In my Photography class we discussed how to make a portfolio
better. One thing that came up where portraits of people and my professor said one
thing that rubbed me the wrong way. He mentioned that the secret to having
better photos is to take pictures of beautiful people. The industry stranded of
what’s beautiful skinny, young, perky, flawless, people. This class has a
majority of women in it, so this was a heated debate. The topic slowly
transformed into woman in photography. I was disappointed in the teacher for advocating
beautiful woman to enhance a portfolio. He is a white male who has had years of
experience in the industry, so I can see why he is stuck in this sense of what’s
beautiful portraiture.
However, as a flawed woman I must disagree…
I grew up hating myself because of what I thought was beautiful
in media. I have always had issues with my weight, skin, eyes, and overall appearance.
Its why I was so shy when I was younger, its why I always looked at the floor instead
of at the sky, its why I never felt good enough. Over the years I have learned
to have more self-love and confidence in who I am. Which makes me better at realizing
that this standard is wrong because there have been times I do love myself and
see the beauty in other flawed women. There are still times I feel like that
little girl who doesn’t feel good enough. So, when this topic came up I was
silent because I did not know how to contribute to the topic without bringing
up those emotions I have. Now I have the opportunity to express this in my
final portfolio that will be shown to my class and in a gallery someday.
I want to take photos of; curvy women, colored women, trans
women, old women, non-binary women, disabled women, flawed women. I want to
bring media out into the world that will make the little girl I was feel love
for herself for being different and one of a kind. I believe everyone has beauty
in them and that truth is radiant.
