PHOTOGRAPHER JULIE ADA JOURNALIST GEORGIE
ABAY WORKED TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS IS ME, A BEAUTIFUL
COLLECTION OF UNRETOUCHED PORTRAITS OF WOMEN AND
GIRLS AND THEIR STORIES OF SELF-LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE
co par
Beyond
What first sparked the idea
for This Is Me?
Julie: This is Me came to life when
I realised that body issues were
becoming a topic of conversation for
my daughters. I felt a pang of concern,
as at that time they were both still in
primary school. Having grown up with
close friends who suffered from eating
disorders and mental health issues,
which at the time were quite often
undiagnosed, I was very aware of how
fragile those formative years can be. It
started me thinking a lot about how to
nurture self-confidence in my daughters
and bring up children who are happy in
their own skin.
Being a photographer I play a role
in this increasingly image-based world
and I felt very inspired to work on
a project that celebrated the female
form, individuality and self-love. I
wanted to photograph women naturally,
unretouched and raw. I wanted to
capture women of all ages beautifully
and honestly – and highlight to young
girls, and really to us all – just how
wonderfully unique we all are.
What are your biggest
concerns about
unattainable body
standards and the
pressure to be perfect?
LUA, 32
“I’ve always felt confident
about my body, because I’ve
never given a damn what
people think about me. My
mum is lesbian, which
matters because she showed
me that trying to fit into a
certain mould doesn’t
mean perfection or
happiness. Focus on feeling
free and happy. If you don’t
like something, change it for
yourself and not ever for
somebody else.” PHOTOGRAPHYJULIE ADAMS