Changing beauty by Caroline de Bertodano

Changing beauty by Caroline de Bertodano

Changing Beauty – The Changing Face of Beauty

© Caroline de Bertodano

For centuries beauty was represented by natural beauties. Salome, Guinevere and Nefertiti to name but a few.  Later beauty was portrayed in artworks such as Botticelli’s Spring, Rossetti’s Other Woman, da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and many Impressionist works. All evocative of something more than appearance. The Greek male nude sculptures and the female nude deities of Eastern Ishtar to the later Western art such as Donatello’s “David”, Titian’s “Venus of Urbino”, celebrated the natural human body.  All to stir the mind as well as the sensual passions. Very recent depictions of beauty in art are dormant and beg the question as to why? A backlash to society’s ‘meat market’ and physical fabrications?

© Caroline de Bertodano

Through the ages, the size and shape of beauty have come and gone but natural was ever present. Different body types and features went in and out of fashion aided by the armoury of clothes and makeup but ‘natural’ was the foundation.  People simply got on and appreciated more what they had been born with.  In recent times, celebrity has replaced almost everything and as the avarice consumers we have become, we follow like sheep.

© Caroline de Bertodano

The reality of beauty, either male or female, is that almost every person is not happy in their own skin and has a list of what they feel disdain for about themselves, if not pure self-loathing by many women. An agenda of what they would change if they had the money. Massively increased depression & eating disorder numbers have the psychiatrists rewriting the psychology books.  If we add ageing to the equation, what was ’50 is the new 30’ and now ’50 is the new 70′  based on looks alone. Media role models advocate nothing but shallow appearance, they negate the actual being, of being human, born natural and undoubtedly will die as bare to living as death intends. Time will always transcend the superficial.

Every age has issues of imperfection but never before to such extremes and even the 20 somethings have joined the mass hysteria in the quest for perfection and elusive eternal youth, where beauty is considered to reside. Exaggerated ideas of imperfection and the ‘fixing myself’ phrase is often heard. With the explosion of social media and its consequential hunting grounds, the idea of perfection is now so media influenced by pretense, false impressions of image, persona and of course the eternal super skinny body form…. no surprise there! Many men are taken in by these falsehoods. But in this age of ’swipe right’, they just move on to the next idea on their perfection list, wondering why they cannot find true and lasting love. Women have become competitive instead of supportive, putting good images of themselves to annoy other women or for attention that they lack in reality.

© Caroline de Bertodano

“I’d like to say that I would be happier in my natural skin but given the opportunity, I would enhance myself. It would seem silly not to. When we live in a world where celebrities and superstars are always looking amazing and we are exposed to the ideal woman and figure all the time, why wouldn’t you want to keep up? There seems to be a much higher standard of beauty… not a natural beauty but a beauty that can be made through cosmetic surgery. You only need to look at the ‘IT’ girls of now and look at a ‘before and after photo’ to realise they are doing it. It eventually just comes down to money. Money can buy physical beauty essentially and if I had the money I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t make changes to myself. Every girl has something they hate about themselves or feels self-conscious about and if it somewhat bothers you, of course, you are going to want to change that. It is not like there are any female role models advocating natural of ‘inner’ beauty but quite the opposite really; young girls are bombarded and almost brainwashed by social media about what is a normal young girl should or does actually look like”
Eva 21 years.

 

© Caroline de Bertodano

There is a chasm of difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery.
Plastic surgery is ‘reconstructive’ for medical reasons and includes, burns, limb loss, birth defects, trauma and disease and is vital, both externally & internally life-saving.
Cosmetic surgery is elective, ‘a choice’ by an individual to enhance appearance only.

© Caroline de Bertodano

With endless procedures, media & social influence, the idea of beauty means many are starting to look alike. Some so alien from their original self they become modern day monsters as procedures ‘fall’ and they lack the money to redo them. Expressiveness and uniqueness are being lost. The expressiveness of a child’s face in laughter, the look of love, is the beauty & emotion within that is expressed externally.

 

© Caroline de Bertodano

However, in some adults, they can no longer show emotion on over engineered faces, which in turn affects the emotional communication in relationships. First impressions aside, if we are all impressed by certain looks alone, the character, mind and soul; the internal self,  go unconsidered and disappointment and failed relationships surely follow. Is Audrey Hepburn, one of the iconic beauty’s of our time, now ‘imperfect’?  Her beauty came from what was inside as well as outside and many talk of her internal light.

 

© Caroline de Bertodano

The greatest beauty is the true natural beauty requiring three vital ingredients. Looks, mind and soul. Ever fallen in love with someone you least expected to and been surprised because they are not your ‘normal type’ but because of ‘who’ they are, not just what they looked like?  Imperfections pale into insignificance on realizing emotional depth, mindful heights and the confidence they generate. True beauty is the combination and what artists for centuries before us tried to depict.

 

© Caroline de Bertodano

I would rather see the truth in someone’s eyes and the micro expressions that connect to the soul’s windows than an empty one-dimensional being that simply ‘looks good’. Beauty will always change but not at its core. My Mother used to say, ‘feed the brain and soul as well as the body’ and true beauty is those three things that make up the internal natural light, ‘the natural beauty’ and the only thing that will sustain relationships and transcend the chattels of time.

 

© Caroline de Bertodano

© Caroline de Bertodano

© Caroline de Bertodano 2017

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To the Clouds by Caroline de Bertodano

To the Clouds by Caroline de Bertodano

One dancer’s love affair with dance.

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If you have ever danced seriously, in any field of dance, you will know the sacrifice & dedication it requires. You will also know the driving force of the passion for the movement & flow within of dance.

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This is Claudia Morosini, 23, an Italian living in London working as a Trainee Solicitor.  Whilst photographing her, the quiet girl I had met, seemed to evaporate and a fearless and free woman emerged.

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“When I dance the whole world disappears and nothing scares me anymore”

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Her story is the story that many dancers face and each decision requires immense courage with lifetime ramifications. Claudia started her first dance class at 3 and by the age of 13 she had already been in professional Russian ballet school for 3 years.

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Thirteen is the defining age for a ballerina, it is when they have to make the monumental decision whether to continue to become a professional ballerina or not.

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In the months she was deliberating, she hurt her ankle and realised the limitations & effect of physical injury. “From that moment on I did not decide with my heart, but with my head”. Fully accepting that her future could hold no education and no professional ballet career based on a serious injury.

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There is a period of grief that follows any such life changing decision there was an emotional adjustment and grieving period. However the love for the dance never left her and she still dances and does classes to this day.

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“The beauty of dance is that you can do it anywhere.” Claudia Morosini

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© Caroline de Bertodano 2016.

Caroline de Bertodano is a documentary & street photographer that believes in truth in all its forms and no labels. Trained in music and Art History & worked in Modern Art for 12 years. Became a photographer at 37 whilst living in Japan for 3 years. Raised a family. Her work is in collections worldwide. “There is a place I go behind a lens where I disappear. I have no real idea of how or what I do, I just know there is untold peace & courage in that space”

Find Caroline de Bertodano on Website | Facebook | Instagram | Eyeem | Google Plus | Steller

The Translation by Caroline de Bertodano

The Translation by Caroline de Bertodano

THE TRANSLATION

Ritsona Refugee Camp, Northern Greece. 20th & 21st May 2016

As of 20th May 2016, there are 54,230 refugees living in Greece & the Islands that only has a capacity for 42,100, according to UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees).

On a dark, overcast day in Northern Greece, at a disused crumbling airforce base surrounded by pine trees,  I met Hamza, a 14 year old boy that wants not only to make a difference but to affect real change.
He had quietly sat in his tent one day and wrote a well educated, intelligent letter to the heads of states of influential countries to put across the point of the Refugee children and ask for change. He asked his Uncle, living in Germany,  to translate it into English & a volunteer called Elena to translate it from English into German & other languages. Elena is a friend of one of my sons, I adore her & we follow each other on Instagram where she posted a copy of the translation & so this story begins.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa. © Caroline de Bertodano

Hamza is a normal boy, loves pizza, badminton, football & his computer, enjoys Physics, Biology, Sciences at school, fan of Batman & Spiderman films & wants to be a lawyer for human rights when he grows up, but hasn’t been in school for 2 years.  The war has aged him, he seems much older than 14.
As Hamza shows me round, he tells me he loves all the people here and wants them all to be able to leave together, to meet up with their families who are waiting in other European countries. I also realise he blushes when I ask him to tell the story of the translation, to each unwilling & suspicious of a photographer/journalist refugee. Hamza hadn’t told anyone, other than his mother, that he had written the letter. As his confidence grows, along with the blushing & laughter, the people of Ritsona open up, for Hamza.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Ritsona camp is 2 1/2 months old, mainly Syrian, some Afghans, Yazidi’s & Iraqi’s, but really its impossible to be exact.   Lacks electricity & running water.  Has hot 3 showers, 6 cold showers,  38 stench filled toilets for…900 people.  The food that arrives is bland & monotonous.  What they really want is to cook their own meals.   They want to leave.

They are a strong, independent people, highly educated & skilled.   They ran the camp themselves until NGO’s arrived with specific roles.   They have organised a community life, football matches are played every evening,  8 teams are organised.   Concerts & entertainment are arranged within the group.   They build their own furniture from anything they can find, fires, seating areas and have a strong sense of trying to help their own community.  Not all like what they have become, some ashamed of others dependancy.  The woman wear coloured Hijab’s on purpose to show they are not ISIS. The peace sign is shown everywhere.    Private & proud attributes repeat,  as I down another strong sweet coffee surrounded by overwhelming generosity from people that have nothing but also some of the best & warm company I have been in for a while.
"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

                                                              Meals are handed out 3 times daily.

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Refugees sit wherever they can and eat the provisions, clothes dry on the trees and they have tried to cover the open windows with plastic sheeting against the cold.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

The volunteers at Ritsona are astounding and some of the best & most dedicated that I have seen.   They work beyond their shifts daily, are dealing with recurrent refugees mental health problems, lack of the most basic facilities, running water, medical, electricity, drainage, etc., and have achieved extraordinary things.   This is proven in the respect, friendship & love shown by the refugees to the volunteers.
The children need schooling and education.  Almost everyone is suffering from PTSD,  many have mental issues due to the wars & the dangerous ripple effect within families is occurring.    Add this present situation and frustration & despair is obvious.    Many talk of their past lives,  normal houses, jobs, lifestyles, hobbies, computers, universities etc.,.    Normal life.   Then they talk of their harrowing experiences, war, killing, the extreme brutality of humanity removed everything normal.     Made worse by what & how they are living now.   Europe is responsible for this and a real danger of refugee camps becoming detention camps.
"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Mohammad, 40, and his 30 year old wife Aisa had the first baby to be born in camp. They named her Ritsona. At 1 1/2 months, Ritsona is paralysed & has already undergone 2 operations, leaving her with full length scars on her abdomen & the length of her spine. They are Syrian Kurds & also have a 2 year old daughter.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Shero, 10,  and Mohamad,13, are both from Alepo in Syria. Shero misses chicken & Mohamad misses pizza.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

A group of Syrians organised 8 teams, Tishreen; Rojava; Ismael; Jigar; Portugal; Ritsona & Aleppo.  There was growing excitement  about who would make the semi final.  The daily match is all they have to look forward to.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Hadi is Hamz’a 7yr old younger brother.  He loves running, football, chicken & trees.  Like many at Ritsona, Hadi has PTSD-depression & hyperarousal; on edge, irritability, angry outbursts and lack of concentration.

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Many containers, some NGO storage, some random are in and around the camp

 

 

 

 

 

"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

Robani, with her newborn Hind-Hani, is 25yrs with 4 children. Syrian Kurds and 2 months at Ritsona.

This is Hamza’s world, his present, his now normal.    He see’s how hope is sliding.  If they are unable to leave at all, he is worried.  He is 14 years old boy.   He wants people to know that the children see it all and don’t know what to do.  He wants to do something, to ask the people who control their futures to return them to normal life, to begin the healing & contributing in normal society.   In Hamza & his brothers,  I see the same as I see in my children, normal kids, and I cannot pass by.
"The Translation" Hamza Al-Mustafa © Caroline de Bertodano

People light fires, not only for warmth, but for light, cooking and to ward off the mosquitos, snakes, scorpions & wild boars.   Fires are always burning at Ritsona & given that it is in a pine forest, there is a real risk.

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© Caroline de Bertodano May 2016
Caroline de Bertodano is a documentary & street photographer that believes in truth in all its forms and no labels. Trained in music and Art History & worked in Modern Art for 12 years. Became a photographer at 37 whilst living in Japan for 3 years. Raised a family. Her work is in collections worldwide. “There is a place I go behind a lens where I disappear. I have no real idea of how or what I do, I just know there is untold peace & courage in that space”

Find Caroline de Bertodano on Facebook | Instagram | Eyeem | Google Plus | Steller

Unease – A Collaboration of Two CdeBs

Unease – A Collaboration of Two CdeBs

U  N  E  A  S  E

Collaboration between Clara de Bertodano and Caroline de Bertodano

Photography, whether selfies or self portraits on social media, especially Instagram, have become increasingly ‘intimate’ & ‘provocative’. But what is the effect on young children & teenagers between 10 and 19 years old?

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By Clara de Bertodano (16yrs old)

“I hate myself, I hate my life and everyone in it. It seems as if I can never please everyone or even anyone, and just need someone to agree with me, approve of me, or just pretend they do. I despise my character and my looks, and my mind, body and soul seem to be united by a sole hatred, my own”

These are the (narrowed down) thoughts I think many teenage girls, such as myself, have to fight against. Each one of us has a different way to deal with them, which might be defined as depressive or just part of life itself, by suppressing them, ignoring them, trying to find solutions if we choose to call them problems or just accepting them and trying to modify them in order to feel well; the latter being the one I hope I apply in life.

Nevertheless, these thoughts can take over your life and even start controlling it. They can lead a person resorting to the Internet, in particular Instagram, just to get approval while hiding behind a screen, an ideal, imagery. They can start obsessing over the amount of followers, likes and comments they have and start basing their success in life on numbers.

Some “instagrammers” start showing their body, parts of it or a bit too much of it, seeking for attention and approval, without evaluating the cost and consequence that this might have on their lives. This could affect them physically because they may start searching for a perfect body that doesn’t exist and getting frustrated over it, and mentally because all they care about is what is shown through pictures, as if they described who they are.

Furthermore, although they might get positive and encouraging comments to pursue this “vocation”, in real life people won’t take them seriously, may consider them sluts or worse, and make their thoughts known. They might even get to an extreme point where they shut down the real world and lock themselves in a room with a screen in front of them, thinking that this will make them happy.

And it all comes down to that – doing what you think will make you happy. If it does then I say keep doing it, but I am absolutely convinced that showing your body to complete strangers and basing your happiness in life on numbers can’t possibly make anyone happy,  at least not in the long run. The happiness that matters is the one you can share with your loved ones and cherish throughout your entire life, during the good times and the bad times.

IMG_4153“I feel like there’s so much freedom, that the limit has vanished. They no longer distinguish between defending a woman’s body and looking sexy.” – Camila, 17, Argentina

© Caroline de Bertodano“I don’t think that the women that post those pictures are insecure, but I do think that they make other girls insecure. They show what a body should look like and make other girls unhappy about their own body because it might not live up to society’s expectations, and that’s where all the illnesses and food disorders come to life.” – Clara G., 16, France/Argentina

© Caroline de Bertodano“Personally, I wouldn’t post those kind of pictures, but I believe that everyone owns their own body and Instagram account, and they can do whatever they want and post whatever they want. I find it wrong that people call these women “sluts” just because of a picture, because in that picture they don’t show who they actually are. And very often, when a person uploads those kind of pictures it’s because they’re missing things in their lives (love, attention, etc.), and the last thing we should do, is judge them” – Ines, 16, Argentina

IMG_4147“I think they need attention and they use their sexuality to get it, and in some way they want to improve their self esteem, “overpower” or feel superior to everyone else” – Dominga, 17, Chile

IMG_4166“I think everyone should be free to do whatever they feel like doing. Instagram being what it is you don’t have to follow people, if you don’t want to follow someone you just don’t… In my opinion, there’s no difference in a girl showing off her body or a mom showing her child or someone their house decoration, their holiday blablabla” – Camille, 22, France

IMG_4155“I think the amount of sex in media and stuff has spiraled so far out of control that loads of girls are becoming prostitutes to some extent, and what is deemed as appropriate is getting more and more inappropriate. It’s more sickening that girls are hurting themselves to be objects of physical pleasure rather than human beings.” – Louis, 16, UK

 

By Caroline de Bertodano

Photography on social media, especially Instagram, whether selfies or self portraits, has become more ‘intimate’ and ‘provocative‘. Women either doing repeated coquette player poses or doing full nudity on feeds alongside pictures of their children. Some men are beginning to do similar things. Whether for social reasons or so called art, it is increasing.

There is a lot of talk amongst kids between the ages of 12-25 years old about this. With a view that it is out of control on social media, especially Instagram, giving rise to anxiety, inadequacy and feeling pressurized. Many young children, especially girls, have started copying these poses and feeling the need to remove clothes in order to fit in.

It is now commonplace to see people walking around looking at their mobile phones. Many on social media. Every photo uploaded is viewed by countless strangers. Likes & comments have become approval ratings. It is a fake world that has been accepted as a transient reality.

However, these images are labelled by adults; children have not yet learned to categorize them accordingly. The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) and the Children’s Commissioner commissioned a report on how pornography impacted on children between the ages of 11-16. Full report available www.nscpcc.org.uk “I wasnt sure it was normal to watch it” 2016.

In summary, explicit images are desensitizing young people. Most have been exposed to some by their early teenage years, many girls feeling under pressure to expose themselves and many boys treating the girls like the images or films that they see. Many young people themselves concerned.

IMG_4163“I feel like pictures can sometimes be exposing and girls can get a bad reputation, and girls are judged by what they post. Generally, if someone of any gender uploads something exposing I judge them, but it’s only when they have a bf or gf when I see it as wrong.” – Josh, 16, UK

IMG_4157“I think they’re ridiculous in thinking that those pictures make them prettier and get them actual real attention from other people”. – Gaston, 13, Argentina

IMG_4274“They should do whatever they want, it’s their life, if they want to expose themselves in that manner and it makes them happy, then it’s fine. Nevertheless, I pity them a bit because if they upload those pictures, they do it for everyone to see, even people that don’t know them and will therefore only see them as objects or bodies, and not as an actual person. The problem would appear, if they didn’t realize people saw them in that way.” – Tamara, 16, Argentina

IMG_4165 “It’s porn” – Rhea, 17, Lebanon

JPEG image-297B13A0FE34-1“To be honest, I feel like it’s as if they didn’t have a personality of their own and needed to get attention. It’s a matter of insecurity” – Catalina, 15, Argentina

IMG_4162“I think everyone has the right to show whatever they want of their body, and there’s no reason to make someone feel bad about themselves for it. Then there’s the subject as to why they do it. If they’re looking to compete with other people, are insecure or need someone to tell them they’re pretty, then that might not be the best solution for the problems they’re having. But because that’s each person’s issue, I’m not going to judge anyone for posting a picture on Instagram.” – Antonia, 16, USA

 

Clara & I did our own small survey to find out for ourselves how opinions varied. Not a single person, both in images and quotes, turned down the opportunity to affect change on this subject.   I am all for free will and an advocate of artistic license but I personally would hate to be the cause of young girls’ descent into dark emotions & behaviour. The question remains, is it for the individual or social media to take responsibility & offer some protection for the vulnerable?  All identities have been protected.

© Caroline de Bertodano 2016 2 CdeB’s © Clara de Bertodano 2016

Caroline de Bertodano is a documentary & street photographer that believes in truth in all its forms and no labels. Trained in music and Art History & worked in Modern Art for 12 years. Became a photographer at 37 whilst living in Japan for 3 years. Raised a family. Her work is in collections worldwide. “There is a place I go behind a lens where I disappear. I have no real idea of how or what I do, I just know there is untold peace & courage in that space”

Find Caroline de Bertodano on InstagramFacebook | Twitter | Eyeem | Google Plus | Steller