When you think of naturists, you probably cringe in horror remembering the time you went skinny dipping after a few too many sangrias.



But as photographer Amelia Allen's new book Naked Britain points out, naturism is something that's happening in Britain right now; and though you might not think it, encompasses every shape, age, colour and career.

Here, she explains how shadowing British Naturism clubs for two years changed her perception of 'beauty', and helped her learn to love her body.

"I’ve been a fashion photographer for quite a few years", she told Cosmopolitan UK. "And I spend a lot of time photographing what you would call ‘conventional beauty’ and ‘aesthetically pleasing models’ to promote clothes. I enjoy that industry; it’s fun and creative, but if you leave that bubble, you realise how warped it can make your perception of the human body.

Amelia Allen

"The pressures of social media and fashion shoots on women to conform to beauty standards, and the amount of behind-the-scenes work that has to go on to create 'the perfect image', can be overwhelming. As soon as you see the bigger picture, you realise not everyone looks like that, and it's not attainable for everyone. The standard body in the UK probably isn't perfectly groomed - with curves in the 'right places' - and I wanted to research this further."

After photographing portraits of friends naked in her spare time ("I felt a photograph of someone at their most vulnerable and raw was really lovely and honest"), Amelia visited a number of nudist camps in a bid to explore the naturist community, with the potential project in mind.

Amelia Allen

"I started by visiting a club 25 miles from where I live", she continued. "And once I got to know the people in the community, it quickly confirmed that this was what I wanted my book to focus on. I wanted to create beautiful images of something going on in the UK right now, something that most people don't even know about.



"And what they do know of it, people think is distasteful and odd, but it’s not; people assume a ‘naturist’ fits a certain stereotype, but it isn’t that at all. Some were in advertising, some people were young. It wasn't the stereotype people presume.



"The standard body in the UK probably isn't perfectly groomed, with curves in the 'right places'"

"I spent two years with the naturists on and off; I went to people’s homes, theme parks, naked festivals, naked bike rides in London and Brighton. All in Britain. I wanted to look at British attitudes to nudity, and people doing what I see as ‘stereotypical British things’ – changing the light bulb, being in the pub, having afternoon tea. And what's weird about having a dinner party with your friends, playing tennis or going swimming? Just because you’re naked, the activities are the same. There’s no intimacy; no sexuality.

Amelia Allen

"The general attitude towards nudity in this country is that it’s unsightly, unless it’s for a sexual reason. So it’s OK for retouched images of perfectly groomed men and women to grace magazine covers, but a woman breastfeeding in a café can be offensive? It’s such a double standard. Why can a woman have her bosoms out on a phonebox but not to feed her baby?"



Ironically, while shadowing the naturist community, Amelia began to understand that their attitude towards the human body wasn't actually to do with aesthetics at all, but rather the belief that "there’s more to life than how your body looks. It isn’t the be all and end all". The naked body isn't sexual, or creepy, but rather fulfilling the purpose of keeping you alive.

Amelia Allen

She continued, "Even after photographing naturism, I haven’t suddenly decided I’m a perfect woman who loves myself all the time. But what I have realised is there’s more to life than your appearance. My brain is a lot more important; what I can create with my imagination and my mind is so much more powerful than how my arse looks with or without jeans on.

"What I can create with my imagination and my mind is so much more powerful than how my arse looks with or without jeans on"

"We all get so hyped up about nudity and what's underneath our clothes, but actually, I've learnt that the purpose of our body is to fulfil functions and get us through life. When people get ill, it makes you realise the human body isn’t there to fulfil aesthetic desires; it’s very narcissistic of us to obsess over our appearance when it’s fighting to keep us alive. Because who cares what you look like, so long as you’re healthy and happy?



Amelia's self portrait from Naked Britain Amelia Allen

"It’s about being the best version of yourself as opposed to striving for something unattainable, or letting your surroundings shape your idea of ‘beautiful’. I feel so much more powerful showing off what I can create with my mind, rather than what I look like in a crop top. The project is about positive body image and equality in a community, and has a really nice energy.

"I feel much stronger, more powerful, sexier, and attractive, being a successful photographer with something to show for myself, rather than pinning everything on my appearance.

"I am not represented by just my body; I’d much rather people judged me for my work than whether I’m a size 8 or a size 14."



BUY NOW Naked Britain, £35.00, Amelia Allen Photography.