Through the viewfinder: Positive Exposure a year later

Positive Exposure, a non‐profit organization founded and directed by former fashion photographer Rick Guidotti and co‐directed by psychiatrist Dr. Diane McLean, uses photography and video interviews to explore the lived experiences of people affected with genetic conditions. Positive Exposure challe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of medical genetics. Part C, Seminars in medical genetics Seminars in medical genetics, 2006-11, Vol.142C (4), p.260-268
Main Authors: Sutton, Erica J., Rosapep, Lauren, Ball, Karen, Truitt, Megan, Biesecker, Barbara, Guidotti, Rick, McLean, Diane
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Body Image
craniofacial conditions
Facial Asymmetry - congenital
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
photography
Photography - methods
Pilot Projects
Positive Exposure
Program Development
Self Concept
self-esteem
Social Adjustment
Social Alienation - psychology
Social Support
stigma
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Positive Exposure, a non‐profit organization founded and directed by former fashion photographer Rick Guidotti and co‐directed by psychiatrist Dr. Diane McLean, uses photography and video interviews to explore the lived experiences of people affected with genetic conditions. Positive Exposure challenges pervasive social biases and stereotypes about genetic variation and strives to broaden and enrich societal perceptions of human beauty and spirit. Presented here are the open‐ended personal reflections completed by four individuals with craniofacial differences recruited from a support group, Inner Faces. These four case studies aim to relay the professional photo‐shoot experiences of people who may be challenged by the stigma associated with craniofacial differences. Questions addressed issues of perceived self‐esteem, stigma, hopefulness, and photography experiences. These personal reflections were gathered 1 year following participation in a Positive Exposure photo‐shoot. Participants described the ways in which the photo‐shoot has been a lasting and life‐promoting experience. In addition, these individuals emphasize the integral and enduring role the photographer, Rick Guidotti, played in their personal awakening. Positive Exposure provided these individuals with renewed identification of both inner and outer sources of beauty. These four case studies suggest that Positive Exposure may serve as a sustainable intervention to bolster self‐esteem and self‐image. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:1552-4868
1552-4876
DOI:10.1002/ajmg.c.30113