We are all made up of contrasts.
Our feminine and our masculine; the Ying & Yang; our light & our darkness. This is our journey of creating a photo documentary portraying humans with albinism & vitiligo. To raise awareness and unify all beings.
Because our differences make us the same.
To be the first to know about new developments about this project, please subscribe to our mailing list:
Or, if you can help us reach a wider audience, need more information or just want to give us a digital *high five*
How it started
DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY
Even nowadays it is unbelievable how difficult it is to find real diversity when working with modeling agencies. Although things have slowly started to change for the better, we are definitely not there yet.
We set out to find the most extraordinary faces of the world to change industry norms and stereotypes.
What back in March 2018 started with an initial intention to show the beauty of our differences, evolved over time into wanting to tackle a worldwide social problem.
Through talking with our models we learned about the hardships they needed to go through just because of the color of their skin. These stories were shocking to us.
The more we heard, the more we wanted to shine a light on this issue.
This project brought us from South Africa, Zanzibar and the United States to Brazil and showed us how Albinism and Vitiligo are treated around the world.
Unfortunately, a different physical appearance still leads to discrimination and injustice in many places worldwide.
This stigma comes from people being uneducated about these skin conditions. Albinism and vitiligo are widely misunderstood as a contagious disease. Which can lead to isolation and thereby social, psychological, and professional damage.
“There are myths that people with albinism do not die, they disappear, and if one has sexual intercourse with a person with albinism, their HIV status is cured. Or that when you drink the blood of a person with albinism, you will have supernatural powers. ” – Mazibuko.
Even to this day, some witchcraft doctors in Africa spread the false belief that Albino human body parts can bring wealth and good luck, which results in violent attacks and murders.
new insights
LEARNING CURVE
We were impressed by how, despite difficulties, each and every portrayed individual has tapped into their authentic beauty. By not only fully accepting who they are but also raising their voices, they became true inspirations of confidence.
Coming from mostly white privileged backgrounds ourselves, we are navigating a world unknown to us. Learning step-by-step as we go.
It was interesting to see how our project got picked up and shared immensely by the Black Lives Matter movement. We feel grateful to have been able to contribute in this way. And thankful for the new knowledge about this topic it has brought us.
But we also realized that just creating
pretty pictures is not enough.
We want to do more.
The next step
A FUNDRAISER
We can truly say that we became richer and wiser persons in our hearts by dedicating our time and efforts to this project. Besides, we feel honored to have been able to give our ‘work of contrast’ models the stage they deserve.
And even though we needed to reach deep into our own pockets to be able to fly across the world to make these photo shoots happen, we feel grateful to be in a position to do so.
So now, it is time to give back.
Through the use of crowdsourcing, we now want to raise donations for a good cause related to Albinism and Vitiligo. Some of these photos will soon be for sale to contribute to the charity of our choice.
We are currently looking into where these funds would end up making the most impact.
About
The team
Before starting ‘The work of contrast’, each of us had already been using our creative gift as a tool to create awareness and change for a better world.
So when we met, the three of us soon found out to be creative soulmates that complement each other on a personal level as well as workwise.
Our friendship led to a mission to join forces to capture authentic appearances.
MICHELLE VAN DIJK
International photographer born in the Netherlands, but raised in South Africa.
Her background combined with traveling the world, learning from different cultures, visiting indigenous people, and seeing the reality of racial injustice, basic needs for survival in third & first world countries, and female racism injustice – led her on a mission to create impact through the art of photography.
JULIËTTE DEN OUDEN
International hair & make-up artist and founder of JDO-Group.
Committed herself to teach and help others by starting an Academy and supporting the unemployed with training and education. As an ambassador for ‘Hairdressers Without Borders’ she travels to third-world countries to empower victims of abuse or extreme poverty to become self-sufficient by teaching them her craft.
ZILLA VAN DEN BORN
Digital artist and retoucher
fascinated by fake realities.
The power of Photoshop made her realize how filtered and edited photos can change our perception of the world or even damage one’s self-esteem. As a social experiment, she created a 5-week holiday to create awareness about the risks of editing software, which went viral all over the world.
The work of contrast
An overview of the individual parts of this project
Over the past 3 years we have done 8 shoots that each contributed with their own unique visuals and story to the unifying ‘Work of contrast’ project:
- Ying/yang fashion editorial 2018
- Coiffure Awards Men’s series 2019
- Authenticity 2019
- Nontebeko Beauty 2019
- The 24-hour project 2019
- Coiffure Awards Women’s series 2020
- Coiffure Awards Men’s series 2020
- Twins 2021
Team credits
Photography Michelle van Dijk
Make-up & hair Juliëtte den Ouden
Retouch by Zilla
Our beautiful models Lara Bawar, Mara Bawar, Sheila Bawar @lara_mara_sheila
Sanele Xaba (Boss Models South Africa) @sanele_xaba
Daberechi Ukoha-Kalu (IMG Models) @daberechi
Nontobeko Mbuyazi (Models International South Africa) @madam_ntobe
Tilila Oulhaj (Models 1) @808tilly
Yvesmark Chery @yvesmark.chery
Kokie Childers @kokeadile
Moostapha Saidi @moostapha_s
Gideon Allen @gideon__allen
Fiifi Sarpong (Boss Models South Africa) @iifiannan_
The stylists we’ve partnered with Kristi Vlok @kristivlok
Patricia Cedeño @patriciacedenoo
Ky Bxshxff @kybxshxff
Jody Scott
Big thanks to Evert van de Braak
Work of contrast
Capturingauthenticbeauty. B
We are all made up of contrasts.
Our feminine and our masculine; the Ying & Yang; our light & our darkness. This is our journey of creating a photo documentary portraying humans with albinism & vitiligo. To raise awareness and unify all beings.
Because our differences make us the same.
To be the first to know about new developments about this project,
please subscribe to our mailing list:
How it started
DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY
Even nowadays it is unbelievable how difficult it is to find real diversity when working with modeling agencies. Although things have slowly started to change for the better, we are definitely not there yet.
We set out to find the most extraordinary faces of the world to change industry norms and stereotypes.
What back in March 2018 started with an initial intention to show the beauty of our differences, evolved over time into wanting to tackle a worldwide social problem.
Through talking with our models we learned about the hardships they needed to go through just because of the color of their skin. These stories were shocking to us.
The more we heard, the more we wanted to shine a light on this issue.
This project brought us from South Africa, Zanzibar and the United States to Brazil and showed us how Albinism and Vitiligo are treated around the world.
Unfortunately, a different physical appearance still leads to discrimination and injustice in many places worldwide.
This stigma comes from people being uneducated about these skin conditions. Albinism and vitiligo are widely misunderstood as a contagious disease. Which can lead to isolation and thereby social, psychological, and professional damage.
“There are myths that people with albinism do not die, they disappear, and if one has sexual intercourse with a person with albinism, their HIV status is cured. Or that when you drink the blood of a person with albinism, you will have supernatural powers. ” – Mazibuko.
Even to this day, some witchcraft doctors in Africa spread the false belief that Albino human body parts can bring wealth and good luck, which results in violent attacks and murders.
new insights
LEARNING CURVE
We were impressed by how, despite difficulties, each and every portrayed individual has tapped into their authentic beauty. By not only fully accepting who they are but also raising their voices, they became true inspirations of confidence.
Coming from mostly white privileged backgrounds ourselves, we are navigating a world unknown to us. Learning step-by-step as we go.
It was interesting to see how our project got picked up and shared immensely by the Black Lives Matter movement. We feel grateful to have been able to contribute in this way. And thankful for the new knowledge about this topic it has brought us.
But we also realized that just creating
pretty pictures is not enough.
We want to do more.
About
The team
Before starting ‘The work of contrast’, each of us had already been using our creative gift as a tool to create awareness and change for a better world.
So when we met, the three of us soon found out to be creative soulmates that complement each other on a personal level as well as workwise.
Our friendship led to a mission to join forces to capture authentic appearances.
MICHELLE VAN DIJK
International photographer born in the Netherlands, but raised in South Africa.
Her background combined with traveling the world, learning from different cultures, visiting indigenous people, and seeing the reality of racial injustice, basic needs for survival in third & first world countries, and female racism injustice – led her on a mission to create impact through the art of photography.
JULIËTTE DEN OUDEN
International hair & make-up artist and founder of JDO-Group.
Committed herself to teach and help others by starting an Academy and supporting the unemployed with training and education. As an ambassador for ‘Hairdressers Without Borders’ she travels to third-world countries to empower victims of abuse or extreme poverty to become self-sufficient by teaching them her craft.
ZILLA VAN DEN BORN
Digital artist and retoucher
fascinated by fake realities.
The power of Photoshop made her realize how filtered and edited photos can change our perception of the world or even damage one’s self-esteem. As a social experiment, she created a 5-week holiday to create awareness about the risks of editing software, which went viral all over the world.
The work of contrast
An overview of the individual parts of this project.
Over the past 3 years we have done 8 shoots that each contributed with their own unique visuals and story to the unifying ‘Work of contrast’ project:
- Ying/yang fashion editorial 2018
- Coiffure Awards Men’s series 2019
- Authenticity 2019
- Nontebeko Beauty 2019
- The 24-hour project 2019
- Coiffure Awards Women’s series 2020
- Coiffure Awards Men’s series 2020
- Twins 2021
Team credits
Photography
Michelle van Dijk
Make-up & hair
Juliëtte den Ouden
Retouch
by Zilla
Our beautiful models Lara Bawar, Mara Bawar, Sheila Bawar @lara_mara_sheila
Sanele Xaba (Boss Models South Africa) @sanele_xaba
Daberechi Ukoha-Kalu (IMG Models) @daberechi
Nontobeko Mbuyazi (Models International South Africa) @madam_ntobe
Tilila Oulhaj (Models 1) @808tilly
Yvesmark Chery @yvesmark.chery
Kokie Childers @kokeadile
Moostapha Saidi @moostapha_s
Gideon Allen @gideon__allen
Fiifi Sarpong (Boss Models South Africa) @iifiannan_
Stylists
Kristi Vlok @kristivlok
Patricia Cedeño @patriciacedenoo
Ky Bxshxff @kybxshxff
Jody Scott
Big thanks to
Evert van de Braak
If you can help us reach a wider audience, need more information or just want to give us a digital *high five*