Czech-born supermodel Paulina Porizkova shared a pair of raw, side-by-side photos on Instagram to highlight the realities of aging — and how lighting can change everything.
In the first shot, posted Monday, July 28, Porizkova, 60, poses in a white bikini under soft, flattering light. The second photo shows her in a harshly lit bathroom wearing a nude bra and underwear. In the caption, she reflects on the contrast and what both images reveal.
"This is me. Vacation, pretty light, posing for a shot," she wrote about the first image. About the second photo, she said, "This is also me. Home, not great light, not posing. This is 60. This is 60 years of sometimes healthy eating, sometimes not. 60 years of sometimes working out, sometimes not. 60 years of doing the right things followed by doing the wrong things and over again and again. It’s 60 years of learning what works and what doesn’t. And just as I think I’ve figured it out, everything changes and I have to start again. The beauty of 60 is that now I understand the importance is IN the lesson, not passing the exam."
Fans rallied around Porizkova in support of her honesty and candidness.
"We love how authentic and real you are thank you for that! You are beautiful," said fellow model Grace Strobel.
Many commenters opened up about their own struggles with aging and expressed insecurities about growing older.
"I just turned 70... and I'm done competing (even with myself), I'm done looking for perfection," said one person.
The former Sports Illustrated model has long been outspoken about embracing age. During a January appearance on the Today Show, she said, "I feel like we’re so scared of wrinkles, have you noticed that? We’re so terrified of wrinkles because I suppose wrinkles make us no longer relevant, no longer sexy, no longer desirable."
She continued, "And I keep looking at wrinkles — mine, yours, any woman that I see — and I think, ‘It’s your map of life.' I see how you are as a person. Why would you want to erase it?"
