It all began with the click of a shutter. I was only 14 years old when I chose a brand-new Nikon D5300 over a PlayStation 4. Back then, everybody I knew had a gaming console and in a bid to be different, I chose to get the camera. Besides, Instagram was all the rage back then, and I knew I could take the best pictures.
Fast forward a couple of years later, what started as the hunt for a cool photograph has since grown into a self-expressing art that seeks to resonate with the hearts of those who choose to look.
In my latest project, For All The Lessons Learned, I tackle the theme of vulnerability during self-reflection. During the portrait sessions, I employed a unique approach; I triggered the shutter to take a picture 10 seconds after informing the model, Anais Shalita, to prepare for the photo. This extended pause allowed me to capture the candid moments where Anais was momentarily free from her meticulously crafted pose and soaking it all in.
In addition, we were shooting in negative 15 degrees Celsius and since she hails from the beautiful country of Rwanda, she wasn’t accustomed to handling these harsh temperatures in nothing but a silk dress. This brought an unguarded authenticity to the images and resulted in a series of photos depicting the introspective moments after a performance and the inherent vulnerability that accompanies such moments of raw, unfiltered self-awareness.
