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What Defines a "Great Body"?
Pretty much what the title says. Not industry standards, but MM photographer standards: What makes you say "She has a great body"? Jun 10 13 05:24 pm Link Happens whenever I look in the mirror. 8) Jun 10 13 05:25 pm Link For me, mostly self-confidence. For people in general, though, I think it's anorexia.  Jun 10 13 05:26 pm Link Sasha Grey Mocha Deidre Holland ... etc.  Jun 10 13 05:26 pm Link Simple, flowing lines. Jun 10 13 05:30 pm Link 
Photographer Posts: 4288 Amundsen-Scott - permanent station of the US, Unclaimed Sector, Antarctica A great body is the one in which a woman feels happy. Jun 10 13 05:35 pm Link A combination of bone, fat and muscle that catches the light and reflects it back into the camera in a play of light and shadow that is pleasing to the eye. The specific combination varies according to the viewer. Jun 10 13 05:40 pm Link Simona Starkute! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid … =3&theater Shot with her recently and I was like WOW. But I think it's completely down to personal taste - no one has a body that everyone thinks is perfect. Jun 10 13 05:42 pm Link For women, curves and health.  Jun 10 13 05:42 pm Link A perfect hourglass shape. At least a 10 inch difference between waist and hips. Jun 10 13 05:44 pm Link Aerodynamic lines A good front to rear wieght ratio Jun 10 13 05:49 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: Carlotta Champagne Jun 10 13 05:55 pm Link I'm going to have to jump on the hourglass bandwagon. Dayum I love me some Hex. Jun 10 13 05:59 pm Link Schlake wrote: I think that sometimes Jun 10 13 06:03 pm Link Eric Jackson wrote: So like 36-24-36? Jun 10 13 06:04 pm Link Ha! Besides all of the PC answers (confidence, ability to pose, great attitude, etc.) I have to say that, for me at least, there isn't a set formula. I guess it is more of a situation where all of the parts and shapes mesh together well. Proportion is key - and there are no set formulas. I've shot curvy, busty, "stacked" type models that I thought were unbelievable. I've also worked with thinner, petite models that seem to embody what people call the perfect body. I guess that I've given up trying to classify and categorize specific body type. But I know it when I see it! I'm inclined to agree with some of the examples that posters listed above Jun 10 13 06:07 pm Link Schlake wrote: Bullshit! Jun 10 13 06:07 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: The matter that exists between my head and my toes. Beefcaaaaaaake! Jun 10 13 06:09 pm Link You don't. But personally, I would say that an amount of muscle and fat that is appropriate for their frame is what does it. But appropriate is pretty tough to pin down. So if you've got narrow hips, thin is sexy. If you've got wide hips, thin is not sexy - curvy is. I'm of fairly average build ... maybe a little broad shouldered, but certainly not by much. I think I would look a lot worse if I were skinny-jeans thin, or if I were totally jacked. But that's just me. I'm all for improving yourself and I support everyone that wants to do it, but some people just don't look as good in "perfect shape." I'm quite partial to the farm girl look myself I love women that look like they can throw some weight around.Jun 10 13 06:12 pm Link I know a great body when I see it! Jun 10 13 06:17 pm Link Big A-Larger Than Life wrote: Considering my last comment, I'm going to have to agree Jun 10 13 06:18 pm Link udor wrote: That is not what the typical anorexic person looks like, especially here in Hollywood. Here, girls (whose names I had to remove bc I don't want to be connected to them) literally starve themselves, use injectable HGH and other varied products along the same lines, load up on laxatives, obsessively workout in the gym 6-7 days a week, load up on blow or meth or heroine or GHB (or a combo of those) and literally mimic anorexic tips and tricks you can find on the net such as how eating super super small bites and very slowly can make you feel full faster. I know this bc I've watches them in action & been a part of their lives however short those weeks/months may have been. Those are the actions and lifestyles of women with SEVERE self image/eating disorders. And what is the result? Worship from idiots who would rather have a tight, child-like body to pump on than to get a hard-on for a woman who takes care of herself, eats normally, and isn't a psycho-obsessive self-hating weight watcher. The more people accept this and praise mental illnesses like this the worse off each following generation is going to be. I feel afraid for my kids when I have them. I don't want them to grow up in a world where they are taught to abusive their selves to that extent just to achieve an unrealistic standard of beauty. Now J-lo? Healthy, sexy as F, tight-bodied, curvacious, eats normally, works out regularly and has the respect of millions without having to hurt herself. I respect women like her and Salma Hayack to no end. The rest of those self-hating sacks of sadness need to overdose and take their misery out of this world. Jun 10 13 06:19 pm Link The reason I'm asking this is because I'm on 3-4 different diet pills, workout 3-4 days a week for at least 1 hour a day, and I've cut out every kind of food that brings joy to my life (ice cream, pizza, McDonald's, Taco Bell, family cookouts) and I've lost a total of 2lbs with no loss in my stomach. Photographers tell me "Lose weight, tone up, suck in that gut". While others outside the model world say "You have an amazing body". My fiance is a day away from throwing out all my diet pills and body wraps. He already cancelled my gym membership because he said I don't need it and I'm killing myself. Maybe I am, but I'm 5'2" and I look big in a lot of my photos. I NEED a flat tummy, sexy legs, and slim arms. Not jelly thighs and a beer gut! Jun 10 13 06:19 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: Wth, you're nowhere near overweight. I do wonder this sometimes too. A lot of photogs seem to go for that mainstream body which I do not find attractive at all. Some people say I would look better without piercings and tattoos. Oh well, deal. As for diet pills I can't go near them. The first diet pills sent me to the hospital, the body wraps wasted my money, gyms are uncomfortable for me because of harassment, and diets never work. I choose a nice daily stroll in a park and normal diet any day. Jun 10 13 06:32 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: Sweetheart, love yourself for who you are. Curvy models like us will ALWAYS be told to suck it it--but hey, we've got breasts and booty so with that comes a little bit of a tummy. That's just genetics. I recommend trying a natural body wrap, lots of water and not being so hard on yourself. Stop trying to compete with models who are born bone thin and find YOUR market---then pimp the hell outta that sh*t! lol Jun 10 13 06:32 pm Link Angie Scott wrote: I completely agree! Jun 10 13 06:33 pm Link udor wrote: That is not necessarily true either. Just stop. You can't see health, illnesses, or diseases on the outside. That is only seen on the inside and in some cases you can't even see it. Jun 10 13 06:34 pm Link Double poster Jun 10 13 06:36 pm Link Proportion is key. Jun 10 13 06:43 pm Link That's actually a difficult question since it varies depending on the body type. Both really thin women and voluptuous women can have great bodies, but the characteristics which make them great are very different. However, in my opinion the two traits which carry over to all body types are smooth skin with even tones and well shaped, and perky breasts. As for being told to "suck in," don't take it too hard, pretty much everyone looks better sucking in a bit. Jun 10 13 06:58 pm Link Sucking my stomach in makes me look uncomfortable in my photos Jun 10 13 07:05 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: me too. it makes me look like i'm holding in a poo. *embarrassing to admit but the truth hurts...unfortunately, so does sucking it in and contorting my body to look slimmer* i've come to embrace myself as i am and have started putting completely un-retouched and only lighting/focus changed images in my port bc i want to support the whole "love yourself" movement. here's a link to the beach photos my bf and i took the other day in santa monica. i've taken a few of these and added them to my port so you and others like us can see. i've got a tummy....so what? if you're really that worried, find a good digital retoucher. or try that laser massging slenderizing thing they offer at tanning salons. just promise that you won't play the slice n dice game. nothing shows your inner scars (ie: self-conciousness, etc...) more than plastic surgery scars. Jun 10 13 07:11 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: I would ask who you are working with ? Jun 10 13 07:15 pm Link I really want to jump into this, even though the thread has gotten a bit off topic, I think this is important enough to cover both the OP and the new developments. Photographers are human and their tastes vary greatly. I know some photographers who love curvy or short girls for their art work, but for fashion, of course, they are going to prefer more fashion stats type girls. I know others who think fashion type girls are the only way to go. I know others who love plus size girls. And I know a whole lot who have no real taste to speak of, but rather they like variety. And as far as that goes, I know or know of models of every body type and height who have been very successful. There is no one perfect body type. Now as far as trying to work on yourself to make yourself a more desirable model, or whatnot, here is my insight: I have been there. I tried that. Embrace your body type. Small changes are fine. Working on your diet and nutrition is great, but work on it from a healthy standpoint focusing on portion control and cutting out extra fatty things, etc. And I would drop the diet pills. I think they tend to do a lot more harm than good, personally. And as for anorexia... my sister was anorexic for a while (and was hospitalized for it) and she never looked nearly as thin as that photo. Jun 10 13 07:17 pm Link Angie Scott wrote: I love my body, just not my stomach. I have a retoucher but I can't use her with most of my photos because of the photographers' copyrights. Jun 10 13 07:17 pm Link eos3_300 wrote: Actually it's photographers from those places that call me fat. The ones here tell me to ignore them and I'm gorgeous....so yeah Jun 10 13 07:18 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: So, whether it's photographers, other models, or even a partner, the one constant that I'm seeing in all your comments is that you're trying to be somebody else's view of perfection (or attractiveness). Jun 10 13 07:19 pm Link Sorry for derailing my own thread, I digress a lot Jun 10 13 07:20 pm Link Danielle Reid wrote: Yeah but what kind of photographers from those cities ?? Jun 10 13 07:24 pm Link One word proportions. Jun 10 13 07:25 pm Link |
You have a fantastic body and anyone who doesn't see it isn't meant for you whether you want it or not. We each must walk out own paths, but no path is worth traveling if it doesn't end in you being happy with yourself. 
