Show You Who I See in You

A few years ago, I explained my approach to photography to a woman, and she replied, "I would love for you to show me who you see in me."

That comment focused me like a lens.My images of women are created without judgment or expectation....visual access is all I ask, and then through listening to conversation and to silence, I create based on who I see, who I am learning about, and who becomes revealed to me. Not many women seem to have the courage or feel they have the "permission" to be photographed in such a way. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, though it is artistically frustrating for me....but this isn't really about me. It's not easy to , and I understand the many forces that may prevent a woman from being truly seen. "My spouse/significant other wouldn't want me to," is one I've heard plenty of times. I've seen something else over the years.

It seems that women tend to evaluate themselves as if naked in front of a full-length mirror and under bright lights: they WILL find SOMEthing to not like. A wrinkle here, cellulite there, her mother's hips, a scar...something, anything. But invariably, when a woman says I should photograph her sister, mother, niece or friend, she will say, "She is so beautiful. You should see her eyes (or mouth or hands or skin or ....)." The point is, women tend to deny their own beauty because one "flaw" or another, yet they attribute beauty to another in her entirety because of one beautiful aspect.

In my photography, and in my poetry and other writing, I'm trying to show that I see in each woman the many sources of beauty, reality and humanity that She generally only concedes in others.I'm not saying my way is the right way...but it is the only way I really know.

Feel free to check out "God, You're Beautiful: What We Say, We Say to God," at www.dionmcinnis.com/pdf/GYB.pdf