How to deal with a women's insecurity about her body?

[BradS]

(snip) Everyone is different yet the same...

Thanks Thomas. This is the essence of the matter to me. I remember actually saying something like this to her at one point...seemed to work for a little while anyway.

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

I'm not an expert on the topic, but one thing I would stress from previous experience: by all means do not present complete proofs when deciding which photo(s) you want to use for a final print. Just show what you think is the bestest of bestest. Otherwise, the badness of the less interesting photos will blur the response from your subject (not that I mean to imply that you're bad ), and you may end up in a situation where your model wants everything redone.

[David]

While I can't remember where, I read recently that a portrait is a photograph with something wrong with the mouth. While funny, it does touch on this important idea under discussion. Is it possible that the photograph is the artists' creation and as such is immune from the ravages of the criticism of the one photographed? It all gets more complicated when money is involved but this represents an attitude at least dignifying the work (if well seen and executed) of the photographer.

[blansky]

Oppositely, what one puts forth as his style, should not be confused with something that is really just a lack of expertise.


Meaning, I don't know how to deal with fat thighs so I'll just say that fat thighs are my "artistic vision".


Michael

[Gay Larson]

Ah the curse of being a woman, insecurity about your body. I know very few women who are secure in their own skin and usually the most attractive have the most insecurities. I myself have gotten worse with age. add wrinkles to the fat thighs. I can sympathize with the subject but the most often remark is make me look thinner. if only I could find a camera that does that, I could make a million. Sorry not advice here except i just shoot hoping they'll like something.

[roteague]

Thankfully, I only do landscapes.

[Gay Larson]

Thankfully, I only do landscapes.

smart man

[BradS]

Oppositely, what one puts forth as his style, should not be confused with something that is really just a lack of expertise.


Meaning, I don't know how to deal with fat thighs so I'll just say that fat thighs are my "artistic vision".


Michael

LOL...that would definitely NOT work in this case.

[BradS]

Thankfully, I only do landscapes.

Yes, and quite well too Robert. Your work is amazing.

[Thomassauerwein]

Most people that are not comfortable with themselves do not involve themselves in formal photo sessions. If they are forced or coerced into it they usually try to get their discomfort across in the image itself. How someone looks physically usually has less to do with it than the persons own confidence or resisitance to losing some perceived loss of total control over a situation. I've shot very large, very short or even less then what society dictates as "not attractive" and very much enjoyed they're self confidence and absolute confort in their skin. I can't count the "perfectly formed people" who have left my efforts void of interest. Those same people are the ones fixated by tiny imperfections that are irrelevant to the overall effort. I can count on 2 fingers the people I've worked with that are "perfectly formed" and had the ability to get past their tiny details long enough to assimulate themselves into a concept and make the images better. Yet the interesting people with self confidence give easily and in volume. I'm currently working with a freind with MS. This disfiguring and mentally distructive disease has left this person with frustrations beyond count. Yet when we get together she brings it all with confidence. We don't spend our time worried about a ZIT. But that time is spent socializing shooting and laughing.
What we get to do as Photographers/Artist or "whatever" is very special. Allowing a sitter to trivialize these efforts over little tiny details is a distraction. So I'm all for blowing past those concerns and moving on to what is important. Having fun capturing the magic of the moment.