SylphidArt

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder

My pictures display an esthetic that is far from mainstream and will probably cause controversial reactions - I'm well aware of that. After all, photographers usually work with slim, normal weight or even overweight women, but hardly with very skinny models as I do. So viewing my site is probably a confrontation with a offbeat and previously unseen concept of beauty for most of my visitors, a concept that raises question and is prone to misconceptions.

Because of that, I'd like to tell a bit more about me, my art and my models to avoid any false impressions. And I'd like to ask you to read these explanations first before you form an opinion about my pictures and to encourage you to share your opinion afterwards. If you agree with my views and like my art or not - a respectful discussion about these topics is always appreciated and also helps me to develop my point of view!

First of all, I think it's clear that being underweight is not healthy. However, there are so many other things that are also unhealthy and seem to be far more respected when put on public display to me - drinking, smoking and extreme sports come to mind. And I think that in a free society where responsible adults have the right to decide for themselves if they want to do any of that or not, it should also go without saying that every woman who happens to be very thin for whatever reason should have every right to work as a model if she wants. Just as natural as models of all other body shapes are broadly accepted, including obese models, while obesity can also pose a significant risk to health.

I want to emphasize that my works are not intended to make any judgement about a particular state of weight. They are also not meant to glorify potentially unhealthy eating behavior, although some people seem to think that immediately when they're faced with pictures of skinny women. And, although I hope it is self evident, I want to point out that I never force anybody to do something against their own free will and never take any actions without the models' consent. I pay all the attention I can to the well being of my models and DO NOT encourage anybody to lose weight!

After all, my pictures are about a very special and unique kind of beauty I see in very skinny women, about frail and delicate shapes, the interaction between body and mind, about both strength and fragility. And they are also about passion and dedication, dedication from all the people who were involved in our shootings. While dedication can be uncomfortable and even harmful if overdone, without dedication one would already be dead inside. And without dedication and the courage to explore new fields that might seem confusing and unusual at first, it wouldn't be possible to discover previously unseen beauty. We would be locked within the limits of boring normality repeating itself over and over again, preventing any new experiences, discoveries and developments.

Having said that, I wish you a pleasant stay on this site and hope it will be an interesting and thought provoking experience and, who knows, maybe even introduce you to a new perspective of beauty. But beauty, as it is said, lies in the eyes of the beholder.