This photographer captured women's orgasm faces to talk about sexuality

Artist Marcos Alberti has created the 'O project', a series of photos capturing the moments before, during, and after orgasm.

The project, done in tandem with well-being brand Smile Makers is intended to break down the barriers of female sexuality, by presenting the often taboo topic of masturbation by women.

Too often, the topic is treated with shame and silence, in contrast to male masturbation that is treated as a given in many cultures.

Over 20 women from a mix of liberal and conservative countries around the world, were photographed four times while using a personal massager.

The photos were taken from the waist up, with the user of the massager hidden from the photographs and from the photographer.

According to Alberti and Smile Makers, the underlying message of the Project O, is that all women deserve to be in control of their sexuality, and be empowered to have a little fun with it.​

Commenting on the project, Fan Yang, the global brand manager of Smile Makers said:

Female sexuality is more often shrouded in shame and secrecy.

Our partnership with Marcos allowed us to create this series to upend that social stigma around female sexuality, and encourage the normalisation of female pleasure.

Picture: Marcos Alberti

On of my main concerns about this project, was to make every woman feels comfortable in the studio. I design a curtain with a small hole for the camera, but I didn't know if these woman will forget that I was there, but they all did.

They forgot that was a camera there, so my main goal was to capture the most natural expression of a private moment.

Real expressions, they were not acting or faking it, we manage everything to be real.

Asked how the models were recruited, Alberti explained:

I made this photoshoot in Singapore, and initially the global brand manager at Smile Makers post on Facebook that I'll be in Singapore to make a similar photo shoot of wine project to a female brand.

2,000 woman signed up for this, but the more we explain, less woman are available. At the end we got 22 amazing woman from different backgrounds.

In 2015 Alberti completed the '3 Glasses project', in which similarly worked as a time series of photographs, and the lowering of inhibitions.

The 3 Glasses project looked at drinking in moderation, and photographed people after they had drunk one, then two, then three glasses of wine.

He told indy100 why he went from wine to another area:

I really love to capture real expressions of people, so after the wine project, I wanted to go a step forward, and capture more intimacy expression.

Expression that has never been capture with this naturality before, not what you see in television and internet.

Real expression. So, when Smile makers approached me with a challenge to talk about female sexual well being, I knew exactly what to do.

Alberti also spoke about the importance of talking and communicating about sexual pleasure.

I love that we were able to speak so frankly with these women about sex and pleasure.  

When you approach the taboo topic of sex through the lens of humour, people start to open up and share opinions more freely, which can lead to a monumental change in people’s mentality.

Alberti told indy100 that his next project would involve world travel, taking photographs of strangers engaged in something else which he says he is keeping secret as a surprising.

Commenting on the project, Fan Yang, the global brand manager of Smile Makers said:

Female sexuality is more often shrouded in shame and secrecy.

Our partnership with Marcos allowed us to create this series to upend that social stigma around female sexuality, and encourage the normalisation of female pleasure.

More: Behold: The orgasm faces of 100 strangers are now available for viewing on YouTube