"As for Indians and nudity, they have been sculpting it thousands of years longer than the West has been photographing it," writes New York-based documentary photographer Preston Merchant in an Internet chat forum.
But despite having history behind them, photographers in India know that artistic imagery and pornography often share an uneasy relationship.
"Man has always been fascinated by the human form. Nudity has been appreciated either through painting or sculpture. Those who couldn't express themselves through the traditional arts took to nude photography. This is in fact the toughest subject for any photographer. You have to work with light and shadows and also keep control over your senses when you come face-to-face with the naked body. Bonding is therefore very important between the photographer and his model. However as compared to a painting, a photograph is better since it captures reality and not an artist's impression of it. Creating a really fine nude study is about the most difficult task in photography as camera is more revealing, clinical than any paintbrush.
"However in recent times nude photography has also been abused. There are some unscrupulous elements who see it as a means of making money. That often becomes the cause of exploitation. For some nude photography is no better than porn because it shows the human form as a degraded being," says Delhi-based lensman Inder Gopal who learnt his craft in Germany and has won the 'Best Picture' award in an international online competition for artistic nude work.
Atul Kasbekar, the man behind the annual Kingfisher Calendar, insists nudity is a basic form of human existence. "I don't consider it alarming that nudity has become more acceptable today. In fact I would much rather see a nude form of fine art than the obscene music videos that are constantly aired on television. I find a human body very beautiful to look at," he says.
As far as nude photography is concerned, Kasbekar feels that a fine line should be drawn between voyeurism and aestheticism. "I don't consider nude photography obscene. A fine line has to be drawn when one talks about nudity in photography and than line can vary from person to person. I have myself done a lot of nude photography, the most recent being an underwater shoot with male models. For me nude photography is a form of art where a clear distinction is made between sensuality and vulgarity. My personal growth has been inspired by masters such as Helmut Newton and Patrick Demartial" he says.
However not everybody is as unequivocal as Kasbekar about nudity in photography. According to noted Mumbai photographer Daboo Ratnani: "Personally nudity is not acceptable to me. As a photographer, nudity appeals to me only when it is shot aesthetically. Moreover, such work must have a purpose. I don't subscribe to the idea of using nude photography for making money or gaining unnecessary mileage. If done for an exhibition, portfoilo or some other artistic purpose, then it's ok. But if nude pictures are meant to be published in the media, then a distinction has to be made between what is aesthetic and what is not."