Nude yoga, at first glance, appears to be something straight out of the glossy pages of Hustler. But if your first instinct is to take the offense and tap report on your Instagram feed at the sight of a yogi bending and stretching sans yoga pants, consider this. It’s 2016, and modesty is taking a back seat to let positive body image and self expression drive. But, many times, nudity is hyper-sexualized, and any positive messages often fall on deaf ears — or rather, blind eyes. We know there are exceptions to this, and we were determined to find them and get some perspective. We found a few, and managed to track down one in particular who was gracious enough to answer a few of our burning questions: Meet Instagram star Nude_YogaGirl. (nudeyogagirl.com)
@Nude_YogaGirl
Who is she? Although her real identity is kept separate from what you see in her stunning images, it’s easy to see why she’s such a sensation not only in the nude yoga community, but on Instagram. In less than a year, @nude_yogagirl has managed to attract over 414,000 followers, and every image on her feed is just as alluring as it is sophisticated: black and white photographs display expert poses with tasteful lighting and well-thought-out composition. It’s clear that these images are nothing short of art, looking like something you’d see in a Calvin Klein ad as opposed to Playboy.
We must add that each of her posts are careful not to break Instagram’s rules, but still expresses the undeniable beauty of the naked human body. Read on to learn about the surprising reason that inspired this 26-year-old yogi/model/photographer hybrid to do nude yoga, how she deals with haters and more.
So which came first, yoga or photography?
Yoga came first but I was even more passionate about photography when I started it about five years ago. I really got into yoga about one and half years ago when I understood that it’s more about how your feel on the inside than how you look on the outside. I really connected with yoga and started to practice daily.
Why nude yoga?
I mainly practice with my clothes on but sometimes nude as well. On my IG account’s photos I just really found a new way to express myself, I thought that I was able to transmit nudity not in a sexual way. All the shapes and lines can be seen very clearly and for me this is more artistic, too. I think it also supports my message, “You are beautiful exactly the way you are.”
Have you always been this comfortable with yourself to post these photos, or did you have any pivotal moments that inspired you to do this?
I struggled in the past when I was younger with accepting and loving my body. I wanted to change parts of it all the time. So I never could have thought about doing these kind of photos… But yoga helped me in finding balance with myself. Yoga helped me to love and accept my body fully and I want to encourage others to try yoga too.
Have you received any backlash from this account, and how do you deal with negative comments?
I have been really happy that people have understood my art and message in the right way. To be honest, I rarely get negative comments on my account and if I get some, I don’t really care about them too much. I think in life it’s very difficult to please everyone and that is not the point neither.
Where do you see NYG taking you in the future? Do you have any plans?
I have many plans and dreams. I hope that I can help and inspire others as much as possible in the future. That’s the most important thing for me.
I see you’re starting to shoot outside more, how’s that going? Do you worry that people will see you?
It’s going well, thanks! It’s another challenge for me to make the photos work in nature as well according to my style. For example, it’s more difficult to control natural light to be able to make shadows to cover my intimate parts than in studio lighting. The photos are taken in private areas, so I’m not worried about any other people around.
What else do you take pictures of? Do you have any other hobbies or passions?
I love taking photos about everything. I mainly photograph everyday life, people, food and nature. Apart from yoga and photography, I do a lot of different sports like going to the gym, running, workouts etc.. I also love reading books and nutrition is one of my passions too.
@NudeArtYoga
Also fans of nude yoga, Olga Litvinova and Gual Truzzi have joined forces to create @nudeartyoga on Instagram. While Gual sets up the lens, Olga twists and turns into creative poses for the shot. The pair uses amazing nature and environmental surroundings to capture the perfect shot, which really sets them apart from other nude yoga enthusiasts.
@JustinYogaStanley & @LizCrosbyYoga
Justin Stanley and Liz Crosby out of California use the beach and its natural environment as their platform to express their love for nude yoga and life. They post often of gratitude and growing, placing emphasis on their appreciation for each moment. Like alchemists, they wake up each day and spend their day doing what they love and are passionate about.
As you can see, they are quite talented yogis as well.
Are you a fan of nude yoga? Tell us what you think in the comments below or give us a shout on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!
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