In our society, the average attitude of the male toward the female is not respectful. It is irrational. It always comes down to possession. Some photographs of nude women show that men really don‘t know what they are photographing. They only see the part which interests them, or they distort or dismember the body in ways that are a form of abuse. I don‘t feel that one needs to do anything to make the body appear more sensual. Men have Photographed the female nude as if she belonged to them. The female body is the bearer of new life; it is so very innocent. That is what I instinctively like about it, and that’s why I photograph it.

— Ruth Bernhard