“When we first began searching for women to photograph during orgasm, many were too afraid to agree,” artist Marcos Alberti tells us.

“Casting for a project like this is never easy,” he says. “How do you ask someone, do you want to masturbate in front of me and my camera?” 

Two thousand women initially signed up to model for Alberti’s photoshoot, but after explaining exactly what the camera would be capturing, only 22 models remained.

Today, tons of women are reaching out to him, begging to be photographed while they climax. The O Project — in which Alberti teamed up with sex toy company Smile Makers to capture pictures of real women before, during, and after orgasm — resulted in a beautiful portrayal of women’s sexuality and a celebration of female masturbation.

During the photoshoot, the women masturbated using personal massagers. “But everything below her waist was hidden,” Alberti says, “and me and the camera could only see from her chest up.”

The first photo in each set shows the woman before she begins to touch herself. Her face might portray an initial apprehension with sharing such an intimate moment. In the second photo, however, snapped after she begins masturbating, it’s clear her anxiety is melting away.

Photo number three captures the moment of climax, and unlike the over-exaggerated faces of ecstasy seen in pornography, these women show the genuine range of expressions that occur during orgasm, from huge grins to little giggles to strained moans.

The final photo, Alberti’s personal favorite, shows the ultimate orgasm afterglow. “Shoulders relaxed, eyes shining, red skin, and a big smile in their eyes,” he says.

At the end of each photoshoot, Alberti would ask, “did you forget I was here? And they always do,” he laughs.

The O Project is applauded for its depiction of diverse women. “They are American, South African, Russian, Ukrainian, French, Thai, and Chinese,” Alberti explains. “They’re students and professionals, each different ages, and from different backgrounds.”

While the women may be very different, their reaction to the photo series was the same. In a messaging group among Alberti and the models, the women shared their overwhelmingly positive experiences after the project was published.

“Now, they’re recognized in the streets,” Alberti says. “They say, ‘I am brave, because I am the first woman to do this, and I’ve sent a message of empowerment to every woman who knows me.”

[Photos courtesy of Marcos Alberti]