Brooke Orchard
Beauty for Ashes
Sitting in the fire of discomfort and emotional pain without numbing or escaping it allowed me to finally see myself in a way that comfort would never have afforded. An inward journey was born out of circumstances that shook my world to the very core. During the solitude of isolation and the feeling of being so out of controI of my circumstances, I decided to record this time in my life through my chosen art form - Photography; a series of black and white self portraits. In an attempt to capture some of this emotion and maybe even provide a bit of therapy, I committed to doing one portrait per month for a year!
This series became the catalyst for a big shift in my photography style unbeknownst to me at the time as it organically steered me in an whole new direction. My work prior to this had always involved meticulous planning and styling prior to shooting and lengthy sessions making sure everything was just PERFECT!
These new images were quite the opposite, there was pretty much no preparation at all, shot on the spur of the moment, very quickly in a free flow manner just letting the shoot unfold as it will. One of the images was taken on a whim straight out of bed without any grooming at all. Minimal insignificant pieces were used such as a length of fabric or a blanket to keep things simple with the focus being on me and my feelings and body language rather than on an outfit or a particular look. Little did I know this would form the basis for my new emerging style in my work as a photographer as well as a whole new outlook on Life.
A new found Freedom out of the Ashes changed the way I see myself, the world and showed me the vital importance of inclusion and non judgment toward others. x
