idea for a photo project

There are two photo projects I recently discovered.

The Nu Project is an ongoing project by a pair of photographers photographing volunteers (all women) around the world. And the Daily Portrait Berlin is a project where a Berliner photographs a person they don’t know, then the next day that model photographs a person they don’t know, etc. These projects are really cool, and they make me want to be involved in something similar. 

I don’t know of any such project locally, and I couldn’t find anything online. so I thought I’d try to start one. Since I have a really difficult time finding people willing to model for me, I thought I’d try taking myself out of the equation. Sort of. If I make it a submission kind of thing, then people do not have to commit to showing up for a photo, and also they would have a sense of choice and control of the images being used. 

I need to come up with a name for the project and a statement of purpose, start a page online somewhere, set up guidelines, and hope for submissions.

The purpose would be to say to the world, “Hey, I am a human, and, as such, I have a body. Having a body is not shameful nor is being nude. This is what my body happens to look like at this time, and that’s okay.” Or something like that. I need a name for this project that is interesting or catchy but that also concisely reflects that idea.

The guidelines would be something like:

     - decent quality artistic nudes or casual nudes of “ordinary people”

     - full-length or 3/4

     - may be individuals, couples or groups

     - please include a simple statement of permission by all people in the photo 
        and the photographer

     - photo size between 600 and 3000 pixels

     - no selfies; self-portraits are okay, but no arm’s length or mirror holding 
        your phone/camera photos

     - no close-ups of your genitalia or sexually explicit photos (that’s a totally 
        different sort of project) 

     - no overly edited, or obviously retouched photos

     - studio photos are okay, but the idea is simple, natural

I literally cannot do this alone. 

So, if anyone has suggestions or is interested in participating or in helping me get this thing going, please get in touch. 

Female Protagonist in Star Wars Trailer

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” 

When I watched this trailer, my honest reaction was something like, “Cool! I’m much more interested in this Star Wars movie based on the trailer than ‘The Force Awakens’.” 

But, apparently, the biggest reaction according to the internet is that a bunch of dudes are complaining about “another” female lead. 

. . . Some ‘Star Wars’ Bros Are Freaking Out 

I don’t get it, guys. I never had the thought, “Oh, no! Here’s a character who doesn’t have all the same body parts that I do.” Is that really a problem for you? “The Force Awakens” was not a movie about women taking power and how men suck. There was that hand-holding bit, but that’s about it. And I see nothing in the trailer to suggest that “Rogue One” is going to be about women taking power and how men suck. What I see is a scruffy, Han Solo-type who happens to be a women and who is surrounded by mostly men. 

Oh yeah, and there’s a scene with Mon Mothma. (Given the nature of her character, I’d be surprised if she plays a large role with a lot of screen time.)

I cannot help but think the only reason for this kind of “Damn it, not another female lead, enough already” reaction is that these guys with these thoughts see these characters as females and not as people. Or maybe as females first, and then hot or not hot, etc., then somewhere down the line as people. 

Guys, seriously, women are people. Just like Blacks and Jews and Little People and Albinos and Albanians and Soylent Green. Sorry, that list got a little ridiculous and probably undercuts the seriousness of this point. 

Guys, women are people, just like you. And there’s no reason that they can’t or shouldn’t be the hero or the protagonist or the leader or anything that you could be. Go meet some women – not just women who you’re hoping will have sex with you – and have conversations with them. Listen to them, and consider the words and ideas they are communicating for their own value. Evaluate their abilities and their actions, and then judge them as a human person. Do a lot of that, and then, go back and watch that “Rogue One” trailer again. And then apologize for your harmful, sexist comments.