shashasha

The photobook “Almost Naked” presents a series of portraits taken by Chinese photographer Shen Wei. With the exception of the odd photograph of horses or broken down cars, the series is composed of nude photographs Wei has taken of strangers in America. The images are not sexual (or sexualizing) in nature but rather form an exploration of American identity and sexuality by studying the individual in front of the camera.

“By the time I had finished shooting, I was photographing a person fully naked, not only holding my gaze but also looking straight into my eyes, into my soul. My heart was pounding and I had tears in my eyes. Even though I felt almost naked, I also felt an incredible sense of peace.”
— from Shen Wei’s afterword (regarding the first time he took a nude photograph for this series)