My sustained investigation explored women, empowerment, and confidence. I wanted to take photos that made my subject feel empowered and encourage body positivity. I edited all my photos to black in white, to focus more on the individual instead of the background. In addition, I chose to mute the colors to allow the viewer to look at a person as a whole instead of tuning into specific traits that may influence how someone sees their beauty. For instance, an individual may find a specific hair or eye color more attractive, muting colors encourages people to look beyond the surface and superficial traits. Also, I wanted to show that a woman's confidence is not hindered by removing color because personality is just as vibrant. Next year I am going to study Fashion Merchandising at Washington State University. The fashion industry is a big contributor to beauty standards. I used this project to explore how I can make a difference and start creating a more inclusive industry.