I’m still riding the positive energy from the huge success of this weekend’s “Opening the Kimono!”  Twenty photographers went behind the scenes to watch me shoot live in NYC. They got a backstage pass to watch me work with a real client, collaborate with my team, how I use the space in my fav studio to create variety, and how I create flattering authentic pictures with no retouching! We had an extensive Q&A and discussed why it’s important to me to no longer retouch the women in my pictures. (More on that below…)

This set was shot in 10 minutes and evokes the scorching heat of summer on the Italian coast in the 60’s – tanning oil, sun worship, and sexiness. If you’ve ever been to Italy in August you know what I mean.

As I’ve mentioned on the blog and announced in a Q&A last week, I will continue to not retouch the women in my photos and share them on this blog.

This woman (not a model) is unretouched in all of these photos.

Because real is beautiful.

Inspired by recent bad ass and brave beauty renegades, such as…

Taryn Brumfitt, who began a campaign to unite women across the globe to love their bodies,
Brooke Birmingham, who refused to put on a shirt for SHAPE magazine,
Seventeen magazine’s “Body Peace Treaty” which includes not changing girls’ bodies or face,
and Aerie lingerie company who began advertising their own pics that hadn’t been retouched,
among others…

…I was inspired to share my own.

Continue the movement. If you feel moved to, share this link via Facebook, pin the above image, tweet it, talk about it, call your mom.

Because real is beautiful.

xoxo, Christa