I shared on Facebook that I’ve been wanting to incorporate more nudity into my work. Although I’ve done some boudoir sessions in the past, actively pursuing more nudity in my overall portfolio feels simultaneously beautiful and scary. I’m eager to photograph individuals and couples of all genders and orientations, as I strive to grow both as a person and an artist.
To me, vulnerability is a thing of beauty.
Following my Facebook post, a friend contacted me and asked if I would be interested in capturing her story. She had lost a significant amount of weight and had excess skin, and after searching online, she discovered that there were no artistic portraits of people in similar situations. She wanted to share her story anonymously but was willing to provide a few images and a written account of her experiences.
As soon as I heard her story, I was captivated. I believed that others would benefit from reading about her journey, and I felt honored to be entrusted with capturing her story. While she wanted to remain anonymous due to her job, she was willing to write about her experiences, as I knew that my words would be insufficient to convey the depth of her story.
In Her Words:
“Tomorrow morning I am having what they call a Mommy Makeover. This typically involves a tummy tuck and breast lift, sometimes implants, and a little liposuction. For me, this is so much more than just a mommy makeover. I have been heavy most of my life, with a brief period in my mid-twenties where I was able to get down to about the size I am now, but I couldn’t keep the weight off. I was at war with my body, for being fat, for craving awful foods, for making me self-conscious, for making it hard to find clothes that were comfortable and fashionable yet still managed to hide my many flaws.
A year ago I had weight loss surgery to reclaim my health, and that I did. I am no longer pre-diabetic, my blood work is amazing, and I have so much more energy. Best decision I ever made for myself. But it left me with this loose skin. I work out, I eat right, but after a lifetime of being heavy and having had a child, I knew my skin would not bounce back. I hated how my new, smaller, healthy body looked, because of the sagging skin, bulging out in places, rolls because everything was loose. But yet, I had these amazing new collar bones, and my legs are so strong, and my wrists are so tiny.
So, before my mommy makeover, I wanted to try and make peace with my body as it is now, get closure-almost like a really good break up conversation if you will. Anthony listened to my story and understood perfectly what I was trying to express. He has seen more of my body than I even have let my poor husband see, that is how self-conscious I am. But I did let him see these photos because they came out so beautifully and truly captured the essence of saying goodbye and trying to celebrate how far I have come.
Being vulnerable in this capacity wasn’t easy, and some people may think these photos are really unattractive, but I wanted them, and I am so grateful I will have them to look back on. This body got me to the point where I am today.”
