“Getting out of my comfort zone”
“I wanted to explore what it would feel like for me to see myself through someone else's eyes. Naked. This is a total new experience for me, and something that is quite out of my comfort zone. Being open about sexuality and body positivity is something I read, talk and advocate for on a daily basis. But mainly other people's stories.
What does it feel like for me to be in the other role? The role of the person in front of the camera rather than behind it. I had to get used to the photos being taken at first, but as time proceeded I felt very comfortable while Annelies was taking pictures. The shoot was very easygoing and comfortable. She gave me the room and time to get comfortable in front of the camera by not going fully nude from the start. I needed that to get in the 'zone'. Overall, it was an easygoing experience for me.
The photos are beautiful. It is what I expected, maybe even more. The fact that we were able to shoot outside, makes the result even nicer than I had expected before the shoot took place. Seeing myself in the pictures causes mixed feelings, to be honest. In some pictures I think I look really nice and in some I'm confronted with insecurities I have towards my body. This reminds me to be soft to myself. And that, even though I advocate for body positivity, I don't always feel this way towards my own body. I still have a way to go myself too...
I'm not sure if I have a different look towards my body after seeing the pictures, but I am seeing my body in this way for the first time, which is very new to me. I've seen my naked body in the mirror before, and I've sent nudes to people, but I have always been in control of how those photos are taken and how explicit they are. This time I didn't have any influence on it. The result is that I see my body differently. Through someone else's eyes.
I think a shoot like this is good for anyone to experience. To get to know your body through somebody else's eyes has taught me a lot. And I think many others could learn a lot from this experience as well”
Shari