Renowned US photographer Spencer Tunick has released images he took of hundreds of stark naked Melburnians.

The photo project, Return of the Nude, took place back in July during the Chapel Street Provocare arts festival, but it is not until now that the New York-based artist has released the photographs.

In total, 860 people took part, having been hand picked by Tunick from 12,000 applicants so as to achieve a cross-section of ethnicities, ages and sexual orientations.

“I believe these final images have captured an extraordinary moment in the timeline of Melbourne,” Tunick said in a statement.

The images show nude participants in different locations across the suburb of Prahran – a Woolworths car park, Greville Street and Bromley Ballroom.

In some photos participants are in sheer red cloth and in another they are painted from head to toe in bright colours.

Since 1994, Tunick has photographed more than 75 human installations around the world. Photo: AAP

“I worked quickly in order to keep them from freezing and I think I got some beautiful artwork,” Tunick told Nine News at the time.

The participants will be given a print of the image they appeared in at an event in Prahran this weekend.

Tunick has created similar en masse nude art installations in iconic locations across the world.

-AAP