Beauty standards are everywhere. They are constantly in our faces because we are surrounded by media. I will soon join the workforce for adding to all of that media. I will be the eye behind the photos on ads that we double tap every day.
I started photography almost seven years ago now. Portraiture and Sports are where my passion for Photography lies. Portraiture, in terms of beauty and fashion, are what I’ve been told is my best work. In interviews when I’m asked why I chose that as my concentration, I say that if I can make one woman smile, I’ve done my job correctly.
As of late, the women I’ve had modeling for me are mixtures of different races, sizes, and societal beauty standards. What I hear from every woman I have ever photographed is “I don’t like getting my picture taken because I don’t like how I look.” This drives me crazy! I’ve photographed size 00 to 14 so far. I’ve photographed all skin colors and let me tell you what I have learned.
EVERY. SINGLE. WOMAN. IS. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
Everyone is beautiful. I’m not going to say “Well in this light..” or “If we put you at this angle..” No. The first thing I do when doing beauty is talk about anything BUT photography. I want my models to be comfortable. I make sure they’re relaxed and the second they are relaxed, I start taking photos. When the women in front of my camera are comfortable and confident and their smile is genuine, they are at their most stunning. When they get their photos back they say, “Wow, you made me look beautiful.” NO HONEY! YOU MADE YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL. I simply captured it. My job is to capture your beauty. My job is to show you that you are beautiful just the way you are. I don’t edit out stretch marks. I don’t edit out skin discoloration. Why? Because these are things that separate you from every other woman out there. These make you unique and that’s what makes you beautiful. The most impactful thing I’ve learned from being a photographer is that there is no such thing as a single ideal woman. We are our own ideals. We are our own beautiful. Don’t forget that.