Hi friends meet @urbanafterthought. She is a photographer, deep thinker and all around super beautiful human. This week we will dive into life, art and happiness recipes.

What is paradise? Balance, and the art of learning to find it in everything you do.

What experiences in life shaped you the most? Shooting 35 mm Film taught me composure and patience. I would say being born with two different cultural backgrounds also played a big role. My mother is Vietnamese and my father is North-American. Growing up my dual identity gave me a less ego-centric vision which opened my mind in ways It might not have otherwise. I think in the creative world that’s one of my most important assets, having an open mind. I’m not afraid to trying anything once.

Who is your biggest influence and why? My mother. Her journey from Vietnam to America is a story of leaving everything you know and building yourself from the ground up. I continue to be amazed by the capacity she has to give, and the capability to endure. She is one of the most selfless people I know and her love knows no bounds. Her passion shined a light on the beauty of this world and makes me appreciate every breath I take.

What will destroy the world and what will save it? Love

What are things that bring you joy in the world? Art

My dog

Nature

Traveling

Solid podcasts + a good playlist (freelance = lot’s of driving)

Cooking at home

Spending time with my family, friends, loved ones

Exercising (exercising gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy!)

My plants

What does being a woman mean to you? Bearer of light and life

What habit do you have now that you wish you started much earlier? Self-confidence. I was terribly shy and self-conscious growing up.

What about the opposite sex confuses you the most? Less about the opposite sex and more about humans in general: communication of feelings. I think that’s why I gravitate towards the creative world because it’s the lifelong study and quest to understand and be understood.

What life skills are rarely taught but extremely useful? To never stop imagining. I think generally speaking play is seen as this thing you do as a kid but then phase out of, into a more adult mindset. But a big part of finding happiness is to never stop seeing the world through the lens of wonderment.

Tell me about photography? Photography started as therapy. My first class was a 35mm Black and white class. Something about being in a dark room and being forced to be with myself for long stretches of time really opened me up to a level of self-consciousness. Then there was the magic of watching a blank piece of photographic paper develop before your eyes. And the permanence of a fleeting moment captured. I remember my parents going through their divorce and how each moment became so much more fragile to me. I saw The impermanence of things and photography was my way of holding on to each moment.