The Pillow book II (chelhoiro2)

My second favorite image from the Pillowbook shoot. In the movie the woman who wants to be written on (then did it herself because the men weren't doing it right) was taught calligraphy by her father - so was Hiroko.

The phrase she is painting on Chelsea's back is a quote from Cartier-Bresson: "The thing to be feared most is the artificially contrived".

The Pillow Book historically is a feminist icon in Japan because it was written by a woman, as a diary, at a time women were forbidden to write and was written in characters invented by women.

I love Chelsea's pose, I think she looks particularly beautiful here, but the lighting is not as successful as I'd like. I also regret not including more of Hiroko's face which was a picture of calm concentration. I'd like to reshoot this one.