It’s all Storytelling
"It's ALL storytelling. Everything you do tells a story. Every choice you make behind the scenes is telling the story of you. You are a storyteller. It's ALL storytelling. Don't forget that. Next time you have a hard decision to make, just think in the back of your head: What story am I telling right now?" — Ben Staley
It's all storytelling. That line hit home and resonated deeply with the idea that I am the architect of my life. I may have no influence over what people think or do, or when things happen to me, but I can decide how to react. How I want to cope with it. What decisions do I want to make, and why? What story do I want to tell about myself?
Ben Staley, a filmmaker and photographer, shared ten rules for artists, but honestly, they apply just as much to life itself. You’ll find the link here
So what story do I want to tell? What do I want to share with the world? I believe I want to tell the story of following your heart, my heart. Not to be confused with desires born from ego, fear, or pain, but the voice of your true self, your instinct. What if you start listening more to your heart, your feelings, your inner compass? Allowing your feelings just to be what they are, without judgement. Imagine how the story would change. And the best way to tell that story is by sharing my own as honest and as vulnerable as I can be. Anyone who resonates with it can join my journey inward, and maybe it will inspire them to take the big plunge themselves, to discover a little more of who they are.
But it wasn’t easy, listening to myself and trying to distinguish what was my intrusive inner voice and what came from my heart, my true self. And I know that keeping in touch with that inner strength will be challenged throughout my life. By others, but mostly by myself. Most of the systems I’ve built over the decades served to help me cope with the world, to protect myself. But not all of them serve me today. Many were based on what I thought people wanted to see from me, so I could deserve their love and respect. Systems and manners that helped me fit in, to be loved. But that wasn’t completely me.
I have worn masks, and I still do, but I am willing to discover those masks and pull them off. That is a scary thing to do, but necessary to become, to be, who I’m meant to be. To feel more and more like myself. So I can be more honest, not only with the world but, more importantly, with myself.
Because my photography journey is not only about ambition or following my passion. It is about becoming, revealing the layers I’ve built up and using them as inspiration for my storytelling. I am not interested in the shiny and polished if there is no heart in it. I am drawn to the raw and unfiltered stories, because the shadows make the light shine even brighter.
“Next time you have a hard decision to make, just think in the back of your head: What story am I telling right now?” It wasn’t a hard decision, but a scary one, because of my self‑doubt and insecurity. But I asked people if I could take their portraits, to document a fragment of their story. I asked if they were willing to show themselves to me, even if just for a glance. So we can create something meaningful together.
And so, the story I am telling with the upcoming project In Their Light is the story of a witness—one who was trusted to shine a light on someone else’s beautiful self.
In their Light
I want to be honest, vulnerable, and clear so others can decide for themselves whether they want to share something real with me.
The beautiful people I’ve spoken to for this project are extraordinary, and I feel honoured to be part of their story. This project belongs to them as much as it belongs to me, and for that reason, it’s important that we take our time, together, to discover what deeply personal story we’re willing to share with the world, and with ourselves.
So I ask for your patience. Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll share what I can, but the final photographs will be ready when they’re ready and when the people at the heart of this project feel ready to share their story with you.
