 |
WELCOME TO PARAFOTOSand to the wonderful world of naturism! |
 |
September 2009 - Joceline, Charlie & Sam enjoy sun-kissed glasses of wine in Charlie’s garden
Charlie Simonds was commissioned into the Parachute Regiment from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in 1962 and saw active service in the Middle East. Having served for eight years in the regiment, he retired with the rank of captain before working for many years as a flying instructor. Then Charlie, a lifelong naturist, became an internationally acclaimed photographer and film producer of the naturist lifestyle. His writing and photographs have been published in numerous different naturist magazines around the world. Among the 214 covers of those featuring Charlie's photographs, 146 have appeared on the cover of H&E naturist alone in the past 33 years. Charlie and his company, Parafotos, have also produced 64 films about naturism and naturist resorts in the UK, USA, France, Greece, Spain, the Canaries, the Balearics, Turkey, Portugal, Croatia and the Caribbean.
 |
 |
 |
THREE OF CHARLIE’S FAVOURITE H&E COVERS WITH MILLY, AGNES & ANGELIQUE
The Parafotos Story...
I've been a committed naturist for over 50 years and in that time have been fortunate enough to have visited over 45 different naturist resorts around the World in ten different countries.
Allow me, therefore, to relate how it all came about. Nudity during family holidays in my youth on remote beaches always seemed to me to be perfectly natural, but it wasn't until my late teens in the early '60s that I encountered formal social naturism for the first time during a visit to France. Montalivet is an Atlantic seaside resort town in the Medoc region of France, North West of Bordeaux.
I wandered along the beach away from the town and its crowded beach sporting a tight pair of swimming trunks.
About half a mile later a simple sign in the sand declaring ‘NUDITE OBLIGATOIRE’ changed my life completely, but not before I had experienced for the one and only time - albeit only for a couple of minutes - that embarrassment of being the only person wearing something when all around are naked!
The exhilaration and freedom of swimming that day without any form of restrictive clothing remains as vivid now as it did all those years ago.
There isn't a still photographer anywhere who hasn't been intrigued with the idea of moving images and I was no exception. We've now made 64 films promoting naturism and naturist resorts.
It wasn't until the mid eighties that I started travelling abroad specifically to take naturist photographs. Arnaoutchot became a favourite location. I've lost count of the number of times I've been there. It's a naturist photographer's dream with the crashing Atlantic surf, the picturesque rolling sand dunes and the sweet smelling pines providing a haven for deer, squirrel and all manner of birds. And, of course, the sun sets over the sea to the West producing wonderful crimson back clothes at the end of the day. 1989 saw me looking at ways of extending my creative horizons.
|
In 1991 Alison starred in our third film Alison over the Moon, filmed in Lanzarote, and was able to step into Adele's shoes in 1992. Her natural beauty, love of naturism and her presentational skills ensured that she played an important part of our next eleven films and she became a key personality in the business. It was a sad time in 1995 when she reluctantly had to cut down her involvement to pursue a career in TV presenting - she remains a good friend and I owe her much. Charlie & Alison – Saunton Sands 1990 |
 |
|
|
I first met Wendy in 1994 and she had a huge influence on the business. She was already a naturist, is absolutely lovely and proved to be a natural presenter. Apart from that she had originally trained as a fashion designer with the result that she has a wonderfully imaginative creative flair. The first of the dozen or so we worked on together was in Ibiza and was entitled Barely Balearic. Wendy – Lanzarote 1998 |
|
We met Holly in 1993 and she’s appeared in fourteen of our films and excelling in our best underwater sequences because of her amazing fish-like swimming ability. Holly – Mallorca 1999 |
|
 |
Angie, a vivacious, dark skinned lady, whose family are from Fiji, also with five films with us to her credit, has become another trusted friend. Angie – Cap d’Agde 1994 |
|
As has a lovely young Dutch lady, Marieke, who was an art student in her native Holland when we first met her. She's been a naturist since her early teens and her youthful, natural beauty is a vibrant advertisement for naturism. Marieke – Bournemouth 1996 |
 |
|
|
Meanwhile in 2002 Alice Gilding joined Parafotos as our secretary before becoming a committed naturist the following year. Since then Alice, with her warm personality and captivating smile, has become an enthusiastic co-producer and has already starred in seven of our 60 films we've produced about naturists and naturism since we started twenty years ago. Alice – New Forest 2006 |
|
In 2004 we discovered two new sparkling ambassadors for naturism, Sam and Joceline. Since then they have both appeared in fourteen of our films. They are both enthusiastic naturists and this has been exemplified by their appearance on eighteen covers of different naturist magazines. Sam & Joceline – Portugal 2006 |
|
|
|
It was therefore appropriate that Sam should feature on my 100th H&E cover - the December 2007 edition. |
|
At the end of 2006 we published our long awaited book to considerable acclaim with Joanna Lumley writing about it: "The wonderful book, Charlie's Angels ~ Naturally, is utterly charming - full of happiness and beauty; made me long for summertime!" It features twenty of Charlie's Angels who are also the most beautiful naturist ambassadors imaginable. |
|
In 2011 I persuaded long standing friend, Suzanne Marshall, to start working with us. This lovely lady took the world of naturism by storm with her enchanting personality and stunning beauty. She’s appeared in my photographs on the cover of H&Enaturist eleven times, and our 150 page book, ‘Wild and Free’, is a fitting tribute to this sparkling ambassador for naturism. Suzanne – Upavon 2012
|
|
 |
I first shot naturist images of Gloria in the Spring of 2016 and since then she has accompanied me on two naturist photo trips abroad, appeared in six of my photos on the cover of H&Enaturist and has become a much treasured friend. Gloria – Worbarrow Bay 2017 & with Charlie at Rivendell 2018 |
 |
We hope you enjoy your brief visit to the Parafotos world of naked freedom. If you’re not already a naturist, we hope that your visit may just prompt you to throw off your clothes when the sun is shining, sample our wonderfully fulfilling lifestyle... and live!
With warmest sun-kissed best wishes,
|
|
Charlie Simonds