Between 2002 and 2013 Jen Davis, a Brooklyn based photographer, has worked on a series of self portraits documenting her various stages of weight with the final intention of portraying positive connotations around body image, beauty and identity. The collection was published in her book, 11 Years.
When Jen started the series of images in the early 2000’s she was more focused on achieving great photography than the meaning the series had developed over the years. As she starting taking more risks with her photography, by showing more skin, she began to feel more uncomfortable with her body and what she was photographing. In order to continue with the series she had to emotionally disconnect herself from the images. 9 years into the series Jen underwent lap-band surgery.
‘It was a health thing and also a physical thing – I wanted to know what it feels like to not carry this weight around and to live in a world that’s not judging me for my size’
After losing 7 stone she decided she didn’t want to focus her photography on her body anymore and finished the series.
‘I don’t want to be photographing this anymore. I want to be living this!’
The first image in the series.
It depicts her on spring break surrounded by her slimmer and ‘more attractive’ friends.
The image that caused her to emotionally detach herself from the series.
The final image in the series.
Her imagery is bold and brave. Some may argue that by having surgery she is not as inspiring as she could have been if she had lost the weight herself but I disagree. It takes a huge amount of bravery to be able to photograph your own body in it’s whole natural and rawest form, especially when it’s a body you feel some what ashamed of, and that in itself is inspiring.
Jen Davis’s website: http://www.jendavisphoto.com/index.php
Telegraph interview and article on her self portrait series:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/9930597/Jen-Davis-interview-The-skin-I-was-in.html