Facebook bans photographer for posting photos of nude models with mannequin

A photographer whose work portrays the bodies of women"who don't want to fit the mold" says she is "floored" after being temporarily banned by Facebookagain.

Julia Busato, a Guelph, Ont.-based photographerstarted the series last year,taking photos of naked modelsposed behind a mannequin figure.

There's no explicit nudity that's hidden behind the mannequin ordigitally obscured but she sayssome of the photos havebeen reported and removed from her Facebook album, earning her a 30-day ban on the site which began late last week.

That's when things really took offpeople started sharing the album (now more than 200,000 times) and her Facebook page has gained more than 50,000 new followers. Under the ban she can log in and look aroundbut she can't post or reply to anything.

"I'm freaking out. I've been shaking since this morning. It's hard to breathe," she says."It's just been mayhem."

It's not the first time Busato has been banned from the site, and that ticks her off.

"I'm totally floored by it. I'm frustrated. They don't justify why they do it."

Her photos mostly feature women, but she has also photographed some men for the series.BusatosaidFacebooktold her some ofthe reported photos violated their standards fornudity.

FacebookCanada told CBC News that Busato had posted pictures which broke their nudity guidelinesbut didn't clarify which ones. The remaining photos appearto fit within whatFacebookallows nudity-wise.However, Busatosaidshe never posted any with straight-up nudity.

'It hurts'

All thisattention has been bittersweetfor Busato. Many have been supportive. Butthere have beenhateful messages hurled at the models too, diggingat theirweight, their lifestyle and even little details, like their hair.

Busato feels guilty that she put her models"in harm's way more or less."

"The hate is jetted towards them," she said. "It hurts. They are just attacking these girls for no particular reason."

Adina Ingramis a plus-sized trainer who posedfor the series. She says shehas been getting commentsabout her "mid-section" and people calling her lazy. She said reading them the past few days hasbeen tough.

"I've been doing this for a while. I'vebeen growing a bit of thick skin,"Ingram admitted. "I've had do a lot of soul searching and a lot of mental work youropinionof me is none of my business."

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'Bring it on'

Ingram posed for the photo last year after turning 40 andbreaking up with her husband of 21 years. She was nervous and apprehensive at first but said it was one of the best things she's done.

Her photo was one of those that was reported and removed from the album, but it has since returned. Ingram figures the photo may have made someone uncomfortable something she is not sorry about.

"We're choosing not to follow whatever society's standards is."

Since the album went viral, Ingram has had to explain the situation to her 11-year-old daughter, which she said was a difficult thing to do.

"The biggest step for me has been finding a voice and a confidence to share my voice with my friends and family." She hopes that one day, she andher daughter will be able to pose in a similar photo,together.

Busatohas a 16-year-old daughter who is eager to do the same thing. "This is the way we should be raising our kids. It's nudity. It's not sexuality."

Busato said the negative comments have helped pushthe project even further. And for her, theFacebook ban is just a small setback she sayspeople have been reaching out eager to have their own photo taken and added to the series.

"Bring it on it's not stopping me," she jokes. "I just want everybody to all feel good about themselves."