This Photographer Is Encouraging Us To Love Our Bodies Through Naturism

Photographer Amelia Allen's new book, Naked Britain, is a celebratory exploration of the human body, with a focus on the UK's growing naturism (aka nudist) movement. While Allen is primarily known for her fashion cred — her work has appeared in Vogue, Tatler, and Vanity Fair — her latest work allows her to explore a different side of the human body.

"I have spent the majority of my career photographing conventionally beautiful and aesthetically pleasing models who are used to displaying clothes," she says. "Everything surrounding this is to do with body image and having to look a certain way to fit a specific societal construct of what is seen as beautiful." This is why Allen was drawn to naturism: She wanted to unshackle her work from body ideals and aesthetics, and focus on women's rights and the freedom that comes with accepting your body as it is. Essentially, she was looking to highlight a different kind of beauty.

"I wanted to photograph a community that represented equality in body image, appearance, sexuality, and gender," she says. "Naturism was perfect for this."

Thanks to the lack of representation of diverse bodies in media, it can sadly take a lot of work for people to love their bodies and to not hold up others as the epitome of perfection. Thankfully, Allen's shots of the naturists, free of self-consciousness and judgement, encourage you to do just that: appreciate your body for the wonder that it is.

Click through to see our favorite photographs from the book, and to read more about Allen's experience photographing this community.