GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–A group of West Michigan girls began finishing up a two week-long summer camp with their very own photo shoot.
The day camp is put on by the YWCA West Central Michigan and Girls Inc., focusing on the way media can make girls feel about themselves.
As part of Wednesday’s activities, they participated in a local project by a Grand Rapids photographer by striking poses and smiling for the camera.
That photographer, Bri Luginbill, said the ‘Go Boldly, Love Your Body‘ project aims to show people beauty isn’t just skin-deep. She started the project after seeing a billboard campaign for plastic surgery last year.
“These types of billboards are not what real beauty is,” said Luginbill, “At such a young age, it can be ingrained in you that, ‘Wow, I need to look physically what this person tells me I need to look like.'”
The photographer said her project doesn’t just focus on women–she takes pictures of men, as well. She’s also entered one of her pictures from a 2014 photo session into ArtPrize 2015.
As for the summer camp, the girls’ last day is June 26th. Girls Inc. will be putting on several more this summer–for more information, you can visit the YWCA of West Central Michigan’s website.
