SHANAKHT شناخت — CREATIVE DIRECTED BY ME

This past month I was in India and I went there because I wanted to really connect with my roots and learn more about where my family and ancestors come from. It was a very spiritual and enlightening trip. Ever since I got back to NY, I haven’t really felt the same. I’ve been questioning my identity a lot and confused on who I am and what I kinda see myself as. The more I look at these pictures; originally there wasn’t something that inspired this. I just wanted to capture the streets of India. Dark character, surrounded by all this color…but I think now the emotions and thoughts I feel from these photos is a boy who’s lost among all these people. He feels like he belongs but at the same time he feels different from everyone else. Accepted from a distance. Sometimes the inspo for a shoot can come after it’s over. Crazy to think that but everything happens for a reason.

Lately the main thing on my mind is for my whole life I’ve always been a he/him person but I think it’s been something building in me for years but now coming to light is I’ve wanted to change my pronouns to (he/him/they/them). The idea of labels and titles has really turned me off and it’s frustrating how we let these titles dictate us and how we live. I’m not trying to make a public announcement about it but more so telling myself that hey you have these thoughts and you should let yourself feel it and go with the motions and see where it takes you. My identity has been shook culturally and personally, but I also know if I don’t take a different approach how will I actually learn ? Hasn’t been the easiest to make this decision just cause again, I don’t know why but i feel very scared but I know it’ll also be very freeing.

Allow discomfort. Allow change. Allow the unknown.

SHANAKHT شناخت MEANING “IDENTITY”