Sex is part of who we are. And because we live in a society that uses sex to sell everything from perfume to paper clips, it creates a real tension when we feel we no longer “have it”. For many women that “it” is a function of how they look. We all lose youthful beauty as we age - men and women. But women have it tougher than men. Men don’t have to integrate the loss of their fertility into their sexual identify till much later in life. Men don’t have the physical changes of menopause. Men aren’t held to the same standards of sexual attractiveness as they age.
Most women over forty are not happy with their bodies. The women in this series, who had the courage to be seen by a 4x5 camera, are no exception. Exhibitionism was not what compelled them to be photographed. Most were terrified of the prospect and had to be cajoled and seduced into posing. Their discomfort at the scrutiny and judgment their bodies were likely to receive was offset by their determination to rise above it. Indeed the very act of showing up for a nude 4x5 portrait at any age over forty is itself a show of strength. These women showed me a sense of self that prevailed with at least a tentative victory over their discomfort at being so clearly seen.
As I was setting up my camera and lights, I asked each woman to write a page or two about how they see themselves sexually and how their sexuality has changed as they’ve grown older. While their bodies are a product of childbirth gravity surgery genetics accidents diet stress lifestyle, their writing reveals that you don’t need a perfect body to remain vivacious. These woman are more sensual, confident, desirable and delicious than ever before in their lives. We all have issues in our life that challenge us, and as we grow older physical issues become more important. Resistance certainly shapes form, much as the vicissitudes of age shape our sexuality.