American photographer Spencer Tunick, who has gained fame for taking photographs of nude crowds at sites around the world, already has more than 3,000 volunteers for a shoot of nude Israelis floating in the Dead Sea.

The Jewish artist visited Israel last month to make a plea for funding for his photo shoot, which he is calling the “Naked Sea” project. He hoped to raise $60,000 by June 6, and by May 31 had raised nearly $90,000.

Of the more than 3,000 Israeli volunteers, 700 are students.

Tunick plans to shoot the installation in September or October, about a month before the end of voting in the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World online contest.

Tunick said he would like his naked subjects floating in the Dead Sea to be covered in its famous black mud.

Tunick recently photographed 5,200 nude Australians on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, one of 75 locations at which he has taken nude photos of crowds. — jta