When I was 19 and in college, which was a while ago, I remember when a “real” model visited a friend of mine on campus. The model was beautiful and skinny. I noticed how the men looked at her, even my boyfriend. When we all ate in the college cafeteria, she would have a cup of tea and not much else. And the girl really smoked a lot. She told me it kept away the cravings. As innocent as it may seem, this is the first time it occurred to me how one could work to look like those girls on the cover of Vogue magazine. Was this beauty actually attainable, I wondered?

I was a cross country athlete and in good shape, but it never occurred to me to eat less and I could look better. This idea seemed to seep into my consciousness more and more. Finally, I tried to cut down on food. After few days, it became difficult to function in my busy life. I thought maybe if I took up smoking that could help. But I hated the smell of cigarettes and the way it made my hair, clothes and room smell. And I was a runner. A no-brainer, right? So I came to my senses and gave up trying to look like a model.

I’m older now and still love the beautiful photos in Vogue. But, I know this is just an ideal being portayed. A dream being sold. Many young women, however, get sucked in like I almost did.

A recent ban on skinny models during Madrid Fashion Week has brought to light this issue. The shocking move caused a media blitz last month. This is the first time in the world there’s been a ban like this. While spearheaded by the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers, the ban did not translate to fashion shows in London , Italy or Paris . Some in the U.S. were outraged by the ban.

Cathy Gould, of New York ’s Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for weight-related illnesses. “I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer?” she asked, adding that the careers of naturally “gazelle-like” models could be damaged.

No photographers were quoted about the ban. I wondered why? Shouldn’t photographers get involved? Well, I recently surfed some pro-anorexia web sites. Here, girls swap “thinspiration” on how many hours or days they can make it without eating or eating very little. They also plaster fashion photos of rail thin models on the sites to inspire them. Some are completely gross. They post ad campaigns and photos of sub-zero size actresses too. Others put these photos on their cell phones for motivation. Here’s a real entry on one of the web sites:

“Every time I see some food, I look away. It’s hard, but when I feel weak, I look at a picture of Mischa Barton that I loaded on my mobile.”

It is difficult to know how exactly the “thin machine” gets perpetuated. What is easy is who has access to women susceptible to this disease. Photographers are in a unique position to spot problems and can be leaders on this issue.

In 2005, Adi Barkan, an Israeli photographer and model agent, became aware of the pervasiveness of anorexia when he interviewed 12,000 females, ages 13 to 24, in a televised search for Israel ’s next supermodel. He estimated that between 35 and 40 percent of the aspiring models were anorexic. This persuaded him to launch a crusade to combat it within his industry.

I will leave you with a Sept. 06 ad I found on Craigslist.org written by a U.S. photographer searching for “Extra Thin Models.” It should strike a nerve if you read between the carefully-crafted lines:

“Models Who Eat Carefully:

We live and work in a world focused on glamour, fashion and appearance. Many people have struggled with self-image issues that result in selective or restrictive eating.

As a fine art and professional photographer, I have many years’ experience of documenting peoples’ lives. This is a documentary project that seeks to–gently and with dignity—portray this silent struggle in the lives of everyday people.

Many people are timid about revealing this about themselves. However, if you restrict what you eat, or focus on not eating often, I would like to invite you to participate in this photography project. I am a professional, and approach my work and subjects with respect and dignity.

A few more details: All ages are welcome. No nudity is involved. All responses to this posting will be confidential. This is not a paid position; however, I always provide free professional prints, and possibly other photographic services, in thanks for your help.”- a.s.

When I learned that Annie Leibovitz came out with a new book and that it had pictures of her partner, the writer Susan Sontag, and her father after both had died I thought it sounded grim. For starters, I don’t much like seeing bodies at wakes. To capture it in pics for all posterity seemed distasteful at the very least. But I always admired her work and her judgment. So when I found out she was going to speak locally, at the D.C. bookstore, “Politics and Prose,” I had to go and hopefully get an answer as to why she took them and chose to publish them in “A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005.” Moreover, I knew I’d finally get to see the pictures that reviewers were trying so hard NOT to talk about.

What a turnout. When I arrived more than an hour prior to the event, the 200 chairs were already filled in the tiny bookstore/coffeehouse and floor space for standing was limited. I managed to find a small plot up front and sat on the carpet. While waiting, I entertained myself by answering the questions of some cute over-60 ladies on how to work their digital cameras, how to turn the flash on, how to take it off, etc. I wondered if many knew what they were in for. Sure, they knew the artist took stunning portraits of celebrities, but did they know they would be getting to know the real Leibovitz. Why she took pictures of dead people she loved and put them in a book. I admit I was a woman obsessed. But the concept mesmerized me.

I sensed intuitively that this book was different from many of Leibovitz’s, something more personal and invasive. For starters, there were nudes of the photographer herself, done beautifully.

From my space, I had to twist my neck a bit to see the screen which undoubtedly would display her photos. Then, like a miracle, one of the ladies I was helping offered to give me the seat she was saving for a friend who was unable to make it. As I happily settled in, the store announced that they weren’t letting anybody else in. They were filled to capacity.

Now I have met mayors, a governor or two and even a U.S. president but I felt so excited for this event - in an intuitive way like I was about to be part of something rare and special and be inspired in a way that I hadn’t in a long time.

While waiting, I flipped through Leibovitz’s gigantic tome, so heavy they have to charge $75 for it. I turned the pages gingerly, careful not to touch the images themselves. Most of the personal work of her mother, father, sister, children and Sontag, was in black and white. That lent a certain dignity to it all since they were real people not stylized celebrities. The truth was there raw “in black and white” as they say. Most of the celebrity shots were in color. Maybe they needed color to be more genuine.

So about 6:55 p.m., in walked Leibovitz, unassuming, slight, quiet. She was dressed head to toe Manhattan chic. Black V-neck sweater, layered over a grey tee, black pants, rimmed glasses. She was slimmer than I imaged and seemed shyer.

Lucky for us, she would read selections from the intro in her book while showing slides on the wall. It took her a while to get comfortable. She needed a stool so she could see the screen. They 86′ed the obtrusive podium set up for her. She almost sat on the floor. Finally, they found her a chair so she could begin. I was hoping my answer would be on its way.

Just as she began, though, I flipped to the Sontag pics taken after she died from cancer. They were in color. Printed small . . . in a contact sheet style . . . in a series. The 71-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning author looked peaceful and stunning. It showed her lying on a bier, wearing makeup and a favorite dress she bought in Milan. I imagined what it would be like to be with Sontag as she lay there motionless. To spend time with her in that way, taking some time to say goodbye and pose her for her last photo?

I thought about this too as I saw photos of Leibovitz’s dead father, joined by his wife and daughter in his bed. I began to understand. It seemed to me like the most honest thing you could do and most courageous. Capturing the moment most feared by us. To spend time with someone you love in the moment you dread. Not rushing their passing. Experiencing the moment and then immortalizing it with the camera. Birth is a photo-significant moment. Why not death?

To take the day to say goodbye seems like a luxury to me now. The photos are not grim. You already had a lifetime of hellos with the person. Goodbye deserves some time too.

(For more, see imaginginfo.com’s full news account of the event under this week’s online exclusives)

Most of us believe photography should be used for the greater good. Ideally, we hope our images expose viewers to the world’s injustices, creating awareness of poverty, natural disasters, disease, famine, the toll of war, etc.

In a way, a photographer’s lens serves as the eyes of humanity: keeping tabs on remote areas of the world or even a corner of our neighborhood that we can’t see.

Photos also document the beauty of our world: the details of real life. The creases of a woman’s face. The intersection where volcanic fire streams into the ocean. A white wedding on a clear June morning. Images can fill us with inspiration and calm.

Photography is power.

Then, there is the flipside. A lens used for evil.

According to recent Boston Globe article, a Clinton , Conn. couple was charged with child pornography involving a girl who wanted to be a model. The husband, Robert Gamble, 59, was a professional photographer who began taking pictures of the girl when she was 13, telling her that photo sessions would help her modeling career. She was rewarded with new clothing and increased privileges, which were taken away if she refused to participate.

Eventually, the girl was photographed fully nude. When she turned 16, the contact between the two became more intimate, the article said.

This is not the first time, of course, that a camera has been used like a loaded gun—poised inflict pain.

Another incident occurred on Sept. 20. A 22-year-old photographer was arrested after allegedly exposing himself to several female students at a Calif. high school during a senior picture session. While the district had its own photo studio, a rare amenity in schools, he was employed with an outside studio contracted by the district. The incident even prompted school officials to mandate all future student and classroom photos be taken in-house.

Hiding the behind the lens of a camera is no excuse for criminal activity and it hurts the credibility of all photo professionals. What safeguards, if any, can the industry do to protect children from this type of behavior? Should those who deal with children in their businesses be required to apply for a special permit? Go through a background check?

What can our industry do to protect the naive who are lured by the promise of fame and fortune?

It’s a tough one. Such measures may seem hefty, but at least should be examined by us. True, photography is powerful. But that power can be easily misused in the wrong hands. –a.s.

Next week: When is a close-up too close?