My recent maternity/boudoir posts have prompted a few of you to ask a very legitimate question: what’s up with the headless women?
I have to tell you: I feel you on that. Totally. I am definitely not a proponent of the Disembodied Woman School of Photography.
OK, it’s not that I’ve never shot body parts or unidentifiable nudes, but, generally speaking, I find it ridiculous as far as portfolio material goes. (And what is a photographer’s blog if not a portfolio?) I regularly tell my clients that beauty knows no age, weight or dress size and is something to be celebrated. But we live in a ridiculous era when a size 12 woman is considered “plus size”, places like the GAP and J Crew refuse to serve larger customers in their brick and mortar stores, and otherwise intelligent people still get their knickers in a knot over anything more than a brief glimpse of skin. On top of all that, for most women there is more than enough body shame to go around. Believe me; I have no desire to contribute to the problem. I have shot hundreds of gorgeous photos that I’d love to share with all of you, but unfortunately I can’t. Am I disappointed? You bet I am.
The thing is, I have clients who want to protect their privacy and who, therefore, restrict the ways in which I can use their maternity and boudoir pictures. Respecting their wishes is a condition of being in business, and even if I am not always happy about it, I do have to comply. Trust is an integral part of the relationship whenever you photograph anyone.
So in answer to your questions, no, the photos that you have recently seen on this site do not signal a post-feminist return to the concept of woman as chattel, object, or anything of the kind. Nor have I become a prude. I’m just a girl with a camera, trying to keep her clients happy and avoid unemployment at the same time. Believe me; right now, this is not as easy as it may sound.
Now because I hate the idea of posting without a picture, here’s a little eye candy to get you through the day. Make sure to come back for tomorrow’s casting call and to read all about how you can get some fabulous free photos for yourself.
Until then . . .
