Sensual photography is not fake it till you make it

All women I’ve spoken to, myself included, at some point omens in their life have felt unattractive, not enough and less than other woman out there seemingly “having it all”. The cosiest we live in and the female human condition we’re trapped into are also adding to that never ending feeling of insufficiency.

Through experimenting with sensual photography, I’ve discovered that 1) out own mind lies to us majority of the time and 2) anyone can look like they have it “going on” under the right light and body position.

Is this lying to ourselves and others? Is it “fake it till you make it” kind of practice?

- Yes, but no. It’s more about self-discovery during the process. Seeing how things change from the start when we stood in front of the camera fearful and doubtful that nothing good can come out of this, i.e. we cannot be a successful protagonist of the visuals we admire.

The sensual photography I offer to you, that I’ve been practicing for years, is the mirror you need, but often pass by. It’s a visual experience that connects further your image to your soul. It’s not only telling you with words that your ego mind quickly finds a way to argue or disvalue. It’s a visual proof, charged with emotional truthfulness that hits you right where it has to and helps you not only SEE but FEEL who you actually are.

This is not a super power of mine, not an egoistic way to present you my work. It’s the ability I’ve been to create the safe space you need so I can channel the energy to show you your essence.

It might sounds disbelieving, yet only by trying you can find the answer to yourself.

How to love your body when you don’t love it?

Sounds familiar? Have you ever had those messages appearing through social media, or a conversation with someone encouraging you to “just love your body”, while in your head the voice is constantly screaming “but I don’t love it!”. It’s like others telling you to do something or go somewhere while you’re paralicen by fear or have no idea how to.

Been there, done that. In fact, after 18 years of conscious self observation, self reflection and self development I’m still entertaining the same thought “I’m not good enough, my body is not as I want it to be, I don’t feel good in it”.

Different moments have passed, experiences that opened my eyes wider, my own work is helping other women, yet I still fall down every now and again. Seems like learning about your own self is the hardest of things to learn and master. How do we get so messed up so quickly? If we’re born perfect, how come a few childhood years are managing out while life existence?

Bizarre. And fascinating.

I’m learning that loving yourself is a constant act of practice. It’s like in yoga, there are days when your body is more stiff than others, days when it has more energy than others, but practicing regularly helps you reach the goal, whichever that goal is for you. Out body is a leaving organism, self-healing and autonomous. Every day is different and the whole system is affected by external environment, alimentation, movement, thoughts… I’ve tracked them all and I cannot say which one has more affect that the other. It’s a fusion, all is necessary.

Daily decoded to love practice is what’s needed for achieving living harmonious in your body. Befriend it, listen to with, acknowledge its ups and downs, DO NOT torture, blame, hurt it. Understand that emotions will take over, the ego voice will portray your body as the your greater every of all - learn to see it when it happens and take control. Control with love and dedication to your only home, to your private temple, to the only vehicle you’ve given in this life to move you and help you experience it as long as it shall do.

Your body is your best friend, your lover, your only house. It’s always with you doing its job the best it can. Are you valuing and appreciating it?

The negative voice in your head is an illusion, it lies, it likes the familiarity and tell you words your loved one wouldn’t. Your body is listening, quietly obeying, protecting you and taking care of you always, until it has to ring an alarm if you’ve been out of alignment for too long.

Don’t wait until is too late. Practice self love until you master it. Or until the end.

Energy first, then the rest

People buy people first and then they buy things. People notice and like the energy first and then they involve themselves with the object, experience, person.

Isn’t it strange how much effort we actually put into arranging all the material aspects of our life - hair & make-up, outfit, house & place we live, degree, even activities? We’re obsessed to gaining, achieving, arranging this illusion ti portray ourselves in a way we assume is correct, acceptable, beneficial in some sort of way for us. Majority of the effort goes to arranging all those things, creating this life that others will perceive.

Yet we forget the core aspect of this human experience - all that is unseen to the eye, unspoken to the mouth, but completely felt by the body. The essence if it all that no outfit or carrer status can overpower. That very unseen thing is the most noticeable of all. I’m sure you’ve felt if something is off in a person or situation even though everything looked nice and tidy from the outside. I’m also sure you’e experienced the contrary, beautiful feeling covered by not so pleasing visual presentation.

Despite the fact that I’m a visual artist and my job is mainly involved with the visual perseption, the most liked photographs from clients or audience are always those that involve something more than beautiful presentation. Something more that they might not even realise are experiencing and been drawn towards. Something smoothly piercing deeper than the surface, softly taking them into a journey involving their soul more than their eyes.

This is the main aspect of photography in my opinion - to be able to transfer the viewer into another reality by making them feel.

My photography style was born this way and no matter how many other things I try or get confused with in order to fit in, that unique feeling always brings me back. And that unique feeling is exactly what people come to me for, its exactly what they feel without realising it.

Photographing essence is more complicated setting your technical equipment exposure correctly. It involves vulnerability, letting the world sees all that you have inside and taking the risk to hurt you. Despite the risk involved, the price is worth it. Every single time.

Disconnection is connection

To know what you don’t want means to find out what you do want. The darkness helps us appreciate and value the light. Pain in any askepct helps us see the reverse side of that exact aspect.

Not being aware of the problem is often the biggest problem, as when the realisation comes one is able to change the behaviour causing pain. However, many times we just stop there - we suffered, we saw what was causing us suffering, but we continue the same old way as it’s more familiar. Change is unknown and as species we don’t really like the unknown. Our brain is protecting us, keeping us in the safe comfort zone, even though that same zone is causing us the very pain we dislike.

They say the way to really make the decision is when the pain of staying the same is beggar than the pain of changing what’s causing that pain. In a way then we do like pain. Accustomed to our familiar pain, we prefer to stay there instead of enduring a new pain, and unknown pain even if that new often temporary would take us to the goal we so desire.

First comes the realisation, the awareness that we’re disconnected from the body we live in. We finally see what’s causing us so much suffering. With that we acknowledge the process or steps needed to change, to better, to heal the problem. Sounds early in our head and way more faster than when we do a few actions towards it. And just after that there is the moment we stop, we delay, we give up. The moment of the acknowledgement of the fact there is effort containing another type of discomfort needed to reach the goal of removing the familiar pain. Why suffer in the unknown when you already suffer with a familiarity?

I’m still investigating for myself what’s more painful not knowing what’s causing you pain or acting in contrary feeling different type of pain to reach the desired result.

It’s all in your hands.

What is actually worth it?

Is it the goal we aim for? Is it the feeling we desperately cling to? Is it the person, the object, the experience in this life? What are we supposed to focus in life that brings us meaning and fulfilment?

Just listening to a talk by Master Shi Heng Yi, where he said something and went deep: no matter what you have, gain in this life, you’ll have it for 100 years if so. He mentions focusing on gaining inner and body awareness more than blindly following the external maya.

There has always been two parts in me that I see more and more clearly as the time passes - the drive to prove myself, to gain recognition, which on its own feels draining and never enough, and the other part wanting to retreat, to learn, to better itself by practicing inner wisdom and body capabilities.

The stronger wolf is the one being fed. Physical pressures are great, but never able to give you the feeling of pure love and connection to the source.

So where do we continue from here?