Victoria Acharya, who is currently studying at Nottingham Trent University, is looking for female naturist volunteers who would like to participate in a photography project.

The photographs will be non sexual and will highlight the beauty of ageing through portraiture, using old fashioned 5" by 4" and medium format cameras.

"As a result of the desirable and ‘perfect’ body frequently appearing within the media, and the pressure within society to look a certain way, the representation of the body becomes a symbol of the young body. I aim to give viewers an insight into what the aging body appears to look like a different stages of life, revealing that it is just as beautiful as the young body we see everyday within the media, just in a different way."

Victoria has been inspired by the work of Melanie Manchot whose 'Liminal Portraits' photo collection combines portraiture of the nude bodies of Manchot herself and her mother with mountain, garden and city landscapes, bringing the otherwise unseen ageing body into the public eye.

In a comment which will strike a chord with many naturists, Victoria says:

"The way in which Manchot’s mother is posing in the photographs looks very natural and high spirited, mainly looking away from the camera as if absorbing the beautiful natural scenery. This allows me to believe that the photographs are almost a celebration of ageing and life, and although it may be something that is unseen, may give women reassurance of what growing old may bring."

Other examples of Manchot's work can be found here.

Any female naturists interested in participating should make contact by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Payment is not offered, but Victoria is able to travel to meet models.

Victoria's project will be exhibited at the Nottingham Trent Universit Photo Festival in May 2010