Where it started
I wanted to start my blog with this, because in many ways, I discovered my true creative self on the streets of Trinidad and Tobago, doing street photography, nearly 15 years ago.
At first glance, Trinidad and Tobago is a Caribbean Island with sandy beaches and eternal sunshine. On closer inspection, she's a melting pot of cultures, blending languages, flavours, religions, festivals, and economies. The past and the present live in tandem on these islands, in a truly unique way. Carnival is a flamboyant explosion of colour and expression, where all these qualities come together. It's loud, messy, full of movement, passionate, playful. From the traditional Moko Jumbies (stilt walkers) whose origins can be traced back to West Africa, to the Tassa Drums of the Rhythm Section, brought across the continents from India, to J’ouvert, echoing the once French influences on the islands, Carnival is EVERYTHING.
Yet, visually, when we tell her story it’s through colour. If you searched ‘Trinidad Carnival’ right now, you’d see a collection of stunningly vibrant images. Some of them might even be mine. But a part of me was seeking the challenge of telling a story less told. And I think this is a big part of my creative process: to find new ways to tell old stories, to take what is beautiful and find in it, what is unique.
Carnival is EVERYTHING. And if it’s everything, then why was I only telling her story in colour? What might she become, if I could look beyond that obvious beauty, to something even deeper? What textures and movement and tales do we have within us, if we dare to look further? What might we create if we take that brave step into the parts of us that we don’t often let the world see?
This is what photography has become for me, over 20 years of telling stories. This is why I wanted to start here. Because, we as individuals are EVERYTHING. We have a thousand ways to smile and a billion ways to be beautiful. And my absolute favourite thing is exploring what makes each person truly unique.
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