Don't Fly Too Close to the Sun : Be Careful Chasing Your Idols
We all enter the creative world with hopes of carving out our own lane and crafting a unique style that stands apart from everyone else. We look at the Basquiat's & Lichtenstein's, whose legacies have glamorized the artist lifestyle, as examples of remaining individualistic throughout their rise to stardom. One of the biggest oversight's in this thought process is that most of the artists that are glamorized in pop culture didn't receive their recognition until their time of death. The trick is finding that individuality without losing yourself but also elevating simultaneously.
A story that always stood out to me was the story of Icarus and the complexity of the inner battles within it. The main lesson in it was that Icarus allowed his pride to get too heavy and was punished for it as a result. What's deeper rooted in the story, is the fact that Icarus attempted to stand on the heels of a concept and lost sight of his vision that created the concept. What we as creatives tend to lose sight of, while on our journey, is the reason we are doing this, to begin with. For me, I have lost sight a few times. Whether it's chasing the paths of the artists that I am inspired by or getting caught competing in a race where I am the only one participating.
I was having a talk about a talking with one of the homies who has a budding career in architecture. As you might be able to see from my last posts, understanding and mastering the creative process is a high priority for me. In his medium of art, projects take on average 16-18 months to complete, which requires a different level of planning. What I have tried to incorporate in my process is more planning and preparation behind photoshoots. This photoshoot with Venance, Miss Cameroon for most, was a pretty quick turnaround from inception to completion but it did take more planning than any other shoot prior. Working with a stylist and creative director in Jaz, finding the props and executing on production day felt amazing for it to come out the way it did. I even spent more time than usual on the edits because I wanted to make sure it was as near perfection as possible. Funny enough, the final product features none of the edits I spent so long on because I always want to beware of over-editing to the point of the photo losing its authenticity.
