Friday, November 9, 2012

The Fat Naked Art Project


I'm very proud of this set. It's the first set I 've done with other fat women who were as much into body acceptance as I was and whom I got to work one on one with. This is a  photo project in which I teamed up with photographer Travis McKeithan as well as several plus size women, including myself, to create beautiful nude art that showcases the fat body. We had four other women, myself, and Travis involved. First I'd like to introduce you to all of the models involved.

First up we have Casey

Photo by Travis McKeithan

Photo by Kolaya Photography

Casey participated in this project despite a broken back. I asked her why she waned to participate in this project and how it made her feel:

I wanted to do it partially because I love the Adipositivity project and have wanted to have Substantia Jones take similar pictures...so I thought it was awesome that someone semi-local was doing something similar. I also wanted to reclaim my body. With everything that's been going on with my spine fractures, it's been hard to feel like this ever-changing body as mine. It made me feel awesome. I was initially nervous, but having people take photos of my body for it's beauty and it's uniqueness made me feel glorious.
 Next I'd like to introduce you to Christine:

photo by Travis McKeithan


Photo by Travis McKeithan

As we were chatting in between photos Christine told me about how she wanted to do this for her daughter who's an up and coming fat woman. As a mother myself I think it's just fantastic that Christine's daughter has a great role model for body acceptance. I asked Christine as well why she chose to do this project and how it made her feel;
I chose to do it because I want to "walk the walk" of Fat Acceptance for my daughter, and do more than pay lip service to my principles. I was nervous as hell (as evidenced by my constant chattering), but also empowered. My body is 45 years old, postpartum, 300+ pounds, beautiful, strong, sexy and awesome. Not one of those qualities precludes any of the others.


Next, Bethany

photo by Travis McKeithan

Photo by Kolaya Photography
 Bethany's response to why she wanted to be a part of this project and how it made her feel was:
I chose to participate because I like to spend time with my body in very intentional ways. I like to be take time to be direct with my body, to appreciate it and have it be seen. I've found being naked with people who look like me, and at the same time not like me, to be the kind of experience that really puts me in touch with myself and my community.
I used to spend time at a clothing-optional beach when we lived in NY. I don't think I'd ever been in a more body-positive space. All different ages, shapes, sizes, ethnicities, classes, ways of grooming and presenting themselves. I loved every minute of it!
The Fat Photo Shoot was really wonderful. It took us some time to warm up, although no more than expected. But being naked and open with the group came naturally and easily and felt very right. I wish I had planned better to spend more time. I'm self-conscious about my lack of ease in front of the camera itself, but that was a small negative in a large and beautiful sea of positive. A+ experience, would totally do it again!

Jessica's up next

by Kolaya Photography

Photo by Kolaya Photography
Jessica was shy and didn't want us to use her face which means she also didn't participate in our group shoots. Jessica was, in fact, there to observe and hadn't intended to get naked and do any photos at all so I commend her on her bravery.

Next we have myself, Heather

Photo by Travis McKeithan


During my last shoot with Travis I thought to myself, "we need to see more naked fat people art" and I posted such on my facebook timeline to which Travis replied, "let's do it!". I've been excited for weeks about this project and I'm so happy to finally see it come to fruition even as we make plans to expand and continue it. I did this project because I'm enamored with fat art. I love seeing bodies just like mine  in a way that's not meant to shame or belittle or mock- where it's displayed for the sheer beauty of it. This shoot gave me a real sense of community and bonding with these wonderful women and I'm so proud to have been part of this.

Last up our esteemed photographer, Travis

Photo by Kolaya Photography

Photo by Kolaya Photography
Travis is, of course, the photographer I've been working with these past few weeks. He's been amazing and he's so easy to work with. When I posted that I wanted to see more fat naked people art he jumped right on the opportunity.

  I participated, with the thought in mind for support of women and men who have to deal with the stigmas that fat is ugly or unattractive, I feel that people in general are beautiful, and I wanted to be apart of what you lovely ladies where doing, kinda saying "fuck you" to standard thinking about who and should and should not participate in certain activities.
... and being a photographer, it was interesting, considering I am very comfortable with my body the nude aspect did not really bother me. It was a bit off, giving the control over to someone else, but I quite enjoyed it.


We're hoping to do this concept again soon so stay tuned everyone!

19 comments:

  1. Amazing ladies!!! You all are so inspiring!!! And gentlemen....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you! we had a lot of fun working together

      Delete
  2. Great work! Beautiful Photos! Stay proud, you are a gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you! we absolutely will stay proud ;-) we had a lot of fun!

      Delete
  3. I loved when I first saw the images on flickr and I'm loving the greater detail here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it's so wonderful that you have done this. As a long time photographer myself I have sought after plus size models for years. This is the kind of project that I have longed to be part of but it never happened. Travis is a lucky guy to have been involved in this.

    Your photos were wonderful and it appears that each of the ladies totally enjoyed the experience. Jessica might be the exception but I have never felt, as a photographer, that having ones face show or not was not necessarily a huge factor in nude art. Fat or otherwise.

    Congratulations on your success here and I truly hope you will get to do this again.

    Charlie
    http://charlie-c-m.deviantart.com/

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really enjoyed the article and photos. Great job and well done.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I enjoyed the pics and can't wait to see more,I hope for more ethnicity in future shots. I know a few woman black and Spanish who would possibly like the opportunity to do something like this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh gosh yes-! more ethnicity would be fantastic! I'd also love to get some trans fat folks and more men. Unfortunately we don't live in NY or LA or other big city so our models are limited to those who respond to the call. We're hoping to be able to have the resources to travel some day.

      Delete
  8. I love this project- such beautiful people and lovely poses. This has inspired me greatly and made my morning! =)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Absolutely beautiful models, and great photos.
    Bravo to all of you!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I absolutely love fat women, .I always have. From the age of 13 when I was desperately horny for the resident fat girl in our class...she was round with large breasts and a tummy and great legs (best of all she did not know, no one told her,that she was not supposed to wear miniskirts because of her fat thighs....Hallelujah I so remember her walking by me, and me just being paralyzed as she passed.
    I was in love and lust and took every opportunity to be around her...she was puzzled by this because her girlfriends... (for some reason women always come in twos or threes)... thought I was trying to set her up and do a Carrie number on her...which I did not know until years later...She had no teenage social standing... being smart, wearing glasses, and really fat...I was also way too smart, plus I was not athletic, could not fight worth a damn, and worst of all an artist (also a ...hippy, freak.,,,it was the 60's)..meaning I was even more of an outcast and boy did I get shit for liking fat girls..
    Sigh, I still remember her...she was a terrific looking girl whom I could actually talk to ...but.it was doomed from the start....
    However, my enjoyment and appreciation of fat women remains...It is not weird or a fetish. I do not want them to be immobile stuck in a bed or to feed them until they turn into mountains of flesh...I think all that is strange beyond belief, neurotic as hell,.and very destructive. I LOVE healthy, happy, fat girls that like their bodies and enjoy life.. I still get major shit for liking fat women and I insist on telling friends and family of my preference...always this creates hassles for me... But I still do it!
    So many fat women are mired in self loathing and wracked with psychic pain from the crap they get from magazines and movies and worst of all the TV...
    You know I have never dated a fat girl that was not dieting, finishing a diet, or going to go on one..they always had to tell this to me as though I needed the reassurance that their their body would shrink if I continued to see them.....None of them ever lost enough weight to change their self image and all of them regained the lost pounds...only to start the diets over again...as long as I saw most of these ladies I can remember that none of them ever enjoyed a real meal when we went to dinner...and i suspect a couple of being bulimic...though they hid it very well.... Oh and I also remember that none of them ever believed me if I said they were attractive or sexy...I learned not to give compliments because it always started a quarrel.

    Anyway.. .Ladies you are beautiful incredibly sexy and I adore you...or would if I had ever had the chance....but, heavy sighs go here because it is now too late for me.... for those of you who are looking for someone...do not let the this societies body image crap destroy any hope you may have for happiness.... go for it ...I love you all

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks so much for your comment! Have you read the book Fat Sex by Rebecca Weinstein? Your story sounds very much like some of the stories in her book. I'd recommend you checking it out :)

      Delete
  11. I've always had a "fat-fetish "along with a MAJOR "foot-fetish "!!!Heather, I've noticed your pretty feet, along with your super HOT naked body are VERY SEXY, and a ROYAL TURN-ON!!! The other models are INCREDIBLE too! :)I dated a woman who was very fat for five years, and really sexy! We enjoyed wonderful sex,and I gave her MANY wonderful foot-massages!!!! (Along with a lot of wild tickling)!That relationship went south, however, because of her lack of self-esteem, as well as her jealousy. That was too bad, as I wanted to marry her.I'm a good-looking, blond, muscular surfer. I don't boast, but many women see me as being pretty cute. I kept being told that I could be with a "pretty " woman, and that I was wasting my time with the one I was with,but I always told critics that "pretty "is inside, and in self-confidense. I adored this fat woman, and still have fond memories of getting naked and crazy with her! Subsequently, I've since, dated other fat women, but no permanent relationships for those same reasons of lack of self-esteem and jealousy on their parts. I do immensely still enjoy seeing naked fat women of every race! (And I enjoy seeing their sexy bare feet!):) Keep up the good work, Heather, and all you other gorgeous sweethearts!!!! And I hope to see more poses of you naked!!!! (AND OF YOUR SEXY FEET ;)

    ReplyDelete

Dreaming of Wheels

I finally dreamed of myself in a wheelchair . How we view ourselves is often hard. What we think of ourselves, even how we picture ourse...