I've seen this Dove film clip (exit RSS readers if needed) more times than I can count. While I never tire of viewing the end result, I'm torn...inside. This ideal of beauty isn't the whole truth and yet I want it...look for it, desire it...I want to photograph it. Whenever I work with models, I find this battle of perception/deception harder to fight as I'm immersed in a world of conditioned ideal beauty. Everyone's thin, has good bone structure and has not a care in the world...and the rest of the public tries to conform to that standard via plastic surgery, eating disorders and limb lengthening surgery. I feel it's a deception partly responsible for the countless insecurities we, women especially, wrestle with.
Can this industry (avg. female model: 5'8"/115lbs) harmlessly co-exist with the real world in which the average woman is 5'3"/162lbs? Or is the industry the true ideal and we're just not measuring up?
On the other hand, this topic also begs the question, "Do we really want to exchange the distorted version of reality we've created for the truth?" Do we want to look at ugly people? If we're honest with ourselves, we may or may not like our answer.
On the other hand, this topic also begs the question, "Do we really want to exchange the distorted version of reality we've created for the truth?" Do we want to look at ugly people? If we're honest with ourselves, we may or may not like our answer.
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emily:
My brother. if that is not a timeless question for all existence than I don't know what is. We live in a brainless, ignorant world.
As for truth, we all have our own truth and acceptance of. But truth itself, as a societal whole, is a million different deceptions that will never unite...to an acceptance of any perception.
(09.15.08 11:28 AM)
Christina:
As some who falls into the 'ideal' range in terms of size (b/c of genetics, not by choice), I'm actually glad when I see real women instead of rail thin models in advertising campaigns. I know I don't look like a model and wouldn't want to -- at least by being average, its my brains and talents noticed first :) Add in that most clothing designers designed for the 'ideal' -- forgetting that average women actually eat and have curves. I have to agree with Melissa though, beauty is in the eye of the target audience.
(09.09.08 08:33 AM)
MARCO:
If I think that I'm better looking than everyone else, do I have a perception or a deception problem?
(09.08.08 11:13 PM)
Melissa:
Both of those videos are completely powerful. A photographer in the city where I live recently petitioned for "average" women to be a part of a photo shoot for a new bridal store. She requested brunette, blonde, and redhead models to contact her if they were interested. The catch: they had to be between 25 and 35 years old, 5'4-5'7, and 105-115 lbs. I was shocked! ...If I was perusing bridal store websites and campagins I'd feel pretty bad looking at women who were that thin as I was trying to search for my perfect dress for my perfect day! But on the other hand, the spread was going to be publicly displayed as a marketing campaign, so of course the store owners and photographer are going ot want "model" types. It got me thinking, where do we draw the line? what is real beauty? Perhaps it's just as much to say that in the minds of some people: beauty is in the eye of the target audience. --M
(09.08.08 03:53 PM)