Bunny Yeager is one of the most prolific female photographers as well as the first female photographer to ever shoot for Playboy. Yeager had little competition as a female photographer in pin-up work and describes herself as a “trailblazer” to which I'd agree (Solomon). As both a pin-up model and photographer, she knew what looked best as well as what felt best for her subjects. Her work allowed flexible hours to pursue her passion, take care of a family, and maintain a career for herself in 1950s America. She employed many other women who were pin-ups working to support their families. Her work held a sense of agency for women and evinced the notion that women were also sexual beings and that could be a staple of femininity. Her work was said to inspire the work of Cindy Sherman, who is often referenced as a feminist artist and an icon among female photographers and artists (Schudel). Shermans work consisted of self-portraiture, which Bunny Yeager indulged in often and even wrote books about. When it comes to feminist ideals, Yeager herself said “I always hated it when people said, “You can do this as good as a man,” or “Why don't you do it like the men do it?” (Solomon). 

The feminist art movement aimed to add women’s perspective to artwork. Women often made attempts to display and profit from their work but were rejected on the sole basis of being women (Feminist Art Movement). Artists like Bunny Yeager, who often profited from her work as both a photographer and subject, opened the door to make women’s successful career in art a large-scale possibility. Although her work did not make a clearly political declaration, her existence as a photographer alone held feminine power. 

Solomon, Tara. “Bunny Yeager Talks Old-School Miami Glamour, Bettie Page and the Future of the Pin-up (NSFW).” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/bunny-yeager-photography_b_2007159. Accessed 04 Sept. 2024. 

Schudel, Matt. “Bunny Yeager Dies; Revealing Images of Bettie Page Helped Define Art of Erotic Photography - The Washington Post.” The Washington Post, 2014, www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/bunny-yeager-dies-revealing-images-of-bettie-page-helped-define-art-of-erotic-photography/2014/05/28/7caf4366-e5b4-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html. Accessed 04 Sept. 2024. 

“Feminist Art Movement Overview and Analysis.” The Art Story, The Art Story Contributors, 2024, www.theartstory.org/movement/feminist-art/. Accessed 04 Sept. 2024.