People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.
-Salma Hayek
I'm reminded of a photographer, Sally Mann, when I took this shot. She's a photographer that took what many people consider controversial photographs of her children. And I'll admit, I was uncomfortable with some of them, however in the larger scheme of it all, she made photographs of what came natural to her. Annie Leboweitz also made a photograph of her breastfeeding one of her children, although, I think for her it meant something totally different than the reason I took this photograph. One of my sisters will kill me if she was to see this photograph. She thinks its the grossest thing, breastfeeding. She thinks there's no medical reason to do it if there is formula and she feels she has bonded the same way as one who breastfeeds. She has six children and they are all wonderful, healthy kids so I cannot argue with her but I do believe that the bond and closeness you create when nursing is totally different. I think she may accuse me of exposing myself, but this photograph was taken in my house, my bedroom, with my camera, by myself and I don't mind nursing in front of anyone. While in public I do place a blanket over myself, I don't do it because I am ashamed, I do it because other people may be uncomfortable. I started off this post with a quote from Salma Hayak. She's a Mexican actress and she got a lot of heat from the media for a photograph taken of her breastfeeding an orphaned black baby in Africa. I thought that was one of the most beautiful photographs of her (and believe me some may argue she has way better looking photographs) but I loved it because she was doing what should come natural to any human being, she was helping. Let me tell you I would have done the same. I'm sorry to whoever out there may find this photograph offensive or gross, or that I'm exposing myself, I promise that is not my intention. At the end like Salma Hayak said it's all in the eye of the beholder.
