Stop living for others, start creating for yourself

Living in a world where we're surrounded with media especially social media, we often find ourselves drowning in information overload. Whether we are wedding photographers or have a creative job - or any job actually - we tend to compare our talent and creativity with whatever we see all day long on our screens. The problem is that it can trigger some depreciating feelings about ourselves because it looks like everyone else is coming up with amazing ideas, everyone else is shooting amazing weddings, everyone else is having a better life than me ... Truth is we know that social media are a lot about showcasing a certain reality, the best version of something, or even staging reality sometimes (I loved these two things : here and here) and this can condition our subconscious in believing that our life pretty much sucks. I've been there, trust me, I know how it feels. But I also started to question this statement and quickly realized that it's all about our perception. Perception about own self, about our self-value, about our own creativity... The other day I read that quote, and it made all the difference :

"Stop hating yourself for everything you're not; start loving yourself for everything you are"

How simple yet powerful statement that is! I believe that our depreciating feelings towards our work come from not loving ourselves enough - not in a selfish way but in a benevolent way - So I started to be more patient and kind with myself. After all, why striving to be patient and kind with people if I can't even be this way with myself ?! And also, I started to list down in my head everything I've already achieved/created and that I'm really proud of. I invite you to do the same, you'll soon realize that you've achieved much more than you think and it will even boost you to push yourself further, get out of your comfort zone and be even more creative and inspired. 

That's what happened with this editorial shoot. I had this idea for a long time running in my head but it never was the right time, I wasn't ready, I didn't have a stylist and other vendors on board, blablablah... and then suddenly during Chinese New Year, it all made sense. All of these excuses didn't matter. All I wanted was to reconnect with my Chinese roots, I wanted to mix modernity and traditions and above all, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone by shooting in conditions I seldom use : indoors, dark backdrop, strong and rich colors and contrast. And the other important thing :  I wanted to create something beautiful for myself, with nothing at stake, no expectations other than exploring, experimenting and see what comes out.  I created the traditional Chinese headdress you see on the photos, by myself and can't tell you how amazing it felt to reconnect with the fun of creating stuff with my own hands, just like a child's excitement with the first Lego castle he builds.

I didn't shoot because I was paid to do so, I didn't shoot because I wanted to be published, I didn't shoot because I wanted likes or approval or praise from anyone. I shot because it meant something to me. 

And what came out was beyond what I could have wished for but most of all, it made me proud of my work and suddenly, the grass wasn't greener on other side. Sun was shining bright again inside of me and grass was pretty fresh and green on my mind's lawn!

And so, I'll just end this rabbiting with this quote from one of my favorite poets :

"Stop acting so small, you are the universe in ecstatic motion" - Rumi

Here are the photos of the shoot :

Gorgeous rings by Myrtille Beck  |  Earrings by La Chambre Blanche     | Massaï Bangles by Sylvia Toledano from Art & Facts, other bangles : vintage

Vintage furniture from La Bohême Déco

Floral arrangement by Roses by Claire  

Headdress and overall styling by myself

The Barefoot Bride

Do you want to get married barefeet ? Do it ! Just do it ! :) It's your wedding and you're allowed to do whatever you feel like. But do it only because this is you, because it is how you feel the most comfortable and beautiful. Don't do it because it is trendy or because you've seen it so many times on Pinterest, Instagram, etc. As Oscar Wilde said it so well :

"Be yourself, everyone else is already taken"

And I believe that this applies for every part of our life, not only on a wedding day. How many times have I tried to live a life to fit into what people's had in mind for me... By doing so, we only deem our own light, not allowing our true self to shine. And like I always say, life is short, so we better live it to the fullest and do things that matter to us. And it's never too late to start living the life your dream of and become the person you want to be. It took me 32 years to start carving my own path and start doing things that matter to me. I love this quote : 

“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.”

- R.L Stephenson

So start today, be yourself and fulfill your life purpose of being happy, not only will it serve you but also everyone around you!  And "always remember that where you are is the result of who you were, but where you go depends entirely on who you choose to be, from this moment on". (H. Elrod)

Now enough of talking, let's take a barefoot walk together in the woods :

Shot at Domaine de Patras, Light workshop

Dress by Jenny Packham | Styled by Made in you | Flowers by Laetitia C.Fleurs D'Atelier | Calligraphy by Nice Plume Calligraphies | Make up by Charles Gillman Cosmetics | Hair by Ciara Coiffure | Film lab : Richard photo lab

Bohemian & Chic Wedding gowns by Rembo Styling

Last month, I had the chance to meet a wonderful team of amazing vendors during the Carmencita Meets in Porto organized by Branco Prata and Carmencita Film Lab. Wandering in the streets of Porto and exchanging with a bunch of talented photographers was one of the most enriching and humbling experiences I've had. During this trip, I also had a chance to shoot dresses from Rembo Styling in one of the most gorgeous places in Portugal : the hills of Serra Da Freita. As the sun was setting, the golden light was gently enveloping our brides, I loved how the light combined with the delicate yet modern style of the dresses created these dreamy images.

If you're a bride-to-be and still looking for the perfect dress, combining bohemian and chic spirit, have a look at Rembo Styling dresses, you won't be disappointed ! And follow me on Instagram and Facebook to discover more amazing designers and be the gorgeous bride you deserve to be on your wedding day!

Dresses : Enchantment and Esprit by Rembo Styling

Makeup By  Bárbara Brandão
 Hair by João Pereira Hairdressing

Shot on Mamiya 645 | Portra 400 | Film processing by Carmencita Film Lab

French Cliffs Lilac Bridal Shoot

 

Have you ever felt at peace whenever you come close to the sea or nature in general ? I have. I feel that being surrounded by the nature, brings us back to the essence of beauty and that's why it resonates so deep within us. But living in a busy city such as Paris doesn't always make it easy for us to reconnect with nature. Luckily, not far from there, we have amazing places like these amazing Cliffs of Etretat, Normandy. This shooting was inspired by this quote :

”When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused"

-Rainer Maria Rilke

Tell me about your "peace place". Where  is it ? How does it make you feel ? I want to hear about it! We should even go there together and capture the beauty of your soul feeling at peace. Let's connect HERE !

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Film Processing by Carmencita Film Lab |  Vintage Dress by Gossamer | Headpiece and Belt by Orchidée de Soie | Stationery by Nice Plume Calligraphy

This shoot was published on Style Me Pretty