Noodles

McDonalds Cheeseburger

For Comfort Food, Vancouver-based photographer Jackie Dives captures her nude friends as they indulge in their favorite “guilty pleasure” snacks. In these intimate moments, her subjects are invited to abandon all inhibitions in pursuit of self-gratification.

As the artist explains, preparing food and eating it be an exercise in connection and closeness, between lovers, families, and friends. On the other hand, consuming comfort foods can also be a confidential, private activity that becomes tied with feelings of self-esteem and body image. In shooting each individual in the nude, Dives raises the stakes and confronts those insecurities, leaving her subjects bared both physically and psychically.

With these nude pictures, Dives presents a refreshingly radical portrait of self-acceptance. Her subjects, though sometimes hesitant, ultimately embrace the exposure of their bodies as they do the unveiling of their personal food rituals. The photographer reports that she never felt awkward during the shoots, finding them far more thrilling than uncomfortable.

Without fetishizing the act of eating, Dives empowers her subjects’ most vulnerable selves. Through her humor and goodwill, she invites us not to be voyeurs but rather to identify with the delights of comfort food. “I am 100% an emotional eater, and I’m sort of okay with that,” writes the artist.

Almond Butter and Bananas

Doritos and Milk

Donuts

Roasted Chicken

Coffee

Birthday Carrot Cake

Jalapeño Chips and Milk

Yogurt, Blueberries, Brown Sugar

All images © Jackie Dives