08/03/22
In celebration of women’s day, the photography team invited women from campus and around to sit for a portrait and let us capture them. Here are some of the moments we captured. Alongside each post, the photographers have written some thoughts on what the shoot meant to them.
Ana Oancea (@anasadventuresonfilm)
‘During the shoot, someone approached us asking whether it wasn’t weird that we were doing so, as, for them, they argued we were merely adding to the narrative of the commodification of the female body. I’ve thought a lot about this and would like to take this opportunity to present my point of view on the matter. Just to preface experiencing life as a woman I am fully aware of the perception that society has on my body; living in a patriarchy what I wear, how I move, what I do and what I don’t can all be objectified for the benefit of men. This isn’t an opinion, it is a fact of life, for a woman at least. In face of this, however, I would hate for women to cease their existence, for women not to be seen or heard and more importantly that every time we are seen or heard for it to be a battle of perception. For me, a world where I can just exist as I am would be a wonderful world. And this was the intention for the portraits, for us female photographers to capture women as they are without sexualising them or commodifying them or imposing any kind of expectation upon them or their appearance. Women’s bodies have historically occupied very little space in public (aside from being used to sell). This photoshoot was there to give women a presence in public merely for the fact of their existence with no expectations. Women don’t have to have achieved something to be seen or celebrated, their existence in and of itself is enough.’
Fran Clark (@franclarkph)
Iman Acharya (@iman.acharya)
Salvatrice D'Anna (@lifeofsalvad)
Reflecting on this project, I believe it reveals to all the things that encompass being a woman. The fact that these are photos taken by women of women, I see it as a celebration of womanhood, the bonds between women, raising each other’s spirits instead of tearing each other down. That’s what I experienced during the shoot, the relation between the photographer and the women being photographed, the feeling of being seen and appreciated. This is especially seen in the photos showing friends. I believe it illustrates the love women have for one another and how significant these relationships are in our lives. Overall, these portraits aim to share the message that we are seen and we are proud.
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