ON THE COVER

RENE JACOBS - JADE

FEATURED
RENE JACOBS

Olga

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 TIMELESS NUDES
Rene Jacobs is an award winning photographer
whose nudes have been published and exhibited
internationally. The following 4x5 images are
from her book Amoureux. We are very fortu-
nate to be the first magazine to publish this series
of sensual images which Rene holds so near and
dear to her heart.
AN: When and how did you get into photogra-
phy?
RJ: I was in high school in the suburbs of Philad-
Chris
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Interview with Rene Jacobs
elphia and I started taking a weekend photography
class downtown at what is now UArts. Darkroom,
printing, chemicals, steel reels, all of that dark-
room in the basement sort of stuff. Ive spoken
to more and more photographers of my genera-
tion and older and that seems to be the common
theme. Everyone from Araki to Douglas Kirkland
seems to have had that tiny little darkroom in the
basement as a kid. In college, I was a co-photo
editor at the student newspaper and photographed
everything from KKK rallies in the woods to col-
legiate sports. Unfortunately most of the images
were bad because I couldnt
focus the long lenses quickly
enough to save my life.
AN: Describe how you went
from practicing law to photog-
raphy?
RJ: My early photography was
all very much hard hitting black
and white photojournalism, in-
cluding my book of oral histo-
ries and photos, Slow Burn: A
Photo document of Centralia,
Pennsylvania which was origi-
nally published in 1986 and just
re-issued again last year. As a
result of my interest in environ-
mental issues from that project,
I got a scholarship to go to law
school and study environmen-
tal law. A six month stint as a
law student working with the
environmental problems on the
Akwesasne Reservation in up-
state New York is as close as I
got to putting it to use. Instead,
I practiced civil rights and con-
stitutional law for 15 years. I
didnt touch my cameras for
pretty much that whole time. I
 RENE JACOBS

had never shot any nudes or landscapes before, lming wistfulness about some little detail missed.
I thought all nudes were exploitive and all land- But its also those imperfections and surprises
scapes were boring. After 15 years of law, all of that add to the delight of photography for me. I
that beauty was pretty talismanic. I realized that never have enough time to do everything I want.
my passion is photography. I am constantly think- Im incredibly fortunate that I get approached by
ing about it, dreaming about it, so it made perfect women all over the world to shoot and I just dont
sense to pursue it full time. have time. For me, the process of the photogra-
phy itself has become very organic and magical.
AN: Can you describe your aesthetic process? Of course, sometimes the police are not overly
fond of some of my shoots, but there are pho-
RJ: My aesthetic process for this series is pretty tographer friends of mine that have much bigger
much the same as for all my other photography. problems with that than I do. And I would much
See it, feel it, photograph it. It all depends on the rather be shooting than dealing with the business
model, light and location. I very rarely know how side of photography.
sensitive to the fact that type
55 is an extremely slow film,
so it requires more light than
I usually like to shoot with. If
Ive shot with a model before,
I usually know how she moves,
how comfortable she is with her
body, where her confidence and
silliness are. But I almost never
plan or storyboard a shoot. Its
all very organic and I simply
dont know in advance how I or
the model will be feeling on any
particular day, in any particular
moment, in any particular light.

AN: What inspires you?

RJ: Love, longing, loss, light,

heartbreak, rain, water, women,
beauty, art, music.

AN: What are some of the chal-

lenges you face while photo-
graphing?

RJ: I am never happy. There

have been perhaps two photo-
graphs that Ive taken where I
feel I wouldnt change a thing.
Theres usually some overwhe-
Angie

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 RENE JACOBS
AN: How did you come up with the idea for your
book Amoureux?
RJ: A dear friend of mine somehow intuited that
I need to start shooting 4x5, which I had never
done. I was always a tri-x 35mm kind of girl. He
put a converted polaroid and a box of type 55 in
my hand and I just went nuts. The camera is sexy,
the process is sexy and if I dont get my hands on
some more 55 soon, I will die.
AN: How often do you exhibit your work?
RJ: It really depends. Ive had either solo shows
Tiana #1
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or something in group shows every few months
in the last year or two.
AN: In 2008 you received a very prestigious
award, please share that experience with us.
RJ: Yes, the International Photography Award
for Fine Art Nude. A complete and utter shock
and thrill. I have nothing but love and reverence
for the people behind the Lucies and their un-
abashed and singular dedication to photography.
So it was a joy on top of a thrill wrapped in de-
light.
AN: Can you tell us about the
Paris Nudes, how did this proj-
ect come about?
RJ: The publisher, who is Pari-
sian but lives in New Mexico,
approached me after seeing
some of my Paris work and
reading about my love affair
with Paris. The book, which
will be released early next year,
is entitled Mes Petites Femmes
de Paris, et Autres Plaisirs Sen-
suels. so it will be more than
just nudes and will include all
the things that make Paris so
special to me and I hope that
resonates with the delight oth-
ers have for that magical city.
AN: Can you give us a glimpse
of things to come, are there any
new projects on the go?
RJ: Concurrent with the release
of the Paris book, Im working
on an exhibit in Paris. But as
of now, the project is a secret.
None of it has been published
yet; very few people know
about it. Yes, its nudes but its
 RENE JACOBS

a lot more erotic than what people are used to exhibit in Paris.
seeing of my work. Its going to be a tremen-
dously exciting time to have the book and the See more work: www.reneejacobs.com

P&K

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Melanie

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Carolyn #1

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Tiana #2

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Carolyn #2

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Melanie #3

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Shakti

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