| Since the day my mother, an accomplished artist, put a camera in my hand at the age of 13, I have attempted to capture the subtle, hidden beauty of the world. My current work focuses on what I refer to as “cinematic female nude portraiture.” The fact that the models are nude is almost inconsequential as the focus is based upon some form of dramatic expression. I’m often inspired by the strong, independent women in my life, namely my mother, grandmother, and wife. The great admiration and respect that I have for these women is reflected in the images that I create. My time spent working in the motion picture business has largely impacted the way I frame my shots. I now realize that my visual influences were subconsciously shaped by filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, and Sergio Leone. | 
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James Christopher
James Christopher, Untitled, 2008. Digital print on archival paper. Courtesy of the artist.Since the day my mother, an accomplished artist, put a camera in my hand at the age of 13, I have attempted to capture the subtle, hidden beauty of the world.
My current work focuses on what I refer to as “cinematic female nude portraiture.” The fact that the models are nude is almost inconsequential as the focus is based upon some form of dramatic expression. I’m often inspired by the strong, independent women in my life, namely my mother, grandmother, and wife. The great admiration and respect that I have for these women is reflected in the images that I create.
My time spent working in the motion picture business has largely impacted the way I frame my shots. I now realize that my visual influences were subconsciously shaped by filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, and Sergio Leone.
I prefer a more minimalist aesthetic that includes eschewing overwrought hair and makeup. It seems that this approach lends itself to capturing raw strength, candid expression, and the real natural beauty of my subjects.
The pleasantly surprising side effect of my efforts is the number of people, especially women from all walks of life, who tell me that they enjoy viewing my work, including my 80-year-old grandmother. I feel like in some small way my images have helped to make artistic nudes a little more acceptable for mass consumption. This is exciting since we in America have always been more conservative on this subject.
I was incredibly flattered by a note someone named Stella recently sent me that pretty much sums up what I have been trying to accomplish with my most recent work: “It’s clear from viewing your work that you have great love and respect for women.” Needless to say, she also became one of my subjects.
