The Project that Changes Perceptions
What is this project really about? It's not just about pretty girls in white dresses. It's not about girls standing in unusual places with some heartfelt quote at the caption. This project isn't even about bettering myself as a photographer.
In a normal shoot - it lasts about 30 minutes or so. The shoot itself is a fun time, and it's a time to get to know who I am photographing - their life, their journey, what they hate, what the love, and to be honest I find I am similar to many of the girls I photograph. Whether it's issues with weight, similar hobbies, or overall just perceptions about the world and ourselves.
The shoot doesn't feel heavy. It doesn't take a long time, and most of the time my models tell me how easy it was to stand in front of my lens (which is always a relief to hear). Posing has always been something that has come easy to me. After interning and working for studios through-out college, I gained so much experience with it that it's second nature to me. Most of the time I'll have my models do the same things in their shoots. I've decided them "twirling" in a dress is kind of my signature end shot for all of my models. I try to keep it fun, light hearted, and honest.
Every girl has their moment to "shine". Oh look, a play on words.
But seriously, what is this project about.
There is nothing that gives me more joy then giving people confidence - or encouraging people to be the best they can be. This self-image project is not about loving yourself while you are unhappy, overweight, or whatever else battles my models may be facing. This project is about trying your best, loving yourself, at the best you can be... because simply if we try our hardest, and don't love ourselves at the greatest times in our lives? We'll be miserable. Happiness is like a virus. If you are happy, you can create this effect on so many people. My goal - my overall goal - is to get messages, texts, reviews, back saying how I helped them realize they are so much more beautiful then they give themselves credit for.
Over the years, after my fashion sessions, before people have even seen their photographs, I get responses that literally bring tears to my eyes. Responses like, "you made me feel so beautiful.. and I haven't felt that in such a long time." Remind you, BEFORE they see their images. AFTER they see the finalized pieces, I see the way their faces light up, their confidence shines, and they realize, "yah, I'm crazy beautiful... and I'm crazy for thinking I am not."
So where did this start exactly? Me.
I can't tell you the last time I looked at a photo that someone else took of me and thought, "Ash, you know, you're pretty." It doesn't really happen to me. Now, I am on a weightloss journey. I have been busting my butt in the gym - and I have been self improving not just my body but my mind as well. When I see photos of me still, I see flaws- Things I have to fix. Which is the opposite I want any of my models to see. I have specific techniques, poses, ideas, that work against these negative thoughts - I use them pretty efficiently (or I hope).
This really all started with websites that promote girls in sexual ways, websites that every one has access too. Websites that leave women feeling degraded, alone, not good enough, compared, and ugly. Websites that have "iphone selfies," or nudity on them that looks like it's straight out of a phone, but what girls don't realize is, it's all photoshopped, it's all unrealistic, and to be honest, it's all so trashy and shouldn't even come into our minds to compare ourselves. Why ? Because we are simply better and more beautiful than that.
This project is to defeat those demons of comparing ourselves to things that don't exist. This project is literally to show women that they are so beautiful, they don't even have to try.
So, maybe these girls are just in white dresses, cheap flower crowns, barefoot, and natural looking. But - the more natural they are - the more beautiful they are - and why not show them that when they are in front of my camera everything else is just.. average.
As always, Thank you so much for following.
And please, be sure to follow for my next series of this project.
P.s. My blog will be changing to my own domain on a new website within the week. :)
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