Tomáš Paule

The genre of fine art nude photography is constantly evolving as it absorbs and incorporates influences from classic nudes and fashion photography. This is manifest in the work of giants like Helmut Newton, Günter Rössler, Irving Pen, Horst P. Horst, et al. In the same way painters will approach a landscape differently, each has established an individual way of depicting the female nude. But what, in particular, elevates a nude photograph into the realm of fine art? When it comes to Tomáš Paule, the answer is relatively straightforward: his pictures possess a captivating inner elegance, exalting them from “regular” nude photography to works of art.

In his Yogin series, the Slovakian photographer quite literally turns fine art nude photography on its head. These black-and-white artworks feature a pair of bare, shapely legs pointed skywards. A long, flowing skirt fastened at the waist hangs all the way down to the floor, completely concealing the upper body and head of the subject. In the middle of a bare room, she appears more like a glazed ceramic sculpture than a living, breathing person.

Paule adroitly highlights this sculptural appearance with perfect technical execution. Captured in black-and-white with precise lighting and exposure, the upturned skirt becomes a porcelain pedestal upon which the flawless legs are proudly presented. We are invited to let our eyes run along the perfectly outlined contours. There is absolutely nothing extraneous in these images, nothing to distract us from the allure of the subject. There is a good reason why Paule’s stunning “Yogin no. 1” earned him 1st place in the Fine Art category at the prestigious Prix de la Photographie Paris in 2018.

Photographer Tomáš Paule lives and works in Bánovce nad Bebravou, Slovakia. His artistic work has earned him a membership in the Slovakian Photographers’ Guild and the Association of Professional Photographers of the Slovak Republic. Paule’s work has gained recognition in international festivals in India, Russia, and France. In 2017, the 35 Awards named him in its Top 10 Slovakia Photographers.