Project Beauty 2021 | AHP Model Team

Project Beauty is redefining what beauty means in today’s society. This is the third year that I have participated in this campaign. Each year I get even more excited about the impact it makes. Project Beauty was originally created by Thomas Nguyen, a professional senior photographer in Ohio. It spread to other photographers, including Sean Brown Productions and beyond. This campaign has always been about empowering high school seniors. The portraits encourage them to see their inner beauty and embrace any and all imperfections. It is all about showing these seniors that they are unique and beautiful. The AHP Model Team was so excited to be part of Project Beauty 2021.

Perfect Images from Social Media

Over the years, I have seen the huge impact that social media has on confidence. These young women are growing up inundated with filtered and photoshopped images that hide skin imperfections, alter facial structures, and present a different reality. Heavy makeup and contouring can also hide what a person looks like. It’s easy for young women to feel pressured to match what they see on Instagram or in the media every day.

Part of the goal of Project Beauty is to get these women to see past the modifications that go into each social media post, magazine cover, and movie, and focus on natural beauty instead. I want them to embrace what they look like and leave the shoot with a newfound confidence in who they are – without makeup, retouching, or editing. Imagine how different these girls could feel if social media focused on that instead.

What Project Beauty Means to the AHP Model Team

This year, I had the girls reflect on what the 2021 Project Beauty campaign meant to them. The handwritten messages they shared about discovering and embracing their natural beauty showed me just how necessary this campaign is for young women. I am so grateful to the girls for trusting me with their thoughts and feelings.

Some of the girls were hesitant to come to a shoot without any makeup on. But I wanted them to truly stand in their own beauty and not hide behind concealer, contour, and highlighter. Makeup can be so fun, and the girls love getting glammed up for themed shoots. But the message of Project Beauty is loud and clear: leave that all behind and let your inner beauty and confidence shine.

The Project Beauty 2021 Video

What makes Project Beauty so transformative is that we take the time as photographers to listen to these seniors. We want to hear about what the campaign means to them, what pressures they face as young women in today’s society, and how this campaign has helped them see themselves in a new light. I am so excited to share a behind the scenes look at Project Beauty, with interviews at the studio with the Model Team girls done by Model Team member Madison M:

Project Beauty at Studio 253

In addition to skipping makeup and retouching for their portraits, there are a couple of wardrobe guidelines for Project Beauty. The focus is really on the girls themselves, and we want to avoid trends or distracting outfits. We recommend jeans and a simple black or white top for this campaign. The girls often go barefoot for a natural look. Adding to the natural look, the girls skip the manicures and keep their nails bare. They could choose to style their hair however they wanted.

I hosted the model team at Studio 253, and they spent the afternoon posing in the natural light. I simply love how these girls encourage and support each other throughout every photoshoot, and this one was no exception. Any hesitation these girls had about showing up to a photoshoot without any makeup on seemed to quickly disappear. They were so comfortable around each other. I am so grateful to have such ah-mazing seniors on the AHP Model Team who trusted me and participated in this campaign.

Scroll through to see portraits from this year’s Project Beauty campaign with the AHP Model Team, and read their own words of what this campaign meant to them.

Let’s Connect! 

If you want to chat more about an empowering portrait session of your own,  I would love to hear from you. It’s easy to reach out on my website anytime. Or you can email me at [email protected], or call/text me at 530-412-0730.