Photographer Challenges ‘American Beauty’ Standards With 14 Women Of All Shapes

It's beautiful but I wish that they show the cellulite and stretch marks too.

I would have liked this a lot more if the models hadn't had "mannequin skin", nary a freckle or flaw. Celebrating the body includes the SKIN WE'RE IN.

None of these photos show body hair of any kind. The media always portrays the female body as hairless and shiny as a newborn baby, which is totally unrealistic.

Stand up and be proud. The way the " new society " wants the perfect body and shape and everything have gone overboard deluxé. Back in the 90s / and earlier i cant remember people being so obsessed with their look like it is today with the way of social media and "the ideal body" its crazy. So props to them for standing up and dont feel ashamed cause its all natural! Today you barely can order a coffe with a friend in town without dressing up with the latest fashion clothes and make up like you would enter a hollywood fashion show. ( no im not bitter or upset just my opinion and i hope people out there will be happy just because you are you no matter shape or size. )

Maybe some of you bored pandas need glasses because i see stretchmarks on several of these beautiful women, but thats not even the point...geez

And in other news: male beauty standars are perfectly fine the way they are.

Not sure what your personal opinion is for beauty standards. From what you posted I think it's safe to assume what your trying to say is that, big girls should have smooth skin and be able to pose like the thin 20 somethings you photographed . Also this has been done many times all over the world. As a professional photographer (www.BetterThanBoudoir.com ) who photographs women for a living, I would suggest better poses and camera angles. I agree that beauty comes in many shapes, sizes and color and I photo shop everything I sell and post. Why you ask? Simple, my clients want to look like they stepped out of a magazine which we all know are 99.9% all photo shopped images. Flip side, if I was doing this challenge I would shoot the images to the best of my ability, using creative lighting, poses and angles to create a raw image, un-edited that would be flattering to the body type. Not lay out a large woman on her back! In my opinion this challenge is a major fail, sorry.

One of them looks like a man.

We all have opinions, and are entitled to them. I won't say any of you are wrong. But, to those of you commenting on how overweight or obese some of the women are...I think you're missing the point of the whole photo shoot. The whole point was to bring awareness to the unrealistic standards of beauty in America and around the world. These standards cause women (starting as girls, nowadays) to feel inferior, not good enough, not thin enough, etc...And leads to things like body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, etc. While some women are perfectly happy being the size they are; fat, thin, or somewhere in between, there are others who aren't. Either they're too thin and can't gain weight, too fat but have health problems (like PCOS) that make it difficult to lose weight, or they turn to food to mask emotional problems...other women may look perfectly fine to everyone else - may be that "perfect 10"...but I guarantee there's something she hates about her body.

Good shots glad to see a opening of eyes/minds...now if we deeper into their eyes their true beauty would show from the soul :)

Seriously, what happened to their body hair?

People are so damn creative!!!

not one older woman. so sad ageism is a part of not seeing beauty.

I was hoping to see a woman with some more muscles as well :( That is my only critizism towards this article (also the airbrushing is one thing...)

Not one single one of them have a blemish or a scar on them and not even a single wisp of body hair.

I see comments about stretch marks etc... How about BRAVO.. SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL..

Any idea if these models do any other work? I'm interested in seeing more from the second model, personally. :)

Sad that we have to celebrate obesity, but only one of those women was over a certain age. Obesity is something we can do something about, both as individuals and as cultures, but age is something that comes to all of us! So forgive my cynicism, show heavily airbrushed overweight and underweight bodies all you like, heaven forbid you actually show 'old' bodies! :(

k askerosas

If he was so set on challenging the beauty stereotypes, why did he photoshop their skins to death? Photoshop is a huge part of what's wrong with how people perceive themselves and each other.

Or maybe -- we stop judging women based on their appearance and stop teaching girls that their appearance is their most important attribute.

How 'but we move away from equating appearance with value altogether?! So women can be objectified no matter what they look like, hooray!

Can you spot the man? There's one! Great article, as a model I think this is fantastic spread.

I get the point the photographer is making but what I don't get is the obsession people have about their bodies nowadays. Granted people have always be concerned about how they looked but physical appearances seem to be the focus more than what the person inside is like. I've known 'not-so-attractive' people who honestly became much more beautiful as I got to know them and love them. And I've also seen physically attractive people appear unattractive and even ugly due to their actions and attitudes. But I do understand that it's not possible to capture someone's personality in photos. Only words can do that. Sadly, we seem to be a society that prefers pictures to words.

Kind of pointless.

i think they are beautiful and yes, as diana watson points out, brave.

Society's ideals are too difficult for ANY of us to live up to. No one should have to try to live up to a Barbie doll, cookie cutter image set forth by a magazine and enforced by the greater public. It'd just be a better world if we could all just allow each other to live our own paths, look how we want, and focus on what's inside-because that's what REALLY matters. Sorry for the length. I'm passionate about this, as you can see. ;)

Like it, I can understand the global project but I would have liked much more diversity. They all have perfect skin and no hair.

Wow, Ladies you are beautiful.

I like women, ain't no shame in my game. If you have a good attitude and good conversation, we can mix and mingle!