Best of Brooklyn: Photographer Jen Davis explores body image through self-portraits

A Brooklyn photographer is using years of her own self-portraits to explore concepts relating to obesity, body image, identity and beauty. Jen Davis says she was always overweight from an early age,

News 12 Staff

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Jun 26, 2014, 6:44 PM

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Updated 3,730 days ago

A Brooklyn photographer is using years of her own self-portraits to explore concepts relating to obesity, body image, identity and beauty.

Jen Davis says she was always overweight from an early age, but began reflecting on her body back in 2002 when she first decided to turn the lens on herself with a photo at the beach.

She says the first picture was painful, but she continued to capture more and more personal pictures over several years. Along the way, she opted for lap band surgery and lost more than 100 pounds.

Davis calls her long-term self-portraiture project part of the search for her identity, which was buried by her weight.

Her series of photos have been published in a book, and are currently on display at an exhibition called Eleven Years at the ClampArt gallery in Manhattan until July 3.