Photographer Blake Morrow and his friend Beth teamed up to create a unique photo showcase.
Titled “The Beth Project,” it shows before-and-after portraits from a considerable weight loss.
Beth approached Morrow prior to a gastric bypass operation.
“I immediately jumped on board, as I am obsessed with before and after imagery,” Morrow told BDCwire. “Within no time, I had blown it up to a series of portraits that would be different than the usual fare of before and after weight-loss photos out there.”
Morrow — a Toronto-based photographer, digital artist and art director — met Beth almost 10 years ago through a mutual friend. He says the two of them share an interest in “sci-fi, geeky, things,” which led to them doing pop culture references and scenes.
He adds that their friendship, “helped so much in establishing trust for these portraits.”
The project spanned almost three years.
“I really wanted to make sure the best possible combination of ‘before’ and ‘after’ took place for each scene, not to mention the digital compositing of the environments I placed her in,” Morrow said.
His favorite portrait was this one. Why? Confidence.
Morrow felt that Beth’s experience in theater, “brought a depth to all her photos, conveying some pretty fun and vulnerable emotions.”
“I’m really proud of her committing to the imagery, and allowing herself to be seen in both flattering and not-so-flattering angles,” he adds. “It’s very human, and we can all relate. None of us are perfect, after all.”
Morrow told Buzzfeed that Photoshop was used, but Beth’s body shape was not changed at all.
The photographer said he would love to do a similar project, but starring a man.
“Beth’s favorite image is the “Friday and Diego” Beth image, based on a painting she suggested by Frida Kahlo of her and her husband Diego,” he said. “When she finally saw the finished portrait, she was in tears. It was a very sweet moment, and it meant a lot to me to be able to give her this very unique way of seeing her incredible change and progress.”
