Sexy or embarrassing? Mother, 55, strikes Playboy-style poses for daughter's photo project to challenge society's views of older women

By Sadie Whitelocks

PUBLISHED: 15:18 EST, 6 January 2014 | UPDATED: 15:24 EST, 6 January 2014

A raw and thought-provoking photo series sees a 55-year-old mother strike 'sexual' poses in front of the camera under her photographer daughter's direction.

Candace Krick from Colorado agreed to take part in her 27-year-old, Natalie's project titled Natural Deceptions, and bravely donned wigs, gaudy make-up and skimpy outfits for the occasion.

In one image she is seen with Skittles in her bra to give the appearance of erect nipples. Pursed lips, come-to-bed eyes and arms raised over her head complete the 'femme fatale' transformation.

Willing participant: Candace Krick , 55, poses in front of the camera for her photographer daughter Natalie

Willing participant: Candace Krick , 55, poses in front of the camera for her photographer daughter Natalie

Natalie told NY Mag that she and her mother think the portrait is 'hilarious' but it doesn't always get such an enthusiastic reaction.

 

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She recalled:' 'I remember showing this photograph in grad school at one of my reviews and one of the men in the room was like, "This is not funny. She should be embarrassed that her headlights are on.”

'I think a lot of the time, people view my work as a critique against my mom.

Role-play: The mother-of-one agreed to take part in her 27-year-old daughter's picture project titled Natural Deceptions, and bravely donned wigs, gaudy make-up and skimpy outfits for the occasion

Role-play: The mother-of-one agreed to take part in her 27-year-old daughter's picture project titled Natural Deceptions, and bravely donned wigs, gaudy make-up and skimpy outfits for the occasion

Come-to-bed eyes: While the mother-daughter duo think the images are fun, they make others feel 'uneasy'

Come-to-bed eyes: While the mother-daughter duo think the images are fun, they make others feel 'uneasy'

Is that me? Natalie says her 'shy' mother is often surprised how different she looks embodying personalities miles away from her own

Is that me? Natalie says her 'shy' mother is often surprised how different she looks embodying personalities miles away from her own

'I think that some of the pictures make them uncomfortable - like, this is an older woman being sexualized. I think it’s really powerful but can also make people uneasy and sometimes they lash out.'

Another image shows Candace pulling her shirt up to reveal a black lacy bra, which fails to match the white briefs visible through her stockings.

'I think that some of the pictures make them uncomfortable - like, this is an older woman being sexualized'

In the shot she appears blonde but in the previous one mentioned she is seen with raven-colored hair.

Natalie, who is based in Chicago, says her mother is always willing to pose for pictures, but it's not her 'favorite thing to do' because she is a 'little insecure' and 'shy.'

Often the mother-of-one is surprised how different she looks embodying 'sexy' personalities miles away from her own.

Along with playing characters ripped from the pages of vintage Playboy magazine, Natalie has also asked her similar-looking mother to 'play her'.

Last one! Although she's willing to pose for shots, apparently it's not 55-year-old Candace's favorite thing to do

Last one! Although she's willing to pose for shots, apparently it's not 55-year-old Candace's favorite thing to do

Collaborative process: She first started working with her daughter in 2009

Collaborative process: She first started working with her daughter in 2009

Caught on camera: Now there are dozens of images of her - the portraits are intended to challenge the concept of female sexuality and the aging process

Caught on camera: Now there are dozens of images of her - the portraits are intended to challenge the concept of female sexuality and the aging process

Mom as me: Here, Candace attempts to embody her similar-looking daughter

Mom as me: Here, Candace attempts to embody her similar-looking daughter

'Mom as me' is the caption of one of the shots and 'Mom as me as a teenager' is used for another.

The up-and-coming photographer says she can't help but look at the images and imagine herself in years to come.

'There's this question of, "Is this who I am going to be when I grow up? Am I going to turn into this woman?"'

With her photoproject she set out to challenge the stereotypical vision of female sexuality and explore how society treats women and the aging process.

Outlining her project for Shootout Magazine, she wrote: 'The photographs that I make with my mother are fueled by my conflicting attraction and aversion to popular culture.

Hold that pose! Natalie drew inspiration from vintage Playboys when styling the project

Hold that pose! Natalie drew inspiration from vintage Playboys when styling the project

'There's this question of, "Is this who I am going to be when I grow up? Am I going to turn into this woman?"' Natalie said of these images of her mother

'There's this question of, "Is this who I am going to be when I grow up? Am I going to turn into this woman?"' Natalie said of these images of her mother

'I photograph to portray beauty as artificial, flawed, threatening, psychological, seductive and garish' the up-and-coming photographer says

'I photograph to portray beauty as artificial, flawed, threatening, psychological, seductive and garish' the up-and-coming photographer says

Growing pains: In this image Candace imagines herself as her daughter when she was a teenager

Growing pains: In this image Candace imagines herself as her daughter when she was a teenager

'I am fascinated with perceptions of the sexualized body and the intersection between the ubiquitous and the taboo nature of sexuality.

'I photograph to portray beauty as artificial, flawed, threatening, psychological, seductive and garish.'

'The photographs that I make with my mother are fueled by my conflicting attraction and aversion to popular culture'

To emphasize superficiality and the 'facade of glamor' she used a 'harsh' flash and incorporated 'outrageous' colors.

The mother-daughter duo say the collaboration, which started out in 2009, has brought them closer together.

'We have talked about identity and how we think other people view us,' Natalie told the Chicago Arts Archive.

'It definitely has opened up conversations that probably wouldn’t have happened before. She is fully aware of my ideas.'

Laid bare: The images have attracted mixed reviews since being exhibited - 'some people just see flaws and bad photography,' Natalie said

Laid bare: The images have attracted mixed reviews since being exhibited - 'some people just see flaws and bad photography,' Natalie said

Learning curve: The mother-daughter duo say the collaboration, which started out in 2009, has brought them closer together

Learning curve: The mother-daughter duo say the collaboration, which started out in 2009, has brought them closer together

Before her mother became her muse, Natalie would recruit models off Craigslist and Model Mayhem but she often felt 'weird' asking them to strike such intimate poses.

Friends have also featured in her work and she has started inserting herself more recently.

Since she began showing the work in exhibitions, Natalie says reactions have been very mixed.

'Some people see complexity, and some people just see flaws and bad photography,' she told Slate.

'There’s something about doing things “wrong” that gets people all worked up, especially if you are a woman.'

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Lol

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Good for her !

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55 ????????????? GSOH obviously ....

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What did I just look at?

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Good project, brave mother. I wouldn't have that confidence.

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With all the positive comments, I believe she's got what it takes

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That's put me off my cornflakes :-(

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Go girl!!

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Maybe 2 are flattering...the rest turned my stomach!

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It's great that it brought them closer together!

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