What is the real age of when a girl looses her innocence and starts to realize her own powers...! Making a buzz in modeling news, the last couple of days, is Australia's investigation into Russh-Australia for having photographed 16 year old model Zippora Seven topless--sitting in a bathtub with a male model (image above). The 18 page editorial, titled "We Got It Bad" is a bit provocative, but not outside the norm of what we see in fashion magazines these days. While different countries draw the line of when a girl is thought to be legal, and hence able to expose her body, the question we like to ask is should things be judged by body part or character. We understand that the law needs to be a bit black and white at times--this makes it easier to interpret, but come on.
Ms. Seven's agent, Priscilla Leighton-Clark, was quoted saying: “It’s wrong that our girl has appeared in a magazine exposing her breasts when she’s so young”. The question I like to ask Ms. Leighton-Clark, and Australia for that matter, is: would it have been okay with you if the same scene was shot with the young model's breasts under the water? We're pretty positive it would have been.
Which leads me to my third and final question: who cares if her breasts are showing or not; shouldn't their real concern be that the young girl is sitting nude in a bathtub, to begin with? Or is she mature enough to handle such a situation, even at 16! There is the real quandary!
This reminds me of Ali Michael's editorial a few months ago, in the NY Times TStyle magazine, titled Gallerina. It, also, had caused a stir (in the US) for allowing the 16 year old model to pose topless. Then though, the case was defended by the model's own mom, explaining that "Ali is an old soul", and that the shoot was done in an artistic and tasteful matter (we agree, it was photographed by the great Paolo Roversi, of Italy).
her boobs are always out in photographs? what's the difference anymore. she's their cash cow and if that's what the photographer wants, that what will happen.
Posted by: DEANNA SUNSHINE | 05/13/2008 at 07:24 PM
Love this... Reminds me of the saying, "There's no such thing as romance and adventure, there is only desire and trouble." Been there done that. You?
Posted by: Furniture Stores | 07/10/2009 at 10:59 PM
Honestly, i think there should be no investigation. 6teen years old is time enough to learn & know your morals and limits. She took the pictures and even signed a release to get them published, let her live with what ever feelings these picture bring, not the photographer.
Posted by: Nia Imani | 07/20/2009 at 03:22 AM