One of dozens of participants stripped down to his skivvies to compete in Fraternity Snoqualmie’s annual five-kilometer Bare Buns Fun Run Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Issaquah, Washington. The BBFR is one of many open-to-the-public events that FS hosts in the summer months. It is often a “gateway” event for first-timers that leads to a later return to the park.

The Naked Truth of Washington’s Clothing-Optional Park

A photographer learns that baring it all isn’t so bad

Warning: some of the following content is NSFW

The word “nudist” comes with some baggage. It conjures the image of sexual deviancy and a world where standard rules of ettiquette don’t apply. Jordan Stead, a staff photographer for seattlepi.com, found the contrary to be true. Nudism, or “naturism,” has a lot of rules.

Most of the etiquette at the nudist park he photographed is common sense. Don’t stare. Children must always be supervised by a parent or guardian. All members and visitors need a background check. The “take-everywhere sitting towel” is a necessity, because as the official park rules stipulate, “it’s a common practice to place something between your bare buns and any public surface you sit or lie upon.”

Stead first became aware of Fraternity Snoqualmie’s family nudist park when he saw a portrait by Alan Berner of the Seattle Times. Three older men, completely nude, were photographed holding volleyballs in front of their nether regions. The picture remained in Stead’s mind until April 2014, when he embarked on a photo story about the park.

Nestled on a side of Tiger Mountain near Issaquah, Washington, a significant slice of history goes largely unnoticed by passerby on the highway less than a mile below. Since 1945, thousands have enjoyed nature in nothing but their birthday suits on 40 acres of Fraternity Snoqualmie’s family nudist park, a 501(c)(7) nonprofit. Nudism — often known as “naturism” — often goes misunderstood. A strict set of rules — “do’s” and definite “don’ts” — have long been set in place, ensuring safety amongst park attendees. In this photo, park-goers don sun hats and sunscreen to take in the sights and sounds of Fraternity Snoqualmie’s annual optional nude concert and celebration, Nudestock, on Saturday, August 23, 2014. Nudestock, one of the park’s largest crowd-drawing events, boasts free reign to swimming pools, campgrounds and naked live music.

“Nudism isn’t exactly viewed as a family-friendly thing,” Stead said. “I wanted to reveal that it’s not a big orgy. This park truly is a literal park, just where people can take their clothes off.”

Snoqualmie is 30 miles southeast of Seattle near Issaquah, Washington, and that has been there since 1945. The park spans 40 acres and is home to several year-round inhabitants. This core group makes up the park’s board of directors, who had to give Stead permission before he photographed in the park. Stead met with the park’s officials (some of whom were nude, as expected) and was granted permission, but with several stipulations.

As hundreds watch, one of several couples dance to the sounds of Fraternity Snoqualmie’s annual optional-nude concert and celebration, Nudestock, on Saturday, August 23, 2014.

In order to photograph in the park, Stead needed an escort at all times, and he could only take photos of people who agreed to be photographed. His camera also needed to be clearly marked. Cameras usually aren’t allowed in the park, and camera phones need to be registered upon entry.

In addition to Snoqualmie’s restrictions, he also had to make sure the images were suitable for his employer. Stead anticipated conversations with his editor along the lines of, “If I keep the penis out of it, can I publish it?”

He said he’s lucky to work at a publication that allowed him to work on the story in the first place. According to him, seattlepi.com is very open to covering stories that are on the fringe of everyday life. In contrast, AP Wire didn’t accept the images.

“This is easily the most difficult story I’ve ever photographed,” Stead said. “There are images in my archive that I can never publish.”

Participants compete against each other on the sands of the park’s “beach” volleyball court during Nudestock. Pickup volleyball takes place every Thursday evening in the summer.

In order to make photos that complied with the camp as well as his publication, Stead had to get creative and invest time. He also got naked.

You don’t have to be nude at a nudist park. It’s a park where, if you happen to have the desire, you can take your clothes off. Though he had been photographing at the park for a while, Stead had yet to fully get back to nature.

That was, until Nudestock, a massive outdoor concert the park hosts every year. He approached a group of four men playing tennis and asked to take their photo. At the time, he was clothed only in boxers. The oldest of the group told him if Stead wanted a photo, he would have to be nude as well. The man said to do this story, Stead needed to know what it was like be nude in a setting like this, as opposed to in a locker room.

So, off came the boxers.

In Stead’s opinion, he made some of the best images of the story during his first publicly naked experience.

“I was only wearing a press badge and two cameras, rolling around on the ground in 98 degree heat on this tennis court trying to make tactful images.”

Decked out in a myriad of getups, Fraternity Snoqualmie members enjoy music, food and a costume contest during the park’s annual Halloween potluck Saturday, October 25, 2014.

Trust is key, and being nude helped Stead get to know people better.

“It just felt like it was the right time. Imagine if you’re sitting in a room with a bunch of people with your clothes on and a naked guy with a camera comes up? It’s weird! So this is the reversal of the situation. You adapt to the scenario.”

He spent six months working at the camp. His goal was to show what the park looks like as a first-timer, a member, and someone who lives there full time. He originally intended for this to be a summer story, but was drawn to the idea that for some people, this wasn’t seasonal. This was their life. He was there when the pools closed and leaves fell. He was there when park members gathered to memorialize Gary “Queen” Lou, a Snoqualmie member since 1960.

“I was reminded that you can’t rush things photographically when you’re working on a story. It takes time and trust and contact,” he said.

Left: Following the public closure of the park at the end of the summer season, Fraternity Snoqualmie members and residents work to prepare the park for the impending winter Sunday, November 16, 2014. Year-round residents share maintenance, security and administration duties in the off season to keep the establishment functioning. Right: Park attendees can range from a one-time visitor to a lifelong resident. Here, family, friends and park members gather to pay their respects during a memorial service for Fraternity Snoqualmie’s Gary “Queen” Lou, a park member since 1960, photographed Sunday, August 31, 2014.

After he was done shooting, Stead was left with a better understanding of what nudism is, and why people do it. It’s more than just being naked.

“You don’t know what people’s jobs are, how rich they are, what their style is. When you’re not wearing clothes, everyone is reduced to this basic level of ‘We’re just humans here.’”

A park resident wanders, sporting headwear sun protection, a cane, and most importantly, the “take-everywhere sitting towel” during Nudestock. To keep sanitary in addition to the strict use of towels, public surfaces at the park are not to be touched by nude body parts.

All images copyright Jordan Stead and seattlepi.com

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