Inspired by: Sam Smith + Ryan Fluger

Sam Smith + Ryan Fluger

Photography is therapy

I nearly keeled over when I saw Sam Smith post this on IG alongside a photo of him shirtless on the beach:

In the past if I have ever done a photo shoot with so much as a t-shirt on, I have starved myself for weeks in advance and then picked and prodded at every picture and then normally taken the picture down. Yesterday I decided to fight the fuck back. Reclaim my body and stop trying to change this chest and these hips and these curves that my mum and dad made and love so unconditionally. Some may take this as narcissistic and showing off but if you knew how much courage it took to do this and the body trauma I have experienced as a kid you wouldn’t think those things. Thank you for helping me celebrate my body AS IT IS @ryanpfluger I have never felt safer than I did with you. I’ll always be at war with this bloody mirror but this shoot and this day was a step in the right fucking direction 👅🤘🏼🍑

and then to find out that the photographer, Ryan Fluger, that took the photo spoke in greater detail on THIS:

My MFA thesis was on how photography is therapy. I did a TEDx talk on how photography is therapy. I feel so lucky to have met the people I have in my career & even luckier to create meaningful connections after working with people. @samsmith thank you for trusting me to facilitate photographs that empower your ownership of your body and mind. I honestly wish everyone relinquished themselves to the experience like you did. An experience that has brought us closer together & I look forward to creating with you through the years. All the love. Xoxo

Like holy wow. PHOTOGRAPHY IS THERAPY. We are making headway people! Through an array of multi-media therapeutic formats, one person at time.

Be inspired. Inspire others.

xo-d

Be heard at #thedkollafemmeproject