22 3 / 2010
I just want to take a moment to say I’m really hurt by the recent and false allegations of insensitivity and misconduct. I feel fortunate to work with so many extraordinary people each and every day. I’ve always been considerate and respectful of the people I photograph and I view what I do as a real collaboration between myself and the people in front of the camera. To everyone who has embraced and supported me and my work, I am so grateful. Thank you, it means a lot.
Terry
Honestly, if a lot of people I didn’t know were attacking what I do, I’d be hurt too.
But let’s talk about something. You, sir, have never been a 16-year-old girl. You have never been in the position of having to use your body to get by. You have never had to field the consequences that come from having to use your body to get by. You’ve never been a young girl, out of her element, who has to say yes to things that make her uncomfortable because she feels like she has to. Because everyone else in the room has power and you don’t. Because no one is there to say, “hey, maybe that’s going a step too far.”
Fashion is kind of fucked up. Photography is kind of fucked up. But building a career on exploiting women is kind of fucked up, too. Taking pictures of models in degrading settings and calling it a style is fucked up.
I’m not saying the world is perfect, or that you’re the only person doing this. But it would be nice to see a set of Terry Richardson’s photography that didn’t make me uncomfortable and embarrassed and worried for the girl in the pictures. Because I think what you’re missing is that that 16-year-old girl doesn’t know how to tell you she’s uncomfortable. She doesn’t know how to say ‘this is too far’ and, more importantly, she doesn’t think she can.
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