally nude. I do this to get models comfortable when it’s their first time. But sometimes models are so confident that they immediately get naked. For posing I actually learn model poses and pose for the model so they know what I am asking for. I want the model to feel comfortable during the entire shoot.

I did not feel comfortable shooting at my home studio, so I branched out and started doing outdoor shots. In the park and on my roof. It really changed my style and it let me try and do new things. I got new equipment for it and it has helped me do on-location photo shoots.

I was recommended by other photographers to try hotel rooms. They have some nice deals for a 3-hour hotel room stay but I realized just renting the room for the night is around the same price, so I would set up shoots for the whole day and night. I would then space out the shoots so there would hopefully be no overlaps. Now that things are getting back to normal I will start doing shoots back in my home studio, but I want to continue doing outdoor shoots and I have to continue to do glitter shoots at hotels because I recently got a puppy and we don’t want her around the glitter.

This series has really changed my style as a photographer and I love it for that. In terms of clean up, I put a plastic tarp down before each shoot and I also bring my own vacuum. I clean up after myself and the model so the hotel room is presentable. I don’t leave it an absolute mess. I ask the models to bring their own towels and soap and cleaning equipment so the room isn’t just full of towels.

Oh, and glitter is expensive!