Archive 2013 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

phil hawkins
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

This is incredible! When you've done as many portraits as I have over the last ten years you see a common thread among women (men don't seem to have this phenomenon) that reflects a disconnect between how they REALLY look vs how they THINK they look. In fact, I've noticed that the more beautiful a woman is, the greater the disconnect between reality and perception, 100% of the time for the worse (women think they look worse than they do). I've seen stunningly beautiful and sexy women (I mean REALLY beautiful and sexy) almost in tears over their denigrated self-image.

It's worth bearing this in mind when shooting women and how you approach the post procedures. Connecting with your female subjects is sometimes very difficult but absolutely necessary if you are to get something worth keeping. Knowing (or at least being aware of) their self-image will help you when getting them in front of the camera. Effusive compliments ONLY when they are genuine will help. Being superficial and patronizing will immediately be detected.

Check this out; it's freaking fascinating! Watch the entire video and then look at the sketches... This is a HUGE learning experience.
http://realbeautysketches.dove.us/

Apr 26, 2013 at 12:18 PM

cmillc22
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

i have shown this to a few woman and they all start to cry while they are watching. I knew there was a disconnect between what women see themselves as and what they really look like but i did not think that it was this big. very important for guys to see and realize how a woman thinks of themselves or how comments and insults others have said about them have stuck in their minds.

Apr 26, 2013 at 12:49 PM

khuang
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

would do it to man turn out to be opposite results?

Apr 26, 2013 at 03:33 PM

phil hawkins
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

It would be interesting to see.

Apr 26, 2013 at 04:27 PM

bob parrish
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

I loved seeing this. Thank you for posting the link.

bob

Apr 26, 2013 at 06:13 PM

bruce13turner
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

Thanks, Phil! Very interesting...

I think this is what good photographers and artists are able to do: They are, most importantly and firstly, able to *see* the beauty in the subject--beauty that the subject may well not be able perceive in themselves. And ultimately they have the talent and skills to capture and highlight that beauty.

Thanks!
Bruce

Apr 27, 2013 at 11:19 AM

Lisa_Holloway
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

Amazing video...I hadn't seen that one yet. I agree with Bruce..hit the nail on the head.

Apr 27, 2013 at 11:23 AM

whiggy
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Real Beauty Sketches; how women see themselves

This is an interesting experiment but at the same time not very convincing (to me, at least). The biggest flaw was that the artist knew the purpose of the experiment - to make the "self-portrait" of these women ugly and the portraits as others see them pretty. This in itself influenced (even if only subconsciously) his "vision" and probably made him draw them that way. It would be more interesting if, for example, he worked off of written notes so that he didn't know whose descriptions he was using. :-)

Apr 27, 2013 at 12:08 PM


FM Forums \| People Photography \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.