A photographer's experience while investigating the possibility of surgery on her genitals to look more "normal" became the catalyst for a project to capture 500 women's vaginas.

Having already documented more than 300 vulvas, photographer Ellie Eggwick is inviting Coast women to get their gear off and star in her coffee table book.

When she was 20-years-old, Ms Eggwick investigated the possibility of labiaplasty, the surgical reduction of the outer folds of the female labia, after a sexual experience with a man left her self-conscious about her appearance "down there".

"Something that is said in the bedroom with someone you are being affectionate with can affect you for the rest of your life," she said.

"It has definitely stuck with me and is the reason why I am doing this project."

Thankfully, a well-meaning surgeon gave Ms Eggwick some responsible advice to do some research before going under the knife and 10 years on, she is glad she did.

"I was so obviously uneducated about that part of my body," she said.

"The only ones (vulvas) I had seen that I compared myself to didn't have much labia, they were perfect vaginas."

But the passionate photographer has since come to realise that no two women are the same.

"There is such a big diverse range of vulvas," Ms Eggwick said.

"Every woman has a story, and everybody is self-conscious of something.

"Educate yourself on your body."

She now she hopes her coffee table book Comfortable in my skin will help other young girls.

"I don't want young girls going through what I went through thinking I wasn't normal downstairs," Ms Eggwick said.

For more information on the project, go to the website.