Eyeful | Do Male Photographers Focus on the Total Woman?
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Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley | Rankin | Qvest #42, Fall 2010
One of our core themes at Anne of Carversville is exploring the portrayal of women by artists and photographers. It’s our belief that the photographer (or painter, sculptor) reveals his/her vision and appreciation of women through a sensitivity or lack of it that is obvious in the images.
Anne launched this conversation, comparing Terry Richardson to Ellen Von Unswerth, but the idea now pervades all our postings. Looking at Rankin’s intimately sensitive portrayal of Rosie Huntington-Whitely above, we decided to again pull some thoughts together.
Two Beauties | One Head Screwed On
This weekend, the contrast between two male photographers grabbed our attention, prompting us to write: “Two beauties, different photographers, two artistic visions, one powerful”. via Sensuality News
Here are the two beauties. Do you sense any difference in the mind of the photographers? Note that one model actually has a throat, with visible physiology (her Adam’s Apple — where did that phrase come from?) and the other appears to have her head attached, sort of screwed on like one of those robotic sex dolls which are making life much better for married women who want nothing to do with sex.
New Talent | Alys Hale by Damon Baker | Controlled Perfection Sensuality News
New Talent | Collete | Peter Hugo | ‘Denim, By Night’ Sensuality News
When Anne first began writing about the mindsets of photographers impacting whether women are elevated or reduced in their images, it seemed that perhaps she was making an argument that women photographers are more sensitive and less celluloid in their approach to lensing other women.
Male vs Female Photographic Perspective
Anne has rejected this idea totally now, believing that women photographers tend to be more emphathetic, but many men photographers consistently deliver an intimate look at the ‘total woman’, even when shooting fashion glossies.
Many male photographers specialize in making women look like goddesses, even if they are wearing lumberjack shirts in the Aussie outback. As women, we are very grateful to their attitudes, because as women, we absolutely are impacted by how we are portrayed in visual media.
Emma Tempest | Vera | Chantilly | Vogue Portugal November 2010
Two Views of Tiah Eckhardt
To every action in life there’s a reaction. Utopias fail because balance typically has a positive followed by a negative, or its opposite.
Last evening we posted images of Tiah Eckhardt:
Tiah Eckhardt | Akila Berjaoui | Red Blooded Woman Sensuality News
The last time we posted Tiah Eckhardt, we met her in the eye of photographer Holly Blake. Perhaps Anne has a streak of Diane Vreeland in her, when she wrote:
We’re trying to look at the photos of Tiah Eckhardt by Holly Blake for No. Magazine Issue #10 through the eyes of Diana Vreeland. FGR calls them “elegant” to which we reponded “say what???”
To us, the photos are inspired by certain expensive seaside residences in Brooklyn and believe they’re meant to be a provocative statement on la glamour and elegance gone wild. via Sensuality News
Tiah Eckhardt | Holly Blake | Undressed for Dinner
Reviewing comments about the new Tiah Eckhardt-Akila Berjaoui images, we were chagrined to see so much conversation about her breasts. Note that Tiah’s breasts are prominently featured in both editorials above. Apparently she has become a mother and many of the comments revolved around the visual undesireability of Tiah’s mommy breasts, due to the fact she has been breastfeeding.
As most women know, with fashion friends like this, who needs enemies? For the record, we love Tiah’s breasts in all their glorious manifestations.
Anne would like to say that these Tiah Eckhardt breast comments came from the 21-year-old set, who are rarely wise beyond their years, with the noted exception of young women like Taryn Andreatta, who Anne adores.
In this case the summary declaration came from a not-widely noted, middle-aged photographer, old enough to know better. In the wisdom of American photographer Steven Bigler:
“There are bare breasted models, and then there are mothers. I think there is no shortage of the first… to resort to the last. This is not a “real world” thing… it is fashion… nubile and fresh… alas… at least it USED to be.” via Sensuality News
We leave you on that note, dear readers. Sometimes, it’s best to let a man have the last word.
When we wonder why American women — unlike French, Italian or Brazilian women — believe we’re washed up at 28, Anne rests her case. Artists are meaning makers, and to our detriment, American women have got Steven Bigler’s message loud and clear.
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