There were many advantages for Elisabeth Van Aalderen. She applied to the photography department of the Fotovakschool in Amsterdam after receiving her diploma from the Utrecht School of Arts. She has since worked as an art director and stylist in the fashion industry, but she ultimately left her position to follow her passion of being a professional photographer. But when Elisabeth was 25 years old, about 8 years ago, something happened that attempted to slow her down. Lipidation. a skin condition where white patches appear on the skin due to a lack of melanin.
According to Elisabeth, “I started to get tiny white spots on my left hand,” Bored Panda reported. “The little spots combined into one larger spot after a few weeks.
There were many advantages for Elisabeth Van Aalderen. She applied to the photography department of the Fotovakschool in Amsterdam after receiving her diploma from the Utrecht School of Arts. She has worked in the since the beginning. I have vitiligo covering 60% of my skin right now.”
The majority of people who have this skin condition have these patches all over their bodies.
Further details on elisabethva.com and Instagram
#1
“After receiving my diagnosis, I began skin therapy, which included lightening therapy, creams, vegetarianism, a gluten-free diet, lots of sun exposure, and yoga. “I tried everything, you name it,” Elisabeth declared. “It didn’t work. I eventually stopped receiving these treatments since I didn’t want to live that kind of life. Since I was unable to change my vitiligo, I began to accept it.”
The photographer thinks there’s a reason why she has vitiligo. “It’s my biggest and most difficult journey of self-acceptance.”
#2
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to take Sharista’s pictures and am in awe of her inner and outer beauty. Such a brave power woman, and such a kind soul. She is an inspiration to a lot of people.
A girl approached her out of the blue a few years ago and remarked, “I really love your skin colour; it’s like your own unique tattoo.” You ought to feel pleased. Elisabeth was motivated by this experience to start a photo series that is only for individuals who are similar to her. In the course of my work as a photographer, I was frequently questioned about my skin. This got me thinking: why not combine my skin condition and my portrait photography experiences? Using photography to capture and honour the vitiligo body is [a fantastic idea]. It is a tribute to its inherent beauty and individuality.”
Elisabeth started a project she named Shades of Pale with the goal of raising awareness of this illness. Approximately 60 million individuals worldwide have vitiligo, but many people are unaware of what it is,” she clarified. “I also want to share the tale of powerful, attractive women who, in this instance, set themselves apart from others by celebrating their appearance. I want to show women who are comfortable in their own skin. I don’t want vitiligo to be perceived as something that is “out of the box.” I think there’s no box when it comes to beauty. Beauty of all kinds must be inclusive. You can define beauty however you see fit.”
#3
“I have photographed women from all over the world who come in all kinds of shapes and colours,” said Elisabeth. The range of ages is 20 to 50 years old. They saw this experience as more than just a means of artistic expression. It has also proved to be very healing. Ninety percent of them had never appeared in front of a camera. They ventured far beyond their comfort zone. The fact that the photo shoot boosted their confidence makes me feel incredibly fulfilled. It was a process of acceptance and healing for many of the women I have portrayed. Social media has such a large community, which is amazing because it has allowed me to connect with all these lovely people. For me, it has been such a rewarding experience.
and for the people I represented.”
There is currently no recognised treatment or prevention for the illness. Physicians typically offer corticosteroid creams and cosmetics to patients to help with the appearance of damaged skin. Additional popular remedies include lightening the skin in unaffected areas, getting a skin graft, or using UV light therapy to re-pigment the white skin.
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“I took Emely’s picture today for the vitiligo project. She is such a beautiful, self-assured Cape Verdean woman!”
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“I had the honour of taking pictures of Marie Lenander, who was my third subject for the Vitiligo project. She travelled to Amsterdam to participate in this, and I feel incredibly honoured. The goal of this project is to embrace the vitiligo body and its aesthetic while promoting body positivity and celebrating our individuality.
For me, meeting someone who experienced the same difficulties as I did—that is, a young woman trying to fit in anywhere in the world—was also incredibly special. If you were meant to be different, why even try to fit in?”
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“Occasionally, you come across people who make you happy. Anna took a plane from Budapest to participate in the series Shades of Pale. It’s crazy how similar our vitiligo is. She might be my gorgeous younger sister. I appreciate Anna coming to Amsterdam and becoming a new friend.
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“I took pictures of Gaby, my fifth subject, last week. She was a little nervous, but I’m so glad she participated in this. We discussed coping strategies for facing the challenge of accepting something beyond your control. Our pride and awesomeness cannot be taken over by vitiligo; it can only take over our skin! That’s the essence of Gaby: an incredible, freaking woman.
#17
Gorgeous Emilie in front of my camera. I came across this woman completely accepting her vitiligo body on Instagram. It affected me. A connection is made instantly when two people overcome similar fears and struggle together. The powerful thing about having vitiligo is that it makes you stand out and forces you to accept your own beauty. Let’s all rejoice over that. —– The focus of this project is body positivity, celebrating individuality, and accepting the vitiligo body and its aesthetic.
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Natalie was the first person I got to photograph for the Vitiligo project. She travelled to Amsterdam to participate in this, and I feel incredibly honoured. The main goals of this project are to embrace the vitiligo body and its aesthetic, promote body positivity, and celebrate each of our individuality.
For me, meeting someone who experienced the same difficulties as I did—that is, a young woman trying to fit in anywhere in the world—was also incredibly special.
If you were meant to be different, why even try to fit in?”
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“Occasionally, you come across people who make you happy. Anna took a plane from Budapest to participate in the series Shades of Pale. It’s crazy how similar our vitiligo is. She might be my gorgeous younger sister. I appreciate Anna coming to Amsterdam and becoming a new friend.
#23
“It was an honour to capture Emilie, my sixth subject for the Vitiligo project, on camera. She travelled to Amsterdam to participate in this, and I feel incredibly honoured. The focus of this project is body positivity, celebrating individuality, and accepting the vitiligo body and its aesthetic.
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“Let me begin by expressing my love for my vitiligo skin and for every one of the special girls I got to pose for pictures with, showcasing their unique spots. But that doesn’t mean we don’t face challenges.
This is the time of year that I struggle the most for myself. As the weather warms, we are exposing more of our skin to the elements. I do feel comfortable in my own skin, but vitiligo can have a profoundly negative impact on one’s life.
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Wonderful Maria arrived by plane, travelling from Colorado. For her, vitiligo means “letting go.” In a literal sense, we are bidding adieu to melatonin, but more broadly, we are emancipating ourselves from the concept of beauty.
The goal of this project is to inspire people to be their most genuine selves and to help break down barriers. You can define beauty however you see fit.
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