Motivate
Motivation is something I read about often. I love inspiring self help books, beautifully designed Pinterest quotes, and quick YouTube videos that get that initial wheel turning. But it's hard to find it when you find yourself day after day in an uninspiring atmosphere. I am so lucky to be living in a city where each corner presents itself with new aspirations and beauty. Florida has its beaches and I do love and miss them, but there's something about walking streets that so many generations of poets, painters, philosophers have strolled that simply cannot be beat. I feel as if I'm in my own romantic movie. I buy flowers for myself on the market, linger at windows with extravagantly detailed displays, bicycle aimlessly with Franklin in tow; all just because this movie of mine needs all those things. I've found that my motivation is in this vision of what I want my life to be like and feeling it's possibility in the morning air.
I hope that my cliche move (and semi-"Eat, Love, Pray" experience) is in and of itself motivation to someone dreaming of changing their life.
This week I took a lot of photographs for Paris Fashion Week and after one of the runway shows I introduced myself to someone who immediately attracted my attention. Chinaza Moses is a fashion designer from New York City who creates beautiful dresses as beautiful as she. I knew exactly where I wanted to shoot her, so we set up a date and time immediately. I absolutely LOVE the results and I can't wait to shoot with Chinaza again, next time in NYC!
The location was an art installation at Le Bon Marche. This one is designed by female Japanese artist, Chiharu Shiota. The first time I saw it, I sat on the benches in the middle of the installation for at least 20 minutes on my own, just staring. Its simplicity and beauty gave me chills.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be”
And side note, since it's International Women's Day, I just want to give a huge shout-out to all the women I've worked with. I'm astonished at how supportive, kind and strong everyone I've met is since moving here. I thought the "fashion industry" would be a lot harsher; it turns out it's been anything but that for me.