Back to basics for charity

Kathryn King | 7th November 2009

The sexy backs of high-profile personalities will soon be gracing the pages of a new autism awareness fundraising calendar thanks to a Wanganui photographer.

Local photographer James Price came up with the idea of “Sexy Backs”, black and white photos of people’s naked backs, while trying to think of a way to bring awareness to mums of children diagnosed with autism.

The campaign was close to his heart, as his own son has autism, he said.

Since the idea formed more than a year ago, Mr Price said he had been inundated with people wanting to have their photo taken, and had just donated the intellectual property rights of the idea to Autism New Zealand Inc.

“The concept is ‘Turn your back on Autism’,” he said.

Last week Autism New Zealand finalised arrangements for Mr Price’s photographs to be turned into a calendar, which will be released in June next year to coincide with Autism Awareness Week.

Mr Price said the Sexy Backs for Autism’s Facebook page had grown exponentially, and even included a few international celebrities as “friends”, including model Kylie Bax.

“Sexy Backs is getting well known, from little old Wanganui. There are a lot of other celebrities who have been watching and waiting for a year for this to happen. So it’s going to grow really quickly now.”

Autism New Zealand funding and communications manager Jon Boyer said they had more than 5500 members nationwide, and were excited about the possibilities for the campaign.

“It’s just fantastic that people like James are thinking about us.”