The Unavoidable Start
The beginning is the hardest part for me. I assume it is for most people as well. Maybe it's the uneasy transition from something being close and intimate to it having a life outside of yourself where other people can interact with it. Any thought or idea can stay pretty safe inside your own head, but trying to send something out to the world, where it risks being destroyed, is unnerving. As the daunting thought of failure lurks over your ideas it seems just to protect them from getting torn apart. Telling yourself that you'll let them out of your protection when the time is right and they're strong enough seems most appropriate. The reality is that there is rarely a perfect time and trial by fire can never be avoided. Hopefully, with enough perspective, the ego can be suppressed, so that we can see what really comes out the other side after the world has its way with it.
"Be vulnerable Be bold" is a phrase that I try to keep inside my head to remind myself of this unavoidable process. Out of self preservation I want to hide, but out of the reflex to create I hope I don't give in. Choosing the latter seems more beautiful anyway and considering there's a price to pay, no matter what the choice, I would rather have the peace of mind in determining myself to whatever extent I can.
Because the beginning seems like as good of a place to start as any, here are some of the first nudes I ever shot. I still look back on these every so often for various reasons, but I'll leave that for another post.
