Something New under the Sun
Excerpt from the book 'Modern Amazons' by Bill Dobbins
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If some women build muscle so relatively easily, why hadn't they done it before in all history? Why is it many people greet the idea of attractive women with lots of muscle with anger? What is so provocative about a very muscular woman? Furthermore, isn't this just another example of artificial limits being put on women's abilities? The same kind of arbitrary limitation that women have fought against in politics, business, science, sport and so many other areas of modern life over the past 100 years? Actually, bodybuilding for women does seem to fit very well into the timeline of developing gender equality throughout the 20th century. Women began by getting the vote. They moved into science, law and business. There were gradually accepted as serious athletes. At the end of the 20th century they assailed the final wall of resistance - the nature of "femininity" as regards their own bodies. In many ways this has been the toughest obstacle of all, and the struggle is still going on.
When I began shooting female physiques, I was already very familiar with the aesthetics of bodybuilding. I had no trouble appreciating what the women were doing. Once I began working with them, I quickly became conscious of having a unique opportunity as an artist. I had access to a type of human body never before seen on the planet. It is extremely rare to discover a truly new subject. Even though the human body had been depicted in art for thousands of years, every image I created of their bodies would be "new" because these bodies were new. I could create entirely unique images, or I could go back to familiar themes and create wonderful artistic tension by contrasting a new kind of physique within a familiar and recognizable tradition.
However, I quickly discovered that most people can't really "see" the aesthetics of the female bodybuilding physique. They lack the necessary references and experience. So I see my work as a way to "interpret" these bodies in such a way that viewers are able to perceive what the aesthetics involved are all about. Frequently, it is much easier for most people to appreciate the nature of the aesthetically developed female body in photographs than in the same bodies in real life. I am very gratified when somebody looks at my pictures of these women and says, "Ah, now I get it." I am often asked what I do when shooting these pictures that is different from most other physique photographers. One thing I've noticed is that many photographers are interested in making these bodies accessible by emphasizing what is conventionally attractive about them. Making them look as "normal" as possible. But what interests me most is what is unique about them. I focus on what is different about these physiques, not what is similar to bodies we are already familiar with.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
If some women build muscle so relatively easily, why hadn't they done it before in all history? Why is it many people greet the idea of attractive women with lots of muscle with anger? What is so provocative about a very muscular woman? Furthermore, isn't this just another example of artificial limits being put on women's abilities? The same kind of arbitrary limitation that women have fought against in politics, business, science, sport and so many other areas of modern life over the past 100 years? Actually, bodybuilding for women does seem to fit very well into the timeline of developing gender equality throughout the 20th century. Women began by getting the vote. They moved into science, law and business. There were gradually accepted as serious athletes. At the end of the 20th century they assailed the final wall of resistance - the nature of "femininity" as regards their own bodies. In many ways this has been the toughest obstacle of all, and the struggle is still going on.
When I began shooting female physiques, I was already very familiar with the aesthetics of bodybuilding. I had no trouble appreciating what the women were doing. Once I began working with them, I quickly became conscious of having a unique opportunity as an artist. I had access to a type of human body never before seen on the planet. It is extremely rare to discover a truly new subject. Even though the human body had been depicted in art for thousands of years, every image I created of their bodies would be "new" because these bodies were new. I could create entirely unique images, or I could go back to familiar themes and create wonderful artistic tension by contrasting a new kind of physique within a familiar and recognizable tradition.
However, I quickly discovered that most people can't really "see" the aesthetics of the female bodybuilding physique. They lack the necessary references and experience. So I see my work as a way to "interpret" these bodies in such a way that viewers are able to perceive what the aesthetics involved are all about. Frequently, it is much easier for most people to appreciate the nature of the aesthetically developed female body in photographs than in the same bodies in real life. I am very gratified when somebody looks at my pictures of these women and says, "Ah, now I get it." I am often asked what I do when shooting these pictures that is different from most other physique photographers. One thing I've noticed is that many photographers are interested in making these bodies accessible by emphasizing what is conventionally attractive about them. Making them look as "normal" as possible. But what interests me most is what is unique about them. I focus on what is different about these physiques, not what is similar to bodies we are already familiar with.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Bill Dobbins, Modern Amazons
Hardcover, 26 x 28.8 cm (10.2 x 11.3 in.), 168 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
The talented Bill Dobbins and his amazing bodybuilding babes
Bethany Howlett, USA. Photo: Bill Dobbins