Starting a blog is easy.

Let me clarify: setting up a blog, choosing colors and fonts that you like is a fun and a relatively simple project. Deciding what to say and the bigger concept behind it? Not so much.

It’s hard to write without thinking of who will be reading my work, and this is something that effects my authenticity at times. It shows up when I’m writing and switch from the “me” voice to the “you” voice effectively removing myself as the honest subject of my experience.

Prior to launching this platform, I made it a painstaking process to keep myself in my writing and make this a true expression of my life. My vision is to always be anchored in the real, my stories as I make sense of what it all means, from relationships, to life choices and especially inner most desires and cravings, the things I don’t say to other people but I know we all secretly think of. Ultimate honesty.

Because I work in culture creation, design is a big element of my job. I work with designers to establish identities for projects that help tell that story. What that means is every detail is a crucial component in a project’s life. The writing just as impactful as the visual cues that go with it. I really want this blog to be a visual representation of my desire to elevate consciousness by sharing my experiences… so I thought: maybe I’ll curate my blog and social media feeds with the finest professional photos I have access to!

There are a number of web sites popping up offering beautiful, craft photography that was previously unavailable to creators who are visually handicapped–– fo’ free. I’ve started other projects this way and loved the look at first, until I realized… uhh… it looks exactly the same as every other feed and also where am I in this?

It’s a cop out. This is a struggle for me: being vulnerable. Taking the chance that sometimes my photo choices will not be as editorial or glamorous. Sometimes I get lucky and a great candid happens, but most of time I’m not that hipster in a perfectly curated Urban Outfitters getup on the mountainside being super casual.

It’s more likely that I’m wearing an old Forever 21 tank having hotel coffee trying not to think about what I look like whilst hoping I come off as naturally radiant. That’s real life.

So, as a firm decision, there will be no stock photography on this platform. It’s 100% authentic.

In filtered real-ness,

-cr