Helen H ‘Aegean’ at Metart by Nudero

Helen H ‘Aegean‘ by Nudero

Take a look at the very first photograph in this Met Art erotic gallery. That too-short little black slip provides a tantalizing glimpse. The stiletto-heeled sandals add a sexy and leg-lengthening accent. The upright pose, hands tugging at her shoulder straps, emphasizes a strong and confident presence. And that face, framed by long, dark, wavy hair is undeniably alluring. The setting itself is pleasing, another view of a location the photographer has used many times before. And the colors — landscaping, architecture, sea, and sky — are particularly harmonious.

And yet I still find a little something missing. After working my way through the set I think it has something to do with Helen H‘s emotional range. She is a beautiful, sexy girl, but she tends to operate in a very narrow span of expression. She parts her ripe lips in something short of a smile revealing beautifully white teeth in the process, and she arches her right eyebrow. I imagine this is supposed to be a provocative, teasing look, but shot after shot it becomes a bit repetitious. In a shot like #029 that facial expression is the only thing that diminishes an otherwise pleasing photograph. It’s sexy, to a degree, but it also feels somehow put on.

This isn’t one of photographer Leonardo‘s flashier sets (no pun intended). The seasoned image maker puts his subject through a respectable variety of poses and, as mentioned, the setting is so pleasing in its own right that when everything comes together the results are truly fine. A shot like #018, is a beautifully balanced composition, and I particularly like how Helen’s upright body obscures and replaces the column behind her as the predominant vertical element in the frame.

Yes, there are some odd moments, particularly those where the model is standing in direct sunlight. And that ice bucket seems a touch too contrived when it appears late in the set. “Aegean” does end on a high note, however (see #111). Here Helen H reclines, totally nude and barefoot, on a chair. Her pose and the lighting brings out the natural beauty of her body. And, most importantly, her face, viewed in partial profile, is relaxed. No arched eyebrow, no toothy smile, just a beautiful woman in appealing repose. That’s more like it.