Real Beauty

I love Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty. Their “Evolution” video, in particular, speaks so loudly and clearly to the fact that so much of what is presented to us as beautiful is doctored, manipulated, photoshopped…

I try so hard to keep this in mind when I am shooting, editing and post-processing my photographs. Not to mention in my life in general, when I’m judging myself and others, or trying to live up to expectations (sometimes I don’t even know whose). That beautiful doesn’t necessarily mean flawless, or vice versa.

I wish I could embed the video here, but it’s either not possible or I’m just not savvy enough to figure it out. Do follow the link and check out the video. It’s worth 2 clicks and one minute, fourteen seconds of your time.

“Evolution”

The pic above is one of me that T took recently. It’s one that on my first look, I say, “ooh, I hate this or don’t like that.” But if I take away those filters that tell me what I’m supposed to look like, then I can appreciate myself, the picture, the moment it captured for what they are. Beautiful and real. The sun spots on my cheeks show that A) I didn’t touch it up, and B) even brown people get freckles and should wear sunblock!