Of Prostitutes and Photography

I read a really nice article about prostitutes today and I don’t say that often. I was drawn into a story in the LA Times about a woman who took photos of prostitutes in Las Vegas.

Jonnie Anderson went to Yale to get a Master’s in photography only to return to Las Vegas where she embarked on a project to take photos of prostitutes where they could feel beautiful. She and her roommate would give these women makeovers and they would get to chose clothes Jonnie provided so that they could have their photograph taken, which Jonnie has turned in to a book.

What I loved about this article was the absolute respect Jonnie has for the prostitutes and the respect of the author of the article for these women as well. There was no biting commentary on the lives these women live, no analysis, just a desire to document these women in a way that would not degrade them.

It is often easy to deride choices others make or have thrust upon them , without truly understanding their lives or perspectives. I appreciate the work both Jonnie and the journalist have done.