According to the National Eating Disorder Association, about 20 million females and 10 million males in the US have a clinically significant eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. The more we learn, the more complex the issue becomes. Throw social media into the mix, and you’ve got yourself one very layered and complex scenario. Most of us know about anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, but now psychologists are cluing into orthorexia -- an eating disorder that involves an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating -- something many health-and-wellness Instagram influencers are no doubt intimately familiar with. It’s no secret that the amount of time we spend on our phones has an impact on the way we see ourselves.
The overwhelming pressures we find ourselves subject to (online and off) accumulate to a force that often prevents us from being our authentic selves. But as photographers, we’ve got the power to shape the narrative for the better. And, just like Spiderman said, with great power comes great responsibility. If we choose to step up to the plate, we have an inherent responsibility to create the kind of mindful and authentic world we seek to portray in our images. With most social media users comparing themselves to others on social media and half wishing they looked more like the smiling faces on their feed, it’s especially important to contribute to the visual content in a way that best represents the beautiful diversity of human expression that truly exists in the world.
What photographers can do
In order to lead the way and show people what it could look like if time spent on social media was supportive, positive, and empowering, we look to people who have been on the bleeding edge of this change. People like @boudoir_bydanielle, @kelvindavis, @theshairarose, and @mermaidqueenjude have been at the forefront of bringing together rich communities of those building body acceptance on Instagram through brave vulnerability and authenticity.
They show us that a potent way to counter social comparison is to diversify the visual content presented to us. They show us what it looks like to accept your body, and that the world does not open up and swallow you whole if you post a picture that doesn’t sit within the strict bounds of what is considered conventionally beautiful. That it is these exact pictures that we can create as photographers in order to increase visibility and normalise the myriad expressions of the human body.
Building a diverse portfolio
If you’re reading all of this and thinking “yes, yes, yes, but...” and then racking your brains as to how you can build out your portfolio to include all of the diversity you wish to represent, here are a couple of pointers. Have a good look at your portfolio and honestly identify your blind spots. Then, hold a full day of heavily discounted mini-sessions for people in your area. Even better, give them away for free! You could even ask for a donation from your clients and put the money towards organisations dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. Want to do more? Put the message out on your social media accounts that you’re looking to better represent all walks of life in your work and offer your services to body acceptance influencers.
You could also do targeted social media giveaways. Your message could read something like ‘Free body acceptance sessions for beautiful people looking to build their confidence in front of the lens. Tag your friends!’ And if you have a bit of cash to burn and want to practice posing and prompting with someone who is confident in front of the lens, hire a model living in a larger body.
Managing sensitivities
Just as it takes practice to begin to feel comfortable with your own insecurities, it takes practice to feel you can accommodate others’ insecurities on a shoot with grace too. Take some time to pull into the light some of your preconceived notions about what bodies should look like and let this truth land: we’re all built differently. If it’s available to you, have open conversations with friends about body image, what body acceptance means to different people and the process of normalising all bodies.
Shira Rose, a NYC body positive style blogger and eating disorder therapist says, “Some of us will get to a place where we are truly comfortable and confident in our skin and some of us won’t get there. Neither is wrong. But when your body has been a source of trauma your entire life, telling someone that they’re ‘failing body positivity’ if they don’t love what their body looks like is judgmental and ill-informed. We are all on our own unique journeys but recovering into a larger body is often completely different than recovering into a body that is accepted in our society.” To tell your clients to love their body at every size puts extra pressure on people to love their bodies when they might not be there yet.
Although a more expansive idea of beauty is definitely a positive move, ‘body positivity’ can be a double edged sword. Surely it would be more productive to imagine a world in which beauty is less of a currency and our choices are less constrained by the wish to appear more beautiful. The sensitivities brought about by these acute beauty standards are such that one word or look or situation are enough to trigger people with preexisting tendencies into an eating disorder, and as a photographer it is important to be aware of this.
Here are some things you can do to make the shoot experience smoother:
- Make sure your subject knows that it’s normal to feel a little uncomfortable initially. Lots of shoots begin with a few moments peppered with nervous laughter and awkwardness. Be clear that it’s ok to feel a little ungainly, everyone is prone to feeling nerves in front of the camera.
- If you feel comfortable enough to share, it can be incredibly disarming for your clients to have an insight into some of your own insecurities and vulnerabilities. You hold a lot of power behind the camera, and sometimes this can be intimidating. By humanising yourself, you give your subjects permission to relax.
- Get to know your clients. Send them a pre-shoot questionnaire, and ask them about what they might not want to see in their photographs. It’s smart not to assume that what you think is beautiful about them is the same thing they think is beautiful about themselves. Go get a coffee together if you can.
Tips for shooting curvier bodies
We’re of the belief that it’s important for people to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies. And in a world where any publicity is good publicity, we’ve gotta work extra hard to let people know that it’s actually more important for people to not only be seen, but be seen as themselves. So our tips for shooting curvier bodies? Not too different from shooting everyone else!
- Photograph using the best light.
- The goal here isn’t to make anyone look thinner than they are, but it isn’t to make anyone look heavier than they are, either. Emphasize beautiful S curves, and avoid shooting from lower than their eye level.
- Breathe! And remind your clients to, too. Keep an eye on how your clients are holding themselves - if they’re tense, clenching their jaw, or balling their fists. If so, it might be time to take a little breather and ease some of that physical tension.
- Play around with lots of ideas and expressions. Shoot a wide array of moods so your client has a variety of shots to choose from.
- It can be quite confronting to match mental body images with the ones presented through photographs, so remember to be gentle in the delivery of your photographs. Don’t expect or coax them into jumping out of their seat with excitement, it may take a little bit of time for them to grow accustomed to seeing themselves through your lens.
There are so many ways to engage with this crazy and modern world we live in. As photographers, our creation of visual narratives that reflect and construct beauty standards has a huge bearing on the online climate. It is our uniqueness as human beings that is our biggest asset. And if we can make images that help people to feel empowered, confident, and resilient, we activate an incredible possibility for meaningful connections, awareness raising, and support.
To recap:
- Get rid of your notion of conventional beauty.
- Diversify your portfolio!
- Be gentle. Breathe.
lead your photography
sessions with confidence.
FAQ's
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