Ruby Siegel
Nowadays, pictures are never as they seem. They are over edited and almost always photoshopped. “Natural” now means a face full of makeup, and the “perfect body” is one that is close to skin and bones. Every aspect of the “perfect body” portrayed by the media sets a standard that is completely unobtainable; editors add curves and thigh gaps, take away blemishes, scars, and body hair, essentially creating a person different than the original human model. Recently media critics have sought to expose the truth behind photo editing. This inspired me to photograph portraits of my friends showing the difference between what real girls look like and what girls in magazines looks like. I had each model remove all of their makeup and jewelry and wear plain clothes. The models posed outside holding a magazine cutout of half a face, or a facial feature up to the corresponding body part.
I chose this setup because I want to contrast nature and natural people with studio photography. I also want to show a contrast between natural sun light, studio lights, and the difference that lighting makes in a photograph. In advertisements, models often wear clothes not suitable for the weather. For example, models are frequently seen wearing bathing suits in the snow or jackets in the summer. My photographs were taken in all different seasons. I encouraged each model to dress appropriately depending on the weather. My images show people affected by nature- unlike the models who stand, seemingly unaffected, in next to nothing in the middle of winter. In some photos taken during the winter, my models’ nose might be a bit red from the cold or if the sun was shining brightly, they might be squinting. My art exhibits my belief that true beauty exists in these things labeled as “imperfections”.