Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it seems as though the world is finally coming to terms with this and accepting beauty in all it’s different forms, shapes and sizes. It’s about time if you ask me. It’s great to see large companies backing different beauty campaigns and encouraging people to accept themselves as they are.
Selfridges is running a 6 week campaign ‘The Beauty Project’ which you can follow by searching the hashtag #BeautyProject on Twitter. If you have not already I urge you to click the link above and have a look at the real people that they are promoting. It’s such an interesting subject matter and one that we do need to address, there’s far too many self-esteem issues in modern day society and I will always support causes that are trying to put an end to these. It’s not how I want my daughter growing up or my grandchildren when they should come along.
People may consider my job as a headshot photographer related to vanity and appearance, which in some respects is true however; part of my job is looking for beauty in everyone. I absolutely adore my job and one of the best parts of it is showing customers the finished article – an image of themselves that boosts their confidence and shows a side to them that they are proud of and that they want other people to see.
Well over three quarters of my clients step in-front of the camera and claim they’re not photogenic. It is not rare to hear them say that they will need a airbrushing to make them look presentable or for them to ask what I can do about their double chins. Personally, I see this as a challenge. The challenge is to coax out their natural beauty and inner confidence, when they are carefree and fully in the moment. The end objective is not to produce a photograph that the clients cannot recognise themselves but to have an image of themselves that they love and are happy to share for the world to see.
I am an advocate for any brands that are hosting projects such as Selfridge’s The Beauty Project or Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign. I predict that in time more and more brands will start backing ideas such as these and it couldn’t happen quick enough if you ask me.
