Dear Friends,
Love Undefiled has a very nice video link today. The video, titled ‘Killing Us Softly 3’, a talk by Jean Kilbourne on the presentation of women in the media and advertisements. While albeit a bit long at 35 minutes, she does provides very poignant and witty insights into the dehumanization and objectification of women in various media. Do give it a watch here. http://loveundefiled.blogspot.com/2010/08/killing-us-softly-show.html
Ms Kilbourne puts into words something which I have realized for a long time. As a photographer of many years, particularly one specializing in portraits, I have, over the years, more than noticed the trend that she points out. It is particularly more difficult to get my female friends to partake in a picture than the guys who would be racing to be the first to jump in front of the lens. It would appear that the professionalism associated with the big, black and bulky SLR that I used seemed to deter them greatly. They didn’t feel that they looked good enough to be in a professional photo. Pity, they looked good enough to me.
To me, and I daresay that I do not hold the same views as the majority of my sex, the most beautiful portraits I’ve ever seen were never the ones used for advertising, or the ones shot in a studio. No, I’ve actually always hated those photos. They’ve always appeared artificial, overly sexualized, immature and completely lacking in any meaning or intelligence. They’re lifeless. To be completely honest, and at the risk of my manhood (shhhhh!), I don’t particularly find the models extremely attractive or beautiful at all. If anything, they look fake. I’ve never bothered with Victoria’s secret catalogues or whatever it is my friends or bunkmates were into, and I’ve only ever bought one copy of fhm, to support a friend who modeled for a minor article, and save for that article (poorly written too, I might add), remains unread at the bottom of a box in a cupboard somewhere. I’m just strange that way.
The most beautiful portraits that I have ever seen feature everyday people of any age going about their lives, in everyday settings. They capture the true character of a person, who they are really are in that split second that the shutter opens. They are usually sans make-up or purposely posed in any manner. They celebrate life for everything it is. In every happy or sad moment, in times of anger, or calm, in reflection or grief, that is where life is captured. While this is possible in a studio, the best I’ve seen are always captured outside of the artificially created scene, in natural light, with the living world as a backdrop. Truly, they are a celebration of life.
I’ve always felt that it is possible to take a beautiful picture of anyone; no matter how they look or what age they are or even if they have a huge mole on their nose. Naturally, I also prefer that they are without make up. I guess you could say I like to capture people as God desired me to see them, which requires looking a bit deeper than the epidermis. It requires you to see the child of God. After all, we know that God is love, and love is beautiful. Since God creates with love, what he creates can only be beautiful.
Beauty, my dear friends, is out there in the world, it’s in the faces of everyone, beyond their skin. It’s their identity, their personality, who they are that makes them beautiful. And, it’s up to you to stop and have a look around you. The ageing lady, pushing her ancient wheelchair bound husband around the playground, the young children laughing and creating their own new worlds in the park, the family going out for dinner or the young couple enjoying a quiet walk along the pier. The beauty is all there, if you want to see it or not. And, when you see that beauty, you’ll get a glimpse of God.
So remember kids, especially the girls, you are beautiful!
God bless,
David
I suppose this image sums what I like in my photographs. It exudes a sort of beauty that isn't just derived from looks. There's something about the way they look in harmony with each other, and the joy that they have that make them beautiful. I see God in them. Being the awkward teenagers they are, they probably don't see it themselves. Pity.
