Keep up the good work!
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| Me at age 19 (left) & me age 37 (right) |
You see I definitely considered myself in the "it's not there so who cares" category. I always believed that guys were interested in my friends with bigger boobs and to me that seemed like everyone else around me. My boobs were small and insignificant so who would care if you could see my nipples under my shirt or caught a little too much cleavage when I bent over? Yes, I was being more free with myself and my body but it was coming from a negative dialogue in my head. It wasn't until I met my husband who had, an still has, a great enthusiasm for my breasts that I began to change that dialogue. I remember buying a tank top that clearly wasn't meant to have a bra worn with it and I loved it but I would ask him "is this too 'booby'?" he always reassured me that is was "perfect". The more he reassured me the more I believed it.
The Just Boobs project is so exciting to me because I get to help women have a healthy relationship with their breasts. It is my hope in seeing all the different shapes and sizes of "normal" women and men alike will develop a deep love and respect for their own boobs and the boobs around them. I love that my man was able to help me on my path to being comfortable with my own body and loving it too. However not all women have a person in their life to boost their morale. I hope this book is a way to help women boost themselves.
Now I'm in my late thirties and I love my breasts. I've had four babies and breastfed them all and am currently breastfeeding our youngest. I go braless more often than not. I'm sure I have shocked, offended, excited, and caused a general stir among many people over the years because of this. I don't do this because I believe I am flaunting it or because I believe I shouldn't care, because I don't have anything that anyone should care about. I do it because I hate wearing a bra and I love my boobs.
Just - only or merely…
Breasts have always been glorified, vilified and over specified for thousands of years. What's the big deal? They're just boobs!
Just - actual, real, genuine, in keeping with truth or fact...
Breasts, now more than ever before, are pushed, boosted, padded, manipulated and downright fake. What kind of message are we sending to future generations of women and men?
Just - righteous, proper, right…
Breasts are not "dirty" or immoral. They have a wonderful function and are perfect in every way. Every breast is different and every breast is beautiful because of those differences.
Wouldn't it be great if there was a book of photographs that celebrated all the wonderful shapes, sizes and colors of breasts. A book that generations of girls could look at and realize that there is no "perfect" breast, that one size does not fit all. A book that generations of boys could look at so they know what real boobs look like first, before their inevitable introduction to porn. So that the men and women of the future love and respect the breasts they have and the women they are with. This is the objective of the Just Boobs Project. And now is the time to show us your boobs for a just cause because they're "just" boobs!
The Book
I am shooting 100 women, from neck to navel, to be used in the Just Boobs book. You can see updates on my progress on the Just Boobs facebook page. The images are completely anonymous. Tattoos and identifying scars can be removed to insure your anonymity if you request it.
The Conversation
I would also like to start a conversation. I would like women to post their own breast pictures and/or stories about their boobs, body issues or any issue relating to breasts that they feel passionate about in the Just Boobs blog. This is a place of openness and freedom, without stigma where we can all help one another overcome our body issues. Please come join us!
To send us your picture and/or story, email them to Koren using this form on the Just Boobs website. She will approve and post each entry anonymously to the blog. We can't wait for the stories to start pouring in!
You are invited! Yes, you reading this blog right now. You are invited to be a part of the I am project. You do not have to be photographed. I would however love to hear or more accurately, read your story.
For the women reading this I would love to know your I am statement. So finish this sentence, "I am ...". Remember that it must be a positive word about yourself. One that is true and makes you feel good about yourself. I know it's hard to keep it to just word. However after finishing your I am statement I would love for you to elaborate and explain your statement. This is where you will get to tell me your story.
For the men reading this blog I would love to hear your stories about women. Do you have a woman in your life that you find beautiful and strong? It doesn't have to be your partner. Maybe it's your mother sister or best friend. Perhaps you'd like to make a statement that begins "she is.." and finish it with one word that is positive. Then explain your statement. Another interesting story from men may be what it was like the first time that you saw a naked woman (other than a family member). Was it what you expected?
These stories must be true, no fabrications. Reality is always much more interesting than fiction anyhow. The photos are obviously a big part of this project . However the stories are just as powerful and that is something that we can all share.
If you choose to accept this invitation please tell me your age and occupation and whether you are a woman or a man. You may include your first name if you like but feel free to keep your anonymity if that makes you more comfortable. I never share personal information about the women who have posed for me and I won't share personal information from the blog either.
The I am project is not just for women or girls but for men and boys as well. I would love for men to participate just as much as women and this is a great way to do that. Stories are powerful and I would love to hear yours.]]>
This is a conversation that I had with a friend via facebook. The picture is neither her nor I but it shows lovely stretch marks. I say lovely because I truly mean lovely. Even when a woman has not posed for the I am project she still has a story. Whether that story be good or bad I hope that it will have a healing and positive effect now.
J
Blown away by the I Am Project. It made me cry; or more technically is making me do so. Settling in to watch the interview, but didn't want to wait that long to message you. Women and girls *viscerally need* this type of visual and artistic support.
It's like Lizzie Miller's photo in Glamour, but taken to a whole new, dizzyingly wonderful level! I'm so glad artists like you and Joe are in the world making it a better and more open-minded place. It utterly inspires me.
K
I'm glad that the project touches you. I want it to touch many people and hopefully make a positive impact. I hope that it will touch and support girls and women but men and boys alike. When all a boy sees of the female body are pictures he's glimpsed in a nudie mag he has swiped from a grown man, likely one he is related to, he has no idea what a "real" woman looks like.
Anyway, I'm all about opening minds and changing perceptions.
J
When I was eight years old I remember getting a new swimsuit from Sears for a YMCA swimming class. Besides being brand-new, it was FUN. As soon as I got home, I put it on and went tearing out to the family room to show my Dad.
He didn't remark on the rainbow-colored half-bullseye that came from the side seam, or how tickled I was, or how radiantly beautiful. He pointed to my hip, looked at my mother, and said with concern, "Are those stretch marks?!" I had no idea what stretch marks were, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Daddy's Pretty Plus daughter shouldn't be happy about having them.
A lifetime of experiences later, and raising two girls, I think immediately (and often) about the impact the media plays in changing the hearts and minds of our girls. You make a really important point, however, that boys and men also need beautiful reminders that the bodies of women come in many wonderful shapes and sizes. Thank you for reminding me of it, too!
K
I have story of hips as well. My mother had me when she was a ripe old age of 17, and had natural child birth in the hospital with no support team to call her own. I love her for that. However one of the first things she said after I was born was when the Dr. put me on the scale and he pronounced me to be a whopping 5lb 13 oz she said "throw the other thigh on the scale". This comment was a double whammy in that it was self deprecating and casting large thighs on to her tiny newborn as the way it was going to be and it was not a beautiful thing.
I guess that was a thigh story and not a hip story. Nonetheless parents really need to be aware of their words and the impact of those words on their children and what they believe and how they feel about themselves.
J
Wow K, it's amazing what 'weight' our words carry from our very first experiences onward! I imagine many women have at least one of those stories filed away inside her. I have no reservations whatsoever about the use of my swimsuit story on the blog. If it can be helpful to someone, then some good came of it.
I wish, in fact, I had the body to model for you. It's such a laudable project! But sadly I am completely certain I don't fit under the category of 'health-conscious woman'. :-( It's okay though-- many women do and you are finding them. Glad this project is back on the burner!
K
So I totally let this ball drop. Picking it back up now. Why do you think that you don't "fit" into the health conscious category? Have you had plastic surgery for reasons other than health/reconstructive issues or do you eat fast food every day? I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious.
J
No, nothing like that. My weight has, to some larger degree than many people, gone up and down my whole life. It has taken every little piece of my lifetime to accept my shape--
Besides that, it has now been 3.5 years since I got a good night's sleep. I have tried countless avenues to figure out why I can get to sleep, but not stay asleep. Through this process, I have gained 70#, lost memory, become a lot more moody, and basically feel fried much of the time.
I don't feel very healthy. I feel exhausted a lot of the time, actually. But my body has seen me through some exhaustive trials and tribulations, and I love it still. I just can't imagine calling this poor body heath-conscious. Not just now.
K
Now I understand. I am sorry to hear about your issues with insomnia. It really is hard on a body. I certainly would not however say that you aren't health conscious because of it. If anything you are even more conscious and on a path of discovery. Anyway, I think you're amazing and would be a welcome addition to the project. No pressure. I'm just saying. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I love to learn more about people and get a glimpse into their lives. That's why I love my job so much.
Peace.
J
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what
We are creating a unique and captivating book of real, unaltered women... beautiful pictures that draw you in and allow people to see the intrinsic beauty in every day women.
Our goal is to create social awareness and change around the media’s distorted vision of women; To help women and young girls see their true natural beauty.
Each woman photographed needs to be prepared to talk about how the project empowers her and about why she wants to be a part of it. She also must author her own personal I am statement - a statement starting with “I am...” and followed by one word that inspires her positively. For example, “I am courageous,” or “I am original.”
why
Right now there are distorted images of women in the magazines you read and the advertisements you see.
Photographers today, under pressure from the advertising industry, are altering not only their images but the subjects in them too.
Take a minute to look at this example.
And if that's not enough, do a Google search for "photoshop skin smoothing".
As a professional photographer I understand that every photograph needs minor adjustments. I have no problem removing a piece of hair or even altering a background object. Even in the good old days of b/w film and hand printing it was standard to adjust the contrast of your image and under or over expose areas of your picture to achieve the best look. That's why photography is an art. And I understand that we have always used our knowledge of light and body positioning to achieve the best possible look for the subject. However, all of these adjustments are effects that could have happened in nature. They're still possible in the natural world.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with any digital enhancement / alteration made in the name of Art. When it comes to Art anything goes. But, what makes a photograph art and not photojournalism? I think it comes down to the intention of the person altering the photograph.
When an artist makes a piece of art they distort reality with the intention of drawing your attention to it to make a point. They want you to see the adjustments because it’s about making a statement. But when they enlarge breasts, shrink waists and other digital structural alterations with the intention of “fixing” the woman on the cover of a magazine or selling a product, their intention is to hide what they have done. They want you to think it is real but also cause an effect on your subconscious.
Making alterations like this is destructive to women and devastating to teenage girls who take for granted that the person on the cover of their favorite magazine is in fact, human.
Not only is this going on right now, it is already an epidemic. Most major magazine and advertisement photos are altered. And the effects are leaving obvious scars on our youth in the form of cosmetic surgery and unrealistic dieting. Women of all ages are innocently basing their self-esteem on these fake images of unattainable shapes and sizes. As a photographer I am taking a stand. I am placing myself between the runaway train of distorted media and the brick wall of devastated self-esteem.
The I am project™ simply strives to use images of natural, unaltered subjects to bring about awareness and change in how the media portrays women. Images of natural body shapes and sizes promote a state of well being and contentment with ourselves.
We offer everyday “real” women a chance to be a part of our stand, we offer an outlet for them to help change the warped perception of women in society today.
who
We are looking for unaltered health-conscious women of all shapes, sizes and races, over the age of 18, to lend us their engaging forms for this important project.
We are interested in women of all professions from lawyers to full time moms. If you are a TV or film personality we encourage you to join us as your real everyday self.
Our models are partially clothed or completely nude, depending on their comfort level and all have found the experience to be intensely empowering and quite fun as well.
This project is currently only open to women in the USA. If we receive enough interest and funding we will include other countries.
Currently this project is financially funded and lovingly cared for by it’s creators Koren and Joe Albright, photographers and owners of Albright Creative Imagery.
We offer these photo sessions free of charge to our participants and pay all the expense ourselves because we believe so strongly in what we are doing. If you believe in our project as we do but do not want to be photographed, we ask that you make a monetary donation. Your donation will pay for travel fees and materials, and help a real woman find her true beauty.
when and where
Anytime, anywhere you want. We come to you. Your sunlit living room or a secluded location. Wherever you feel empowered.
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goals:
- To inspire women to stop comparing themselves to synthetic advertising and Hollywood versions of what a woman is supposed to look like.
- To inspire women to be content and comfortable as their natural selves and to realize that as the definition of beauty.
- To change what society considers as normal concerning body size and shape.
implementation:
- Publication of photo books that encourage and inspire women and young girls to love their bodies.
- Production of prints, cards, calendars and more that encourage and inspire women to love their bodies.
- Licensing images to reputable companies promoting natural products and to companies that want to promote natural women in their advertising.
benefits:
- The opportunity to have an active roll in changing perceptions of women.
- Boost your self confidence.
- Make a healthier society for your children and grand children.
- Free portrait shoot and pictures.
- 10% of the net profit of book or art sales is donated to charities involved in breast cancer or breastfeeding. The remainder goes back into the I am project.
A decade of celebrating women! And loving every minute!
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Hello oh lovely real women (and the men who love them)! I am so fired up about the I Am Project because I believe it can and will truly change lives. That may sound dramatic but I don't think it is. Picture this...I am 14 years old and my friend and I are staring at the contestants for the teen model search in some magazine. We are scrutinizing their flawless and (at the time) air-brushed faces in awe. Next, we look in the mirror and talk in great detail about what is wrong with us and about how jealous we are of those other girls. We discuss with disgust our blackheads, our pimples, our cellulite, our yucky hair...we really got into it! And this wasn't the first time either...we spent perhaps thousands of teenage hours fretting both verbally and internally about what is wrong with the way we look. I was well trained by the media (and other influences) to despise my appearance. I cannot begin to express how terribly sad this is to me now, for so many reasons. Sometimes I think about what I could have been doing with all of those lost hours and its just too tragic to really entertain. Once I was in college and began taking sociology, anthropology, and women's studies classes, I could see how I'd been duped. I've spent the last 17 or so years rebuilding my idea of what a woman actually looks like and training myself to understand that there is beauty in all of us. I've become a celebrator of what is natural in life. My involvement in this project is the culmination of so much anger, soul-searching, journaling, accepting, and down-right WORK that I've been doing for nearly two decades. How is it radical or revolutionary to think/see/say that all women have "imperfections" like blobs of fat, pimples, moles, freckles, hair in "odd" places, stretch marks, etc...? For this to be revolutionary talk is just proof of how far from reality we've come! So anyway, I believe the I am project can bring on much needed change because it will show people the truth of what women look like. Some of us are tall, some of us short. Some of us are very thin, some medium, some large. Some of us have pale skin while some of us have dark skin. Some of us have wrinkles and some of us don't yet...you get the picture. I'm going to have to write much more about this later - so very much to say!]]>