#32

Ear

A successful model in NYC offered to pose for me for the Love the Pudge campaign. I couldn't fathom prior to the shoot what she would like to photograph. When we started, she explained three areas she was unsure of. Her inner thighs have faded stretch marks, a bump in her nose bridge. We took this shot of her ear, as she believes they stick out.

Growing up, I always loved when girls' ears stuck out from their hair--I thought it was quirky and beautiful.

Its amazing how perceptions can be so different towards the same thing.

#31

A big part of my campaign has been to keep identities hidden by not showing faces in order for participants to feel comfortable bearing all for my occasionally provocative cause.

Over a Thai lunch, this participant expressed her desire to feature her eye, which she claims is smaller than the other, especially in photographs. We also both wanted to incorporate the new feature of Love the Pudge--the heart. I want to encourage campaign followers to "outline" their pudge with a heart and upload it to the Facebook page here.

With these goals in mind, my participant was more than happy to be the first to show her face in the name of Love the Pudge. And how beautiful does she look?

#29 & #30

Arms and Chest

Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of meeting with an inspiring duo; two young women who are the brains and facilitators behind the cultural blog, A Tale of Two Biddies. After a few shots of the girls separately, I decided to shoot them together. The result was pretty dynamic.

#28

A higher left-side ribcage belongs to a high-spirited individual.

#27

A knee-surgery halted this individual mid-high school football season. He has come to terms with the recovery process of accepting his new marks and rebuilding the surrounding muscle. 

#26

This participant is near and dear to my heart. When I first began the campaign a few years ago, I was sure that she would never want to participate. I didn't bother but ask her once, and then gave up on the request.

The 'pudge' highlighted is a sub-category I have never photographed before, and I could hardly get my lens to focus on the faded markings. I am sure my blog readers will have a little trouble in recognizing the insecurity. I moved the position of my lens several times, attempting to catch an angle that would show the scars. I could not understand why these scars that were so painfully visible to both the participant and to me in real life, yet would not show up in my lens. These scars represented so much to this individual in her life, and it has taken years for her to overcome the pain they have caused her.

I am unbelievably flattered that she chose to not only reveal her marks for the first time in such a public space, but also that she chose Love the Pudge as her avenue to release the insecurity. An individual who lives life with vigor, adventure and excitement--a true Free Spirit, she radiates--no longer bound by the pain these markings attempted to give her.

#25

A close friend of mine visiting for the weekend had expressed his desire to participate in Love the Pudge. 

We had spoken about his interest in the project a couple of weeks prior to his visit. It was in this conversation that he revealed to me his frequent battle with the physical capacities of his own body. 

"I just wish it was better", he told me. In my opinion, I see nature physically granting this individual a great hand. Muscular, tall, and physically fit, it seems like he could conquer any obstacle placed before him.

Regardless, in his mind, there are a host of things hindering the perfection he desires. Although I will most likely never learn what his image of "physical ideality" looks like, this insecurity stands as another intriguing and important example of the LTP movement.