Thursday, September 24, 2009

Not Pus sized, but Average and Beautiful


I have never thought of my self as a pioneer in photography. I photograph what I am attracted to, what sparks an interest in me. I have been told for years that people like my work because my women are regular people, not super skinny models.
It is about time that the mainstream media understands that beauty comes in all sizes and shapes. Glamour Magazine's, September issue features a normal sized woman, size 12 to 14, nude in a very positive article about body image. (Glamour Magazine) I guess Glamour finally understood this and hit it perfectly. They have been flooded with emails and letters congratulating them on using 20-year-old model Lizzi Miller. Now this is the second time they used her, and she is a professional model, but the image as seen above is natural and beautiful. Showing an average woman being comfortable in her own skin.

Having a 21 year old daughter I have been concerned about the media portrayal of beauty. In my artwork, especially my Red Chair Project I try to help her and everyone interested realize that beauty and sensuality is not a size but a state of mind. A person who is comfortable with themselves is a site to behold.

When I shoot my nudes, and am looking at the images one by one, I can literally see the moment when a subject has forgotten about what she considers her problem areas. She’s stopped slouching, rounding her shoulders or even posing. Lizzi Miller is shown in such a way and she is actually the average size of an American woman. It's about time the high fashion designers, who still show bulimic, pre-pubescent, children as the ideal woman, get a clue.

We all want to look our best and stay fit and healthy and this woman is just that, attractive, fit and healthy. I just hope others take a cue from Glamour Magazine and start using real people as an example of beauty and not these over airbrushed twinkies we still see on the runways.

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