Photography can be a powerful tool for good. Photographer Ellie Sedgwick recognized that, and she's using her camera skills for a coffee table book on vulvas and to encourage body positivity, curiosity, and understanding.
Sedgwick, who lives in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, began the project after teenage experiences and a previous partner's insensitivity made her feel so self-conscious about her vulva that she considered labiaplasty, a surgery that involves reducing the size of the labia minora, the inner vaginal lips, and often, sculpting of the labia major, the outer vaginal lips. Thankfully, after a visit with a doctor who encouraged her to explore the topic, she discovered that there was nothing wrong with her genitals and she had nothing to be ashamed of, saying she was glad the doctor kept her from removing "half of [her] labia." And it isn't just Sedgwick. Labiaplasty is one of the fastest-growing plastic surgeries in the world.
Her work extends beyond photography. On Sedgwick's website and Instagram, readers can find one-stop hubs for her work ("Flip Through My Flaps" and "Browse Through My Boobs"), frank and honest discussions on women's anatomy and experiences, bookings for personal and group shoots, body positivity apparel and merchandise, sex toys, and more.
Sedgwick hopes to create a coffee table book of her work specifically for doctors' and cosmetic surgeons' waiting rooms to help women experiencing insecurity feel more comfortable with themselves. She also hopes to one day open a gallery to showcase her work and her subjects.
Now I get vulva owners all around the world to 'Spread their legs to spread the word' that labia, just like eye brows, belly buttons and big toes…. are all unique and that is what makes us beautiful.
Sedgwick talks about her mission a bit in the video below (video is NSFW):
Be sure to visit Sedgwick's website and follow her on Instagram.
But when I try to photograph men's testicles they tell me they aren't interested...
I just think you need something a little more catchy in your business name. Something that really coveys your passion. Like, Spectacle Testicle Photography
Now that’s funny!
Maybe you should make it the next Critique the community.
Even you might be interested in the critique then!
Haha! Double standards for sure! :D
The lighting in restrooms ain't that great anyway. :P
There are thousands upon thousands of 'Bell End' photographers.... yet not one of them takes photos of male genitals.
They don't need to, guys are always sending dick picks.
I think you missed the point of my joke... it might be down to misunderstanding British slang terms.
whether it was meant as a joke. But there is some truth to your statement. It seems like there are a lot more fine nudes of women than men.
Hence, an unfilled niche.
I always wonder why there seems to be x amount more fine nudes of women and not men. Fstoppers next article should the male version of this one.
Sounds like a great guest post for you Ray
free hand of the marketplace - if there were suddenly an unquenched desire to see photos of bowing pins..there would be tons of bowling pin photos and bowling pin photographers very quickly
European readers, don't worry: the video is safe for work.
Reminds me of "The Great Wall of Vagina" sculpture by Jamie McCartney. And I think photographer Harley Weir did something similar a few years ago. In any event, it's nothing new, and by now I guess could be considered an established genre of art.
Is today April 1st???
I have a friend that "inspired" by L'origine du monde used to paint vaginas, her starting Polaroid were absolutely more interesting than what i see on this site, no research , no art, just a simple obsevation, seasoned with a little of hypocrisy
I really wanted to find something of value for what she's doing but I really don't see it. There doesn't seem to be any artistic value here and the "awareness" part doesn't seem to have a solid base either. Allowing people to have self confidence in the parts of their bodies that are most private is a beautiful thing. However when there isn't really any thought behind it other than "these are women and they are naked" it'll leave a lot people wondering what exactly the point is.
The blog section of her website has a section where people submitted their own self-taken photos, and they relate their own stories. Many of the stories talk about their confidence level (or lack thereof) and self-image, as well as anxieties they experienced at various points in their lives. I can see where it might be a useful thing for someone experiencing body image anxiety to see he/she is not alone.
That's too funny!!!
Just when I thought that I'd seen it all! Can't lie, I'm pretty jealous of this occupation LoL!
This reminds of the female character in a James Bond Movie ((1964)
"Pussy Galore"
Many years ago when I was in the Air Force me and my roommate made closeup enlargements of women's vulvas and truly believed that we were creating art. In fact we hung them in our quarters. Never understood why our commanding officer and his first sergeant didn't have the same appreciation as we did. Some people just don't appreciate art.
Why limit it to vulvas and breasts, let alone penises and testicles. Think assholes . . . anuses if you prefer. That way we can move beyond gender specificity to a shared, truly democratic, egalitarian commonality and universality. An untapped market maybe?
" I'm ready for my close up"
I went through the comfortableinmyskin gallery. It's a broad survey of female body parts. No problem. The interesting thing is mouse overs on some of the photos.
Australian, 0 children, 150+ sexual partners, 27yo
Australian, 0 children, 70ish partners, 26yo
Australian, 1 child, 70 sexual partners
Australian, 0 babies, 42 sexual partners, 25yo
150 partners at 27? Looking at my 2 line black book wondering how in the world 150, 70, or even 42, is achievable. Sex work perhaps? Serious college hot streak? Other than risk exposure I don't have a problem with that many partners but I honestly can't comprehend getting down with that many people. If not sex work, where do you find the time and subset of people looking for short term intimacy? Rhetorical question but I guess it's something to think about. I assume the average across North America is probably 3-5 partners in a lifetime...?