The Bare Project: Art Nude Photography

here’s probably no better definition of a labour of love than The Bare Project, run by British husband-and-wife team Andrew and Lynsey King, a photography series showcasing natural bodies in nature, designed to promote body confidence and acceptance. H&E caught up with Andrew to find out more.

How did the project first come about?

By accident, to be honest. It was May Bank Holiday in 2024, and while most people would have been enjoying a Monday morning lie-in, we were out in nature at 6am taking nude self-portraits. Being in your 40s can suck, and the tendency to stare in the mirror worrying about another grey hair, another wrinkle or another inch on the waist, is unavoidable. Meanwhile the digital world we live in is forcing images of picture-perfect people into our feeds each time we open up our phones.

The basis of that first shoot was simple. We got up early when it was quiet, headed to a nice scenic area nearby, stripped off, and took photos of each other. We returned home with the intentions of loading them up and then laughing (or crying!) at them. What we weren’t expecting was our reaction to the photos; we neither laughed nor cried but looked at them with amazement. To our astonishment, we actually looked OK. Yes, we could see all the lumps, bumps and wrinkles, but the realisation that we could look at these photos and not feel ashamed was powerful.

That triggered the birth of The Bare Project, and we immediately knew we had to open this up to others. If we could give the sense of body self-acceptance to at least one more person, it would be worth it.

What came next?

After managing to get some additional content with a friend of ours, we decided to launch our Instagram account (@_thebareproject_). This was a monumental step. Would people get it? Would anyone bother following? Will Instagram shut us down immediately with their overzealous sensitivity rules? With the latter being an ongoing issue, for a shadowbanned account it grew relatively quickly, and people appeared to relate it. Close friends were keen to pose for us, and we’ve made some great new ones through the account, some of whom have then modelled for us.

So what are your ‘rules’?

Number 1: strictly no body shape editing or manipulation. Otherwise, what’s the point? To keep a consistent theme/aesthetic, the photos are always intentionally 'no face' portraits, shot from behind. This also fits in better with the people we photograph, as we are not generally working with naturists on these shoots. The majority are new to taking their clothes off to be photographed, so wouldn't feel confident enough to be shot from all angles. All images are also shot outdoors in natural landscapes: hopefully with interesting light and weather conditions. The aim is to produce a piece of art which the model features proudly in.

Photography is obviously in your blood.

We started shooting back in the pre-digital days, before taking the plunge and purchasing our first Canon digital SLR in 2005. These days, we enjoy shooting a mixture of both formats, although the ever-increasing costs associated with shooting film sadly results in our collection of old analogue cameras spending more time on the shelf than in our hands.

We’re fortunate enough to have a well-equipped home studio which we utilise for a mixture of portraiture assignments, although in recent months, we’ve been solely focussed on shooting out in nature for The Bare Project. However, being busy parents who both work full-time in the technology and health care industries, frustratingly the time for photography opportunities can be somewhat limited.

And naturism?

Being a body positive project which promotes everyday bodies in nature, we have naturally gained a decent following from the naturist community both in the UK and worldwide. Our own personal experiences with naturism are sadly a little limited. Yes, we have visited the odd clothing-optional beach when on holiday, but given the generally cold, damp climate we live in, and the busy nature of our lifestyle, our clothes generally have to remain on!

What feedback are you getting?

There is a consistent response we have heard from all the people we have photographed, and that is one of “liberation.” Our aim is to photograph people who wouldn’t typically be inclined nor confident enough to bare all in nature, let alone while some stranger is pointing a camera at them. However, shoot after shoot, we are finding that as soon as the barrier has been overcome and the clothes removed, people enjoy being naked. The sense of non-judgement and body freedom they feel typifies naturism, and as the creators behind the project, we love giving people this body confidence.

And the challenges?

Shooting in the UK can be ‘interesting’ with regards to public nudity. We live in East Anglia, where the skies are big and the land is flat. While we endeavour to seek out quiet locations to shoot at, they also need to be picturesque. And the problem with picturesque is…other people go there! Inevitably there have been occasions where we have been spotted during a shoot, but fortunately this has only ever been met with a cheeky smile and comment. However, as a photographer, these situations still panic us. There’s a tendency to worry too much about what people think we’re up to: someone’s naked in a forest while someone else is taking photos. Sounds very dodgy, right? We often have to remind ourselves that public nudity is perfectly legal in the UK, and we are shooting images for a good reason.

How much of your time does it take up?

As much as we love what we’re doing, it is very time-consuming. We want to produce images that both us and the model can feel proud of. Ones we all want to show off and shout about; a statement piece as such. This requires various elements to come together: our availability, the model’s availability, an agreed date time and location, and of course the weather. While we can control most aspects, being in the UK we are at the hands of the gods when it comes to the elements.

Over the summer months, we attempt to take on three or four shoots per month. The shoots themselves can be very time consuming, purely down to them being location-based; they’re often buried deep in forests, so require a drive and a hike to get there. However, that is part of the adventure.

Winter shoots are much more difficult. Weekends for us are generally busy with family activities, and there’s simply not enough daylight to take on evening shoots, which is typically when we shoot in the summer. Coupled with the understandable reluctance for people to de-robe in freezing temperatures, we’re lucky if we get one shoot a month over the winter. That being said, the season itself can provide an epic backdrop, with frosty fields and crisp blue skies, so this year we will be making a concerted effort to get out more.

And the models?

We currently find ourselves in a fortunate position where people are approaching us wanting to model. A recent shoot with one model has led to her friends wanting to shoot, then friends of theirs, and so on. Due to the limited number of shoots we’re able to take on, we don’t currently really need to go on the lookout for models. However, the project portfolio is currently dominated by females, so in the future we do hope to work with more males, couples and groups.

And while we largely re-visit locations which we know are nude-shoot friendly, we are constantly on the lookout for new places. Time constraints generally force us to work locally, although we do have dreams of shooting in hills, mountains and waterfalls across the country.

What’s next?

We have managed to grow to over 4000 Instagram followers, and also have a presence on Bluesky. We hope to start work on a website soon, showcasing our work and hosting models’ galleries, and are also considering an online shop, where high quality prints can be purchased.

Up until now, shooting for the project has always been a collaboration between us and the model. However, we are now considering the option of putting chargeable shoots in place to help towards the travel costs and time spent working on the project. Doing so will hopefully enable us to take on more shoots.

In the short time we’ve spent running the project, there appears to have been an increase in social media users promoting ‘body positivity’ and wanting to ‘normalise nudity.’ The realisation that environments do exist where everyday people with everyday bodies can remove their clothing without feeling judged has helped to make our project relatable.

Long may it continue.

©H&E Naturist 2025