The Photographer

Flat (out gorgeous)

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I have mixed feelings about this photo. Of all the photos my amazing friend, (The Photographer) has taken of me this is the only one that makes me uncomfortable, focusing as it does on my flat nipples. So why post it? I’m not looking for compliments or reassurance, I’m posting it as a reflection on how far a project like this can take you.

Through his art Nicolas articulates and celebrates all body types. He thinks brilliantly. And when he photographs me I trust him completely. Although I have my visceral response to this photo, the logical part of my brain knows that to have chosen this image in his final selection he must see something in it that I don’t and therefore others may see something too. I will probably never love this photo as an image of me, but I love that it represents what I have learnt, which is that we rarely see ourselves as others see us. 

Also, we are not our bodies; we are our spirit and our kindness and the way we live our lives and the way we treat those around us. Our bodies just carry us. How gorgeous someone finds our ‘casing’ is in part driven by our wider behaviour. I talked about this post with a girlfriend last night. On Thursday she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I told her the words I had chewing over in my head for this post and how I couldn’t really decide whether or not it was one to post at the moment. Was it a bit self-indulgent given all that’s going on? We decided they were words worth sharing, probably more so now than ever. And our conclusion after a few wines? “All boobs are gorgeous. Health is what matters!”

Good luck for Friday gorgeous woman! Xx

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Sinful Sunday

Marble

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“Dear God! How beauty varies in nature and art. In a woman the flesh must be like marble; in a statue the marble must be like flesh.” Victor Hugo

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This photograph is by the wonderful Nicolas Laborie (The Photographer). He’s starting a new wetplate project exploring gender equality and the depictions of different body types in nude art. He’s looking for women and men of all ages, shapes and abilities to take part. I have only good things to say about the experience of being photographed by him and I have learnt so much about how I should regard and celebrate myself from his images of me and our conversations. You can find him at @Nicolas_Laborie or drop him a line at info@nicolaslaborie.com if you’re interested. You know you want to…

Sinful Sunday

Beads

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Another shot from my lovely friend The Photographer – thank you! This one made me smile when it hit my inbox as the glistening beads make it feel strangely reminiscent of one I took of another lovely fellow last summer. As I have written before, I do love it when you see little connections unintentionally forming between photos.

This photo has been sitting in my folder-in-waiting for a couple of months now, without a story to go with it. The two photos popped into my mind today as I plodded along on a long run, slowly and full of cold. It’s me who is training for a marathon now and today I thought, as I so often think when I feel the glorious bite of cold wind and the first raindrops my face, ‘I bloody love winter running.’ I really could never train for a marathon in the summer heat.

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Sinful Sunday