The photographer I'm shooting with here is Darby, the 17 year old daughter of Donna from www.ShootBare.com ! 

Darby is the youngest of Donna's kids, and has always had the heart of an artist. Her mother's photography has been a source of Darby's inspiration for some time- When she was just 10, Darby had a hardcover book published of her poetry she wrote about some of Donna's early photos, which were included alongside the poems in the book. 

This shoot was however the very first time Darby has ever followed so directly in her mother's footsteps and photographed a model in the studio! I'm so honored to have been the first! 

I find it hilarious how much she looks like her mom in these photos: sitting on the floor, sweat pants, no shoes, it's only a matter of time before she has the cigarette and reading glasses! Like mother, like daughter, and Darby couldn't have a better mentor to learn from.

Skinny Perspective (for girls)

A lot of girls ask me for tips on how to get themselves as skinny as me. I generally respond to these inquiries with a vague "eat healthy and exercise, take care of yourself!". I am proud to inspire women to take better care of themselves, but I do NOT condone starving oneself to become bony and emaciated. I am writing this for the pro-ana girls out there- I want you to be able to make an informed decision about the transformation you think you want to accomplish. So: here is my neutral opinion on being super-thin:

*If I grab my thigh with both hands, I can touch my fingers all the way around, and my thighs still jiggle! Your thighs will never stop jiggling. If your thighs don't jiggle, see a doctor. And every girl hates when she sits down in shorts and her thighs look bigger because they get squished- yeah, that still happens to me too.

*Skinny girls get picked on by the body police just as much as chubby girls.

*Finding clothes that fit snug and look sexy is difficult at a US size 00. And when I do find that perfect little black dress, I have to cover it up with a big sweater because I'm always, always cold.

*(Models) Photographers will always tell you to "suck it in", even at my size. It has nothing to do with the model having a big tummy. It engages core muscles and improves body lines. If your goal is to not have to suck it in to look your best, you will never get there. It always looks better to engage all your muscles!

*Going through puberty or any body changes can make a person feel so awkward and clumsy in their own body. Sometimes people think getting skinny will make them feel more graceful. I still feel like a baby giraffe sometimes with my long limbs!

*Getting skinny to get a guy just doesn't work. A skinny body is not who you are. Neither is a fat body, acne, uneven tits, perfect tits, blonde hair, blue hair, or whatever. You want a guy who loves WHO YOU ARE!

So, when I have girls writing to me saying things like "I want to be skinny like you, I hate how my thighs move!" or "I hate getting picked on about my weight!" or "I want to look perfect in my clothes" or "I want to be a better model" or whatever, I just laugh.
I'm not judging anybody, I'm not preaching, and I'm not trying to tell anybody what to do or what not to do. I just want girls to know that getting as skinny as I am will NOT accomplish these kinds of goals; I'm speaking from experience. The best thing anybody can do to make themselves more attractive is to be as healthy as possible, and have self-confidence!