A famous last name can open some doors, but in the case of an upstart photographer, it can also unleash a particular brand of vitriol most comfortably posted online. “When I look at my work in the safety of my environment I’m safe behind my own walls, but when you put it out there for the public, it leaves you very vulnerable,” says Caitlin Cronenberg on the subject of Poser, her first book of photography, which is being released today. “I know people judge me for who my family is.” The 25-year-old has worked as a professional photographer since the summer of 2006, and every dollar she’s earned has gone into Poser, her new black-and-white hardcover photography book of nudes. She says the pictures aren’t about her and that she chose her topic very deliberately: to tell the story of the people in her book. “The point isn’t to look at the photo and say this is a piece of art; the point is to say this is a true representation of this person,” she says. “I’m not trying to be Helmut Newton.” The 133 non-models in Poser have, for the most part, experienced some sort of scarring, body modification or piercing, which brings to mind the work of her filmmaker father. “I haven’t seen all of his movies, but I grew up around his art and people who aren’t afraid to shy away from topics that are taboo,” says Cronenberg, who may have 10 tattoos and 20 piercings, but calls candy her only vice. She says, “I didn’t ever feel the need to rebel.” The self-published book is the very definition of a personal project; her sister appears naked, as does an ex-boyfriend. Additionally, she was shocked to discover that one of her models committed suicide before the book went to print. “I only met her that one day. Looking back, you wonder if you can see a sadness in her eyes, but now since I know her story I can’t tell if I’m projecting,” says Cronenberg. “We’ll never really know.” To that end, there’s an index at the back of Poser that tells each model’s story. Anita Ayres is a 46-year-old from Toronto who appears twice in the book. “Some people think of a trans-sexual in a certain way, but I wanted to say something different — that there’s more to being a trans-woman than smoke and mirrors,” says Ayres, who was undergoing hormone injections in her first photo and appears fully transformed in her second. “When I first went in to be photographed I was nervous, but I’m glad I posed. For me, it was like why people jump out of airplanes or run Ironman [triathlons] — it marked a moment in my life and the photographs are as honest as can be.” Cronenberg has since moved on from shooting nudes and says that her next book will be something completely different. But another of her models, Quinn Simpson, 25, says the book carries an important message. “The spirit of the book and the spirit of Caitlin is there’s nothing to lose in the world so just be you,” says Simpson. “At one point I thought, Should I try to be sexy? Then I said, Screw that, just be who you are.” That’s a sentiment which Cronenberg’s taken to heart after absorbing criticism for her famous last name. She knows that people are going to judge her work before seeing her pictures. But she says that’s not going to stop her from doing what she loves. “I’m always going to be my father’s daughter and I’m never going to be anything but proud of that,” she says. “I know I’m leaving myself open to people’s judgments. It’s a similar feeling to being nude, you’re exposed.”

I received the book this morning – what a beautiful piece of work. Not only is her presentation and art amazing, but the emotion that she was able to bring out in each individual is truly a gift. Well done Caitlin. The book speaks to so many personalities, issues, celebrations and reservations in our society. I believe this to be an important book for people to see. Thank you creating such an amazing piece of art!