This Montreal Artist Takes The Most Beautifully Raw Photos Celebrating Body Positivity
There are some truly talented and innovative artists with moving and provocative pieces in such a liberal and creative city like Montreal. Sara Hini's photography is pushing the boundaries to convey messages of race, sexuality and body positivity in a distinctly 'Sara' style.
Incredibly raw, yet captivating and stunning, her photos truly get to the heart of her shoots: the subject.
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She's also co-creator of The Womanhood Project.
MTL Blog got the chance to chat with the photographer to find out more about her craft and how she developed as an artist.
Answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness.
What made you get into photography? How did you develop your style?
In my first — and only — year of university, I started studying film. I got a bit frustrated by the theory aspect of it and took all the money I put aside for my degree to buy a camera in order to teach myself and travel.
I often questioned whether I could travel solo as a woman. It fed into my already existing reflections as an immigrant in Montreal.
I have also always had a deep fascination for the erotic and nudity. Maybe because it was so taboo in my culture. All that mixed up together is kind of what led me to what I like shooting now.
I feel like my style is constantly evolving and changing every day. But what remains stable is my curiosity for my subject's vulnerability and being able to explore intimacy in all its forms, either through fashion or documentary photos.Â
Your portraits really highlight body positivity. Was that your intention? Why is body positivity so important to you?
Growing up as an immigrant and changing countries twice, I quickly learned about what it's like to be "different," to not fit a mould and often not feel like you belong.
This really fed my exploration of what diversity means to me and how important it is to engage in conversations about it — And by diversity, I'm talking about diversity in cultures, sexualities, bodies. That's one reason why this is important to me.
For me, a naked body is a landscape that tells a story. It's such a complex and powerful thing to witness and that's why it's important to portray a multitude of it.
When I shoot close-ups of bodies I truly see all the corners of someone's body as an intricate and shape-shifting landscape with plenty of mounts, valleys and textures that deserves to be celebrated.
What do you love most about what you do?
There are so many things I love about what I do.
I love seeing people open up to me. Being faced with my own insecurities and doubts as I explore people's doubts with them.
I love exploring subjects such as intimacy, diversity, eroticism and vulnerability through my photography.
I love being able to portrait the beauty of the human body through my lens and let my vision evolve. Celebrating the beauty of our ever-changing bodies.
