# Vulnerable Body Image Photography Jen Davis Documents Her Life-Long Struggle with Obesity By Megan Facciuolo | Published 2014-06-02 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/struggle-with-obesity References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/366004/Photographer-Documents-Her-Lifelong-Struggle-With-Obesity-In-Raw-Self-Portraits/?t=1401453591161) & [jendavisphoto](http://www.jendavisphoto.com/) Many people struggle with obesity, but Jen Davis, a Brooklyn-based photographer, decided to document hers. In her poignant series, the photographer takes [self-portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/profiles-in-color) of herself at her most vulnerable and lonely moments. Since, 2002 Davis has documented her life, so her body weight varies in many of the photos. Over that time-span, she struggled with issues regarding [beauty, identity, and body image](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/doves-super-bowl-ad). However, she claims that by doing the project, she could "control a world of beauty that [she] created and inhabited." Some of the pictures include her [clad in undergarments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scar-stories1), sitting alone on the beach, and solemnly getting dressed in the morning. "I couldn’t necessarily identify with the idea of someone seeing me as ‘beautiful,’ but I could accept that the pictures that I created were," she said. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 71% | Activity: 25% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Body Positivity Photography:** The trend of showcasing body positivity through vulnerable and honest photography provides an opportunity to disrupt the beauty industry's traditional beauty standards. - **Mental Health Advocacy:** The trend of using art as a platform to raise awareness for mental health and body image issues creates an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the healthcare and wellness industry. - **Self-reflection Art:** The trend of creating self-portraits and other works of art to explore one's own vulnerability and identity provides an opportunity to disrupt the art and culture industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Beauty Industry:** The beauty industry has the opportunity to embrace body positivity and redefine traditional beauty standards through their advertising campaigns and product lines. - **Healthcare Industry:** The healthcare industry can invest in creating new products and services that cater to mental health and body image issues, such as therapy and support groups. - **Art and Culture Industry:** The art and culture industry can promote and support self-reflection art as a means of exploring one's own vulnerability and identity, and disrupting traditional beauty and societal standards. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Unretouched Photography Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dove-reimagine-beauty.md) - [Photography Project Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/still-life-1.md) - [Nostalgic Beauty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unseenbeauty-initiative.md) - [Body Positivity Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nobodylikeyou.md) - [Unique Artistic Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amusebouche.md) - [Mental Health-Protective Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cost-of-beauty-a-dove-film.md) - [Body Composition Analysis Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prism-labs-naked-lens.md) - [Body-Positive Brand Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/doves-super-bowl-ad.md) - [Mental Health-Supporting Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-last-photo.md)