When I started The Body Project in September 2013, it began as an experiment in the creation of lines. I chose to photograph a woman’s body, and when I photographed the natural contours and curves of her form I discovered lines everywhere. It was during this collaborative moment that I began my visual study of the body through photography.

The Body Project explores different aspects of the human body, coupled with experiments in lighting techniques. Over the years my fascination with the human form has become a matter of respect and reverence. I photograph shape, age, strength, weakness, and motion, all while lighting each unique set differently in order to create diverse representations of the body. With some subjects I experiment with lighting to emphasize the natural curvature of the human form, while I pose others to exaggerate what is already there.

In every set of the series the lighting is different, motivating a continuous study of contrast in light and shadow. The quality of light and the way it is captured characterizes an image and has the ability to transform the everyday. I have examined different effects of lighting from natural to staged. Lighting deeply impacts the viewer’s perception of a work by creating or controlling the overall emotion of an image, making an image powerful and dominating, or soft and inviting. 

Through this series I offer viewers varying representations of the body that mimic the individuality of each subject I photograph. It is my intention to continue to experiment with the use of lighting and its impact on the photographic perception of the body.