The quickest way to make someone relax behind the lens is to make them laugh ... I love it 🖤
This week I've been sharing images from a photoshoot I did while I was down in Atlanta for Afropunk. How it came together is pretty interesting, Nate (@na_pahm) was the property manager for the Airbnb we stayed at over the weekend (if you're ever heading to Atlanta with a group of friends I'd highly recommend it, check it out here). I was actually the first one to get to the house so Nate had some time to give me a full tour and we started talking a little bit and clicked right away. He let me know that he studied fashion psychology, a relatively new field that explores the psychology behind everything from a designer's choice of a particular fabric to how our preferences for certain colors or patterns influence how people see us.
After learning he was into fashion I let him know that I was a photographer and had just recently done a fashion / editorial inspired shoot and shared some of the pics from my shoot with Gabriella (@feminine.intuition). After checking them out he said he'd actually wanted to get some pictures taken for a while. With an hour or so to kill before Pierre and Kenton got in I said fuck it... Let's shoot!! The rest is history.
One of my favorite quotes from Paulo Coelho book The Alchemist is "... when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." Nothing that happens in your life is by chance ... the events that transpire, the people you come across and the timing of it all ... for better or for worse ... all serve a purpose and are a part of your story. A lot of times we're never fully present and we completely miss the lessons and opportunities life throws our way.
I think the one thing I'm most thankful for about photography is how it's forced me to slow down and be present, I'm constantly looking around for the right light or composing images in my mind even when I don't have my camera. Learning to be present is a process but once you train your mind you'd be surprised how many things you pick up on and how many opportunities begin to present themselves. Try it out!! Up until Nate I'd never done a portrait session with a guy and I'd actually been thinking about when I'd make that happen for a while and then boom ... 👦🏾📸
Check out a few selects from our shoot below...
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”