Now and again I need to get back to my artistic roots.

My background is in fine art and fashion before I became a photographer. I went to art college then got my degree in Fashion & Textiles. It’s in my blood I love going to galleries and looking at the world from a different perspective. Both my girls are naturally creative and my hubbie is a designer too.

One thing that sticks in my head from art college is to look at things from every angle. If you have an idea explore it twenty times even if you come back to the first one. This pushes you to really see, look at things differently. Whenever I’m doing a shoot, no matter how commercial, I’ll always get in a different perspective and add my artistic flair.

It’d been a long time since I’d created something just for me.

So I rallied my girlies to help me out with an idea that I’d had for a while. Being a momma to two teenage girls I’m so aware of the pressure that they’re under. The influence of social media is a double edged sword and can bring both positives and negatives to the table. Girls in particular are surrounded with images of perfection. The need for flawless skin, flawless makeup, the ‘perfect’ body. On a daily basis this is subconsciously drummed into their psyche. It got me thinking about summing this in a photograph. The struggle even in women in general, not just teenage minds, is real. A real pressure to fit into a box and look a certain way, being pulled and prodded both mentally and physically in lots of different directions.

I wanted to represent just a touch of the feel of an old masters painting but in a modern setting. So my girl gang showed up and we experimented. Getting everyone to be serious was a challenge (yes you Miss Brocklehurst!) but it’s not something you do everyday. Especially with me saying pull more, stretch more, push it out!

Step ladders at the ready I changed perspective in more ways than one. Even challenging the focus.

I didn’t want the focus to be on the face so that it would challenge our view of women. Are we put in a dream like state? Do we need to wake up from the pressures of social media? Are we being brainwashed?

Personally I feel that if our minds are strong, which is a feat in itself, and we want to make changes that boost confidence and well being then that’s surely only a positive. It’s when we feel the need to conform, feel pressurised to look a certain way to fit in not to stand out. That’s when it becomes a dangerous and addictive way of being.

Leave a comment below I’d love to know your point of view

Huge big fat snuggly thanks to

Sophie for being pulled and prodded!

Ali from Studio No.4

Liz from The Clinic 

Lisa from Lisa Simms

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