To whom it may concern,



“Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to be squared with the First Amendment. Under that test, juries can censor, suppress, and punish what they don't like, provided the matter relates to "sexual impurity" or has a tendency "to excite lustful thoughts." This is community censorship in one of its worst forms.” - William Orville Douglas



William Orville Douglas said it best.



So I'm going to lay this out to everyone in a well articulated essay-like format. Photography is an art-form. The human body is an art-form. Art is a vital part of life. Without art then there wouldn't be cable television, family photographs, appliances, queen sized beds, and etc. Your home started out as a drawing. Your shoes were once a design. Art is life. Life should be appreciated. If you don't appreciate art then you don't appreciate life.



"Whatever decisions you make, I know that they are made with good intentions. Whatever art you produce [with the human body], I know that it is tastefully done." - My mother



My mom says it best. Everything I do, I do it with the best intentions. Everything I shoot, including myself, has the best taste possible even when it comes to boudoir, pin up, and those few who have wanted me to shoot them nude. I do what they ask & make it look as natural & tasteful as possible. Bottom line, my mother is completely proud of everything that I do & proudly stands by my artwork with her head held high.



The human body is an art-form in itself and should not be cast away like an old sweatshirt or covered up like it's some kind of an embarrassment.



So obviously, reading this, you're probably confused. This is obviously me defending my art. I've been defending my art for at least 6 years now. I shoot things that's questionable because I want to. I photograph things that you might not want to see because I like to. I shoot things that may make you concerned because I love to. I'm not saying that I'm a "shock artist" or anything like that but my creative outlet is through photographic concepts & if I don't get that concept on some kind of digital memory card or a roll of film then it'll eat at my brain until I basically go into system overload. I like concepts & making what society considers "odd," "unnatural," or "too sexual for the young eye," into something beautiful, spectacular, and worth looking at & celebrating. If you can't respect my art then you don't have respect for me.



In lamest terms, if you really feel like this photograph is distasteful, unnatural, or borderline not work safe then you can't appreciate my art at all. Myself, Amy, and everyone else that helped out with this photograph (along with the rest of the set) do feel as if we have all been insulted by our timeless work to create this concept that was indeed so tastefully done & time consuming to capture, edit, & execute.



Don't think for one second that this wasn't at all just "girls having fun." It consisted of two photography students, & a make-up artist student (if that's grammatically correct) all coming together with an open eye & mind using our artistic abilities in unison. We all stand by & support the creation that we have made together using my body as the model, Amy's photographic skills, & Donna's make-up skills. As well as myself, again, who touched it up in PSPX.



If I didn't want people to see this then I would not have posted this in the first place. I am eighteen years old. I am in college. I have a very promising photography career ahead of me. I am not "a fuck up." My feet are firmly placed in the ground. I put my education and artwork above everything else in my life. Need I say more?



To those who think that what I post on the internet defines who I am as a person & affects my job career then this one's for you. Thanks. I'm glad your concerned about what people think of me. I like that people think of me as a very talented photographer who can photograph things tastefully & direct other amateur photographers how to photograph a woman's body tastefully as well. I'm obviously not headed down the road to some "white collar" job & I'm too talented to work at a grocery store for the rest of my life. If memory serves me correct, I recall at my last job I showed my co-workers & managers my artwork & online gallery (DeviantART) & they loved my considerably questionable photographs & believe that the world needs to see more artists out there much like myself.



So here's my closing statement. I do not apologize or feel regretful for this recent photograph I've posted on MySpace, DeviantART, & etc. I do indeed think that it is tasteful & has potential for being in my portfolio for editorial jobs that I'd like to have in the future. If you feel that lurking my MySpace, & gossiping about what I post is "cute" then I say this to you: Someone wise once said "Check yourself before you wreck yourself." I'm a firm believer of karma & I do think that you reap what you sow. I am an artist doing what I've done with great ease for 6 years. Lurkers, you are someone who feels the need to talk about my art & how it's considered "questionable." If you don't like what you see then you can click the "x" in the top right hand corner (for mac users it's on the left). If you're so concerned about content & censorship then why don't you write hate-mail to all of those porn stars out there who do what they do for their line of work. It's not like they're going to stop because it's obvious that they love what they do. Having sex. I love what I do. Taking photographs. If I didn't then I obviously wouldn't be going to college for it.



Bottom line, don't like my art or what you see? Then don't look at it. Simple as that.



Thank you.



Sincerely,

Rebecca Jackson