Shooting guide
This guide is intended for women and their photographing partners who plan to contribute to Gynodiversity. In it we show you the correct poses for both the standing and the recumbent shots, as well as an easy way to set up the shots like a pro. It contains illustrated examples of how to do it right and pitfalls to steer clear of.
Lighting
Provide for diffuse (soft) lighting, avoiding harsh shadows. It is easiest to take photos on an overcast day, making use of daylight entering through a window directly opposite the subject.
Framing
Set the zoom on your main smartphone camera to 2x zoom if possible (equivalent focal length of around 50mm). Take photos from a distance of about 15in (38cm) from the subject.
Resolution
Most smartphones and cameras take photos of at least 12 megapixels. Just be sure to select the original files when you are ready to send them to us. We require at least 6 megapixels, but more resolution gives us more freedom when cropping.
Quickstart
Let's begin with a concise version to get you started in no time. Below, we discuss the various aspects more in-depth and with many illustrations.
Decompression
Before taking your photos, please allow your vulva some time to decompress after taking off your underwear. Some clothing, and more tight fitting underwear in particular, has a tendency to compress the soft tissue of your vulva. Photographing to soon after taking off your knickers may therefore result in an unnatural, flattened appearance of your vulva.
Standing shot
Stand up straight, feet shoulder width apart, facing the (diffuse) window light.
The camera in between you and the window, at a distance of about 15in (38cm) and pointing up at your vulva at a 10 degree angle.
Take the standing photo with and without a scale reference in frame.
Recumbent shot
Lie down on your back with open legs. Your vulva facing the window light.
The camera in between you and the window, at a distance of about 15in (38cm) and pointing down at your vulva at a 30 degree angle.
Take the recumbent photo with and without a scale reference in frame.
Vestibule shot
Lie down on your back with open legs. Your vulva facing the window light.
The camera in between you and the window, at a distance of about 15in (38cm) and pointing down at your vulva at a 30 degree angle.
Reaching around your buttocks, spread your labia majora, exposing your vestibule.
Take the vestibule photo with and without a scale reference in frame.
That's it, you finished our quick guide.
If all went well, you should have at least five photos of your vulva, which we can use to create our panels. Now it's time to submit them using our secure contribution form. Preferably the original full resolution files, without any editing. We'll take it from there. Thanks so much in advance!
Keep reading below for more in-depth and detailed information and learn to make photos of your vulva like a pro!
Put things in perspective
In order to get the most flattering perspective, your photos need to be taken at an equivalent focal length of around 50mm. This will probably be familiar to those of you who use a full frame DSLR or mirrorless camera. However, since most of you will likely be using your smartphone camera, the actual focal length will be much shorter for you and that might get a bit confusing. Therefore we will try to clarify things a bit.
The above mentioned focal length is necessary, because of perspective distortion that occurs with short focal lengths (ie. wide angle shots). In those cases, things close to the camera will appear much bigger in relation to things farther away from the camera (fish eye effect in extreme cases), which is not what we want.
To find out how far to zoom with your camera to get the desired focal length, do the following:
Hold your camera about 15in (38cm) away from the subjects head in landscape orientation.
Zoom in until her head fills the frame vertically from the top of her head to the bottom of her chin (see example photo). For the average smartphone camera this will probably be 2x zoom.
Use the same amount of zoom for the photos of your vulva.
Shed some light on the situation
Your photos should be lit as evenly as possible in order to keep the panels as uniform as possible. The correct lighting is from straight behind and above the camera’s point of view. Presuming you will not be using studio lighting, light coming from a window on an overcast day is your best option.
So the easiest way to get proper lighting, is to have the subject face the diffuse light coming from a window and get in between with your camera. To avoid blocking the light too much with your body, you should stay low or use a tripod and put the camera on self-timer or use a remote control.
Excellent lighting. The light is diffuse and comes from straight behind and above the camera.
Incorrect lighting. The light is diffuse but comes from behind and above the model. Backlight is not what we want.
Incorrect lighting. The light is diffuse but comes from behind and the viewers left. This creates undesirable asymmetrical shadows.
For good measure
To be able to present the photos in the correct relative scale, we need to crop them to the correct size. Therefore we would like you to take an additional shot with a size reference in frame (figure 3). Either on the left or the right side. A tape measure or ruler held vertically flush to the thigh works best.
Figure 2b – incorrect framing, because the camera is too high. (Pointed down from above horizontal.)
Figure 2 – overview of the standing shot
Figure 2c – incorrect framing, because the camera is too low. (Pointed up more than 20º.)
Figure 2a – excellent framing. The camera angle is just right. (Pointed up about 10º.)
The standing shot
To get a good standing shot, the subject should stand up straight with her feet shoulder width apart. The camera should face her head-on from about 15in (38cm) and pointing slightly up at her vulvar region at about a 10º angle (figure 2a). The margin of acceptable pitch angles is between 0º (horizontal) and pointing up 20º.
Figure 3 – the standing shot with scale reference
Things to avoid
Photos taken with the camera pointing down steeper than 40º (figure 5b) or shallower than 20º (figure 5c) are not usable because of perspective distortion. The same is true for photos taken from either the left or right of the midline at an angle of more than 10º (figures 5d and 5e).
Figures 2d and 2e – incorrect framing. The camera is positioned 10º or more to the viewers right or left respectively. This results in an unwanted, curved appearance of the vulva.
For good measure
To be able to present the photos in the correct relative scale, we need to crop them to the correct size. Therefore we would like you to take an additional recumbent photo with a scale reference in frame, either on the left or the right side of the frame. A tape measure or ruler resting vertically on one of the labia majora works best (figure 6).
Figure 4 – recumbent overview, photographers point of view
Figure 5 – recumbent overview with camera angles and distance
Figure 5a – excellent framing. The camera angle is just right. (Pointed down about 30º.)
The recumbent shot
To get a good recumbent shot, the subject should lie down as shown below (dorsal recumbent position). Lying on a bed seems the most comfortable option for both subject and photographer. The camera should face her straight on from about 15in (38cm) and pointing down at her vulva at about a 30º angle (figure 5a).
The margin of acceptable pitch angles is pointing down between 20º and 40º. Angles of 20º or less pointing down (figure 5c) and angles of 50º or more pointing down (figure 5b) are not usable, because the length ratio between the prepuce and the nymphae gets distorted due to the curvature of the vulva.
Figure 6 – the recumbent shot with scale reference
Figure 5b – incorrect framing, the camera is too high. (Pointed down 40º or more.)
Figure 5c – incorrect framing, the camera is too low. (Pointed down 20º or less.)
Figures 5d and 5e – incorrect framing. The camera is positioned 10º or more to the viewers right or left respectively. This results in an unwanted, curved appearance of the vulva.
Things to avoid
Photos taken with the camera pointing down steeper than 40º (figure 5b) or shallower than 20º (figure 5c) are not usable because of perspective distortion. The same is true for photos taken from either the left or right of the midline at an angle of more than 10º (figures 5d and 5e).
Figure 7 – overview of the vestibule shot, photographers point of view
Figure 8 – recumbent overview with camera angles and distance
Figure 8a – excellent framing. The camera angle is just right. Pointed down 30º as shown in figure 8.
The vestibule shot
To get a good vestibule shot, the subject should lie down as shown below (dorsal recumbent position). Lying on a bed seems the most comfortable option for both subject and photographer. The camera should face her straight on from about 15in (38cm) and pointing down at her vulva at about a 30º angle (figure 8a). The margin of acceptable pitch angles is pointing down between 20º and 40º as shown in figures 8 and 8a.
Figure 8b – incorrect framing, the camera is too high. (Pointed down 50º or more.)
Figure 8c – incorrect framing, the camera is too low. (Pointed down 10º or less.)
Figures 8d and 8e – incorrect framing. The camera is positioned 10º or more to the viewers right or left respectively. This results in an unwanted, skewed appearance of the vulva.
Things to avoid
Photos taken with the camera pointing down steeper than 40º (figure 8b) or shallower than 20º (figure 8c) are not usable because of perspective distortion. Additionally some parts of the vestibule may become obscured at these angles. The same is true for photos taken from either the left or right of the midline at an angle of more than 10º (figures 8d and 8e).