‘Pure, free, raw, and natural’: exploring the female nude in tender portraits

A new zine by Russian-born, New York-based photographer Kristina Shakht is portraying the naked female form from a women’s perspective.

To Be or To Become brings together tender photos of women, flowers, and landscapes shot on both a Polaroid600 on 35mm film, and an iPhone. Shakht took all pics during the pandemic, which she says felt like a “long term retreat”, sparking her growth as an artist.

For Shakht, the zine is “way more personal than any other work”, as it helped her overcome difficult sexual experiences from her youth. “This project is a way of reframing my negative sexual experiences as a young woman and taking power back by showing women the way we see ourselves: pure, free, raw and natural,” she says.

Pre-order your copy here.