Vulnerability is most captured when someone is exposed and 100% without armor. I find that great photographs emerge from this.

If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ll know that I’m part of a worldwide group called The Raw Project. This is where we photograph REAL AUTHENTIC WOMEN with their hair undone and without a stitch of makeup on. Sounds scary, right?

This would seem like it would go against societal norms since every woman in the media has impeccable hair and makeup, but that’s not the goal of these great photographs.

The media currently pushes women to be perfect when there is no such thing, not naturally in nature. The truth is, who wants to be perfect? If we were all “perfect” it would be completely boring. I find that a person’s imperfections make them beautiful.

So when speaking on The Raw Project, we truly dial in on the truthful unedited vision of the woman. There is no editing outside of changing the image to black and white.  Converting the photograph into black and white not only makes us focus on the photo as a whole, but also sheds a timeless and calm feel over the imagery. It allows us to view the emotion of the woman and really displays her soul, creating a great photograph for her to cherish forever.

She can show the images to her grandchildren- smiling as she remembers how perfect she was. Because there’s no editing or modification of any kind, she knows it’s 100% her. This is when a woman can fall in love with every piece of herself as she is.

Being able to love yourself without your armor can be a difficult thing to some, but if you can cross that boundary and look at your true self, what a powerful thing that is.

I truly hope that more of my clients in the future choose to have at least one RAW photoshoot in their lifetime where they can accept and embrace their authentic selves. If more women in the world could have this experience, I truly feel it would make a huge difference on women’s perception on beauty.

We wouldn’t have to listen to people tell us how inadequate we are and we could feel complete peace with ourselves.

So what makes great photographs? Honesty and true emotion with no walls. Break that wall, love. Allow your true self to shine. Let’s not try to be someone who aren’t. Your beautiful just as you are, girl.

Want to see more RAW PROJECTS? Click here.