This Photo Series Shows Off the Breathtaking Beauty of Redheads

Redheads have it tough. Many are teased for their startling hair hue growing up, and even online dating sites make fun of freckles. Photographer (and fellow redhead) Thomas Knights sought to change the way this beauty minority is perceived with his project Red Hot, an exhibition showcasing how sexy redhead males are. This work was turned into a book and a charity project, which has raised over $65,000 for antibullying programs.

Now the artist is back with a new exhibition and book, Red Hot 2, for which he is collaborating with Welsh designer Elliott James Frieze. "I knew the conversation had to evolve," Knights explained. "This exhibition and art book will explore the beauty of the redhead's pale skin; its supposed fragility, and poetic appearance."

Knights shared that this inspiration came from a bias he saw toward faux tanning products and "healthy glow"-related beauty ideals in Western media. "I just do not fit into [these ideals], and will never fit into [them]," he said. Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts, models Olivia Inge and Ken Bek, and artist Nathan Wyburn have all posed for Red Hot 2. The images are seductive, striking, and just completely spellbinding.

The photographer shared that he will also be examining the beauty of freckles and mixed-race redheads for this project. "It's for anyone who feels in any way like they don't fit into a cultural norm," Knights remarked. "I just chose pale skin and red hair because that's the truth I have lived." He plans on including all of these new images in another book.

"I also hope this book will further pose the question, 'What is beauty?'" Knights added.

If you are a redhead, there's even more exciting news: you could possibly be featured in the exhibition! Knights is currently on an international quest for one woman and one man to include in Red Hot 2 and has started a contest on social media. For more details about the contest and to support the photo series, visit its Kickstarter page here. Read on to see some of the breathtaking images, but be careful — some of them are a bit revealing!