Topic > Standards of female beauty in photographic art

This image is one of many photographs of model Tallulah Willis taken by American photographer Tyler Shields as part of his work for his second book "Provocateur", published on January 3, 2017. The book showcases many emerging young people in the media spotlight, in bold and often controversial photographs. Most of Shields' job is to create a reaction from the viewer and in an interview he stated that “For me art is art and the medium is just the tool you choose to use. A great painting, a sculpture, a photograph, if created well, can touch a nerve within your soul and that is the purpose of art. Shields' work can therefore be said to invoke a response and this nude photography certainly does, and through this art form he intends to create an emotion and evoke a feeling in someone viewing the photograph. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The image itself shows a modern woman, in control of her nakedness, posing with a cigarette and staring directly at the camera, and therefore at the viewer. The woman (Willis) has a nipple piercing and an assortment of tattoos on her arms such as; an arrow, a nut, a horseshoe and a cell phone. Her hair is dyed burnt orange and she wears minimal face makeup with bright red lipstick. She is a modern, liberated woman and draws parallels with fashion photographer Helmut Newton's famous photo "They are Coming" from 1981. Both artists depict modern women who are strong in their identity, they do not shy away from the camera, rather they are without fear in one's own skin and only in this way. This image I chose from Tyler Shields' work is very reminiscent of Hannah Wilke's self-portrait in a similar photo, as both women are lying on their backs with their breasts exposed and numerous tattoos covering their arms. This open and honest depiction of a woman confident in her body translates through the image as she holds the viewer's gaze and, staring into the camera, her freedom and fluidity with her nakedness allows for a surprising and powerful allusion to how women do not allow their bodies to be controlled by society and its ideal of what female beauty should be. I believe this image shows how masculine and feminine ideals can be present in a person, that her gender does not mean she is a passive young woman, rather that she is a dominant force in front of the camera. Just like Wilke, Willis is an attractive woman, and has a style very similar to a pin-up girl, with her red lipstick, cigarette and amazing hair. Unlike Wike, however, Shields does not seek to criticize the model's natural vision of beauty with tiny vulvas made of bubble gum, but through her tattoos which are not normally associated with feminine beauty. The rather unusual depiction of a naked woman does not necessarily carry an erotic charge and may not be described as pornography as such as there is no physical response from the artist and model to carry a sexual charge. Please note: This is just an example Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Roger Scruton, who believes that art cannot have any pornographic shape or form, that there can be erotic “Art can be erotic and even beautiful, like a Titian's Venus. But it can't be beautiful and pornographic,” so he wouldn't see this photograph of Shields as such. Eye contact with the photographer shows how. ”