Peterborough photographer Heather Doughty is launching a limited run of 100 prints of her “Women in the Windows” composite photo, with partial proceeds from sales of the prints supporting area women in need of a safe haven and related services.
Doughty will offering 16-by-20-inch prints of the photo for $55 each, with $15 from each sale being donated to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s “HER Journey of Care” program, which provides comprehensive support to women healing from the impacts of gender-based violence.
“The YWCA — its dedicated staff and volunteers — has always had my heart,” Doughty told kawarthaNOW. “They work tirelessly on the front lines to provide support and resources to women, children and gender diverse individuals so that they have a safe place to live, food to eat, and the opportunity to have a joyful life.”
She’s hopeful to sell as many prints as possible to make the endeavour a success.
“My biggest hope for the fundraiser would be that we sell the entire 100 prints so that a total donation of $1,500 can be given to the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s HER Journey of Care program.”
Back in 2023, Doughty was inspired by the famous “Girls in the Window” photograph taken in 1960 by New York photojournalist Ormond Gigli. The photo showed 41 finely dressed women — including Gigli’s own wife — with their arms outstretched in the empty windows of a New York City brownstone that was demolished the next day.
“I photographed the window of a local historical brick building, had the image blown up to life size, and then installed it in my studio,” Doughty explains in a media release.
Doughty then extended a call to the community for models, and more than 100 women applied to take part in the project. From there, she held a lottery, and 48 women were chosen as the models for the final photo.
Doughty further collaborated with local businesses to help bring her vision to life, with Statement House Vintage and Neighbourhood Vintage providing clothing, La Beauty Bar providing makeup, and Beauty by Leigh styling the hair of the participants.
Over the course of three days, she photographed each of the women in the life-size window set-up and then painstakingly created a composite photograph of all the women in their windows.
After unveiling the image this past March, Doughty said she was “struck by the positivity, the joy, and the overall good vibe that the beautiful women in the photo projected.”
“I was not happy to let the photo be a one-and-done. So I came up with an idea — what if we harnessed the power of positivity and the beauty of community and we raised some funds for a very deserving organization?”
Copies of the print will go on pre-sale starting Monday (September 29) and the sale will continue until October 31. The photo will be printed at 16 by 20 inches on archival cotton, signed and numbered and ready for framing.
Doughty will also be showcasing the work 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday (October 3) during the First Friday Peterborough art crawl in her studio on the second floor of the Commerce Building at the corner of Hunter and Water streets in downtown Peterborough.
“It would be amazing to have a bunch presold for pick up at that time,” Doughty said.
For more information or to place an order for a copy of “Women in the Windows,” email Doughty at heatherdoughtyphotography@gmail.com.
