Art is when a human tells another human what it is to be human.” -Pablo Picasso
If you ever played sports, you know the importance of getting good reps in. Quality reps during practice will produce quality performance on the big stage. This principle applies to anything that you are practicing to perfect. Musicians, surgeons, athletes, pilots, and even artists all use repetition to perfect their craft. But repetition can become monotonous and monotony can make you lose sight of the bigger picture. And that looks different for everyone. The doctor stops focusing on patient health and is more concerned with pushing patients through. The athlete starts focusing on stats instead of a championship. The artist focuses on engagement and vanity instead of depth and connection.
At the start of this journey, I don’t think I ever had the bigger picture in mind. In fact, I didn’t even know what the bigger picture was. I had jumped head first into the world of photography and shot as much as possible (good reps). I was focused completely on what I was doing and how I was doing it, but I never truly thought about “why” I was doing it. That led to my journey becoming a quantity-based endeavor. I shot with any and everybody that was willing to step in front of the camera. I was having fun and enjoying myself, believing that the joy was my “why.” The more photos I produced, the more joy I felt. So, I added every tool imaginable that allowed me to create even more photos. But I never added purpose to my process.
It took it a few years but eventually those repetitions became monotonous. And without a purpose, my desire to create almost became nonexistent. I was missing my “why.” Fortunately, my paths crossed with two artists whose impact would change me forever.
The OG’s
My trip in 2025 to the Pacific Northwest helped to give me a new perspective to create from and gave my mind a much needed reset; however, it was Niba and Kyra that truly helped me find the “why” behind my journey. Two artists in their own right, they have had the most tangible impact on me as an artist by fundamentally changing the way I approach the creative process. Years of consistency and staying true to themselves and their art, became an infectious influence that I couldn’t help but to mimic.
Niba:
Niba first reached out to me way back in 2019. Approaching it like any other shoot, I asked what her concept was for the shoot. But instead of leading with her ideas, she led with her “why”. She told me about the duality between her Indian and Western culture and her desire to fuse them through her fashion. But she wanted that duality to be seen beyond just the clothing or the traditions. She wanted to be the embodied representation of that idea and have it show through the photos we took. During that shoot we discussed her career, her culture, and her plans for the future. She also seamlessly spread her attention from posing to interacting with a younger cousin she brought with her. You could the see the awe and reverence that the young girl had for Niba as she posed but she also took the time to involve her and teach her as we shot.
It was one of the biggest displays of inner beauty I had ever seen and was the foundation to every photo captured that day. The experience transcended beyond just a mere photoshoot into a truly fulfilling creative moment full of purpose and connection. But instead of learning from that shoot, I chased the feelings I experienced during that shoot. And despite 6 years and hundreds of shoots later, I didn’t find that feeling again. At least not until Niba reached out one more time.
A week after the PNW trip, I knew that creating with Niba again would be the perfect opportunity to apply all the lessons I had learned as well approach the process with my “why” for the very first time.
For the second shoot, she fully tapped into her traditional roots. Both pieces of fashion, as well as her jewelry, had amazing stories behind them. The first Lehenga Choli she wore was not only beautiful but it blew my mind that it took almost two hours for her to actually get into it. The dress was assembled around her as parts of it were stitched, sewed, and clip together while she was wearing it. Internally, I wondered what does it take to have this level of commitment to a photoshoot and as if she read my read, she provided me with her “why” once again.
Her aunt is a highly skilled artisan that made both dresses and this was an opportunity to show her aunt the full realization of the years of her hard work perfecting her craft. And another act of selflessness, she once again poured herself into another younger cousin who was there. You could see in real time that the example Niba was setting would be something that would sit with her for years to come. It was a great shoot all the way around and produced some amazing images. But most importantly for me, it set the tone for this stage of my journey.
Kyra:
Kyra first reached out to me in 2019 as well, just as I had purchased a new lens that I was eager to try out. Her approach to our first shoot was completely different and unique. For Kyra, she was the concept and the “why.” Not in an arrogant way but in a meaningful way. The thing about Kyra that hits you the moment you meet her is life. She’s full of life and looks at it through the unique lens of a painter. She didn’t want to create with me just for the sake of vanity and good-looking pictures. She was looking to capture all the color and excitement that was flowing out of her during that period of her life. An avid painter and art student, she quickly became my artistic sounding board. I constantly looked to her consistency and dedication to her own art because she was a master at operating inside of her “why.” This led to years of meaningful and purposeful shoots with Kyra.
Because she is full of life and creativity, our shoots always focused on discussing life and art more so than the actual photoshoot itself. With her, any pressure to produce great photos would cease to exist. The photos became an afterthought and the focus would always shift to sharing thoughts on how art and life intersect each other. Nevertheless, we would still produce some amazing photos.
Just like with Niba, I was able to shoot with Kyra shortly after my trip to the PNW. I had finally started taking art classes and a particular homework assignment, for a photography class I was enrolled in, was to capture a portrait using natural light. It had been a while since we had last caught up with each other and this task was the perfect reason to do. But 45 minutes after meeting up, the only thing I had to show for the day was another great conversation and only 15 photos. It was by far the fewest photos I had ever taken for a shoot. But what I captured in those few photos encapsulated 6 years of Kyra’s influence and impact on my art. Each photo was snapped mid-sentence and captured the authenticity of our conversation while also allowing the fullness of her personality to shine through each of those photos.
From this, I now had a piece of art that felt like it fully had my “why” in it. It was the culmination of 6 years’ worth of friendship, conversation, inspiration, and a lot of lessons learned. The photos were a great representation of how I see Kyra through an artistic mindset
Final Thoughts
The lessons these two wonderful artists have taught me have become core principals for me as an artist. Niba’s courage to follow a path different from the masses, inspired and encouraged me to make a similar decision with my own journey. Kyra’s consistency and infectious mindset towards art has inspired me to venture into new mediums and now oil painting has become a welcomed addition to my creative process. And as I move forward in this journey, I hope to continually find ways to pay homage to them for the impact they made.