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Lottie Bisou's avatar

Loved every part of this! Annoyingly, it still feels like higher ups have too much say in this (and probably do need to seek therapy).

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clarisbel's avatar

I agree!!

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Fordtography's avatar

And this is why I will forever photograph ‘real people’ and not retouch my work 🙌🏻

And often will try and cast from the more diverse model agencies for my personal projects. Harder to do with clients but some of us are trying to have that conversation

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Oliver Hindley's avatar

This was an excellent read. So interesting what you said about photographing different people and how you change your communication. I’m currently working on those exact communication skills and changes when I photograph graduates at graduations. I’ve already learned so much and I’m looking forward to learn and experience more.

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caro's avatar

i love your frankness and how you backed up all of your very valid points with examples!

also thank you for introducing me to one of my new favorite shoots: bal d’afrique by gabriel moses 😮‍💨🌹

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Holly McCandless-Desmond's avatar

ate & devoured

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Kiara's avatar

Amazing and important article. Casting more diverse people is still something I don’t do enough as a photographer, even tho I know I should. Thanks Bobbie, it’s a great reminder for the year to come !

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Agathe Karsenti's avatar

Thank you for this !! It is so easy to be taken in the swirl of « conventional beauty » and like you said it takes mindfulness, practice and work to go out of our ways. We are still served so many beautiful people on big commercials and ln social media. This will be my reminder to keep being careful of how I cast in 2025 !!

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Ella's avatar

So interesting! I feel the luxury designers/big brands need to start a trend of including conventionally unattractive people in their campaigns, so that other designers and smaller brands follow. So much research shows conventionally attractive people draw people in, increasing sales etc but luxury brands can afford to diversify and they can give unconventionally attractive people “the cool factor”. And surely it works both ways - that conventionally unattractive people can give luxury brands the cool factor. Edgy, different and unexpected. I feel Martine Rose using big nose prosthetics on her models in recent SS25 campaign depict this — like “ugly” is cool!

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