Photography That Smashes Stereotypes

Making the 'cone of shame' beautiful and redefining fatherhood.

Photography That Smashes Stereotypes Winnie Au "[W]hen a dog wears a cone, it's the saddest feeling. They just don't look very happy usually. I wanted to create a series to turn that image upside down," says photographer Winnie Au.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message A “Complete Annihilation Of Gender” Ally Schmaling Boston-based photographer Ally Schmaling's portrait series explores queer and nonbinary identities — and people who are refusing to identify with traditional male and female gender labels. "It's our job to push institutions forward and create art that reflects the world we want to see," Schmaling says.   Not Your Grandma's Southern Belle Adair Freeman Rutledge Photographer Adair Rutledge, a native of Mobile, Ala., returned to her hometown to learn more about how some girls are redefining what it means to be a symbol of the South. The girls call themselves the Azalea Trail Maids and they embody old school Southern hospitality with a modern twist.  Redefining Fatherhood Dirk Anschütz After his son's birth, Dirk Anschütz photographed fathers and sons across the United States for six years. "There's a lot of change going on right now regarding what fatherhood means, what masculinity means," Anschütz says. The Black Body As Cosmic And Eternal Mikael Owunna Twenty-eight-year-old Nigerian-Swedish photographer Mikael Owunna, who was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is based there now, says he grew weary of the barrage of violent, dehumanizing imagery of black people he saw in the media. "If the majority of images that you see of yourself are negative," Owunna says, "if people who look like you are dead or dying or captured in a negative light, how do those images enter your body?" Owunna wanted to counteract the pain of those photos by creating images that portray black bodies not as sites of death, but as places of magic. — By Suzette Lohmeyer What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: bestofnpr@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can  sign up here. Looking for more great content?  Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy