My 31st Year

I turned 31 in January. There was no fanfare or party (Coronavirus aside, I don’t do a lot on my birthdays) but I decided to celebrate it in my own way. It had to be something I enjoyed a lot, and naturally, the idea of a photoshoot came to mind. Leading up to the day I made preparations, the main one being bleaching my hair! It was the first time I’d ever done something like that, but I had a feeling bleached hair would look great on me (spoiler alert; it does). One person came highly recommended to me; a stylist named Mao who works at a salon called Diall House in Daimyo, Fukuoka. He was friendly and great to chat with while I was in the chair. If you’re in Fukuoka City and looking to get your hair done, shoot him a message! 

 After getting home, I started brainstorming what I wanted the images to look like, and an idea immediately hit me. “Why don’t I ape an i-D Magazine cover?”  I’ve always loved their covers. Plus, I have a soft spot for the ones from the late ’90s to the mid-2000s. I got my wardrobe together, created a tiny studio space in my apartment, and started shooting. 

 I decided to shoot tethered using Capture One Pro 21, using the Live View function to frame my shots. It took a bit of doing, but I was finally able to walk away with the image I was looking for, plus a few extras! 

 This past year has been rough for most of us, to put it mildly. Very literal death and destruction came in waves, and while 2021 hasn’t had the best start, I’m still hopeful. I’ve chosen to do what brings me joy, amidst all the chaos, and so I’m hoping I can do this once a month. A small shoot, a handful of images, to keep my work fresh. There’s no guarantee I’ll be able to pull it off, but as my Dad tells me, “Nutn beat a try but a fail.” 

 See you all next time!