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THE POWER OF PEPTIDES
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From gap-toothed and differently abled bodies, to dark-skinned models and muses living with acne, photographer Peter DeVito’s portraits center those often left (or Photoshopped) out of the beauty discussion. And — as with all art that reflects the infinite, true appreciation for how beautiful we all truly are, his work bursts with the kind of electric, kindred spirit energy that will leave you thinking, feeling (and often, smiling) more fully on many levels.
When he’s not shooting for the likes of Vogue Italia, The New York Times, and more — DeVito can often be found on Instagram and other platforms. Whether he’s doing model calls (for breathtaking independent projects like this) or challenging industry leaders and everyday scrollers, he’s a breath of fresh air to the all-too-prevalent beauty and culture standards. Check our chat about creating awe-inspiring work using photo expertise, a human-driven process, and a distinctly enlightened point of view.
My name is Peter DeVito, and I’m a photographer who tries to photograph people who I don’t think are represented enough.
I feel like over time, the themes that run through my art have become more and more accepted.
I believe that there is beauty in everyone. You just have to be open to whatever energy your model is giving off in order to capture an image that does justice to their beauty.
My process is different for every shoot, but no matter what the shoot is, I always try to bring as much positive energy as I can and go in with the intention of creating the best images that I can. If I’m having a bad day or something bad happens right before a shoot, I make sure to not bring that negative energy with me because it will impact how the photos come out.
Our differences are what make us beautiful.
A photo is beautiful when it tells a story. Whether it’s a picture I’ve taken or one that someone else has taken, my favorite pictures always make me feel something when I look at them.
I want them to understand that they’re in a safe space, and that them feeling comfortable is always my number one priority. I will tell them all my ideas and if they’re not comfortable with an idea or just don’t like it, we’ll immediately scrap it. I want the models to feel good about the pictures during and after the shoot.
Going into doing a shoot with any model, the main thought I always have is how I want to do their beauty justice. There isn’t any exact technical formula to how I work. I do some shoots outdoors in direct sunlight, others in complete shade, and some in studios. The technical aspects of each shoot are different, but the thing that remains the same is my approach. For every shoot, I try to make the models as comfortable as they can be and try to build a connection with them.
I would say to just start taking more selfies of yourself. You don’t even need to post the pictures anywhere. The more pictures you take of yourself, the more comfortable you will be in front of a camera.
Basically everyone has a phone nowadays, so don’t hesitate to use it to document everything.
Going for a walk and not looking at my phone the whole time.
I want my work to be on magazine covers, commercials, billboards, [and more] so that I can spread the messages in my art as much as possible.
You should interview my friends April Kae and Ariel A. Pierre Louis. They’re both amazing models and activists.
When was the last time you challenged a beauty standard you hold for yourself? What did you learn wasn’t beautiful and how are you going to unlearn this?
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