[ By Liu Rui/Global Times]

A few years ago, my gym treated its members to a portrait shoot at a photo studio, and I decided to go nude. I was happy with the result, and so were a few of my fellow members, aged from 20 to 40, who made the same choice.

So it was with a personal interest that I read the story in a Beijing-based English language newspaper, "The naked truth about nude art," which describes the controversy over personally-commissioned nude portraits.

What controversy could there possibly be concerning this very private personal choice? According to He Lina, chairwoman of the Shanghai Wedding Trade Association, "Nude photos are unhealthy." She calls the trend of more women opting for nude portraits a "novelty" and her association is also pushing for a clampdown on studios.

I am very curious about what Ms He means by "unhealthy." Are these personal portraits to be considered targets of the anti-vulgarity campaign or spiritual pollution?

Again, the form of such portraits is a personal choice, which Ms He acknowledges, "We were young once and we understand the idea of wanting to keep a memory of that eternal beauty," though she thinks "that doesn't justify taking nude photos that have nothing to do with art."

I can't disagree more.

I don't think such a personal choice, which is by all means legal and doesn't threaten social order or anyone's private interests, needs any justification. Nor do the photos have to have something to do with art.

I took the photos as a remembrance of a time in my life, imperfect but real. It is just me, not art. Ms He also has her favorite token of youth - a picture taken when she was about 20 dressed in a white shirt and blue trousers. We also don't have to dress in a white shirt and blue trousers. But I'm not going to comment on that just because I don't consider it to be art.

I understand the concern that some of these photos might fall into the wrong hands. But that would call for stricter supervision of photo studios and a professional code of ethics, rather than forbidding a service clearly in demand.

People should keep in mind that there is always the risk of their photos coming under hazard in this digital age, but it is their decision and responsibility to weigh the pros and cons. I don't believe clamping down on the studios and having the authorities make the decision for them is the solution.