The struggle to feel beautiful in an airbrushed world

Calm: The women are of all colors,

In a world where women are bombarded with Photoshopped images of supermodels in magazines and perfectly sculpted specimens on the runway, one photographer has made it his mission to glorify the natural beauty of the naked female body.


Matt Blum, a Minneapolis based photographer, and his wife Katy launched 'The Nu Project' in 2005 and have captured more than 150 women in the buff in the comfort of their own homes.


He asks women to volunteer for the project and shows up at their door, having never seen them before, for the nude photo shoot.


The women are of all colors, shapes and sizes. Participants heard about the project through word of mouth or Craigslist.


'I believe that women are judged more harshly by appearance, and that’s why I’ve focused this project on women,' Blum said in a description of the project on his website. He hopes the experiences encourages women to embrace their shape and not feel ashamed at their bodies

Embrace yourself: The Minneapolis based photographer, launched 'The Nu Project' in 2005 and have captured more than 150 women in the buff in the comfort of their homes.

Happy: This woman exuded calm and confidence posing for the photographer

this is a very good AHEM! project, we women are sometimes very critical of eachother, even more so than men, im glad this kind man FEEL THE URGE!! to go and photograph beautiful NAKED WOMEN!! of all creeds, social backgrounds and skintone, bless him.