Why would anyone photograph a fat person?

[Mrs Woo]

I am overweight.  I have a chronic illness that limits physical activities I can do and includes medication that slows metabolism to nearly a crawl while causing sweets cravings (documented side effects).  Seriously double-whammied.  Add getting older to the picture and I’m definitely hitting that “matronly appearance” type of thing.  My husband has put on weight over the years too (in his 60s)… neither of us are willing to have family photos done because we are so embarrassed to not be perfect.

Do you really think we should feel that way?  That we should not document anything since our wedding (second marriages for both)?   At our wedding he had dieted and I was so sick then (hadn’t been diagnosed yet) we didn’t know if I was going to live or die.  I weighed about 30 pounds less than I do now for those pictures.

Your attitude, of course, is ours, at least about ourselves.  We adore our overweight friends and wouldn’t think for a moment that they weren’t attractive enough to be photographed.  We know that with age often comes a bit more weight.  Their chunkiness in their 60s and 70s seems pretty average.  It is just who they are.

I guess I’m kind of backwards from the OP – will photograph anyone.  It’s just who they are, “warts and all,” so to speak.  Why not celebrate it?

Won’t let anyone take my picture fat though… OH no!

 

[doisuck]

Dickheads are revolting too but I’m sure if you were a paying customer
dicksforeyes
some fake photographer would take your ugly mug of a picture! Not everyone is a shallow bigot like yourself! I know I know I’m just trolling because I don’t think like you! Right? You’re a jerk and nothing more, and anyone else who would degrade someone based on something as superficial as their size! Or who knows maybe you started this entire thread just to tick people off and troll yourself!

[dicksforeyes]

Bitch I’m beautiful. How many chins do you have?

[Moonshae]

You can do a lot more with shadows and the playing of light on a person who has curves, even substantial ones, than you can on a person with the body of a popsicle stick. There’s just not enough contour to make many shadows there. I suppose that explains why fashion models tend to be shot high key, or are used as mannequins for displaying clothing.

[archy]

I’m going to play along here, bear with me.

If you are even the least bit serious (i wouldn’t blame you if you were. Some plus size boudoir looks straight up….ugh. ) wouldn’t you agree that being able to beautifully capture a fat person made you an above average photographer?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8eeucHa6E1qkutnbo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8gsmiGrBQ1qe4buuo1_1280.jpg

http://ericayoung.blob.core.windows.net/media/images/5084115e8bfd4993b3791583f5d27c9c.jpg

http://www.londonboudoirphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/London-Boudoir-Photography-Laura-Wells-07.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7ovluunuY1qbbrt2o1_1280.jpg

??? To answer your question, you’d photograph a fat person to prove how much of a bad ass of a photographer you are (unless you fail. then you look like a jackass with a fetish).

(before you people attack me, I googled “beautiful plus size” I am not the one labeling any of these women fat. But if you are so insecure within yourselves to incriminate me for the links who am i to stop you. )

[dicksforeyes]

Those images are revolting. It is no more possible to “beautifully capture” a fatty than it is to draw a square circle. “Beautiful plus size” is an oxymoron.

[dicksforeyes]

a person who has curves

It’s probably worth pointing out that the term “curves” in the context of the female body refers to the waist-hip ratio, not enormous mounds of excess adipose tissue. In all but few cases, being overweight actually reduces WHR, resulting in a far less curvacious figure.

[heatherconway]

You really do have dicks for eyes don’t you!

[MBChamberlain]

There is a very practical answer to this question.

five words: four hundred dollars an hour

But for a more philosophical one, it is very simply a question of what you are trying to photograph. Some of the ugliest people I have ever photographed have been size two models. Vapid, narcissistic, self-aggrandizing, bundles of unpleasantness wrapped up in a body that is a 10. It is very hard to shoot someone in a way that you can’t see the rotting cesspool that is their soul. I’d rather shoot an overweight person with a good attitude and a modicum of humility about themselves. Real photographers capture more than the body, we get the distinct honor of capturing a glimpse into the soul. If you can’t see past that, it is a sad loss indeed.

But, I don’t expect you to change your mind today, in fact I wish you luck that you might find a gorgeous person to be with you who is shallow enough not to be detoured by your view on life. I even wish you eternal youth and boundless wealth, so that your world view never need be shattered by the reality that you will one day shrivel up and die, ugly and alone.

And for the record, so you don’t need to make assumptions on my appearance, YES, I am getting old (I’ve been a professional photographer for over 20 years) and YES, I’m not in as good a shape as I used to be (about 30 lbs overweight). But here is the funny thing, I have the personal cell numbers of over a thousand actresses, actors, models, and musicians who I have shot over the years, and when I text or call one of them, they not only remember who i am, but they are excited to hear from me, and it might just be because I am far more interested in who they are than what they look like. So, all in all, it seems like living life by my ideals has also netted me the benefits you hope to achieve by clinging to yours.

[Author]

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