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I Wanted To Show All The Shades Of Beauty And Photographed 10 Different Girls With Varying Skin Tones All Together
In my work as a photographer, I have photographed all sorts of people from all kinds of backgrounds. In these last few years, I have made a niche for myself by photographing both young people and strong women in my community.
From that sourced a project that was truly dear to my heart – the “Shades of Beauty” photography project where I could marry my love for taking inspirational portraits of women and making young women feel empowered through portrait photography. For this project, the specific scope was celebrating all of the different “shades” of skin that we come in.For this project, I did a model call of 10 different models of high school age from 10 different backgrounds including African, African American, Middle Eastern, Asian, Caucasian, Native American, mixed races, Hispanic & South Asian. It came together perfectly and I’ve NEVER seen a group of girls get along SO well.
As an immigrant to this country, a woman, and as a photographer, I couldn’t ask for a project that hit closer to home.
Thank you to my amazing team, Tonasha at Beauty by Tonasha who provided professional hair services, Danica American Beauty South Dakota who provided professional airbrush makeup, and to all of the models, parents, and friends who helped make this shoot a success!
My heart is completely full.
More info: Instagram | Facebook | maggiesweetsphotography.com
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As a bonus, here are some behind-the-scenes photos that show how we’ve done it
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What do you think ?
Barbara 3 years ago
They are beautiful, but too much Photoshop. They have no facial texture :(
Maxi 2 years ago
Yeah, I agree, I loved it, but would like too see imperfections and facial texture...
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Madeleine Flowers 3 years ago
These photos are amazing! I'm glad you got to take them, and thank you for sharing.
Cynthia M. 3 years ago
Something looks off and i think it's the eye makeup in each girl. It is way too glittery and it draws attention away from the beauty of the pics. Almost comically glittery.
Chaotic-Pansexual (she/they) 3 years ago
Yeah I kind of agree. I also don’t like that they all have the same makeup style. Makes them look very uniform, when this post is supposed to be about embracing diversity
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Nothanks L. Walk 3 years ago
Two latte, one coffee, seven capuccino, ALL TEN covered in several pounds of metallic carpaint and teeth straight out of that Friends episode where Ross' abuse of whitener made his smile glow in the dark. Darker girls lightened, light girls darkened. This is not only NOT the human range of skin tones, it's not even a fair profile of just american skin tones.... it's a kartrashian makeup tutorial.
Temporary Dork 2 years ago
My thoughts exactly. Nine light-skinned girls, as if there is no nuance in Black.
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Saint Thomas 3 years ago
Really nice concept and pictures ! The editing is a bit too heavy on the face portraits (skin looks almost artificial), but that's just my opinion.
Ponyo (they/them) 3 years ago
i wish they had plus size models too, that would bring in even more diversity
Julie Snelling 2 years ago
These girls are so pretty. I know this was about celebrating skin colour but think they definitely needed a red head. Red heads usually have very pale skin so it would have fitted.
Kristie French 2 years ago
I’m not seeing much skin diversity. Most of them have the same tone. 1 dark, 2 very light, and the rest mid-range. Just like make-up brands think women are. There are more than 3 skin tones.
Earl Grey 3 years ago
Also related, in the National Gallery of Art there is an installation named “Synecdoche” by artist Byron Kim, which consists of plywood panels of oil-and-wax paintings of human skin tones, first exhibited in 1993. It is periodically updated and rearranged as the exhibit travels. See: https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.142289.html 5C5CB0F2-B...9-jpeg.jpg 
chimken 🇺🇦 3 years ago
they are all gorgeous! I love how the photographer is expressing equality of all skin tones! We need this in our world
hockeywain 2 years ago
https://sites.google.com/view/dankwood/home https://www.boredpanda.com/?p=5195059
Mariana Pinto 2 years ago
Too much make up and Photoshop to be good. I would to see the same pictures without that!
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
Why does BoredPanda keep on posting content that is over a year old.
Try Not To Bother Me 2 years ago
The women are beautiful, but the concept is not original. The group shot reminds me of Barbie, Tinkerbell, Polly Pockets- it's the blond centerpiece surrounded by her friends/accessories. I know it's about symmetry but maybe these groups are not as representative as one would hope when the group shot looks just like what we've seen before.
Bruno Madrigal 3 years ago (edited)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
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Museo 3 years ago
At least you were somehow aware of the nonsense you were writing. ;-)
Load More Replies... Barbara 3 years ago
They are beautiful, but too much Photoshop. They have no facial texture :(
Maxi 2 years ago
Yeah, I agree, I loved it, but would like too see imperfections and facial texture...
Load More Replies... Madeleine Flowers 3 years ago
These photos are amazing! I'm glad you got to take them, and thank you for sharing.
Cynthia M. 3 years ago
Something looks off and i think it's the eye makeup in each girl. It is way too glittery and it draws attention away from the beauty of the pics. Almost comically glittery.
Chaotic-Pansexual (she/they) 3 years ago
Yeah I kind of agree. I also don’t like that they all have the same makeup style. Makes them look very uniform, when this post is supposed to be about embracing diversity
Load More Replies... Nothanks L. Walk 3 years ago
Two latte, one coffee, seven capuccino, ALL TEN covered in several pounds of metallic carpaint and teeth straight out of that Friends episode where Ross' abuse of whitener made his smile glow in the dark. Darker girls lightened, light girls darkened. This is not only NOT the human range of skin tones, it's not even a fair profile of just american skin tones.... it's a kartrashian makeup tutorial.
Temporary Dork 2 years ago
My thoughts exactly. Nine light-skinned girls, as if there is no nuance in Black.
Load More Replies... Saint Thomas 3 years ago
Really nice concept and pictures ! The editing is a bit too heavy on the face portraits (skin looks almost artificial), but that's just my opinion.
Ponyo (they/them) 3 years ago
i wish they had plus size models too, that would bring in even more diversity
Julie Snelling 2 years ago
These girls are so pretty. I know this was about celebrating skin colour but think they definitely needed a red head. Red heads usually have very pale skin so it would have fitted.
Kristie French 2 years ago
I’m not seeing much skin diversity. Most of them have the same tone. 1 dark, 2 very light, and the rest mid-range. Just like make-up brands think women are. There are more than 3 skin tones.
Earl Grey 3 years ago
Also related, in the National Gallery of Art there is an installation named “Synecdoche” by artist Byron Kim, which consists of plywood panels of oil-and-wax paintings of human skin tones, first exhibited in 1993. It is periodically updated and rearranged as the exhibit travels. See: https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.142289.html 5C5CB0F2-B...9-jpeg.jpg
chimken 🇺🇦 3 years ago
they are all gorgeous! I love how the photographer is expressing equality of all skin tones! We need this in our world
hockeywain 2 years ago
https://sites.google.com/view/dankwood/home https://www.boredpanda.com/?p=5195059
Mariana Pinto 2 years ago
Too much make up and Photoshop to be good. I would to see the same pictures without that!
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
Why does BoredPanda keep on posting content that is over a year old.
Try Not To Bother Me 2 years ago
The women are beautiful, but the concept is not original. The group shot reminds me of Barbie, Tinkerbell, Polly Pockets- it's the blond centerpiece surrounded by her friends/accessories. I know it's about symmetry but maybe these groups are not as representative as one would hope when the group shot looks just like what we've seen before.
Bruno Madrigal 3 years ago (edited)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Load More Replies... Museo 3 years ago
At least you were somehow aware of the nonsense you were writing. ;-)
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