This shoot has been long in the making for no other reason but my procrastination. It has sat in my hard drive for over 6 months now and it's time I set it free!:) I decided to not edit anything (I did add some noise and sharpness), so what you see is what I got raw in the camera that day.
Always happy to hear your thoughts and thank you for watching!
I didn't "know" I was Russian, until I moved to The States. I didn't realise I was that much of a New Yorker until I moved to LA. Finding yourself out of context, makes all the things that are "you" stand out in a sort of way that you can't avoid or deny and just have to embrace them.
Now, living literally on the other side of the planet I appreciate meeting someone from Russia or from New York, it warms my heart and just makes me feel like I can relate to their thoughts, goals and struggles from a different perspective and in a new, more in depth kind of way. Generally I treat any new experience that I get in life as an opportunity to relate to another person in a more profound way, that I maybe wasn't capable of before. It's like I'm trying to collect this whole encyclopedia of feelings, so that anyone that I meet feels seen, heard and "at home" when they are next to me.
“EMPATHY IS A PARAMOUNT QUALITY OF A HUMAN CHARACTER ”
I do not yet see the meaning of this, but, above all, relating to others seems like a lifelong goal for me. It is my strong belief that empathy is a paramount quality of any human character.
All of these thoughts were prompted by being around Anna, a model, DJ and just such a grounded, wholesome and bright woman. I got to meet her thru oue common friend Alena Sable, NYC based entrepreneur, also an all around a fantastic woman and a super adorable mama. I feel so fortunate to make such a solid friend like Anna only a few weeks after I've moved out to California.
Music for the video was written by Ruben, my best friend and the kindest man I know. Which is a big deal, he writes such good music but rarely shares any of it. He's also my boyfriend. So there's that.
I don't know if it all comes together for you, the one that is reading this, but it feels all tied together for me. Mostly by the love that I've put into those people, the photos, the video and these words.
Thank you
While figuring out my new California life I got to catch up with Aurielle Sayeh, DJ, blogger and a Jill of all trades from Europe and LA local in the past. I have known Auri since our first shoot in New York back in 2015, almost exactly three years ago. Both had gone through quite a bit at this point, but we were still on the same wavelength. Auri is as always sweet, warm, gentle, full of ideas and little weathered from all the crazy amount of travelling that she does.
I'm glad we got to spend this afternoon together and create something beautiful. Two creative cancer women hanging out you know there won't be much of small talk, but lots of conversations on feelings, ideas, plans etc. I live for quiet, relaxing and creative times like this.
