How do you express yourself through photography and modeling?

Styling and mood. I love incorporating film into my work because it feels timeless and elevated in a way that I feel like plus bodies are rarely represented in most forms of photography. We’re given playful and sexy, but there’s so many more aspects to living in a plus body where our bodies aren’t the topic of conversation.

How has the last year+ changed you and/or your priorities?

I definitely shifted my work. I used to shoot mostly streetstyle and a lot of commercial work. During the pandemic, and during last summer’s protests, I realized there was so much work to be done that could be started just at home. Being actively anti-racist, supporting POC-owned businesses, slow fashion and sustainability. I work mostly one-on-one with models now and have found it so fulfilling to work on portfolio development. Seeing models get work and get paid after leaving my set makes me so happy.

What changes in the world do you hope to see as it does open back up?

Ultimately more kindness and understanding. I personally suffer from social anxiety so I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to being in huge crowds again. I hope outdoor dining stays in New York though. The city feels renewed, back to its roots.

What new creative pursuits do you have for this next stage?

I was gifted a 4x5 camera and really wanted to get into shooting that. Film in general. More editorials on film, and overall exploring what that means to me; a bigger sense of quiet within my work.

Why do you use Squarespace?

It's so easy to use! I love all the options & how you can easily shift the templates depending on your workflow.

How can fashion and modeling change the world?

I think it’s interesting — thinking even about the past year and how vastly TikTok has shifted a lot of mindsets. Young people will change the world for this reason — they dove into Y2K and thrifting and now those are the trends. Same with thrifted decor, etc. I would love to see this sense of self driving brands on a global scale.

The only thing that worries me is the micro-trends and overconsumption. That could easily change the world for the negative. But seeing everyone, not just size 0-2 models. Diverse model boards, brands casting for a sense of realness … all those things are positive.

Lydia Hudgens is a fashion photographer and model who focuses on growing inclusivity in an industry just beginning to embrace body positivity and diversity of form.

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