I’ve always admired dancers’ bodies.

Graceful, supple, strong—they’re like poetry played out in physical movement.

I am not a dancer.

Actually, my mom just reminded me yesterday that I took dance for a few months as a child…and hated it. But, a girl’s allowed to notice beauty, right?

I’m also frequently naked.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not a nudist (not that there’s anything wrong with this) or an exhibitionist—I’m simply comfortable and at ease in my own being.

Also—and more importantly—I want to show my daughter through my own nudity that her body is beautiful and perfect—just as it is—and that there’s no reason to hide it or bury it in clothing. (Well, unless we’re going to the grocery store. I digress.)

So, of course, I love looking at the gorgeous nude images often shared right here on elephant journal. And yet.

And yet—I’d love to see some images of male models in all their glory. (Doesn’t it often seem to be females that we’re celebrating?)

Imagine, then, my complete happiness when this stunning series of photographs by Bertil Nilsson popped onto my online radar this morning.

This series, called “Naturally,” is now on view at Galerie Wilms in the Netherlands.

London-based Swedish photographer Nilsson captured these images of naked dancers and circus performers in the wondrously breathtaking Swedish wilderness—and it’s no surprise that he finds both their elegant bodies and the stark and stunning backdrop to be inspiring.

“In my work, which takes inspiration from movement and the human form, I collaborate extensively with dancers and circus artists,” Nilsson writes on his website. “Photography is my primary medium of expression, but I also use moving image.”

This aptly name series of photographs divinely captures the serenity offered to us by nature, as well as the simplistic glory of the human form. Just looking at these pictures calmed my soul and made my breath deepen and smooth out. I hope they move you as much as they have me.

Enjoy:

To see more images, click here, here and here.

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Editor: Bryonie Wise