I recently did a photo shoot with a 350 lb babe in a bikini, and what she wrote about it was way more poignant than anything I could ever write about it, so I thought I’d post it here, along with some of the photos from the 3rd set we shot that day. To see more photos, go here!
My model, Angela, is wanting to start a career in modelling, so if she piques your interest, definitely hit her up on Instagram!
Fat People Can Be Photographed Well, Too
by Angela Howard
“A big reason Sunny and I wanted to do a shoot together was to help expand her portfolio. Not many photographers are interested in shooting fat people and we want to break this stereotype. A good photographer will know how to help you pose, and find angles that will absolutely flatter you and help you have fun. Most importantly, they result in some excellent images you can keep forever. Get you a photographer who will shoot you, no matter what you look like, or how you’re feeling. Collaboration on a project like this takes a few weeks or months of planning and even then, on shoot day, you’ll be inspired by brand new ideas in the moment because of your set or location.
It’s really important to me that other fat people see these and hopefully feel inspired to put together their own professional shoots. We all deserve to feel like a model, at least once. I want to be clear that my goal is to help people accept themselves and their bodies as they are right now. We don’t have to love where we are at currently but we will be doing ourselves a major kindness if we can accept what we look like right now. Whether you’re staying at your current weight or you’re in the middle of a weight loss journey, or you would like to begin a weight loss journey in the future, where you are right now needs to be loved by yourself, no matter your goals or lack thereof. Moreover, it’s okay to not be on some kind of weight loss journey! We don’t all have the resources or the motivation to do it, and accepting that without shame can go miles towards our self-esteem.
The first set we are releasing is at Wasaga Beach, Ontario, at sunset, in early July 2023. The other two were shot earlier on the same day at the same location. I wanted some fun and playful images to share with vanilla friends and family, and from there we moved to my original concept: I wanted to see what watermelon looked like when photographed on my skin. The result was a sensual sploshing scene that I leaned into pretty hard, because the watermelon was still cold from the refrigerator and it was blazing hot that day with a low breeze and no clouds or shade. It didn’t turn me on, really, but as someone who is very sensory it was a very fun experience.
If you would like to collaborate with me on a future shoot please reach out. I am willing to help other photographers expand their portfolios.
PS. Please do not comment with frilly, pretty words people use instead of “fat.” Fat does not offend me – your invalidation and minimization of it does. I am 350 pounds and five foot seven and a half inches tall – I promise you that I am fat and this is just a fact and an adjective. I own this word as applied to my body and I cannot be hurt by it, nor do I call myself fat to hurt myself. Do not project your own insecurities about the word onto me – I encourage you to evolve with me and remove the stigma around FAT.”