A group of 100 women of all ages, shapes and sizes smile up at a drone-operated camera as they lie holding hands in a circle — wearing nothing but their underwear.
It's an unusual sight that has become increasingly common at beaches and fields along the Fleurieu Peninsula coastline south of Adelaide.
The gatherings are the brainchild of Libby Tozer, who runs a female-focused movement named She Is Seen.
Ms Tozer, from SA town of Middleton, says the aim is to "shift shame by sharing stories and flooding print and social media with images of what bodies actually look like".
It started when she wrote a children's book, focusing on "a little girl who loved herself", but received feedback from the publisher that she was "empowering the mother too much" in the story.
It was a light-bulb moment for Ms Tozer, who realised she had to write the text for adults, rather than kids, and shape it around the ups and downs of women's lives and the effects they have on body image.
To illustrate the book, Through Her Eyes, she bought a camera, despite never having used one, and put a call-out on social media for women who would be willing to have their stomachs photographed.
Assuming the volunteers would want privacy, she brought items to strategically place or hold as they posed to hide their identities — but was taken aback by how open the women were.
"They were awesome … they were like, 'We don't care, they can be full nudes'," she said.
After the positive reaction, Ms Tozer again turned to social media, and planted the seed of an idea to hold underwear photo shoots, encouraging more women — even shyer ones — to take part.
What bodies really look like
Between 20 and 30 women attended her first big shoot at Petrel Cove, and from there it grew, with just under 100 taking part at the largest gathering.
Ms Tozer estimates she has now photographed more than 500 women since 2017.
Along with the group photo shoots, which are posted on the She Is Seen social media accounts, the movement has evolved to include podcast interviews with diverse women and a group writing platform to encourage the sharing of stories.
"It's about recognising that there really is no 'normal' and if there is normal, it doesn't fit into one size or shape, and it isn't defined by skin type or hair colour.
"It is not one anything, it is wonderfully diverse."
She believes the more secure people feel within themselves, the more confidence and self-respect they have.
'The connections are special'
As the gatherings grew in size, it dawned on Ms Tozer how empowering it was for the participants to be around one another.
She said the personal stories she has heard from some of the women have been particularly special, including one from a woman who had cancer.
"I said, 'Please do it, this is what's it's all about', so I took these photos of her and she was just incredible.
"She was this beautiful woman who didn't have any kids of her own, so she was this matriarchal energy at the photo shoot, and I know she created some beautiful relationships that night too."
And despite COVID-19 disrupting gatherings for the past two years, Ms Tozer said enthusiasm for the project didn't look to be easing any time soon — something she was grateful for.
"The right people are always there … there have been so many of those [stories]," she said.
"There are some really confident women who don't care. There are others who are mortified, but they're still showing up."
