My body was policed, shamed, and ‘dirty’ long before I could formulate a full concept of what my body is.
Here’s the needful…
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#BAREwithMe
By definition, BARE means to uncover or unclothe, remaining basic or simple but at the core revealing an underlying truth, usually. For what I have been known to deliver time and again from my introduction to photography, i think BARE speaks to something that I have always attempted to portray, authenticity and the acceptance of humanity within my subjects and speaking bluntly, I believe I do that better than most. It is this that will be the core of this new series in all of the forms that will be showcased throughout the year.
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What happens when every goal you set as a marker is actualized? What happens, when you get the top of the first hill, but find yourself at the bottom of a new one?
A year of learning, a year of becoming new, a year to evolve. Learning to accept the parts of me I didn't know existed, the parts of me I didn't want to accept, and the parts I didn't even know I could accept.
The decision to the begin this life path was born from a need to survive. I didn't realize that I had forgotten myself. As I grew, my life demanded more of me, my mind, my energy, my focus… In focusing on these demands, I forgot who I Am.
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Since I was young, it has always been my natural inclination to rebel and go “against the grain”. For years my parents, teachers, coaches, administrators worked hard making attempts to curb that inclination with discipline to no avail. As I look back, it was likely due to my feeling of discomfort with the standard we are all taught to go along with. A few positives came as a result of this personal realization: I realized that it helped to eliminate any inkling of having a fear of missing out and I also realized that it allowed me to find comfort in taking risks that challenged the status quo.
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A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. Success, therefore, isn't an accident but a result of rigorous preparation. A lot of people in this process adapt the mindset of practicing 'tunnel vision', an act of ignoring anything outside of the task at hand & removing the ability to get distracted by outside interests. In the process of creating and pushing towards your dream, it is instead easy to get distracted by the perception of our feet always in motion and be blinded by the fact that we aren't actually getting closer to our goals. How do we then prevent this creative stagnancy while remaining focused on our intended goal? I'm finding that the answer is a lot more complex than I was taught growing up.
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Check out more from Shon on her IG at @thevanilladream & cop an issue for yourself at NUVU Magazine.
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This set with Nico (@nicoobaby) was inspired by a shoot I recently saw of Bella Hadid from 2016 for Calvin Klein. I have an appreciation for the contrast of skin and denim and how it appears soft on camera. The goal here was to take Nico's already beautiful aesthetic and create a sultry vibe in a setting that would help it to stand out. We found this Garden in DC that served as the perfect setting for this fit. We had to be quick with the shots during this shoot because we were in a public place that luckily happened to be shielded by tall bush walls, so we got off some great shots and then had a great conversation to follow.
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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.
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I've been thinking for months now how to dive deeper within myself to reflect in my art and how to really go about it. With that, I have asked myself a range of questions, tried to step out of myself to really see other's perspective and really just allowed myself the space to remain honest about my process. At the beginning of it, I realized that I didn't really know where to start or what to ask myself in order to supply answers that would allow me to dive deeper, so I started first by asking other people.
Read MoreAs a young kid, I grew up with some sort of ball in my hand and my school year evenings being filled with sports. Whether it was basketball in elementary, football in middle and high or track the last leg of my High School years, sports consumed my social life. My mind was filled with plays, thoughts of scoring and dreams of playing under bright lights for the rest of my life. Clearly, the career path that was destined for me had nothing to do with sports in the long run but those principles that I learned during those years still lingering in the back of my mind as I move throughout life.
Read MoreQuality is always the better option in comparison to quantity, but the pairing of the two is a win for all parties involved. As creatives, we aim to use our abilities as often as possible, in opportunities that allow us to create at optimal levels but as we all know, working in situations that undervalue our crafts can be stressful. So ultimately the goal is to work less and make more, you know, "work smarter and not harder", the idiom we are all familiar with.
Read MoreMuch like the process of a recovering addict or a workout beginner looking to create a new lifestyle, my failures will not consume me but only remind me that I am human.
Read MoreTruly understanding a person is to hear their story and accept their truth. The work required to be more empathetic towards others in turn allows us to be more forgiving of ourselves. And in that process, we find understanding that those who judge are only looking at reflections of mistakes in their past. Lately I’ve been seeking inspiration through different mediums and while I examine myself, I learn more about others as well.
Read MoreContent. Content. Content.
Read MoreTraveling is about enjoying yourself, right? It's about being present while the water washes your feet as the sand secedes back into the shore, right? As true as that may be for most, our purpose as creatives was a little different. Our biggest goal was capturing content. Content. Content. Content. In the midst of the content capturing process, we did get lost in the moment and enjoy ourselves as well but the priority was always focused on creating.
Read MoreFor all those that have heard horror stories of traveling abroad and what happens in these cheap stays in local, rundown hostels, PLEASE stay to the end of this post. I PROMISE that this experience with this specific brand will most definitely change your mind. I also have to warn people that I have long refrained from using any hostel due to their outward appearance, amenities provided and the stories told by others so I too understand how people's perceptions of hostels can be negative.
Read MoreI'm sure most people reading this headline are wondering what can be wrong when you are afforded the opportunity to travel to countries foreign to your own and take photos? That would be the definition of a First World Problem, right? Therefore I will start this post by saying how amazing Costa Rica was to visit. Out of all the places I have visited, Costa Rica is truly at the top. From the people, to the culture (which I will address in another post), Costa Rica checks off so many boxes in the ‘dream living’ checklist. But first, let’s get into this trip as a whole being a first time experience for myself & Jaz.
Read MoreTabi Bonney x Kelly Fogel
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