29-MARCH, 2011 – In honor of LEONARD NIMOY’s 80th birthday, let’s revisit his photography career.

Where did THE FULL BODY PROJECT come from? Surprisingly, it’s the creation of Leonard Nimoy and can be found at the R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, MA. With permission from the Michelson Galleries, I’m happy to share some of the photos and details about this collection.

I’ve been a fan of Leonard Nimoy for decades as many geeks are. I may not be a “trekkie” but I loved STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES and then I appreciated the voice of Nimoy over the show about urban legends called IN SEARCH OF*. * If anyone knows where to get that series on DVD or digital download please let me know.

Of course, Nimoy is often seen with William Shatner. The two have managed to maintain a friendship since the original STAR TREK. I love SHATNER’S RAW NERVE because it give Shat the chance not be the subject of interviews; instead he is the host and he’s incredibly good at it. I just caught the episode where he interviewed his old friend Leonard.

Nimoy had the opportunity to finally talk about his career as a photographer, a part of his life often shadowed by his TREK career. Nimoy discovered something about himself when he was approached by a large size woman who said she was a model. He realized that his works, which he specifically shot to focus on the power of the feminine, only showed one body type – usually women who were lithe from fashion models to dancers. His eyes were opened when realized that he had been showcasing such a small percentage of the type of women that exist.

In conjunction with the alternative burlesque troupe, The Original Fat-Bottom Revue, Nimoy created THE FULL BODY PROJECT. It’s a black and white series of these larger than average women posing nude and in their burlesque costumes. Women of different ethnicities with voluptuous bodies expose themselves poised with grace, confidence and a sensation of the female instinct to nurture. They are shown embracing each other, looking at and touching each other, and dancing.

This exhibit was open to the public from 2007-2008 currently leaving only a selection of images on display and others viewable upon request. As of now, the collection is considered completed and Nimoy is not planning on adding to it. The exhibit had already toured but the Michelson Galleries are open to requests for visiting venues.

The photos show so many variations of the female form. You can see wide hips with small breasts; long blonde hair and short dark hair; tattoos; cellulite and smooth skin; laughing and dramatic. This collection breaks barriers showing curvaceous women where they are not target as a fetish or as a joke.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.