IT'S NOT A LUXURY
"Over 1.2m billion globally lack access to basic sanitation and hygiene, and the United Nations has recognized menstrual hygiene as a global public health and human-rights issue. As poverty and governmental cutbacks bite, and we see a growing dependence on food bank handouts, menstrual products become an unattainable luxury to many. The shame and embarrassment around menstruation is still so prolific, that many people suffer alone, and in silence, reluctant to ask for help when they need it." - #FreePeriods
Menstrual health has always been something I have been passionate about and although it is a subject that makes many uncomfortable, I didn’t want that to stop me from producing work that matters to me.
I used roses, something seen to everyone as luxury to represent the un-luxurious reality of periods. When it came to the edit, I was able to adjust the coloring in these photos using Lightroom causing them to have a more harsh feel. On the third image, I used Photoshop to impose rose petals from several different pictures in between her legs to create a more layered effect.
What surprised me most about this project was how open and helpful all the men in my life were. I had several guys helping me place rose petals, stylize tampons and talk about the problem with menstrual care. A special thank you to Wes, Justin, Ryan, Nathan for not only helping with the production but for supporting this project and seeing the importance. Another thank you to Emma, who modeled for these images and was enthusiastic about it from the first time I told her!