November 2025

Lily West, The Weight Of Becoming (2025)22 Images “Sparkly and excessive” is the cheatcode of a bodybuilder according to contestant and trainer Neca. With crystal-covered heels, stacked bracelets and layers of tan on glistening muscular bodies, the goal is simple: “We have to shine on stage.” That shine – external and internal – is one overwhelming take away from photographer Lily West’s latest series, The Weight of Becoming, which sees bodybuilders contort their chiselled forms into different poses and positions. While outwardly, the competition is one of aesthetic and visual dimensions, bodybuilding is a mental sport too, made up of “consistency, determination, sweat, a lot of internal battles, doubts, wins, losses and tears,” as Neca, who has won mulitple competitions and categories,...