As Subtle as the Pose (but, there is NO war on women!!)

[niyad]

(graphic-heavy. all images at link)

As Subtle as the Pose





About 10 years ago when the Internet bubble popped, I took up a new career to pay the rent. I had a good camera, back before everyone had one on their phones. So I hung out my shingle and started doing headshots and model portfolios and was fairly decent at it. I was eventually published. I worked with many beginning models, some of whom eventually “made it” in the fashion industry. But the more I learned about the industry, the more I loathed to participate in it.

. . . . .


With this renewed awareness, I started noticing that it can be as subtle as the pose. I, myself, told models to hunch their shoulders, lean forward, angle the head. Industry standard. But why was it industry standard? After reviewing a smattering of ads, I realized that the poses were basically designed to keep women “in their place.” I created four categories of poses in which most of the ads I reviewed fell into one or
more:



A. SCARED/VICTIM – She’s looking over her shoulder or her facial expression is frightened. She has her hands up in protective or shielding position. She’s pulling away from a man. She’s dead. Any image depicting the woman as victim.

B. POSITIONED FOR SEX/UNDRESSED – She is set up for sex: lying supine or close to it. Her legs are spread. She’s on a bed. She’s in a state of undress in which she wouldn’t (realistically) be allowed in public. Something is in her mouth.

. . . .

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2016/01/05/as-subtle-as-the-pose/

[Human101948]

1. Yep! The entire fashion industry got together and cooked up this anti-woman conspiracy...

If women stopped patronizing these companies they would change their marketing very quickly. But this crap does sell product. So what does that mean?

[niyad]

2. right on schedule.

[Human101948]

3. Great response...but what's your theory?

The analysis of the messages in the photographs is spot on. But, if they did not sell fashion items, why would companies that want to make profits continue to use such photographs? Are they part of a worldwide conspiracy?

I don't like football. Seeing all guys portrayed as football loving idiots in TV commercials makes me unhappy. However, if this approach did not sell oceans of beer, those companies would stop doing it. I can't change that no matter how much I rant.


What are you suggesting to change the portrayal of women in fashion ads?

[kcr]

5. You can't change it yourself. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it

Much less argue against the people who speak out. What good does that do?

[tblue37]

4. The photo shoots on America'sNext Top Model are especially ugly examples of her

Point. I watched a couple of seasons early on because it was so hyped and found it amusing junk TV for a while (not for long). They had a photo shoot where the girls were supposed to look dead, one where they were scantily clad marionettes on strings, one where they had to lie looking dazed in a swimming pool filled with ice to make the water super cold, etc.