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Would you take a naked photo of your pregnant self? Credit: Photodisc
Girls gone ... preggers?
These women are naked, but they're not posing for sleazy videos. More like the family album.
For some Japanese women, it has become fashionable to immortalize their pregnancy with nude portrait shots, according to Reuters News Service.
However, the portraits are strictly private. In the land of the sumo wrestler, a big tummy can be a big turn on. Such a turn on that three years ago the Japanese government demanded the removal of a subway poster featuring a nude and pregnant Britney Spears because, they said, it might arouse male commuters. No drooling on the platform, please.
Yomiko Yoda is not interested in becoming a subway poster. She gave birth to a son on July 19 and has nude photos documenting her pregnancy, but they're only for home display.
"Whenever I see these pictures, I can recall how I looked and how happy I was when I was pregnant," she told Reuters. "This moment will not come back to me, and these pictures are for my own enjoyment."
| Yes! | |
|---|---|
| Maybe, maybe not. I'm not telling. | |
| No, but I would. | |
| No. I just don't think it's right. |
Still, it might have been a nude celebrity that touched off this trend. The Japanese pop singer Hitomi posed nude when she was pregnant and the image showed up on Tokyo billboards to promote her new album last June. A subsequent photo book sold some 10,000 copies during its first week of publication.
"When I opened my studio for maternity photos last year, we had less than 10 customers per month," photographer Natsuko Takada told Reuters. "But last month we had 70 customers." At Takada's studio, the price for such photos is around 35,000 yen, which is equivalent to about $368.
Celebrating the naked pregnant body is nothing new, of course. American artist Alice Neel painted a series of portraits of naked, pregnant women, including her own daughter-in-law.
'I thought the whole picture of woman without pregnancy is trivial," Keel said. "It's treating woman as sex object.
"But you know, sex results in something."
As for me, I don't even like being photographed in shorts, so I'm wondering if this is an American trend. Your thoughts?
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
8-05-2009 @ 11:46PM
Over70 said...Since I developed ED at the age of Seventy Three ...
My passions are not now what they used to be ...
My wimpy is limpy and no honor to me ...
I no longer care what it is I see ...
Still, a photo of my wimpy may well be worthwhile ...
To put in my photo album for a memo to style ...
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 12:08AM
jnjarnold said...My niece-in-law is an accomplished artist---capable of capturing all the subtle nuances of doubt, joy, fufullment and contentment; every intimate detail captured of quiet resolve,grace and love in its purest form!
Had I not been left to deal with two miscarriages, and then being hit with the irrevoccable news that I would NEVER bear children due to medical circumstances, I would have loved her dearly for what she wanted to do for me, and could never do enough to show her how thankful I would be for her compassion, kindness and love of her wonderful kind nature, her love for her uncle and me.
What a special and amazing gift! Those of you who are blessed enough to seize such a moment.....TRULY....if I were you...I would hang that memory and cherish it forever!
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 12:58AM
mistidayz661 said...Some people are overly sensitive. We are not seeing anything inappropriate in these photos. You don't see anyone's "goodies", it's not Playboy, it's not Hustler, so what is the big deal?
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 2:18AM
heather said...no this is not a NEW trend ...didn't Demi Moore pose pregnant and nude on he cover a vanity fair with her first kid? i have these pics of my own pregnancy 12 yrs ago... i think there is nothing more honest...wholsome....loveing....and pure than the emotions pregnancy photos envoke....my child was always thrilled to say...look that's when i was in mommy's tummy, wasn't she beautiful! i hope more women begin to have these kinds of keepsakes made.
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 2:34AM
analogrto said...A pregnant woman carries a natural, inner glow, though she may not always feel like it. Her body is truly beautiful as it is doing the one thing it was meant for most in this world--reproduction of the species. These pictures aren't for people to get turned on by or passing out to friends--it's instead visual memories of that child (before they became the demon-possessed freak they are now)! My oldest two children were 11 and 12 and in the room when their little sister was born. They've changed diapers, been up for midnight feedings, dealt with tantrums, etc. Now 17 and 18, nothing has been better birth control!
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 2:37AM
Gail said...My hairdresser who's hobby is photography has been doing pregnant women for a very long time, but she does it with grace and elligiance. She started this years ago. Now it has come to life on the internet today. She is an excellent photographer. If you want her to photograph you then send your reply to my e-mail and I will get in touch with her.
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 4:49AM
seana said...yea thats exactly what china japan and all those places need is to pop out more children....how about closing your legs so your population can go back to normal
Reply
8-06-2009 @ 8:18PM
Uly said...Wow, seana, racist much?
Not to mention inaccurate. Japan has the second lowest birthrate in the world. (Hong Kong has the lowest. Singapore and Taiwan are among the lowest in the world as well.) Mainland China has a birthrate slightly lower than that of the US. This information isn't hard to find. You might try looking it up before typing your nonsense out.
8-09-2009 @ 11:51AM
barb said...i think these photos are extremely beautiful. what could be more beautiful than a woman carrying another life within her? it's not about sex, it's not about glamour, it's about expressing the beauty of a woman in her best and most heartfelt time.
Reply
8-11-2009 @ 3:34PM
~shelly~ said...it is one of the biggest events in a womens life so indeed you should get some pictures to keep the memeroy forever .in fact i just became a nana, july 21,09 to baby boy and i paid to have my daughters done you can veiw @ www.myspace.com/shelly4short
~
Blessings upon you, my baby unborn
Safely inside me, asleep and so warm,
Sleep must come easy to those who are unborn,
As the maker so silently fashions your form.
Sleep, while you can, so watery and warm,
For outside this world is a terrible storm,
Soon you'll discover the taste of your tears,
So sleep now my loved one, my Baby, my Dear.
Reply
8-11-2009 @ 8:59PM
momof4 said...pregnancy is beautiful. I never felt more beautiful then when i was pregnant. sometimes i wish i wasnt done having kids. i felt like for once i looked how i was suppose to. not fat, or thin, but with child. my husband used to look at me with a loving look in his eye, and touch my belly and i never felt more perfect.
no!!! now i am crying!
pictures like that arent sexy, or racy, they're beautiful.
Reply
9-03-2009 @ 7:33PM
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