I worked with a local Model a few years back that went by Raz, and she was one of those types that always has ideas looking for a photographer that is willing to try them. We talked about a few things here and there and most were set aside for lack of support, complexity, potential for getting arrested, that kind of thing. ;)
We did a couple generic shoots, and I was on my way to her home to do a quickie boudoir set in some new slinky bit she just got. I get there with my wife helping lug my gear from the truck, and Raz opens the door 100% *not* ready with "I had an idea! Come into the kitchen!!" Allrightey then, lets see where this is going!
It's a bowl of home made theater blood (she's a cheesy slasher movie fan so not surprised) and she starts describing this vision she had in the shower after looking at one of her celebrity gossip rags. The resulting photos required some subtle work to enhance some details, but here they are.
Captioned:
Sometimes what we see in the media and what we see in the mirror aren't close enough. Sometimes the constant barrage of "look like this, act like this, dress like this, BE like this" gets to be too much.
And sometimes you decide to do something about it,...
_____________
As a closing note. If you identify with this a bit too much, or feel this a bit too sharply. YOU MATTER. You all do. Don't let commercial media lie to you, for fucks sake do NOT let social media lie to you, and don't let those ass clowns out there who project their own internal pain onto you with their hateful garbage. I can say without hesitation it does get better, I've been there at the bottom looking at my own blood. I am still the outcast, the weirdo, and yet I have a life I could never have imagined. Definitely not from under the weight of my pain.
Step out from under that weight, claw your way out, ask for help if you need to, and just be yourself. Someone needs you out there, every one of you.
