Local Photographer Using Portraits to Help Women Heal

Written by Megan Gallagher

The road to recovery can be emotional, tough and exhausting for many women overcoming body image issues. But as Hanna Kluner sees it, there should be room for joy in that process also, and she is doing what she can to bring it about. 

The veteran photographer and yoga therapist of Carmel Valley is working with women who are part of the recovery program at a local center to help them see themselves in a new light, through portrait photography. Over the past several years, she has been photographing women who are recovering from eating disorders to help them finally see their real self, not the image that they may see when they look in the mirror.

“These girls are in recovery and they work really hard, and there is something in this process that is fun, and joyful and brings about healing,” Kluner said.

A professional photographer for nearly 28 years, Kluner faced her own healing process when her husband suddenly passed away in 2001. She turned to yoga, becoming so enveloped in it, in fact that she became a certified trainer of Phoenix Rising Yoga. It was that path that led Kluner to work with a local eating disorder center, when she was approached by the director of the center to start teaching classes for the group. She accepted the opportunity and served as the center’s yoga therapist for three years, before opening her own studio, Luminosity Arts.

“I just had a hint in the last couple of years that there was a way to merge the two things that I did,” Kluner said. “The idea of photographing these women with eating disorders as a way to reflect back their essence to them, came to me, so I approached some of the girls who I had been working with for some time.”

Kluner had the girls journal about the entire experience, from how they felt when they were asked to participate, their emotions before and during the shoot, and their reaction to the final photos. The experience was transformative, not just for the girls, but for Kluner as well.

“It felt like every cell in my body said yes, that there was something to this,” she said. “I really felt that I was being driven to do something larger than myself. There is a real passion and excitement, and each session was really magical in its own way.”

Many of the women Kluner photographed expressed how unexpected the results were, and were surprised at how a few photos could help them in the journey to shift their perspective. As one subject put it when she looked at the photos, she realized the monster she saw in the mirror was only in her mind.

“There is something special in capturing their personality, their essence, and to have it reflected back,” Kluner said. “It’s different than when they see themselves in the mirror and they have their judgments. There is some energy in the photograph that resonates with them and there is an experience that they have.”

Seeing the effect that her photos have had on women struggling with eating disorders has also made Kluner realize that she can help many more women, including seniors, women recovering from breast cancer, and more, embrace their bodies and feel comfortable in their own skin. She is currently working on securing a grant to be able to expand her work, and is reaching out to clinics throughout the county to spread the word about incorporating these healing techniques in recovery programs.

“I am so surprised at the depth of people who understand what I’m doing,” she said. “When I share it, people seem to really get it and I’m blown away. This really can be empowering for so many women.”

To learn more about Kluner’s efforts or to see more of her work, visit her website at hannaklunerphotography.com.