Lana Prins has had an obsession with the female body since she was 15. She knows how to capture it in the most beautiful ways. Her greatest sources of inspiration for the most romantic and cheeky images are her friends, her sister and herself, too. Because it’s okay to be proud of your body and sexuality in a world dominated by the male gaze.
What came first, your photography or your beautiful friends?
My lovely friends! I was lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful women when I started taking pictures when I was 15, and I still am. I was thrilled to experiment with it and challenge boundaries.
Your work is characterised by women, romance and the most exotic locations. What’s your story?
I strive to romanticise the world around me. My work is only a fraction of the exciting stories that go on in my head. I want enable the viewer to experience these stories by documenting parts of them. The curiosity I developed for the female body as a little girl has turned into an obsession. My work’s sensuality is not only an actualisation of my imagination, but also of the sensuality every woman possesses. As I started discovering photography, I discovered my own sexuality as well, and it helped me to develop that. I think that shows in my work. I want to portray the feeling of freedom I get when I express myself. I never really felt like something held me back, and I want to encourage people to feel the same way.
What would you say if someone would accuse you of objectifying the female body?
If anyone thinks my photographs are shallow, sexual images, and nothing more than that, then I believe this says something about that person, not my work. An image of a naked woman does not have to objectify the female body. My work is about my passion for the female body, sexuality and sensuality, not about pleasing people. In my opinion, women have the right to be proud of their bodies, and I hope that my models feel the same way.
Why do you only photograph women, and will you stick to that?
A woman can be seen as a symbol of innocence, but also as a sex symbol. I like to play with these two elements in my work. This is incredibly interesting to me. I don’t think that I could ever see or photograph men in the same way.
How do you choose your models?
I’m lucky to know the most beautiful women in the world: my friends and my sister. I prefer to work with people I know, because there is a more intimate connection. This also results in more sincere, real photographs, because I know my models are comfortable with me.
You often model in your own photography. How do you describe the difference between a self-portrait and a selfie?
My self portraits are an expression of a certain emotion. It may sound a little strange, but turning myself into the subject of a photograph feels like I’m having an intimate moment with myself. I like to take the time for it. In a selfie, there’s not much of my personality or emotion.
Credits
Text Channa Brunt
Photography Lana Prins