28 Beautiful Photos Of Women With Skin Conditions By Photographer Sophie Harris-Taylor

Epidermis is a photography project by Sophie Harris-Taylor that aims to fight the stigma surrounding skin conditions.

JAN 8, 2020

Epidermis is a photography project by Sophie Harris-Taylor that aims to fight the stigma surrounding skin conditions. Having suffered from severe acne as a teenager and throughout her early twenties, the photographer knows how hard it can be to live with a skin condition. Even though Sophie learned to live with it over the years, she says it affected her self-esteem and made her feel ashamed and embarrassed. In Epidermis, the photographer shows that not all women have perfectly smooth skin like we often see on social media - some of them suffer from conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema, and are often pressured into covering it up with makeup. This time, however, we get to see their real, uncovered faces. "Most of my personal projects seem to come from my own life experiences and throughout there is always some element of my own vulnerability," explained Sophie in an interview with Bored Panda. "I began to reflect on my own past and feelings towards my skin, I’d suffered from severe acne. Back then, there were no idols, role models and people to look up to who had anything but flawless skin. Which obviously meant I struggled with my own self image. We’ve come a long way since then, what with body positivity and generally people speaking out about beauty standards and promoting diversity. However I still felt that there was a lack in representing skin in an honest and open way. Epidermis for me was a way of showcasing beautiful women in skins less often seen." Sophie says feeling comfortable in her own skin is still something she personally struggles with but hopes to one day practice what she preaches. "With a lot of these kinds of series, there’s an element of trying to shock, but that was the opposite of what I was trying to achieve. I really wanted Epidermis to be seen as a beauty shoot first, and a commentary on skin second," added the photographer. She found most of her models on social media by contacting people who were already sharing their skin stories. "Once I’d started sharing a few photos, it was much easier to put out an open casting as people realized it wasn’t in any way exploitative and I was actually trying to find beauty in this," said Sophie. The photographer received a lot of support from people all over the world, thanking her for shedding light on the subject. "I think it shows that the more open and honest we are about these things, the less alone people feel and the less stigmatized they become," said Sophie. She says it's important for all of us take responsibility and set an example for the younger generation by not being afraid to embrace the things that make us unique. Check out Sophie's photos in the gallery below! More info: sophieharristaylor.com | Instagram | Facebook |Twitter

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Image source: Sophie Harris Taylor "Being diagnosed with an incurable skin condition at a young age had an enormous impact on me. I felt like I had no control over my appearance, my self-confidence was destroyed, and I felt fearful of my future." – Lex

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Image source: Sophie Harris Taylor “[It] caused me constant physical and mental pain. It was completely unbearable. But I wouldn’t change it as it has made me so much more confident and strong.” – Mariah

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Image source: Sophie Harris Taylor “My acceptance of eczema as a feature of mine that will wax and wane rather than a flaw to be constantly fought in an attempt to rid myself of it.” - Issey

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