Beauty Re-defined

I am proud to be the older brother of a great photographer. He recently came up with a concept called help-portrait where he along with other photographer all over the country take their very unique gift set and use it to do something great for people who are in very difficult circumstances. These photographers go to folks who are in need (homeless shelters, children's homes, etc.) and they do photo shoots with the people there treating them like celebrities, even going so far as to bring stylists and make-up artists to give these men and women the full 'diva/divo pampering' treatment. You can see what they do in the following video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9tu1XrBn3A

What strikes me most about this whole project is how beautiful these people really are. I don't say that with any kind to patronizing undertone. I truly mean it. I see the lines and the stories in these people's faces and I am overwhelmed by the incredible beauty that is there. I also realize how so much of what society calls and celebrates as beautiful really is not. When I see women on the covers of magazines, there is nothing about their perfect faces that make me wonder what they have experienced or seen. I don't see the same knowing (whether good or bad) in their eyes that I see in the eyes of the men and women in these pictures. It struck me to the point that in one of the photos, I saw a man posing as if he were in an Old Navy add and it was so different from what I normally would see that it made me realize that my eye was drawn to this guy's countenance and I would definitely take notice if I were thumbing through a catalogue. I don't know if it was the story in his face or his body language that radiated a bit of 'swagger' while still not being unapproachable and out of reach.

Maybe the advertising world should take notice. I think people's pallets are ready for something different to catch their eye. I would love to see an Old Navy catalogue that read more like a story book than a manequinn display.