Why do I shoot nude?
Firstly, it's not about feeding their ego nor mine, or giving any false, fleeting sense of self. When you shoot with me, there is no photoshop, no small talk, and no "customer is always right" service. Every time a woman commits to a nude series with me it brings me the most amazing opportunity to elaborate and dig in to why she’s there in the first place. Many women (not all) come into my sessions thinking “I’ve never felt this good, I want to have it captured”... Maybe they’ve been on a diet, working hard at the gym, or simply living a little better and are feeling good about it. Some come feeling defeated and are looking to fill a void - "Make me look like this girl on IG, I'm going starve myself and hire a good make up artist to make sure I look my best" How we perceive ourselves in this day and age usually starts with what we physically see in the mirror, whether that’s a positive change, a comparison to something she pinned that day on Pinterest, or she feels on par for a split second with that ”do-nothing bitch” she follows on Instagram. None the less, this is where some of my stories start (consciously or subconsciously, whether they want to admit it or not)
The goal of my sessions is to give every shape and model of women something to be proud of. It is to show them that these girls they follow on instagram are no different than most of them, and your self-esteem is likely HIGHER than someone seeking third party accreditation in the form of likes primarily derived from bots, sick-minded predators and 13 year olds on like-for-life apps half way across the world that are appreciating the free porn being provided. Beyond the mirror and society's absolutely vile depiction of "standard beauty", I feel it's my place to remind my women how much they naturally have to offer... as an authentic individual.
Some may be thinking - but you have an instagram of which you post your half-naked women... Yes, I do. Let's keep this in context though. I’m promoting healthy women in a very different context. I’m trying to break that wall down for the women who feel below what seems to have become the mandatory average female form and lifestyle online. I’m simply showing that these hunnies followed by millions don’t have anything on us women who fuck with life harder, on our own dollar, at our own pace, for our own happiness.
When a woman walks into my sessions, whether she’s thinking these thoughts or not, my job is to dig deeper. My job isn’t just to get the best angles and give her a glimpse of pride for a moment. My job is to help build this woman, feed her the confidence she deserves, and reinstate in her mind that she’s doing this because she is a depiction of her hard work, dedication, and happiness... whether she is in the best of shape or not. I photograph comfort ability, happiness, contentment, sexiness, confidence and greater things than your physical assets. I’m photographing a work-in-progress, a woman who is constantly evolving herself. My job is to build another step on that ladder for her to continue. I’m not the dreamworker, I’m just spreading the positive vibes we lack in this overrun society of unpaid models flaunting their shit and making us feel like sacks of St Tropez-deprived world citizens. Think about the amount of people you had access to 10 years ago. These people still existed, the ability to see it just wasn’t as available but if we could... we'd actually see the revolting, demeaning daddy Out of sight, out of mind mami!
My job is to give a girl a little spice, probably the way I feel when I’m prancing around my room in the morning to some Tory Lanez in my underwear acting bougie as fuck. Your reasoning for working with me should be for none other than what gives you that ultimate feeling of happiness/confidence.
Continue to find happiness where ever you reside in the world and within your own life. Stop comparing yourself, your life, your outlook to what is spot-subjectively presented through someone’s ‘best-moments album’ online. Focus on your own life, focus on upgrading you from where you were yesterday. As someone who has felt caught up in getting out of a small town to “be something”, trying to have the most glamorous life, wheeling that bruh with the perfect abs and smile but no fucking personality, and seeking that job that would one day pay the most but only to buy things that you won't even have the proper time to appreciate anyway because your lame job is life. You know how many times I get asked “You’re an accountant? WHY? You’re NOT an accountant” Bitch, just because I want to run my own finances, be knowledgeable about tax planning, know how to run my own shit, as WELL as a full fledged businesses in case I plan to run one one day does not make me a boring person who has settled in life. I have a plan, and it’s about to pop off over the next 60 years. Step off it.
Practice balance… because balance is key and moderation isn’t always just a restriction. Practice positivity…. because not only will that benefit you, but every single person around you. Finally, practice contentment, because as great as it is to have goals and evolve, you will never ultimately reach happiness if you keep thinking you don’t have and that it’s still waiting for you around the corner.
So let's work.