special issue
65
KATIE DRISCOLL
Photographer KATIE DRISCOLL set up Changing the Face of Beauty – an organisation which seeks to represent people of all abilities in advertising campaigns “Our world is guided by the images we see: bloggers, advertisers, social media and television. I use my photography to show what is possible and most of the clients I have worked with are pleasantly surprised. The responses from the models who participate are a resounding thank you. They can then view themselves as a beautiful young person and not a person who remains in the background of imagery. The media’s goal is to find a way to represent diversity as best they can. If the talent is available, more casting agents will consider the use of models of all abilities. People are seeing models they can relate to in imagery and on the big screen. The more this happens, the more people who aspire to be professional models and have a disability will step up and take the chance. “We look at the creative and casting directors, as well as the advertising firms, to put the option of change on the table. They discuss casting and the inclusion of minorities but people living with a disability are not even considered, which is unfortunate, because they make up the largest minority in the world. Photographers that freelance their own work can consider their casting decisions in the future. They can show inclusion in their own imagery, which communicates a lot louder than words. The more we see differences, the less we see a person who is different, instead we see a person who as capable, beautiful and just like anyone else. “There are many companies who just ignore my enquiries. Then there are others who are interested and open a conversation with me to understand exactly where I am coming from. When I talk about showing them what their product would look like on a model with a disability, they are either all for it or I feel a sense of fear. One advertising rep told me my intentions sound great, but I have to communicate what the bottom dollar would be – how would inclusion sell products. There is also lot of scepticism about including models with disabilities because of the concern of being accused of exploitation. Companies do not want to be accused of that, and so they do something even worse – they ignore.” º www.changingthefaceofbeauty.org