Rhythm From Within: Creating Movement from an Inner Voice

This series developed out of my wanting to expand the possibilities of still photography through a new approach to the nude in nature. I had long felt that a beautiful body is a work of art by itself, so I didn't need to document that. Instead, I created and perfected my own method of in-camera multiple exposures and I sought out subjects not for their outward appearance, but for their ability to turn feelings into movement.I scouted locations in nature where participants would feel safe to delve into their vulnerability, and to physically express their emotions. I asked my subjects to choose a spot, meditate on their surroundings, and spontaneously move as if they were alone. I didn't direct beyond initial encouragement, and I assured them that they could do nothing wrong. I trusted their intuition to bring out the human condition and make a connection with the Earth. We experimented, trying minimal costuming, then partial nudity, then full nudity. I reacted instinctively and reflexively. As they went into motion, I made many exposures onto each frame of film.These overlaid images frequently created a sort of costume for my subjects. Rather than a literal representation of nudes in nature, these photographs conveyed the sensation of a body in motion, with a roundness, a dynamic, and a dimension that moved beyond a moment in time. A few individuals even metamorphosed into unrecognizable beings. No matter how different my subjects were from each other, they all displayed a plethora of emotions, and communicated them through the universal language of the body.Intricate meshing with nature, complex depths of expression, intriguing effects and juxtapositions...all spontaneously appearing in the camera... after every session, editing was both difficult and a pleasure.One reviewer called my method "risky photography," because there was no way to predict the outcome. The final images formed inside the camera-as multiple exposures layered onto single frames- and I utilized only basic dodging and burning for the final prints. There was no premeditation, just meditation that powered my exploration of the Rhythm From Within.-Michael Philip Manheim